St. Louis Bicycle Accident Attorney

Helping Injured Bicyclists Obtain The Compensation They Deserve

The bicycle accident attorneys at the St. Louis law firm of Sansone & Lauber understand that representing bicycle accident victims requires a particular type of St. Louis Bicycle Accident Lawyer with the skills, knowledge, and ability to understand the rights of bicyclists, which others often take for granted.

Our St. Louis bicycle accident attorneys fight to recover compensation for the many types of damages to which our clients are entitled, including medical expenses, hospital bills, rehabilitation expenses, lost earnings, future wage losses, lost earnings capacity, physical disabilities, scars, losses of limbs, brain and head injuries, emotional distress, depression, anxiety, grief, and pain and suffering.

We understand the issues that bicycle accident victims often face, so we work with our clients, their friends and family, as well as their doctors, psychologists, long-term care planners, and others, to ensure that our clients receive not only the finest legal representation but also the finest support and medical care.

Common Bicycle Accident Injuries

bicycle accident lawyer Riding a bike can be a great form of exercise, a way to enjoy a beautiful day, and an inexpensive and environmentally friendly mode of transportation.

Unfortunately, it can also become deadly when drivers of motor vehicles do not pay attention to the bicyclists with whom they are supposed to share the road. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 52,000 bicyclists were injured and 716 killed in 2020 as a result of collisions with motor vehicles. Most of those accidents (69 percent) occurred in busy urban areas.

Unlike people riding in cars or trucks, bicyclists are completely exposed to the world around them. Consequently, they are extremely vulnerable to serious injuries when they are involved in accidents with motor vehicles. These injuries can come from the impact of the motor vehicle itself or when an accident throws a bicyclist onto to the ground, into traffic, or against another object.

Cyclists can sustain the following serious injuries in accidents:

Traumatic brain injuries – TBIs can occur anytime a cyclist’s head hits something during the course of an accident—including when the cyclist is wearing a helmet. Even mild TBIs, like concussions, can result in serious symptoms that damage victims’ lives in profound ways for days, weeks, or even months. When bicyclists sustain severe TBIs that involve skull fractures or objects penetrating into their brains, they often develop cognitive or physical disabilities that can hurt them for the rest of their lives.
Spinal cord injuries – A bicycle accident that damages or penetrates any part of the spinal column, including ligaments, discs, nerves, or vertebrae, can result in spinal cord injuries. Spinal cord injuries can result in significant complications, including chronic pain, muscle weakness, numbness, and even paralysis below the site of the injuries.
Fractures – The forces involved in bicycle accidents can easily break a person’s bones. Cyclists who are involved in accidents often break arms, legs, hips, hands, fingers, and bones in the face. In many cases, these injuries require emergency medical treatments, from immobilization and traction to emergency and reconstructive surgeries. People can sustain these and other injuries in bicycle accidents, not only resulting in enormous pain and suffering, but also secondary issues such as substantial and unexpected medical expenses, lost income from the inability to work, and a significant and ongoing loss of qualify of life. Fortunately, victims can seek compensation for these and other accident-related losses under Missouri law. For this reason, those injured in bicycle accidents should retain legal counsel as soon as possible to fully protect their legal rights.

What Are The Common Causes Of Bicycle Injuries?

Though motorists are expected to “share the road” with bicyclists, many drivers do not pay proper attention or use enough caution. Other reasons may also contribute to serious accidents for bicycle riders.

Some common reasons for bicycle accidents include the following:

Distracted drivers
Aggressive drivers
Intoxicated or otherwise impaired drivers
Failure to yield
Failure to check mirrors or blind spots before turning

Speeding, running red lights, or violating other traffic laws
Not checking mirrors before opening a car door
Potholes, uneven pavement, or other road defects

These are only a few examples of how other parties may act in a negligent fashion to cause a bicycle accident. If a driver or other party’s negligence caused you injury, that party should be held responsible for their actions and you deserve to receive a fair settlement.

