Bicycling is enjoying a revival in everyday American life. Not only is it a source of exercise, but increasingly a means to commute from place to place. Either because of environmental concerns or a means to save money by not buying gas for a car, more Americans have adopted bicycles as basic transportation. Cities have begun adding dedicated bicycle lanes to urban streets to facilitate riders. However, as bike use has become more common, so have accidents involving bicycle riders. Collisions between bike riders and cars, between bicyclists, as well as between bike riders and pedestrians occur in communities across the country.
Traffic accidents involving bicyclists are not all that different from other kinds of traffic accidents. Drivers and cyclists are bound by more or less the same duty to care for fellow drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. Questions of negligence arise in any accident situation. Which party was ultimately responsible for the accident? Which one had the actual right of way? Who was the reckless party? These issues are no different than those in auto accident litigation. And this is when the services of a good bicycle accident attorney in New London, CT, are necessary.
Lawyers such as Stephen M. Reck, who have practiced in accident and personal injury law for 20 years and longer, have also confronted bicycle accident situations in court. They bring all their experience to bear in litigating for cyclists and have adapted their courtroom strategies to this emerging area of law.
Bicyclists, until recently, were effectively shut out of the same avenues of redress as drivers. This was simply because the legal infrastructure for cyclists didn’t exist in the same way as for vehicle drivers. And an injured cyclist needs a lawyer in his or her corner to help navigate through the complexities of insurance settlements and litigation. The insurer and lawyer for the driver who hit a bicycle rider will try to get the cyclist to take a quick, cheap settlement what would hardly cover medical bills. And there are ongoing issues such as physical and emotional recovery which the cyclist has to deal with as the months stretch onward.
When seeking for a bicycle accident attorney in New London, CT, be certain the prospective litigant not only has courtroom experience, but a working understanding of the emerging issues in bike law. Click here for more information on how these issues can affect the cyclist in your life.
