Bicyclists are extremely vulnerable to getting hurt when they take to the road. Similar to motorcyclists, if a bicyclist is hit by a car, he or she will not have any means of protection aside from a helmet and a little bit of luck. This is why, when it comes to a bicycle versus car accident, the vehicle drivers tend to escape unharmed and the bicyclists are often gravely injured, or even killed.
Example of a tragic Virginia Beach bike crash
In a recent bicycle accident case, not one, but two bicyclists were hurt by a vehicle that plowed directly into them. The accident happened on a recent Sunday during the wee hours of the morning. At 2 a.m., two people were riding their bikes down 19th Street and they were struck from behind.
The bicyclists were injured in the crash and their current conditions are unknown. The unharmed driver was soon arrested by authorities who allege that she was inebriated at the time of the collision. She faces the criminal charges of maiming and driving under the influence.
Seeking financial restitution after a bike crash
Virginia law supports anyone who is injured due to no fault of their own. If a plaintiff can prove that a negligent or unlawfully acting party injured him or her in civil court, then the plaintiff can receive payment for the financial damages resulting from the injuries. In a successfully navigated personal injury claim, an injured bicyclist can receive money to pay for medical care, money to pay for time spent unable to work and money for attorneys fees and other categories of damages depending on the circumstances.
Source: The Dickerson & Smith Law Group, “Motor vehicle accidents,” accessed May 19, 2017