Ben Sansone supports bike safety groups and associations and advocates for stronger laws to protect bicyclists on Missouri’s roads. His combined legal experience and deep understanding of cycling issues put him in a unique position to effectively represent victims injured in a bicycle accident as an experienced bicycle accident lawyer.

Based on his cycling experience and love of the sport, Mr. Sansone passionately represents clients in Missouri and Illinois who have suffered personal injuries resulting from bicycle accidents, or who may be a survivor of a cyclist killed in a road accident as a result of the reckless or negligent driving of a motor vehicle operator.

Why Bike Accident Cases Demand Special Attention

Bicycle accidents present different issues from other types of personal injury cases. While fault in bike accident cases almost always falls on the operator of the motor vehicle, motorists and even law enforcement officials may attempt to shift blame to the cyclist.

To guarantee a fair trial, your bicycle accident lawyer must pay careful attention to jury selection and effectively address a common bias against cyclists sharing the road. Injuries suffered as the result of a bicycle accident are almost always severe and require aggressive representation by a lawyer that understands the view and rights of cyclists.

If you have been injured in a bike accident, contact Sansone & Lauber Personal Injury Attorneys at (314) 863-0500 for a free initial consultation. We are here to help you assess your legal rights.

What are my Legal Rights in a Bicycle Accident?

Sansone is a member of the Missouri Bicycle and Pedestrian Federation Legislative Committee and the firm is a bronze level sponsor of that group.

If you have suffered injuries because of a bike accident involving a motor vehicle, you are probably wondering if your legal rights are any different from operators or passengers in motor vehicles. In short, the answer is no.

Bicyclists enjoy the same legal rights as motor vehicle operators and passengers. The law of negligence in Missouri and Illinois applies equally to bikers, meaning they have the same rights of way as motor vehicles, and operators of motor vehicles must keep a lookout for bicyclists just as they would other motor vehicles to prevent car accidents.

Most bike accidents result because of the inattention of motor vehicle drivers, or even their deliberate failure to yield the right of way. When an accident involving a motor vehicle and bicycle occurs, ask yourself if there would be any question about who was at fault if the bike had been a car. The answer is usually no.

Call Sansone & Lauber Today To Speak With A St. Louis Bicycle Accident Attorney

Representing bicycle victims requires a team of aggressive investigators and St. Louis bicycle accident lawyers all devoting their maximum efforts to their clients. At Sansone & Lauber of Missouri, our St. Louis bicycle accident attorneys investigate every claim so that we may aggressively and zealously represent our clients and obtain the best possible results.

When you need a St. Louis personal injury attorney to represent you, a family member, or a friend who has suffered a bicycle accident injury, contact Sansone & Lauber at (314) 863-0500 or contact us online.

Client Testimonial

“They were thorough in explaining the process step-by-step as well as providing me with every applicable option relating to my case. We managed to resolve with ease: minor paperwork, efficient time management, and clear communication. Overall, their services were outstanding and I would highly recommend them to anyone needing representation.”

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Eyewitnesses and police reports. Police officers may create accident reports that favor the motor vehicle driver as to who was at fault, or are neutral on liability, even when witness accounts put the blame on the driver of the car. Clearly conveying the facts of an accident to the police as early as possible after the accident can help build a stronger personal injury case. Obtaining the cooperation from witnesses immediately following the accident is also very helpful as memories fade over time.

Attorney Sansone handled a case involving a bicyclist who was seriously injured when the driver in a truck cut her off after quickly overtaking her and making a right turn. The truck driver said he saw the cyclist but that she fell on her own well after he made the turn.

The police officer ignored the biker’s version, and submitted the report indicating the accident was the cyclist’s fault. Additionally, the reporting officer failed to include in the report the name and statement of an eyewitness. St. Louis personal injury lawyer Ben Sansone after taking the case when several other lawyers declined it, tracked down the witness who supported his client’s version of the bicycle crash and exposed the negligent driver’s lies. Attorney Sansone won at trial after receiving no settlement offer from the driver’s insurance company.

St. Louis Bicycle Accident Lawyer