Albany Bicycle Accident Lawyer

You can get help from an Albany bicycle accident lawyer from our team at the Morelli Law Firm. We provide experienced legal representation and can fight to bring you fair compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, property repairs, pain, and emotional suffering. 

An Albany personal injury lawyer can help you establish liability and build your case for compensation. We get to work immediately after a bike accident and discuss options like an insurance settlement or lawsuit to cover your losses. 

We’ve recovered more than $1 billion in settlements for our clients, so let us put that experience to work for you. Learn more by calling or filling out our online contact form. 

Your Compensation After a Bicycle Accident in Albany

If you get badly injured in a bicycle accident, you are likely eligible to claim several different damages. Which damages apply to your injury will depend upon the specifics of your case. 

What types of damages can you claim in a personal injury suit? There are many specific injury lawsuit damages. Economic, non-economic, and punitive damages are each awarded for different reasons. A bike accident lawyer can provide more information. 

Economic Damages

The purpose of economic damages is to compensate an injury victim for the monetary costs caused by their accident. Ideally, the amount awarded for economic damages should equal the present and future expenses the injury victim suffers. Common economic damages include:

• Property damage
• Medical bills
• Future medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Lost earning capacity

Bicycle accidents often result in severe injuries to the rider due to the minimal protections offered in the event of a crash. As a result, cyclists involved in accidents tend to face significant medical costs, especially if they sustain:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
• Spinal cord injuries (SCIs)
• Broken bones
• Internal injuries
• Paralysis

An Albany bicycle accident lawyer can help a bike rider secure funds to cover medical care, bicycle repairs, and other expenses. 

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages are the legal system’s attempt to replace the irreplaceable. 

As a result, the court may award a substantial amount for non-economic damages. In most cases, non-economic damages comprise the bulk of a settlement package. Common non-economic damages include:

• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Loss of companionship
• Permanent disability
• Diminished quality of life

An experienced attorney can help bike riders secure these funds after a crash involving a motor vehicle. 

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages are another matter entirely. While economic and non-economic damages focus on repaying the accident victim for their losses, punitive damages focus on punishing the liable party for their behavior.

The court only awards punitive damages in some bicycle accident cases. The court awards these damages when the liable party acts with a blatant disregard for public safety.

Steps Your Bicycle Accident Attorney Will Take

We will immediately work on your case once you hire a bicycle accident lawyer in Albany. We can explain what to expect from a personal injury lawyer. After a cycling accident, you can rely on our personal injury law firm to:

Investigate 

Your attorney will first launch an independent investigation into your case after gathering as much information as possible about your accident.

In the course of their investigation, your lawyer will:

• Visit the site of your accident
• Interview witnesses
• Discuss your case with expert witnesses
• Obtain a copy of the police report

The purpose of this investigation is two-fold. Your attorney will seek to prove liability while building your case for compensation.

Assess Your Losses

Once their inquiry is complete, your attorney will assess your damages and perform the necessary calculations to determine the total value of your bicycle accident claim.

Discuss Legal Options

The next step will be for your attorney to discuss your options. They will inform you of the evidence they have gathered and the strength of your case. They will walk you through the pros and cons of filing an insurance claim versus a personal injury lawsuit.

They will advise you of the course they feel would be best, but ultimately, they will follow whichever path you choose to secure financial compensation. They will then file the necessary paperwork with the insurance company or the court.

For a personal injury lawsuit, your attorney will take all the required actions, up to representing you in court, if necessary. However, they will also attempt to settle your case out of court by negotiating with opposing counsel to try and reach an acceptable deal.

How Much Time Do You Have to File a Claim?

After a bicycle accident, you will have limited time available to file a personal injury lawsuit against the responsible party and recover compensation. In the state of New York, there is a three-year statute of limitations for filing personal injury claims after an accident.

Are There Exceptions to the Statute of Limitations?

Several exceptions exist to the legal timeline for filing your bicycle accident lawsuit. One example is if the liable party is a government agency. You will have far less time to file a claim in these cases. 

The best way to ensure that your claim gets filed on time and that you don’t miss out on your chance to recover compensation is to hire a personal injury lawyer shortly after you suffer an injury.

Hiring a lawyer early will have the added benefit of putting them in the best possible position to build a strong case on your behalf. Waiting to hire a lawyer can make it difficult for them to recover usable evidence or witness testimony.

The Cost of Hiring a Bicycle Accident Attorney

Many people are wary of hiring a lawyer to represent them when fighting for compensation after an accident. Many of these concerns stem from people worrying they won’t be able to afford to pay a lawyer.

However, personal injury lawyers typically work on a contingency fee basis. That means that lawyers only collect money if their clients recover compensation. Your bicycle accident lawyer charges based on results rather than the number of hours they work on your case.

Personal injury attorney fees are collected directly from the payout the client receives from the liable party. They get paid as a preset percentage of the money paid out. Therefore, your lawyer will make more money if they secure more compensation for you. 

Talk to a Bicycle Accident Lawyer in Albany Today

At the Morelli Law Firm, we have a proven track record of securing favorable outcomes for our clients. We know how hard it can be to get things back on track after a severe injury and can handle insurance companies for you. 

An Albany bicycle accident lawyer has the necessary experience to handle every aspect of your legal case so that you can focus on recovering from injuries caused by a negligent driver. 

Give us a call or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free case evaluation without obligation today. Allow us to handle all legal matters for you.