Cleveland Bicycle Accident Lawyer

Fighting for Your Rights Since 1946

Bicycling is becoming an increasingly popular hobby in Ohio and across the United States. It has also replaced vehicle travel for many commuters. In 2008, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that bicyclists accounted for two percent of all traffic fatalities, as well as two percent of all people injured in traffic crashes during the year. In all, according to the NHTSA, some 716 bicyclists were killed and 52,000 were injured in traffic accidents in 2008.

If you were injured or if your loved one was killed in a bicycle accident in Cleveland or the nearby areas, contact Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP for a free consultation.

Cleveland Bicycle Commuting

According to data from the U.S. Department of Transportation, one out of every 213 commuters travel to work primarily by bicycle in Cleveland. Nationally, there was a 43 percent increase in bicycle commuting between 2000 and 2008.

In an effort to accommodate these bicycle commuters, the city of Cleveland initiated “Bike Rack,” which offers convenient parking and other amenities to bike commuters. For those who do choose to bike to work, the fastest way by vehicle is not always the safest route for cyclists. Make sure to pre-plan your route to avoid high-traffic areas, as well as streets with no bike lanes or little room for bicyclists to maneuver safely.

What to Do After a Bicycle Accident

Because many bicycle accidents result in devastating or even catastrophic injuries, the first thing you should do after the accident is seek medical attention. If necessary, call 911 to ensure that you or anyone else who is severely injured receives proper medical care.

Additionally, there are several things you can do after the accident (if possible) to protect your rights, including the right to file a personal injury claim and seek compensation for your damages. Of course, if you are severely injured and transported to a hospital, you will not be able to do some of these things. If this was the case, do not hesitate to contact an experienced bicycle accident attorney in Cleveland, like those at Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP, who can help you begin gathering evidence and building your claim.

After the accident, to the best of your ability, make sure you do the following:

• Get the name, insurance information, and contact information of anyone else involved in the accident, including the person who hit you
• Call the police and have local law enforcement come to the scene of the accident to document what happened and file an official police report
• Take pictures of the scene of the accident, including the position of your bicycle and the vehicle, as well as of your injuries (if visible)
• Talk to any witnesses who saw the accident, write down or record a brief statement of what they saw and get their name(s) and contact information
• If you do not receive on-site medical attention, see a doctor as soon as possible to rule out any underlying injuries and receive professional treatment recommendations
• Preserve any relevant evidence, such as your torn clothing or bicycle in its post-crash condition; if you are not sure if something is useful evidence, save it anyway
• Refrain from speaking with anyone from the at-fault party’s insurance company before first discussing your potential case with a personal injury attorney

One of the most important things to do after a bicycle accident is to reach out to an experienced law firm that can help you understand your rights.

Because Ohio is an at-fault state, the only way to recover compensation after the crash is to file a claim against the other person’s insurance company. Unfortunately, insurance companies will often do everything they can to dispute or deny valid claims. An attorney from our firm can fight back against unjust insurance company tactics and advocate tirelessly for the full compensation you are owed.

Who Is Liable?

Determining liability is a key element of a successful bicycle accident claim. Without establishing who is liable, we cannot bring a claim for damages. However, identifying the liable party is not always easy.

Depending on the circumstances of the accident, any of the following parties may be partially or entirely liable for the accident:

• A motor vehicle driver
• A passenger in a motor vehicle
• Another bicyclist
• A pedestrian
• The entity responsible for road maintenance
• The construction company that designed or built a defective roadway
• A manufacturer that created a defective bicycle/bicycle part
• The manufacturer or distributor of a defective piece of safety equipment, such as a bike helmet

At Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP, we conduct exhaustive investigations to determine exactly how the accident occurred and, importantly, who was at fault. This allows us to identify the liable party and begin building your case.

Why You Need a Bicycle Accident Attorney

In a state where bicyclists have an equal claim to the roadways, it is difficult to believe that people often side with the driver of the motor vehicle involved in a bicycle accident. Even when bicyclists are obeying the law, prospective jurors will often put themselves in the place of the drivers who hit them and not the injured victim. If you've been injured in a bicycle accident, you need experienced, aggressive attorneys who will fight to obtain the compensation you deserve. Our Cleveland bicycle accident lawyers can arrange a free consultation with you.

We Take Your Case Personally

At our accident and injury law firm in downtown Cleveland, we take our clients’ bicycle accident personal injury claims seriously. The lawyers at Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP can work with independent experts and use the latest technology to investigate and prepare a sophisticated, intelligent, and logically persuasive case that insurance company lawyers know will get past jury bias against bicyclists. We’re here for you, and we’re on your side.

Our Cleveland bicycle accident attorneys have 74+ years of trial success and resources backing your case. Insurance company lawyers know that we work as a team of skilled, knowledgeable professionals to present the strongest case possible for a full and fair settlement—or we'll see them in front of the judge and jury.

Commitment, Integrity & Experience on Your Side

Talk with us to determine whether you have a legitimate bicycle accident case for you or your child.

We have experience representing individuals and families in all types of bicycle accident injury and wrongful death cases, including:

• Head injuries and traumatic brain injuries
• Back, neck, and spine injuries
• Accidents caused by defective parts or systems
• Bicycle accidents caused by negligent truck drivers

Call our office at (216) 600-0114 for a free consultation regarding your case with the Cleveland bicycle accident lawyers at Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP.