New Haven Bicycle Accident Attorney

It can take only seconds for you or someone you care about to be the victim of a bicycle accident in New Haven. If you’re here to understand if your bicycle accident could qualify for a personal injury claim, our New Haven bicycle accident lawyers at Weber & Rubano can help you. We seek maximum compensation for all our personal injury clients in New Haven – including bicyclists.

Why Choose Us?

When you or a family member are struggling to recover from serious injuries, it’s difficult to take on a complex injury claim in a state that requires the injury victim to bear the burden of proof. A bicyclic accident lawyer in New Haven can take on that legal burden. By choosing an attorney from the New Haven law firm of Weber & Rubano, you’ll enjoy the following benefits:

A free consultation and contingency-based payment system that means we only take a fee after we secure your compensation
Individualized attention to your case as well as the collaborative efforts of a team with over 75 years of combined experience
A law firm with deep local routes in New Haven to put a powerful voice behind your claim
Skilled investigation and diligent attention to detail
Open and honest communication throughout the process
A resolution-based approach to work toward an ample settlement, but strong litigation skills if your case requires a lawsuit in court

At Weber & Rubano, we have a deep compassion for injury victims who need an experienced voice on their side against insurance companies who don’t have the victim’s best interests as their priority. Let us investigate your case to maximize the compensation for your damages. “Damages” in personal injury cases are the economic and non-economic consequences of an injury.

Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in New Haven

Bicycles have been a popular mode of transportation since the 1880s, but they didn’t exist long without the inclusion of the automobile on the same roadways. While we don’t know when the first bicycle accident occurred in the United States, we do know that they are increasing.

In 2020, the last available data reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the number of fatal bicycle accidents that involved motor vehicles increased by 9 percent from 2019 data. In the last ten years, cyclist deaths have increased by 44%.

With 130,000 bicyclists in the United States and an estimated 550 bicyclists in Connecticut suffering from accidents with negligent motorists annually, the problem facing those trying to share the road is not going away.

Cyclists sometimes make errors of judgment, but the vast majority of bicycle accidents arise from driver error. Safety hazards on roadways and bicycle paths also contribute to accidents. Common causes of bicycle accidents in New Haven include the following:

Distracted drivers
Speeding
Intoxicated driving
Failure to yield the right of way
Drivers making unsafe lane changes
A driver making a left turn focuses on oncoming traffic from the right and fails to see a bicyclist approaching on the left
A driver opens the car door in the pathway of a cyclist
Uneven or cracked pavement
Bike equipment failure

Even when a cyclist carefully follows traffic laws and bicycling safety rules, a driver’s negligence or recklessness can cause serious injuries.

What are the Different Types of Injuries From a Bike Accident?

When an unprotected bike rider and a 4,000-pound moving vehicle collide, the bicyclist is highly vulnerable to serious and even catastrophic injuries. Common injuries from bike accidents include:

Fractures of the limbs, hips, pelvis, ribs, and back
Back and neck injuries
Head injuries and traumatic brain injuries
Spinal cord injuries
Abrasions (road rash)
Soft tissue injuries such as sprains and torn ligaments

When a bicycle ride in the open air ends in serious injuries due to driver negligence or negligent road maintenance, the injured cyclist shouldn’t be left responsible for the damages.

Statutes Governing Cyclists in New Haven

According to CGSS 14-232, the drivers of motor vehicles must leave a minimum of three feet of space while passing a bicyclist while on the road.

Like many other states in Connecticut, bicycles are considered street-legal vehicles. This means they get the same rights as cars, trucks, buses, and motorcycles. They operate and are bound by the same traffic laws as any other driver on the road.

The lack of understanding of the rights of cyclists, along with negligence on the driver’s part, results in many avoidable traffic accidents. Contact our New Haven bicycle lawyers to find out what your rights are.

WHAT IS THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS ON BICYCLE ACCIDENTS IN CONNECTICUT?

Like in other civil cases resulting from an accident with a motor vehicle, the victim has two years from the accident date to file the claim.

What is the Process for Filing a Bicycle Accident Claim in Connecticut?

Connecticut’s modified comparative negligence insurance system compels accident victims to prove liability before they can recover compensation for their damages. This process requires your New Haven bike accident lawyer to do the following:

Investigate all aspects of the accident to prove liability
Document evidence of negligence, recklessness, or wrongdoing that caused the accident
Carefully calculate your damages to maximize the amount of your claim
Send a compelling demand letter with the evidence to the appropriate insurance company
Negotiate with the insurance adjuster to secure an ample settlement
Proceed with a lawsuit only if the insurance company fails to offer an adequate settlement amount or wrongfully denies the claim

The majority of bicycle accident claims are settled out of court, especially with a skilled attorney’s representation. Only about 5% of claims become lawsuits in court.

Types of Recoverable Damages

New Haven bicycle accident victims could be eligible to receive these damages either in a settlement or a court of law:

Economic Damages: these are calculable financial costs stemming from the accident. For example, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, medical bills, nursing costs, and more could all be recoverable economic damages.
Non-Economic Damages: these are intangible costs associated with the accident but do not have an exact dollar amount associated with them. For example, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of consortium are all forms of non-economic damages.
Punitive Damages: these damages seek to punish the negligent defendant. In Connecticut, punitive damages are capped at only covering attorney fees and court costs. Many legal scholars feel this punitive damage cap is one of the strictest in the entire country.

How to Prove Liability in a New Haven Bicycle Accident Claim

Your bicycle accident lawyer in New Haven will investigate the accident to determine the liable party. In most cases, a negligent driver bears liability, but it could also be a negligent road maintenance agency or the manufacturer of a defective bicycle or car part. Proving liability in Connecticut accident claims requires documenting evidence of the following:

The at-fault party owed a duty of reasonable care to prevent injuries to others on the roadway, including cyclists
They breached this duty of care by acting with negligence or recklessness
Their breach of duty directly caused injuries
The injury victim suffered significant damages from the injury

While compensation for damages can’t erase an injury, it can open doors to the best possible medical care and relieve the undue financial burden caused by a preventable accident.

Why Our Bicycle Accident Lawyers are the Legal Team for You

As loyal members of the New Haven community, our New Haven bicycle accident attorneys at Weber & Rubano pledge to do everything we can to help victims of bicycle accidents. That deep commitment leads us to our guarantee: we never receive a penny from those we represent unless we win your case.

With over 60 years of personal injury experience, we’ve settled and tried thousands of personal injury cases like yours – with success stories to prove it.

Getting started working with the legal experts at Weber & Rubano is simple. Request your free, no-obligation case bicycle accident case review today.