You could ride your bicycle anywhere around Fulton, from the streets of downtown to the backroads. However, wherever you ride, you face serious danger from negligent drivers. Although roadways are meant to be shared by motorists and bicyclists, it can be challenging to determine the rights and duties of each in a split second, potentially resulting in a collision.
If you suffer injuries from a bicycle accident, you may be able to recover financial damages for your losses. Rather than risk losing your right to file a claim for your wreck, you could have a Fulton bicycle accident lawyer handle the legal process to help you to fight for the compensation you deserve. Discuss your rights, case, and options with a skilled personal injury attorney.
Bicyclists have the same rights and duties as motorists under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 307.188 (2019), except for a few specific regulations pertaining only to bicyclists.
Bicyclists to are required to ride as close as possible to the right side of the road when riding less than the speed limit or below the flow of traffic. Additionally, bicyclists are to use hand signals when riding. Regarding equipment requirements, bicycles on the roadway from dusk until dawn are required to have:
If a bicyclist fails to adhere to these regulations, they may face punitive action for the violations. A local bicycle accident attorney could help determine whether any regulations were violated by a bicycle involved in an accident, and whether those violations may prevent or hinder the recovery of damages.
For personal injury cases to recover damages from a bicycle crash, the fault may be on the driver of the vehicle, other motorists, or the cyclist. Because Missouri is a pure comparative fault state, the recoverable damages for injuries in these cases may be reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to the injured party. There is no percentage of fault at which point an injured party is barred from collecting compensation, even if the injured party was 99 percent at fault for the accident, they could still recover one percent of the awarded damages.
The amount of recoverable damages awarded to the injured party at trial may be up to the jury to determine. These damages may include economic damages such as medical bills and non-economic damages like pain and suffering. A knowledgeable Fulton bicycle injury lawyer could help seek the maximum amount of compensation available and mitigate the loss of recoverable damages by the injured party in a bicycle accident claim.
Regardless of the cause, a bicycle accident can have disastrous effects. Due to how exposed bicyclists are when riding, an accident could severely injure the rider. With legal assistance from a Fulton bicycle accident lawyer, you could have a fighting chance at succeeding in your injury case. Call today to schedule your consultation and get a legal professional to review your claim.
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