A Law Firm Aggressively Advocating For Injured Cyclists And Pedestrians
Greenville and other cities have begun to recognize the rights and safety needs of bicyclists, but there is still a long way to go before riders receive the same respect and deference shown to drivers. In the meantime, bicyclists are at serious risk every day because of the carelessness, disregard and poor choices of motor vehicle operators.
If you’ve been seriously hurt by a negligent driver, contact the skilled attorneys at Hardee, Massey & Blodgett, LLP. We bring more than 58 combined years of experience to each case and client, and we know firsthand just how difficult it can be to ride a bike in a car-obsessed culture.
The High Rate Of Bike Accidents And Injuries
Pedestrians and bicyclists are often blamed for their own injuries, which reflects just how car-obsessed our culture is. The truth is, however, that drivers are frequently to blame for causing the collisions that injure and kill walkers and cyclists. Common causes of these bike accidents include.
- Drivers passing bicyclists without leaving a safe buffer zone
- Disobeying stop signs, turn arrows and other traffic signage
- Failing or refusing to yield right of way
- Making left or right turns without scanning crosswalks and bike lanes
- Speeding, especially in areas with a lot of foot traffic
- Disobeying stop signs, yield signs and traffic signals
- Drunk driving or distracted driving
- Failure to keep a lookout, especially at night
Police are often too busy to conduct thorough bike accident investigations, and they may even cut corners on accident reports (such as only listening to the driver’s version of events and not taking a statement from the bicyclist). A faulty or incomplete police record can greatly damage your chances of recovery, since North Carolina laws prevent victims from seeking compensation if they are even 1% at fault for the accident.
When you hire our team, we conduct our own thorough and independent investigation. We will work to correct or challenge incorrect accident reports and will strongly refute the at-fault driver’s claims that you shared any blame for what happened to you.
The Importance Of Contesting Shared Fault
As we mentioned above, it is very common for drivers and even police officers to blame pedestrians and bicyclists for their own injuries. This is not only insulting; it can also make it impossible to successfully sue for damages.
North Carolina is one of just a few states that recognizes a legal principle known as “contributory negligence.” In most states, you can recover damages even if you were partially at fault for the accident. Your compensation will simply be reduced by the percentage of blame assigned to you.
In North Carolina, however, you are barred from recovering legal damages if you contributed to the accident or your own injuries in any way. For this reason, it is critical to contest any false information in a police report and counter any narratives that you share blame for what happened to you. Our attorneys will search thoroughly for evidence proving that the driver was entirely at fault for causing the accident.
What our clients are saying
We resolved a case for Patrick for $300,000 dollars. This is what he had to say:
“I can’t speak highly enough of the caring and knowledgeable staff at Hardee, Massey & Blodgett, LLP! After being ran over while biking, the last thing I wanted to focus on was seeking restitution. They made the process absolutely effortless and took every step to ensure a timely resolution with maximum compensation. The level of service they provided will never be forgotten or unappreciated.”
We Are Personally Invested In Bicycle Safety
While our attorneys are passionate advocates for all injury victims, we have an especially strong personal connection to the cause of bicyclist safety. We love to ride for health and recreation, and our attorneys have participated in numerous local marathons and charitable fundraising rides.
We understand the risks that bicyclists face as well as the legal biases that too often favor the convenience of drivers over the safety of cyclists. When you hire our firm, you can be sure that we know what you’ve been through and know how to help you seek full and fair compensation for your injuries.
The 2021 Historic New Bern MS Ride
We’re an active part of the community and care deeply about our clients. We’re also bike riders ourselves and understand the difficulties bicyclists face. We were proud to contribute our attorneys and resources to the event that raised $1.3 million for multiple sclerosis. Learn more about the ride on our community involvement page.
What Do You Want To Know?
Are you worried about your bike accident case? We know this is a hard time for you, and we’re here to answer your questions. While much of your case depends on many unique factors to you, here are answers to a few of the cycling accident questions we get most frequently:
What happens if my accident was caused by an issue with the road?
If your accident was caused by issues with the road, then it is possible the municipality will be at fault for your injuries. This changes a great deal since North Carolina municipalities, from local city to the state have a great deal of resources to fight your claim.
Can I still pursue compensation if I was somewhat at fault?
Not every bike rider makes the right choices on the road. Sometimes when you’re moving quickly like that, you make a judgement call and that turns out wrong. However, just because you contributed to the accident, doesn’t mean you can’t recover compensation. As long as you were not more than 50% responsible for the accident, you can recover some amount of money for your injuries.
I didn’t hit them, but they caused my accident. What does that mean for my case?
In every district, a person who takes actions that lead to an accident can be held liable for that. If a car cuts you off, and you can’t compensate in time and fall off, the car that acted maliciously or negligently is at fault.
How long do I have to file?
In North Carolina, after any personal injury, you have three years to file a lawsuit to recover for your medical bills and lost time at work. This may seem like a great deal of time, but it moves faster than you expect.
Contact Us For A Free Discussion With An Attorney
Based in Greenville, Hardee, Massey & Blodgett serves clients throughout North Carolina. To discuss your legal options with one of our skilled and caring attorneys for free, call us at 252-787-4627 or fill out our online contact form.