Oregon Bicycle Accident Lawyer

It is important to know when and why you need an Oregon Bicycle Accident Lawyer. When you are riding along and across roadways, you are forced to place your trust in the ability and attentiveness of drivers. We share our roads with pedestrians, other bicyclists, motor vehicles, and more! Newer electric bikes, skateboards, and scooters have only added to the congestion. When limited visibility is added to the mix, accidents and collisions simply happen with more frequency here than in other places. Everyone should be able to share the road with bicyclists, but  often carelessness results in accidents. Bicyclists are at particular risk.

What separates these kinds of accidents from car-on-car crashes is the vulnerability of a bicyclist. All too often this leads to a catastrophic injury. If you have been injured by a motor vehicle while bicycling, one of the bicycle accident lawyers at Johnson Law are standing by to aid you in navigating the complicated legal system that surrounds bicycle injuries. We want to protect your legal rights by starting with free consultations and letting you know that we do not get paid unless we win

First, if you have auto insurance, or if your household has auto insurance, then that insurance policy’s Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits apply.  PIP will cover reasonable and necessary medical treatment for the injuries that resulted from the collision for up to a year from the date of the incident. It will also pay a portion of your lost wages if you are unable to work as a result of the injury.

If you do not have auto insurance but you do have personal health insurance, then your health insurance will cover the cost of treatment for the injuries you sustained. If you do not have personal health insurance, then assuming the driver who hit you is at fault, their insurance will pay for the medical bills that result from the collision.

There is no upfront cost to retain a personal injury attorney.

We operate on a contingency fee basis similar to most personal injury lawyers. However, you will be pleased to learn that we charge our fee only AFTER your medical bills have been paid. This is an important distinction.

We do not get paid unless we win. Almost all personal injury attorneys operate on a contingency fee basis, but that does not mean they charge the same fee. If we settle prior to trial or arbitration we take 33.33% of the recovery as our attorney fee. This is after your medical bills have been paid. Many personal injury attorneys take their 33.33% fee before the medical bills have been paid. This can result in the client receiving little or no compensation. If we go to arbitration or trial, our contingency fee is 40% of the recovery, again after the medical bills are paid. In our experience, this results in our clients being fairly compensated with higher financial recovery.

Not before consulting with an attorney.

Insurance companies have an interest in getting you to settle your claim as quickly and as cheaply as is possible. By settling your claim, you are releasing the insurance company from any future liability stemming from the incident. It takes time for medical professionals to identify all of your injuries. If you settle your claim too quickly and then realize later on that you are suffering from a more serious injury, it is difficult, if not impossible, to hold the insurance company accountable and receive the proper amount of compensation. Also, in our experience, insurance companies generally do not offer fair settlements to people who are not representing by an attorney.

It important to understand that bicyclists are probably the most scrutinized users of the public roadways in Oregon. In many areas of the city, there is palpable tension between bicyclers and motorists. This means that bicyclists have to be vigilant in obeying all applicable rules of the road. An Oregon bicycle Accident lawyer can help educate you on how fault is determined.

Always obey signs and traffic signals. At stop signs it is tempting to come to a “rolling stop” and then proceed through the intersection if you do not see any other vehicles that have the right away. The laws in Oregon changed to actually allow this behavior but law is new and "yielding" can be subjective. If you are injured as a result of being struck by a vehicle in an intersection and you did not come to a full stop before entering the intersection, be prepared to have the police officer who investigates the accident conclude that both parties were at fault for the collision. Talking to one of our award winning Oregon bicycle accident lawyers can help you know how to avoid being unfairly put at fault.

Another common sense tip is to never ride against traffic. Be prepared to be blamed by the insurance company or a police officer for the collision even if you are on the shoulder of the road. Also, remember to use hand signals when turning. Under Oregon law (ORS 814.400) bicycles are vehicles and requires actions you may not already know.

Yes and no. While bicycle cases are more complicated than the average auto collision, many of the same legal principles and rules apply. What is different about bicycle collisions is the case valuation. Insurance companies place a markedly different (usually lower) value on bicycle accident claims. This is why it is important to retain an experienced Oregon bicycle accident attorney. If you already have an offer for your injuries from the insurance company, give us a call. Within a few minutes of talking with you we should be able to tell you whether it is a reasonable offer. The insurance companies often try to settle quickly and cheaply, so if there is any doubt at all in your mind, have an attorney from Johnson Law take a look at your case.