If a car crash injured you, you likely have a path forward to seek compensation for your losses. A dedicated Massachusetts bicycle accident lawyer can guide you through the aftermath of a bike crash. 

Don’t face the insurance companies and legal system alone. Call Brooks Law Firm today at (617) 245-8090 for a free case evaluation.

After a bicycle accident, you need a team that understands cyclists’ specific challenges on Massachusetts roads and in the legal system. If you are searching for legal help, Brooks Law Firm focuses on helping people like you navigate the confusing period after a crash.

Client Care

We know that being hit while riding your bike is more than just a legal problem—it affects your health, finances, and peace of mind. Our approach centers on you, the client. 

We listen to your story, explain your options clearly, and build a strong case to get the results you need to move forward. You get personalized attention when you work with a Massachusetts bicycle injury attorney from our firm.

Knowledge and Experience

Handling a bicycle accident claim requires knowledge of specific Massachusetts traffic laws that apply to cyclists, insurance coverage details (like PIP and bodily injury liability), and common tactics insurance companies use to pay less. 

We bring the knowledge we’ve acquired from our previous bicycle accident claims to every case. We investigate crashes thoroughly, gather evidence, and aren’t afraid to challenge insurance adjusters or take a case to court if necessary.

Massachusetts-Based Firm

Brooks Law Firm is a Massachusetts firm based in Medford. We aren’t a national firm and focus on helping people within the Commonwealth. Our team understands Massachusetts’s unique roads, traffic patterns, and local court systems from Boston to Worcester, Springfield to Cape Cod.

We know cyclists’ specific challenges on Massachusetts streets, whether navigating busy Boston intersections, routes through suburban neighborhoods, or roads in Western MA. We know local regulations and how specific city or town ordinances might apply. 

When you need a Massachusetts bicycle accident lawyer who truly gets the local landscape, Brooks Law Firm is here.

Choosing Brooks Law Firm means choosing advocates who understand your difficulties. We handle the legal stress so you can focus on your recovery. We represent clients across the entire state and know the court procedures from Suffolk County to Hampden County and everywhere in between. 

Call a Massachusetts cyclist injury lawyer at Brooks Law Firm at (617) 245-8090 to learn how we can help.

Drivers often cause crashes with cyclists due to carelessness or breaking traffic rules. Many bike accidents happen because drivers simply aren’t paying enough attention.

Examples include:

• Distracted Driving: Drivers texting, talking on the phone, adjusting the radio, or dealing with passengers often fail to see cyclists. 
• Failure to Yield: Drivers might turn left before an oncoming cyclist or pull out from a side street or driveway without yielding the right-of-way. 
• Dooring: This occurs when a driver or passenger opens a car door into the path of an approaching cyclist, often in bike lanes or along parked cars. 
• Unsafe Passing: Drivers sometimes pass cyclists too closely without providing the legally required safe distance. This can force a cyclist off the road or cause a direct impact. 
• Speeding: Drivers going too fast have less time to react to cyclists, and the impact of a crash is much more severe. 
• Driving Under the Influence: Alcohol or drugs impair a driver’s judgment, reaction time, and coordination, making collisions with cyclists far more likely.

Other Factors

While driver error is common, other factors can contribute to bicycle accidents:

• Poor Road Conditions: Potholes, uneven pavement, debris, or poorly maintained sewer grates can cause cyclists to lose control and crash. 
• Defective Bicycle Parts: Though less common, a manufacturing defect in the bicycle or its components could lead to equipment failure and a crash.

Poor Visibility: Accidents are more common at dawn, dusk, or night, and in bad weather like rain or fog, if drivers aren’t careful or cyclists aren’t properly visible.

If someone else’s negligence caused your bicycle accident injuries, you can seek compensation for your losses. This compensation, often called damages, aims to cover how the accident impacted your life. 

A skilled bike crash attorney works to identify all possible damages in your case.

Economic Damages

These are losses with a clear financial value and include:

• Medical Expenses: Medical compensation after a bicycle accident covers emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, doctor visits, therapy, medications, assistive devices, and future related treatment. Document all bills and care received.
• Lost Wages: If your injuries prevent you from working, you can claim compensation for your lost income during your recovery. 
• Loss of Earning Capacity: If your injuries are permanent and affect your ability to earn money in the future, you can seek damages for this diminished capacity. 
• Property Damage: This covers the cost of repairing or replacing your bicycle and any other personal property damaged in the crash, such as your helmet, clothing, phone, or backpack. 

Non-Economic Damages

These losses are more subjective and don’t have a precise dollar amount attached, but they represent real harm you’ve suffered. An experienced Massachusetts bicycle injury lawyer knows how to value these damages.

Examples include:

• Pain and Suffering: This compensates you for the physical pain, discomfort, and emotional distress caused by your injuries and the recovery process. 
• Emotional Distress: This can include anxiety, depression, fear, sleep disturbances, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or loss of enjoyment of life resulting from the accident and its consequences.
• Scarring and Disfigurement: If the accident left you with permanent scars or other disfigurement, you can seek compensation.

Loss of Consortium: In some cases, the uninjured spouse of the victim may have a claim for loss of companionship, support, and intimacy due to the injuries.

