Amarillo Bicycle Accident Lawyer

112 SW 8th Avenue, Suite 301

Amarillo, Texas 75219

(806) 590-0000

Almost everyone enjoys riding their bicycle, but there are times when a bicycle ride can end in tragedy due to an accident. On this page, the Amarillo bicycle accident lawyer at the Doan Law Firm explains how you, or a family member, can recover damages from a bicycle accident.

City of Amarillo and State of Texas bicycle laws

The following are not every bicycle law in Amarillo or the State of Texas, but they are the laws that have the most direct bearing on questions of liability following bicycle accidents.

• Bicyclists are required to obey all traffic laws, just as all motorized vehicles must obey all traffic laws.
• A bicyclist may not ride on a sidewalk.
• There is no statewide law, or Amarillo city ordinance, that requires a bicyclist to wear a helmet.

Simply obeying traffic laws does not relieve a bicyclist, or a motorist, from the obligation to remain alert to the actions of others or from exercising a greater degree of caution than the law requires. In fact, Texas courts have a long tradition of holding children to be less able to anticipate the potential consequences of their actions than would be expected of an adult.

Liability in bicycle accidents

In general, liability in bicycle accidents follows the same principles as liability in accidents involving motorcycles or automobiles. Once it has been proven that an individual acted in a manner that led to an injury, and that this manner was the result of a disregard for the safety of others, that person becomes liable for any injuries that were suffered by another. Damages that may be awarded in bicycle accident injury cases

Damages that are awarded in bicycle accident injury cases tend to be similar to those that have been awarded in motorcycle or automobile accident cases. These damages may include:

• Current, and anticipated future, medical bills and expenses.
• Compensation for pain and suffering as well as disruption of family life.
• Compensation for pain and suffering as well as disruption of family life.
• Repair or replacement of damaged personal property.
• Costs of any special education or vocational retraining arising from injuries sustained in the accident.

If a bicycle results in death there can be additional damages awarded, such as:

• Funeral and burial expenses.
• Legal expenses resulting from probate costs or other death-related events.
• Loss of wages or other income the deceased would have earned.
• Loss of the deceased’s companionship and emotional support.

Not all types of damages are awarded in every case. The specific types of damages, and the dollar values sought for those damages, are decided after meeting with a bicycle accident lawyer.

Can a bicyclist who was not wearing a helmet be awarded damages?

There is one error in the way people tend to think about damages in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits. This is the false impression that if someone was not wearing a helmet then that person cannot be awarded damages following a bicycle accident. This, of course, is false!

What someone was, or was not, wearing at the time of an accident in no way relieves another person of the obligation to obey traffic laws and to be alert to the presence of others. Unless it can be conclusively demonstrated that a bicyclist was behaving in an extremely reckless manner, there is no legal basis for denying damages to a bicycle accident victim because the victim wasn’t wearing a helmet.

Hiring an Amarillo bicycle accident lawyer

There is no amount of money that can repay a victim for the pain that follows an accident and there is no punishment that can restore an accident victim to life. At the same time, there must be justice done on behalf of those that cannot seek justice on their own accord.

If you, or a family member, have been injured in a bicycle accident we suggest that you contact the Amarillo bicycle accident lawyer at the Doan law Firm to discuss your options following an accident. At our firm, you initial consultation with our bicycle accident lawyer is always free of charge and does obligate you to retain our firm.

Should you decide to have us represent you in your bicycle accident injury case, we will never ask you to bear any expenses associated with the preparation of your case for trial. Instead, we will bear all necessary expenses related to your case in exchange for an agreed-upon percentage of the settlement that we will win for you.