You have a way to fight back against negligent drivers. Contact Morelli Law and our team of Edwardsville personal injury attorneys. Our firm has helped accident victims win big in settlements and court cases for decades. We can offer accident victims a free consultation with our Edwardsville bicycle accident lawyers.
Proving Liability in a Bicycle Accident Claim
Your best route to winning a bicycle accident claim is to hire a lawyer. You have enough to worry about with your injuries and financial trouble, and your lawyer will have skills you probably don’t have that can help you with your claim, like legal knowledge.
Your lawyer will seek out evidence to prove four things to win your claim. These are:
- Duty of care
- Breach of duty
- Causation
- Damages
These four things prove that the other party had a responsibility to stay safe while driving, didn’t do that, and thereby caused an accident that harmed you in specific ways. The insurance company will try to fight against the evidence so they can pay less or avoid paying entirely.
If you don’t have a lawyer, you’re at the mercy of the insurance adjuster’s opinion of events. They may try to force you to take a lower settlement or just outright deny your claim, leaving you holding the bag on the remaining balance. Don’t let them get away with it. Hire a bicycle accident lawyer as soon as possible after your injury for the best chance of success.
What Damages Could I Earn from My Claim?
As a victim, you can demand financial compensation for what you’ve suffered. The things you’re demanding payment for are called damages. The goal of our Edwardsville bicycle accident lawyers is to get you as much as possible for these damages.
That requires powerful evidence and shrewd negotiation. You could receive compensation for your medical bills, broken bicycle, pain and suffering, lost wages, and many other damages. However, an insurer will try to pay you as little as they can before you know the full value of your case.
That’s why it’s so important to speak with a lawyer right away after your bicycle accident. Working with one protects your interests and raises the value of your compensation. Call Morelli Law to speak with a bicycle accident attorney for free.
How Soon Should I File My Lawsuit?
Illinois has a two-year statute of limitations on all personal injury claims, but that doesn’t mean you should delay talking with a lawyer. The two-year deadline is an absolute limit, but working with a lawyer early will make a stronger case.
The longer you wait, the harder it is to collect evidence that could prove your damages or even your accident. The insurer’s lawyers will work hard from the get-go to fight against your claim. Why should you fight them on your own when you can call us right away to protect you?
Most cases will settle out of court, but it’s difficult to sue successfully without a lawyer on your side. The threat of a lawsuit gets insurers to give you a fair settlement, so we encourage you to speak with a lawyer as soon as you can after your accident.
Dangers of Bicycle Accidents
When you’re in an auto accident, you have a lot of safety features to protect you from an injury, like seat belts, airbags, crumple zones, and the vehicle frame. Cyclists have far less protection, which means riders get the full brunt of the crash forces.
Helmets save lives because they absorb the force of the head hitting the pavement, but that’s just one injury you could have. There are many other injuries you could suffer from a bicycle accident that could put you in the hospital for a long time.
When everyone follows the road rules and acts predictably, the chance of a bicycle accident is low. When someone is negligent, that’s when these accidents happen. Our Edwardsville bicycle accident lawyers can help you prove the driver was at fault for your accident so you can get compensation.
How do I Maximize My Chances of Winning?
The best thing you can do for your case is to hire an Edwardsville bicycle accident lawyer to help you with your claim. Morelli Law’s legal team will fight to get you the most possible from your settlement. We’ll keep the insurance companies from taking advantage of you.
There are some things you can do yourself to improve your chances of a favorable outcome in your bicycle accident claim. These include:
- Call the police to report your accident if you haven’t already.
- Take photos of your injuries, the vehicles, your broken bicycle, and the accident scene.
- Get the contact information of any eye-witnesses.
- See if any security cameras may have caught what happened.
- See a doctor as soon as possible for an evaluation. Follow their instructions.
- Don’t talk about your accident on social media.
- Don’t speak with an insurance company that isn’t your own. Instead, refer them to your lawyer.
Every case is unique, so your lawyer may have additional advice for you. Follow their advice; there are good legal reasons for it, or they wouldn’t tell you to do it. However, you can still ask questions to understand why.
Speak with an Edwardsville Bicycle Accident Lawyer
Morelli Law has helped victims get billions in compensation for their injuries during their decades of service to victims. Don’t let the insurers take advantage of you.
Call us right away for a free consultation, or send us an email through our contact page.
