Nevada personal injury attorneys

Clear weather and dry roads invite more Nevadans than ever before to ride their bicycles. Some do it for recreation, while others choose pedal power for their daily transportation needs. However, these rides sometimes end in accidents. Nevada personal injury attorneys routinely hear from victims about the turn of events that sent them to hospitals.

Headlines in the Las Vegas area often describe serious bicycle accidents. Personal injury lawyers get to know the faces behind news reports like these:

  • suspected impaired driver struck a bicyclist at the intersection of Durango Drive and Sahara Avenue and left the bicyclist in critical condition.
  • The collision of a black Hyundai SUV with a bicyclist at Green Valley Parkway and Paseo Verde Parkway killed a 63-year-old Henderson man who suffered blunt force trauma.
  • A 61-year-old man lingered for days before succumbing to injuries caused after a truck him on a bicycle by downtown Las Vegas.

Unfortunately, news reports like these are quite commonplace in most urban areas, including Las Vegas. Thankfully many residents enjoy safe rides every day, especially in the region’s parks, but the dangers to bicyclists are quite real on the city’s streets.

Nevada personal injury attorneys

 

Bicycle Accidents at Busy Las Vegas Intersections

Some intersections in the city, mostly in the busiest tourist corridors, are the recurring scene of accidents. The top three intersections with the worst records for bicyclists are Las Vegas Boulevard at Caesars Palace, Nellis Boulevard at Cedar Avenue, and Las Vegas Boulevard at Flamingo Road.

Before bicyclists reach any intersections, they are also at heightened risk on some of the city’s main traffic routes. Traveling anywhere along Las Vegas Boulevard presents an above-average risk as well as down Flamingo Road, Charleston Boulevard, and Sahara and Tropicana Avenues.

No single cause accounts for all bicycle accidents. Riders can make errors that place them in harm’s way by violating the rules of the road. They need to follow all traffic rules just as if they were in motor vehicles. When they fail to yield the right of way, ignore traffic lights, or choose not to outfit their bicycles with lights for night riding, they may be responsible for their injuries.

However, many bicyclists suffer severe injuries due to drivers’ errors, and occasionally when municipal workers do not mark construction hazards properly. Speeding drivers, distracted drivers, impaired drivers, or those who do not share the road appropriately collide with bicyclists and inflict bodily injury. If your bicycle accident injuries appear to be caused entirely or even partially by someone’s negligence, then you should get the opinion of a Las Vegas personal injury attorney. You may deserve compensation from the responsible party to cover your accident damages.

 

 

Vision for Better Bicycle Safety

Regional officials and bicycling safety advocates recognize how Las Vegas could improve conditions for bicyclists. The Southern Nevada Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan has outlined specific strategies to reduce accidents and make the metro region attractive for bicycling.

Progress has already been toward these critical goals. The city has increased markings for bicycling lanes to help motor vehicle drivers recognize those spaces as reserved for bicyclists. For example, bicycle lanes are now green on Main Street in the area of Charleston Boulevard. Signage in various areas alerts drivers on streets where bicyclists may use the lanes just as if they were driving cars. Flashing lights added to crosswalks are also meant to draw drivers’ attention to bicyclists and pedestrians.

Riskiest Areas and Times

Unsurprisingly, 71 percent of bicycling accidents happen in urban areas due to crowding and vehicle congestion. Despite multiple intersections in Las Vegas having a reputation as accident hot spots, only 58 percent of cycling crashes, a small majority, happen at intersections. Just over half of crashes occur during daylight hours, but the evening hours of 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. account for the bulk of accidents. Streets with relatively low-speed limits of 35 mph to 45 mph are the scene of many collisions.

 

Bicyclists Suffer Serious Injuries

Nevada law does not impose a helmet requirement on bicycle riders. Even so, many bicyclists choose to wear helmets due to their high risk of head trauma should an accident occur. About 60 percent of bicycle accident fatalities result from head injuries.

Because bicyclists have nothing between their bodies and what hits them, they face the chance of serious and disabling injuries, such as:

 

  • Traumatic head injury
  • Spinal cord injury
  • Bone fractures
  • Internal organ damage

 

Nevada personal injury attorneys

 

Identifying Accident Liability 

Police officers who respond to accidents usually try to record whose mistakes caused the collision. Witnesses at the scene may also provide essential facts about what happened. If you are at all able after a bicycle crash, try to take pictures of the area. This may be particularly important in cases that involve hazards left unmarked by construction crews. In collisions with vehicles, ask for the insurance information from the driver who struck you.

If your injuries prevented you from doing anything in the immediate aftermath of the accident, a Vegas injury attorney could complete the investigation. Legal representation could be vital in a case where the fault is not clear cut. Even if you bear some responsibility for what happened, evidence collected by a lawyer may illustrate that your error was not the primary cause of the accident.

 

 

When Legal Advice Is Appropriate

Knowledge of your legal rights could be valuable when you are facing substantial medical bills and lost income after a bicycle accident. A Las Vegas personal injury attorney can research what your insurance policy may pay for and what liability other parties might have for your damages. Legal representation when making an insurance claim or filing a lawsuit can shield you from the tactics used to withhold settlements. The Nevada personal injury attorneys at Moss Berg know how to manage these situations. Contact our office today.