Tennessee Injury Law Center
The most common cause of a bike accident is collision with a car or truck. Not surprisingly, given the disparity in weight and protection between a bicycle and car, the bicyclist typically suffers serious injuries. Most bicycle accidents occur in urban areas and are caused by a car or truck driver failing to yield. According to the Department of Safety, there were 370 bicycle accidents in Tennessee in the most recent data year. So, if you are a bicyclist, do you know what to do after a bike accident? Do you know what insurance covers a bicycle accident? Do you know how to make a claim for a bike accident? And do you know how long it is going to take to recover from a bike accident?
What Should I Do Following a Bike Accident?
Our award-winning attorneys have prepared this checklist of things you should do following an accident. We recommend you keep this check list with your bike gear or in the saddle bag of your bike.
What Insurance Covers a Bike Accident?
The insurance for the vehicle that hits you will almost certainly cover the accident if that driver is proven to be at fault. However, the driver of the car or truck may not have insurance. Almost 1 in 4 drivers in Tennessee do not have any insurance whatsoever, a whopping 25%. Similarly, the other driver’s insurance may not be sufficient. Under Tennessee law, drivers are only required to have $25,000 in coverage. For serious injuries, this amount will be woefully insufficient. The best way to protect yourself is to purchase uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. This coverage is for you if you are hit by a car or truck without insurance or without enough insurance. It is surprisingly affordable and could mean the difference between you recovering fair compensation for your injuries or being left without an adequate settlement.
How Do You Make a Claim for a Bike Accident?
Of course, this is something you can do yourself, but we do not recommend it. Following a serious accident, your focus needs to be on your health and your recovery. In addition, there are a number of pitfalls if you do not understand the intricacies of litigation. We have some pages in our FAQ section that we encourage you to read:
- 12 Things To Know If You Represent Yourself in an Injury Case?
- What Happens After I Hire You as My Lawyer?
How Long Does It Take to Recover from a Bike Accident?
Obviously, the answer to this question depends upon the severity of the injuries sustained by the bicyclist, but let’s look at some of the most common injuries. Broken bones are a common injury in bike accidents. Most orthopedic doctors will tell you that a broken bone takes a minimum of 2 months to heal. Head injuries are also common in bike accidents. A concussion typically takes 2 weeks to heal but can persist for much longer. A more serious head injury like a brain bleed can take 6 months to 2 years or more to heal. Of course, following a serious crash, many bicyclists suffer from anxiety or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Generally, PTSD can last 6 months to a year but a full recovery can take longer for some people. In summary, recovery from a bike accident, depending upon the severity of injuries, can take a lot of time and require a lot of medical treatment. For this reason, it is important that you receive the compensation you deserve for medical bills, lost wages, loss of enjoyment of life and more.
We hope you do not need us but we are here if you do. Our award-winning lawyers handle all accident cases on a contingency basis so we only get paid if we recover money for you and your family. We advance all case expenses so you are never out-of-pocket to pursue your legal rights. And, we do not charge a penny for you to call and see if you have a case.
Nashville: 615-669-3993
Murfreesboro: 615-867-9900
Brentwood: 615-742-4880
Toll-Free: 866-812-8787