New Hampshire Bicycle Accident Attorneys

Protecting Your Rights by Demanding Compensation

Upton & Hatfield, LLP can help you seek compensation after being in a bicycle accident that was not your fault. We know that bicyclists are often severely injured in a crash, and how insurance companies fight bike accident claims because of it. They do not want to pay significant compensation to an injured bicyclist, even when it is only fair. With our assistance or representation, you can fight for every penny you deserve as a bicycle accident survivor or as someone who recently lost a family member in a fatal bicycle accident.

You could be owed serious compensation. Call (603) 716-9777 to find out more.

What are the Most Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents?

Bicycle accidents are often pinned on bicyclists because there is a pervasive social stereotype that bicyclists do not know the rules of the road. Does that mean that most bicycle accidents are caused by bicyclists and not motorists? Not necessarily. The information is unclear. Bike accident data used by groups like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) generally do not specify what party caused the accident.

However, bicycle accidents tend to happen between the hours of 6:00 PM and 9:00 PM and in urban areas, especially around intersections. This information suggests that motorists who are struggling to see while driving under the setting sun and in the hours immediately after twilight are more likely to hit a bicyclist that they did not see or notice. If true, then it could be assumed that most bicycle accidents are caused by motorists, which could be a good starting point for building your bicycle accident claim.

Our bicycle accident lawyers in New Hampshire will want to prove the driver’s liability by using:

• Eyewitness testimonies
• Police accident reports
• Medical records
• Dashcam footage if available

How Can a Bicyclist Avoid a Bike Accident?

The best ways you can help avoid a bicycle accident as a bicyclist are to make yourself visible and follow the rules of the road at all times. Bright clothing, reflectors, and headlights all add to your visibility, which should help drivers see and acknowledge you. Sharing the road appropriately and yielding to vehicles that have the right-of-way will reduce your chances of encountering an unpredictable situation with a high probability of an accident.

What Are the Most Common Bicycle Accident Injuries?

Along with road rash, broken bones, sprained and bruised muscles, etc. Bicycle accidents can cause some very severe injuries. Cyclists are considered a particularly vulnerable road-user, along with pedestrians, because of the lack of protection a bicycle offers in a crash.

Head Injuries

Head Injuries are some of the most common injuries sustained in cycling accidents. Even when a cyclist is wearing a helmet, they can still suffer skull fractures, concussions, brain injuries, and more in a serious cycling accident.

Neck & Back Injuries

These types of injuries are particularly common in accidents where a cyclist is flung from their bike and lands on their back or head. Common neck and back injuries include: whiplash, pinched nerves, herniated discs, fractured vertebrae and spinal cord injuries.

Facial Injuries

A cycling accident can sometimes result in serious facial injuries including fractures, bruising, scrapes, and even permanent disfigurement or scarring. While these injuries are not always life-threatening, they can greatly affect a victim's quality of life following their accident.

Compensation for Injured Bicyclists

Bicycle helmets save lives, but they cannot prevent all injuries. Bicyclists who survive high-speed collisions often still suffer catastrophic injuries that will stay with them for the rest of their lives in one way or another. The compensation that you demand through your injury claim must be representative of the permanency and severity of your injuries.

Your compensation should help pay for:

• Emergency medical treatments
• Lifetime medical care and therapy
• Lost wages and income
• Pain and suffering