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.
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.
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.
In our experience, when vehicles hit cyclists, the injures are severe. The following types of injuries are most common:
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.
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.
Our Personal Injury Attorneys have proudly collected TENS OF MILLIONS of dollars in compensation for clients. Below are some of our recent personal injury case results.
"Overall, I had a great experience working with The Bradley Law Firm!! I would recommend Ryan and his team to anyone. Being involved in a car accident can be quite stressful and dealing with insurance companies can be even more stressful. Having Ryan in my corner lifted a huge burden off my shoulders and made this process much easier for me. They handled everything. Tina is great…she is awesome! She’s extremely patient and kept me informed throughout the entire process. The Bradley Law Firm team is very personable, easy to talk to, and a pleasure to work with."
Our Personal Injury Attorneys have proudly collected TENS OF MILLIONS of dollars in compensation for clients.
It is our mission to ensure you receive a maximum recovery for all of your damages, to the fullest extent under the law.
Address:
1424 Washington Ave
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St. Louis, MO 63103
Phone:
314.400.0000
St. Louis Lawyer Disclaimer: The legal information offered herein by The Bradley Law Firm, is not formal legal advice, nor is it the formation of an attorney client relationship. In order for our firm to be considered your attorney there must be a signed agreement between the client and the firm. Any results set forth herein are based solely upon the circumstances of that particular case and offer no promise or guarantee upon the outcome of any other case. Please contact a lawyer for a consultation. This site is not intended to solicit clients outside the State of Missouri or Illinois. The Bradley Law Firm may co-counsel or associate with other law firms around the country at its discretion from initial intake through litigation when it deems appropriate.