Greenville Bicycle Accident Attorney

Cycling is a fun and healthy activity for adults and children. However, drivers are not always aware of cyclists and may cause an accident if they are not paying attention and not sharing the road as they should.

If you have sustained injuries in a bicycle accident in Greenville, South Carolina, due to a careless motorist or other negligent party, the attorneys at The Melonakos Law Firm want to hear from you. You may be able to pursue financial compensation for your injury-related expenses, including medical bills, lost work income, pain, and suffering.

Contact our offices today to set up a free consultation with a Greenville bicycle accident lawyer at our law firm.

How The Melonakos Law Firm Can Help Your Bicycle Accident Case

A serious injury from a bicycle accident can leave you with expensive medical bills and unable to work. Between dealing with insurance companies and making ends meet, the aftermath of an injury can cause enormous stress.

The attorneys at The Melonakos Law Firm have extensive experience serving injury victims in Greenville and have recovered over $50 million for our clients. Although past results do not guarantee future outcomes, our track record does indicate our extensive experience with complex personal injury claims.

Putting our skills and resources to work for you, we can:

• Handle communications with the insurance adjusters and others involved
• Investigate the accident
• Gather evidence and medical documentation
• File necessary insurance forms and court papers
• Negotiate settlement offers from insurers
• Represent you in a trial if necessary

Injured cyclists need a bicycle accident law firm in Greenville that will stand on their side and protect their rights and interests after an accident. Here is what one past client had to say about our work:

“They held my hand every step of the way making the process after my accident so easy! Can’t recommend them and Attorney JP enough!” – Sydney

Common Causes and Types of Bicycle Accidents in Greenville

Examples of common causes of bicycle accidents range from other motorists to bad road conditions, including these specifics:

• Negligent drivers – Many bicycle accidents are the result of careless or reckless drivers who ignore traffic laws and drive unsafely.
• Defective bike parts – Defective bike parts, like chains or brakes, might cause bicycle accidents, in which case the manufacturer might be liable.
• Poor road maintenance – Local municipalities might bear responsibility if the accident happened because of negligent road maintenance or unsafe road design.
• Third parties – Other parties that create unsafe road obstructions, such as construction crews, can be liable for bicycle accidents.

Below are some of the most common types of bicycle accidents:

• Side-impact collisions – If a driver runs a stop sign or red light, they can collide with a cyclist crossing the intersection.
• Rear-end collisions – Drivers may collide with a cyclist when following from behind too closely.
• Dooring accidents – Cyclists can collide with car doors if parked drivers and passengers do not look before exiting their vehicles.
• Right-hook accidents – Drivers can clip cyclists when turning right if they are not paying attention to riders in the bike lane, on the shoulder, or side of the road.

Types of Injuries Sustained in Bicycle Accidents

Cyclists are exposed to the elements and can sustain severe injuries in an accident, such as:

• Road rash and abrasions
• Bruising and contusions
• Broken bones
• Head injuries and concussions
• Facial, eye, and dental injuries
• Cuts and lacerations
• Chest and torso injuries
• Leg and knee injuries
• Internal injuries and organ damage
• Crushing injuries

Despite making up less than 1 percent of all road traffic, cyclists are nearly twice as likely to die in a collision as those driving cars, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

South Carolina Bicycle Laws and Your Rights

Cyclists in Greenville, specifically, and South Carolina, more generally, are subject to all the same rights and responsibilities as drivers. They can ride on public roads and must obey all relevant traffic signals, such as stop signs and traffic lights. Similarly, drivers must respect cyclists’ right to use the road and operate their vehicles safely and prudently around them.

However, Chapter 5 of South Carolina’s motor vehicle code has a few statewide laws that apply to bicyclists. For example:

• Cyclists must use the bicycle lane if present, but can use the road if there is only a recreation bike path instead of a bike lane (S.C. Code 56-5-3425).
• Cyclists must ride on the right side of the lane as far as reasonably possible when there is no bike lane (S.C. Code 56-5-3430).
• A bicycle must have a proper seat and cannot carry more people than it is designed for (S.C. Code 56-5-3440).
• All bicycles must have lights on the front and a reflector on the rear when riding at night (S.C. Code 56-5-3440).

In Greenville specifically, cyclists are prohibited from riding on any road or path that is not explicitly designed for bicycle or motorist use (GMC 26-37).

Cycling rules are important as they can impact determinations of liability in bicycle accident cases. If a cyclist breaks one of these laws and gets into an accident, they may be judged partially liable, which could impact their ability to recover financial compensation.

Factors That Can Make Bike Accident Claims More Challenging

Bicycle accident claims present many challenges that make them more difficult to pursue than typical traffic accident claims. Some examples include:

• Injury severity – Because riders are exposed and lack structural protection, bicycle accidents can cause severe injuries that are expensive to treat. Higher-value claims for catastrophic injuries typically face more scrutiny from insurers.
• Accident complexity – The dynamics of bicycle accidents often differ significantly from those in other traffic accidents, which can make reconstructing events and determining fault more difficult.
• Unfair bias against cyclists – Many motor vehicle drivers have biases against cyclists and immediately assume they are at fault for traffic accidents. Overcoming such prejudices can make jury trials for bicycle accidents more difficult.

Talk to Our Greenville Bicycle Accident Attorneys Today

The thought of pursuing a bicycle accident claim might seem intimidating, but legal help is available. The personal injury attorneys at The Melonakos Law Firm stand ready to provide compassionate and effective counsel to fight for maximum compensation for you. We base our practice on personalized legal attention that takes into account your unique circumstances. You can count on us to fight to hold responsible parties accountable for your losses.

Contact our offices online or reach out by phone for a free case consultation with a Greenville bicycle accident attorney.