Maryland Bicycle Accident Lawyer
Bicycle accidents in Maryland often result in very serious injuries to the bike rider. If you have been injured as a result of a driver's negligence, you may be entitled to receive compensation. Everyday, there are more and more bicycles on the road, competing for roadway space with drivers. More bicycles increases the risk of serious car accidents, and we have definitely noticed an uptick these incidents.
Due to the severity of the impact, and the fact that a bicycle is completely unprotected from any impact, it is very important to have an attorney right away to help you deal with injuries that can range from modest to catastrophic. Do not try to fight alone, and instead hire an experienced Maryland bicycle accident attorney, who is also a bike rider himself. Joseph Blaszkow has been representing people throughout Maryland for over 40 years, and is also an avid bike rider!
Common causes of bicycle accidents
Bicycle accidents often happen because drivers are negligent. These drivers can be operating cars or trucks or buses. Often times the sheer inattention of the motorist causes the accident. We have represented clients who have been involved in bicycle accidents caused by:
Distracted driving
Following too closely
Improper passing
Inattentive driving
Reckless driving
Aggressive driving
Contact an experienced bicycle accident lawyer in Maryland today, to help you get you the justice that you deserve!
Do I have a claim for the damage to my bike?
Absolutely! Just as in a car accident, where you have your a claim for the damage to your motor vehicle, as well as your injuries, the same is true in a bicycle accident. You have a right to claim the damage to that bicycle and to have the bicycle either repaired, or replaced.
Unfortunately, some property damage claims involving bicycles do get complicated. We recommend all clients who are bicyclists to keep their receipts, so that you can prove what you paid for that bicycle.
Pursuing a Maryland bicycle accident claim
The claims process after a bicycle accident can involve a lot of discussion with the insurance company for the at-fault party. This is never something that anyone should do without the benefit of counsel. Insurance adjusters are very skilled at their job, in that they know how to speak to you very nicely, and very sympathetically. They come off as good people. This act fools most of the people that they speak to. Unrepresented parties sometimes forget that these adjusters work for insurance company, whose main goal is to minimize your case, or deny it outright. They want to pay you as little money as possible!
The Maryland bicycle accident lawyers at Blaszkow Legal are completely different. It is our job to make all of the claims that you are entitled to for all of the injuries and damages that you sustained as a result of someone else's negligence.
Elements of a bicycle accidents claim
After a Maryland bicycle accident, it is you're right to get compensation for your injuries. However, you cannot have been at fault for the accident, even a little bit. Maryland, just like DC and Virginia, follows the contributory negligence rule. That means if you are even 1% responsible for the accident, you cannot recover.
If you have been involved in an Maryland bicycle accident that was not your fault, you are able to claim includes all of your damages, which fall into two categories: economic damages and non economic damages:
Pain and suffering
Inconvenience
Lost wages
Medical expenses
Prescription receipts
Future medical expenses
Future lost wages
Lost earning capacity
Permanency
Scarring
and more
Bicycle accidents and personal Maryland auto insurance
You may not realize this, but in Maryland, you may be covered by your motor vehicle insurance if you have a car at home after a result of a bicycle accident.
The first coverage that you may be able to use is personal injury protection coverage or PIP. This is a kind of no fault benefit that you may have, if not waived. This will allow us to help get some of your medical bills paid for you, or reimbursed.
Your own car insurance may also be of assistance if claim turns out to be an uninsured motorist case, or an underinsured motorist case (UM or UIM). In an uninsured motorist case, it means that the the car that hit you does not have car insurance, or has otherwise been disclaimed. This includes unidentified drivers such as in hit and runs.
Your personal automobile insurance may also be applicable in an underinsured motor vehicle case. This is when you have filed a claim against the at-fault party, but there is not sufficient insurance coverage to compensate you for your injuries. It happens with regrettable frequency, as the minimum policy limits in Maryland in 2023 are: $30,000 per person/$60,000 per accident.
Maryland statute of limitations
Bicycle accidents in Maryland are governed by the statute of limitations on all personal injury claims under Maryland law. This means that you have 3 years from the date of the accident to file your lawsuit.
However, if the accident was caused by a government vehicle, whether state or local or federal, this changes the deadline, as there is a new notice requirement under the law. Speak to you an attorney immediately to determine what that deadline is!
Contacting a Maryland bicycle accident lawyer
After a bicycle accident, you have enough to deal with trying to get better. We recognize that. We want to help you out as much as we can by taking as many of these stresses off your shoulders.. Let us fight for you, to get you the compensation that you deserve for your injuries. If you or a loved one have been hurt in a Maryland bicycle accident, and call the experienced bicycle accident team at Blaszkow Legal for a free consultation anywhere in Maryland!
Get Justice with Joe and call 703-879-5910