Bicyclists often face a long recovery, intense pain, and significant financial hardship after being involved in accidents with motor vehicles. To make matters worse, insurance companies for at-fault drivers are notoriously difficult to deal with. If you don’t have skilled legal representation, it can be challenging to recover the full compensation you deserve.
The North Myrtle Beach bicycle accident lawyers at Jebaily Law Firm can help you fight for the money you need after a serious crash. Our attorneys have more than 100 years of combined legal experience and have recovered millions of dollars on behalf of our injured clients.
You can speak with an attorney today for free by calling our North Myrtle Beach office or filling out a contact form online. There is no charge for us to start work on your case. You only pay us if we recover payment for you.
What Should You Do After a Bike Accident?
Here are some crucial steps to take after a North Myrtle Beach bicycle accident:
- Save any evidence you can from the scene, such as photos of the crash, names of any witnesses, the police accident report, and anything else that may help your case.
- Get medical treatment quickly and follow your doctor’s treatment regimen precisely.
- Keep all of your medical records and any other paperwork related to your treatment in one place.
- Avoid making any statements to an insurance company without talking to a lawyer first.
- Stay off of social media.
- Speak to a bicycle accident attorney in North Myrtle Beach as soon as possible.
Pursuing Maximum Compensation for Bicycle Accident Victims
Under South Carolina law, bicycle accident victims can file an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit against the party who caused the crash.
Accident victims can pursue financial compensation for the economic and non-economic losses caused by the crash, including:
- The cost of any medical treatment related to the accident, including the cost of any future care for long-term injuries or disabilities
- The value of your missed wages as a result of the wreck
- Compensation for your reduced capacity to earn a living if your injuries caused a long-term disability that impacts your ability to work
- The value of any personal property damaged in the accident, such as your bicycle
- Compensation for your physical pain and suffering
- An amount to represent the mental anguish or illness such as PTSD caused by the accident and your diminished quality of life
South Carolina uses a modified comparative negligence model to award compensation in personal injury cases. This means that as long as you are less than 51 percent to blame for the accident, you can recover compensation for your injuries. If you are found partially liable for your injuries, your compensation will be reduced by your portion of responsibility for the accident. For example, if you were 10 percent to blame, your compensation would be reduced by 10 percent.
Time Limit for Filing a Bicycle Accident Lawsuit in South Carolina
In South Carolina, the statute of limitations on personal injury claims is three years from the date of your bicycle accident. If you wait any longer to file a lawsuit, your case may be dismissed, and you would lose any opportunity to recover bicycle accident compensation.
South Carolina Bicycle Laws
All cyclists in North Myrtle Beach should be familiar with the relevant traffic codes.
According to the South Carolina Department of Transportation, these include:
- Bicycle riders are subject to all the rights and responsibilities that apply to operators of motor vehicles.
- When a bicycle lane is available, cyclists must ride in the bicycle lane except to pass someone else in the lane or to avoid an obstruction.
- Bicyclists may ride in the main roadway when there is no bicycle lane available for them to use. They should ride as far to the right in their lane as possible.
- When riding in a lane other than a designated bicycle lane, cyclists may not ride more than two abreast within the lane.
- At night, all bicycles must be equipped with a lamp on the front that’s visible from at least 500 feet away. Bicyclists riding at night must also ensure their bike is equipped with a rear reflector that’s visible from at least 50 feet away.
- All bicyclists must use proper hand signals when turning and slowing down.
- Bicycles may proceed through intersections with non-responsive traffic lights as long as they come to a full stop for two minutes and exercise reasonable care before passing through the intersection.
Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in North Myrtle Beach
Some of the most common causes of bicycle accidents include:
- Driving drunk or under the influence of drugs
- Driving drowsy
- Driving while distracted
- Speeding
- Making unsafe turns or lane changes
- Running red lights or stop signs
- Opening a vehicle door into the path of a bicyclist without looking
- Following too closely
- Failing to yield to cyclists when they have the right-of-way
Common Injuries in Bike Accidents
Here are a few of the most common injuries caused by bicycle accidents in North Myrtle Beach:
- Broken bones and fractures
- Road rash, especially if the bicyclist is thrown from the bike
- Back and neck injuries
- Spinal cord damage
- Head injuries and traumatic brain injuries
- Damage to soft tissues and internal organs
- Disfigurement
How Our North Myrtle Beach Bike Accident Lawyers Can Help You
The physical, financial, and emotional costs of a bicycle accident can add up quickly. To demand full compensation for your injuries, you need help from an experienced bicycle accident lawyer in North Myrtle Beach.
Here are a few ways our lawyers can help with your claim:
- We’ll thoroughly investigate the accident to identify who’s responsible and all of the potential sources of compensation for your injuries.
- We’ll gather and preserve your medical records and other documentation needed to substantiate your claim.
- We’ll handle all your communication and paperwork needs, including all discussions with the insurance company.
- We’ll fight aggressively for a settlement that reflects the full extent of the losses you suffered in the accident.
- If a settlement cannot be reached, we’ll file a lawsuit in court to pursue full and fair compensation for your injuries.
Get a free case review from one of our North Myrtle Beach bicycle accident lawyers by filling out our contact form or calling our office.
