Have you been injured in a bicycle accident in Carbondale, PA? You may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and suffering. The experienced Carbondale bicycle accident lawyers at Marzzacco Niven & Associates can help you fight to maximize your financial recovery.
Since 2008, we have helped injury victims and families in Carbondale stand up to tough insurance companies and negligent parties. Putting over 120 years of combined experience behind every case, we’ve led clients to tens of millions of dollars in financial awards.
Contact our Carbondale, Pennsylvania law office to arrange a time for a free case review at (717) 995-8810. Our legal team is always standing by to take your call, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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How Marzzacco Niven & Associates Can Help If You’ve Been Hurt in a Carbondale, PA Bicycle Crash
What caused your bike accident? Who’s to blame? What happens if someone tries to blame you? How much money is your case worth?
These are important questions, but not ones that you should have to tackle on your own. Hiring a lawyer is one of the best things you can do to level the playing field and increase the odds of a win. That’s why our personal injury lawyer in Carbondale should be your first call.
We will handle every aspect of your bicycle injury claim, including:
- Conducting a thorough investigation of the accident
- Determining causation, fault, and liability
- Gathering critical pieces of evidence
- Working closely with respected bicycle accident experts and specialists as we build and value your case
- Negotiating with other parties on your behalf to get the best possible terms in a settlement
- Bringing your case to a jury in Lackawanna County if you are not offered a fair deal
Our personal injury law firm provides a free consultation and works on contingency. This means there’s no cost to hire us after your bicycle accident unless we win your case. Reach out to our team to learn more now.
How Common Are Bicycle Accidents in Pennsylvania?
Bicycle accidents are fairly common in the Keystone State, with thousands of collisions reported across the Commonwealth every year.
Before the pandemic, there were over 4,000 bike accidents statewide annually. That’s between 10 and 11 cyclist-related car accidents a day.
In 2020, there were just 2,831 bicycle accidents in Pennsylvania. This is likely due to a significant decrease in traffic on roads across the state. However, even though the total number of collisions declined, the rate of fatal accidents actually increased.
In 2019, there were a total of 4,101 bicycle accidents, 101 of which were fatal. That’s a fatality in 2.4 percent of all collisions.
In 2020, 146 bicycle accidents were fatal. That’s a fatality in 5.1 percent of all bicycle wrecks.
Crashes dropped by about 45 percent, while fatalities more than doubled.
What’s My Carbondale Bicycle Accident Case Worth?
Many different factors can affect how much money you might be able to get for your injuries and suffering after a bike accident in Carbondale.
- What types of injuries have you suffered?
- Are you able to continue working?
- Will you be temporarily or permanently disabled?
- Do you share responsibility for your bicycle accident?
- What are your out-of-pocket costs and expenses?
- How have you been affected psychologically and emotionally by the incident?
The more severe your injuries and the more your life changes, the more your case will typically be worth.
However, every situation is unique. The best way to understand the potential value of your bicycle injury claim is by speaking with an experienced personal injury attorney near you in Carbondale.
What Damages Can I Get in a Carbondale Bicycle Accident Lawsuit?
Plaintiffs in bicycle accident cases in Pennsylvania can seek both economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are paid to offset the financial burdens of an accident, such as:
- Current medical bills
- Future medical expenses
- Lost wages and income
- Reduced earning capacity
- Rehabilitation
- Nursing assistance
Non-economic damages are paid to compensate victims for the trauma they experience because of their accident and injuries, including:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of consortium
- Scarring
- Depression and anxiety
In limited cases, punitive damages may also be available. However, to recover those, you would have to prove that the defendant’s actions were intentional or displayed a reckless disregard for your safety.
What Causes Most Bicycle Accidents in Carbondale?
Bicycle accidents can happen for many different reasons.
Some of the leading causes include:
- Inexperienced cyclists
- Road rage
- Failure to yield the right of way to a cyclist
- Failure to look for a bicyclist in an intersection before turning
- Dooring
- Failure to leave adequate space between a vehicle and bicycle when passing
- Inadequate bicycle infrastructure
- Road construction
- Distracted driving or riding
- Drugs or alcohol use
- Limited visibility and bad weather
- Vehicle or bicycle defects
- Poor vehicle or bicycle maintenance
It’s important to identify every possible cause of your bike accident. Once causation is established, our team can move forward with a legal claim for damages against anyone who shares fault.
What Do I Have to Prove to Win a Bicycle Accident Case in Pennsylvania?
Most bicycle accident lawsuits in Pennsylvania are based on negligence.
In a negligence action, you will have to prove:
- The defendant owed you a duty of care
- The defendant breached that duty of care in some way (e.g., a driver was texting while driving through an intersection and failed to see you crossing the street)
- The defendant’s conduct was the direct and proximate cause of your injuries (e.g., you wouldn’t have been hit by the car if the driver had been paying attention)
- You suffered damages
In Pennsylvania, you have the burden of proof as the plaintiff. You must establish these elements of negligence by a preponderance of the evidence. More simply put, your side of the story has to be more likely true than not.
What Happens If I’m Getting Blamed For My Bicycle Crash in Pennsylvania?
Sharing some of the blame for a bicycle accident in Carbondale, Pennsylvania will not automatically prevent you from recovering compensation for your injuries.
However, under the state’s modified comparative fault rule, your damages will be reduced based on your negligence. If you are 35% at fault, your damages will be reduced by 35% to reflect that.
The state has a 51% bar to recovery. So, once your liability exceeds half, your right to compensation is lost.
Insurance companies and negligent motorists may try to blame you for your bike accident. It will be important to fight back against these arguments. If you do nothing, you could watch well-deserved compensation slip away.
Our Carbondale personal injury attorneys will be ready to defend you at every turn, working hard to minimize your role and increase your financial payout.
We’ll Help You Seek Damages For All of Your Bicycle Accident Injuries
At Marzzacco Niven & Associates, we handle all bicycle accident cases, including those resulting in:
- Broken bones
- Lost limbs
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Paralysis
- Neck injury
- Back injury
- Eye injury
- Dental injury
- Soft tissue damage
- Lacerations
- Road rash
- Burn injury
- Degloving injury
- Foot injury
- Joint injury
- Wrongful death of a loved one
- And more
Don’t hesitate to reach out to our bicycle accident attorneys in Carbondale to discuss your case. We’re always standing by to take your call.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Bicycle Collision in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a two-year statute of limitations. This means you will typically have two years from the date of your bicycle accident or the date of a loved one’s death after a fatal crash to file a lawsuit.
If you miss the deadline that applies to your case, you will forfeit the right to recover compensation. Don’t let a procedural technicality stand between you and the compensation you deserve. Contact our Carbondale bicycle accident attorneys as soon as you can after you get hurt. We can begin to work on your case as soon as you ask for our help.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Carbondale Bicycle Accident Lawyer
Have you suffered catastrophic injuries in a Carbondale bicycle accident? If so, it’s important to file a claim against those responsible. However, you also deserve time to rest and recover. That’s where our Carbondale bicycle accident lawyers can help.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to our law office in Carbondale to arrange a time to discuss your rights and legal options with our compassionate legal team. We are here to listen to your side of the story, assess available facts and evidence, and offer some preliminary legal guidance.
Your first case evaluation is 100 percent free, so give us a call or connect with us online today.