St. Louis Bicycle Accident Lawyer

If you need a St. Louis bicycle accident lawyer, we have offices located in downtown and and handle these cases throughout Missouri. Of all Missouri traffic accidents, those involving bicycles are have the greatest risk of serious injury.

Bicycle crash statistics indicate cyclists are 3 to 10 times more likely to be injured or die than motorists in the event of a collision. Bikes move through traffic at a much slower speed than vehicles, and cyclists often have little more than a helmet for protection. These factors greatly contribute to the dangers of Missouri bicycle accidents.

Lawyers for injured cyclists must have an understanding of Missouri laws regarding the operation of bicycles to effectively represent those injured by negligent motorists.

St. Louis Missouri bicycle laws

Missouri law requires bicycles and vehicles to share the road. Missouri statute RSMo 307.188, entitled “Rights And Duties Of Bicycle And Motorized Bicycle Riders” states, “Every person riding a bicycle or motorized bicycle upon a street or highway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle as provided by chapter 304.” This means Missouri bike riders have the same rights as if they were operating a vehicle. Our St. Louis bicycle accident attorneys are experienced in handling bicycle accidents and ensure their rights are understood by jurors who hear these cases.

Despite these clear rights, sometimes other motorists have the false assumption the road is reserved for cars only. Consequently, other motorists can act aggressively towards bicyclists and sometimes engage in reckless conduct intended to scare bike riders. Intolerance or a complete disregard for the statutory rights of Missouri bicyclists often leads to serious accidents. This unwillingness to share Missouri’s roads can only result in more dangerous riding conditions.

Studies indicate the more cyclists on the road creates a safer riding environment overall. In fact, bike accident fatality rates are significantly lower in cities with a high concentration of bicycle traffic. This is partly because of the increased awareness of bicyclists on the roadway.

The problem in Missouri is that even the largest cities, such as Saint Louis and Kansas City, have drastically fewer cyclists than cities like Chicago or New York. For this reason, Missouri motorists must come to terms with and understand the rights of bicycle riders. Only through increased awareness by motorists will the number of Missouri bicycle accidents decline. While more than half of traffic accidents involving bicycles are the fault of the vehicle, up to 74% of these at-fault motorists never receive a traffic ticket.

When you are involved in a bicycle accident in St. Louis or anywhere else in Missouri, it is important you contact an experienced Missouri bicycle lawyer immediately. Our injury lawyers have decades of experience handling personal injury and wrongful death claims arising from bicycle accidents.

Where do most bicycle accidents in St. Louis occur?

Source: Missouri Highway Patrol

The Missouri Highway patrol released a map from 2012 showing where pedestrians and bicycle accidents occurred within St. Louis. The red dots indicate where cyclists were involved in a crash with a vehicle. Each of these red dots reflect an incident where there was an injury, fatality or property damage in excess of $500.00.

Bicycle injuries in St. Louis.

In our experience, when vehicles hit cyclists, the injures are severe. The following types of injuries are most common:

• Brain Injury / TBI
• Broken Bones
• Neck/Cervical disc injury and Back/Lumbar disc injury

Uninsured or underinsured bicycle accident cases.

Often times we see instances where the at-fault driver does not have enough insurance to cover the damages to the bike rider. Most people are confused when we ask to see their car insurance policies. Our St. Louis bike accident lawyers know how to make UM and UIM claims under your car insurance policy for bike accidents even when your car was not involved. In fact, if you have more than one vehicle, you may be able to stack those policies together for an even greater recovery. Best of all, your car insurance rates are not supposed to go up because due of UM or UIM claims.

Free consultations on all bicycle accidents cases.

The Bradley Law Firm offers free consultations on all bicycle accidents that result in severe injury or death. We understand your injuries may prevent you from traveling, so our attorneys can arrange to meet with you at home or in your hospital room.  Though  our  office  is  located  in  St.  Louis,  our bicycle accident lawyers  see  clients  from  Springfield,  Columbia,  Independence  and Kansas City, Missouri.