Soon after your bicycle accident, you’ll likely hear from insurance adjusters. Insurance adjusters work for the insurance company. Their main goal is to resolve claims for the lowest possible cost to their employer. They are not on your side, even if they seem friendly or helpful. 

Common Mistakes

Anything you say to an adjuster, especially from the other party’s insurer, can be used against you later to minimize or deny your claim.

• Don’t Give a Recorded Statement: The other driver’s insurance adjuster will almost certainly ask you to provide a recorded statement about the accident. You’re generally not obligated to do this, and you should decline until you have spoken with a Massachusetts bicycle accident lawyer. 
• Don’t Sign Anything Without Review: Never sign any documents, releases, or settlement offers from an insurance company without having your attorney review them first. Signing a release form too early could prevent you from seeking further compensation, even if your injuries are worse than initially thought.
• Don’t Accept a Quick Settlement: Insurance companies sometimes offer a quick, low settlement, hoping you’ll take it before understanding the full extent of your injuries and damages. Resist this pressure. Initial offers rarely reflect the actual value of a claim.

Consult an Attorney

The best way to protect your rights when dealing with insurance companies is to have experienced legal representation. Your lawyer can handle all communications with adjusters, shield you from pressure tactics, and negotiate effectively on your behalf. 

Brooks Law Firm deals with insurance companies every day. We know their strategies and how to counter them to protect your interests and pursue the fair compensation you deserve. 

Call us at (617) 245-8090 before you talk with adjusters.

Outside of speaking with insurance companies, a bicycle accident lawyer in Massachusetts can help your injury claim in various ways.

Investigation

Your lawyer can gather evidence related to the collision, including police reports, witness statements, photos and videos of the scene and injuries, medical records, and information about the involved parties and insurance coverage.

Then, your attorney will analyze the evidence to establish who was legally responsible for causing the accident. 

Filing Insurance Claims

Your bike accident lawyer will calculate your total damages by assessing the full extent of your medical bills, lost wages, property damage, pain and suffering, and other losses.

Brooks Law Firm will typically notify the relevant insurance companies (the at-fault driver’s liability insurer, your own PIP carrier) about the claim. 

Of course, we’ll handle communications with adjusters, provide necessary documentation, and protect you from saying anything that could harm your case.

Negotiation and Settlement

Your attorney will skillfully negotiate with the adjuster, arguing the merits of your case and fighting for a fair settlement amount. Many bicycle accident cases are resolved successfully at this stage without going to court. 

We’ll keep you informed throughout negotiations and advise you on any settlement offers received, but you always make the final decision to accept an offer.

Filing a Lawsuit (If Necessary)

If the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement or if there are complex legal issues, your Massachusetts bicycle accident lawyer may recommend filing a lawsuit. This doesn’t automatically mean your case will go to trial. 

If settlement attempts fail, the case proceeds to trial. Your attorney presents evidence and arguments in court on your behalf.

Clients often have similar questions after being injured in a bicycle crash. Here are answers to some common concerns:

How Long Do I Have To File a Bicycle Accident Claim in Massachusetts?

The statute of limitations for filing a personal injury lawsuit related to a bicycle accident in Massachusetts is generally three years from the date the accident occurred. Missing this deadline means losing your right to sue for damages. 

Since investigating and negotiating a claim takes time, contact a Massachusetts cyclist injury lawyer well before this deadline.

What if I Was Partially at Fault for the Accident?

Massachusetts follows a modified comparative negligence rule. This means you can still recover damages even if you were partially at fault for the accident, as long as your percentage of fault is determined to be 50% or less. 

However, your total compensation award will be reduced by your percentage of fault. 

An insurance adjuster might try to assign you more blame than is fair to reduce their payout. Your attorney will fight to represent the facts accurately and minimize any finding of fault against you.

What Kind of Compensation Can I Get After a Bike Accident?

You may be entitled to recover compensation for various losses, provided you meet the legal requirements, including current and future medical expenses, lost wages, loss of future earning capacity, and the cost to repair or replace your bicycle and damaged gear.

You can also seek non-economic damages for your physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, scarring or disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life caused by the accident and injuries. 

The specific amount depends on the details of your case and the severity of your losses.

Should I Talk to the Insurance Adjuster Before Contacting a Massachusetts Bicycle Accident Lawyer?

Don’t give a recorded statement or discuss settlement details with the other party’s insurance adjuster before consulting with your own Massachusetts bicycle accident attorney. 

Adjusters protect the insurance company’s interests, not yours. They may try to get you to say things that could undermine your claim or pressure you into accepting a low settlement offer. 

Politely decline to give a recorded statement and tell them your attorney will be in contact.

Having the right legal team makes a significant difference in protecting your rights and securing the resources you need for recovery. Let Brooks Law Firm be your advocate. We help injured cyclists in Massachusetts. 

We’ll handle the legal complexities, fight the insurance companies, and work tirelessly to get you the full compensation you deserve, while you focus on what matters most—healing. 

Contact the dedicated team at Brooks Law Firm today for a free, no-obligation consultation about your Massachusetts bicycle accident case. Call us now at (617) 245-8090.