Did you get hurt while biking in Blythewood, SC? If so, you don’t have to fight for damages alone. The Blythewood bicycle accident lawyers at Jeffcoat Injury and Car Accident Lawyers are on your side.
We can help you recover compensation to pay for medical bills, emotional suffering, and lost wages in Blythewood, South Carolina. Our Blythewood bicycle accident attorneys have over 101 years of combined experience. Hiring our team is one of the best decisions you can make after a bicycle crash.
Call our office or call at 803-592-6553 to schedule a free, no-pressure consultation with a Blythewood bicycle accident attorney to learn more about your legal options.
How Jeffcoat Injury and Car Accident Lawyers Can Help After a Bicycle Accident In Blythewood
Bicyclists don’t always get paid what they deserve after a crash in Blythewood, SC. Many bicyclists are blamed for causing their injuries. Sometimes, drivers don’t even stop after an accident. Jeffcoat Injury and Car Accident Lawyers can find out what happened and pursue money from the responsible party.
Since 1999, we have won over $90 million for our injured clients. This includes people who were hurt while biking in Blythewood. Our team is made up of experienced and compassionate advocates.
When you hire us after a bicycle crash, our Blythewood personal injury lawyers will:
- Investigate the crash
- Identify liable parties
- Calculate your damages
- Explain the law
- Protect you from blame
- File insurance claims
- Negotiate with insurance companies
- Review medical records
- Consult with expert witnesses
- File a personal injury lawsuit
- Represent you in court
We work on a contingency fee basis. This means that you only pay us if we recover compensation for you. Call a Blythewood bicycle accident lawyer to schedule a free consultation today.
How Common Are Bicycle Accidents In South Carolina?
In 2020, South Carolina was one of the worst states in the nation for bicycle fatalities.
According to the South Carolina Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Action Plan, in 2019, bicycle accidents caused:
- 28 fatalities
- 44 incapacitating injuries
- 178 non-incapacitating injuries
- 197 possible injury
Richland County, where Blythewood is located, had one of the greatest frequencies of fatal bike crashes. This alarming data encouraged the South Carolina government to take action to reverse the trend.
We’ll Fight To Recover Compensation for All of Your Bicycle Accident Injuries
Whether you have minor or catastrophic injuries from a bicycle accident, a personal injury lawyer can help you recover compensation.
Our team has experience working with people suffering from all types of injuries, including:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Skull fractures
- Broken bones
- Spinal cord injuries
- Paralysis
- Nerve damage
- Loss of eyesight
- Loss of hearing
- Amputations
- Crush injuries
- Severe burns
- Bruises
- Lacerations
- Sprains
Jeffcoat Injury and Car Accident Lawyers can also help if you’ve lost a loved one to injuries sustained in a bicycle accident.
What Causes Most Bicycle Accidents In Blythewood, South Carolina?
Many bicycle accidents in Blythewood, South Carolina, happen due to the following:
- Aggressive driving
- Drunk driving
- Speeding
- Running red lights or stop signs
- Obstructions in the road
- Poor visibility
- Unsafe lane changes
- Following too closely
- Dangerous intersections
- Distracted driving or biking
- Improper left-hand turns
- Parking in the bicycle lanes
We can help you find out what caused your accident and who is responsible. This will likely involve a thorough investigation. An investigation can produce evidence to support an insurance claim or future lawsuit. Without a strong investigation and enough evidence, it will be hard to win your case.
What Is My Bicycle Accident Case Worth?
Your bicycle accident case may be worth more than you expect. The value of your case will depend on the severity of the accident. Usually, the more serious the accident and your injuries are, the more money you will recover.
Some factors that will impact your case value are:
- The type of injury
- Your medical treatment
- Whether you have a permanent injury or are expected to recover
- If you have property damage
- If you have any responsibility for causing the accident or worsening your injuries
- If there is an insurance policy at play
- If your injury or treatment prevented you from working or will prevent you from working in the future
- The cost of damage to your bicycle or other property
- If you have emotional trauma from the accident
- If you are unable to enjoy the same activities as before the accident
You are more likely to accept less than you deserve if you don’t calculate your case value early on. Our Blythewood bicycle accident attorneys will help you understand your case’s worth.
What Kind of Damages Are Available To Bicycle Accident Victims?
Bicycle accident victims in Blythewood can recover compensatory damages. That means that you can seek compensation for all losses, both economic and non-economic.
Economic damages are financial losses. This is the most common type of damage and the one that plaintiffs frequently think about.
Economic damages after a bike crash may include:
- Emergency medical bills
- Surgery costs
- Transportation to and from the doctor
- Follow up visits
- Rehabilitation and physical therapy
- In-home nursing care
- Property damage
- Lost wages
- Lost future earnings
- Out-of-pocket expenses
Non-economic damages are intangible losses. This is often called pain and suffering. Even though you cannot always see this type of loss, this payment recognizes the emotional toll that a bicycle accident can have on your life.
Non-economic damages include:
- Physical suffering
- Emotional anguish
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of overall quality of life
- Loss of companionship
- Permanent disability
- Scarring or disfigurement
- Mental illness caused by the accident
We can help you calculate both your economic and noneconomic damages.
We will use evidence to support the amount, including the following:
- Bills
- receipts
- Credit card statements
- Paystubs
- Medical records
- Mental health records
- Witness testimony (including your own)
Call Jeffcoat Injury and Car Accident Lawyers today for help calculating your damages after a bicycle accident.
How Much Does It Cost To Hire a Bicycle Accident Lawyer?
Your bicycle accident lawyer will charge a contingency fee. A contingency fee means that the lawyer’s payment is contingent upon winning the case. If you don’t recover any money, then you aren’t required to pay your lawyer.
Alternatively, if you do get damages, then your lawyer will take a percentage of the damages as their fee. Usually, the fee is around 33%, but it can go up to 40% or higher depending on the case’s complexity.
Contingency fees give everyone the opportunity to afford legal help, even if they can’t pay out of pocket. They play an important role in helping people access justice after getting hurt due to negligence.
Can I Recover Compensation if I’m Being Blamed for a Bicycle Accident In South Carolina?
In many cases, you can still recover compensation if you are being blamed for a bicycle accident.
South Carolina applies a modified comparative fault rule. This rule says that you can get damages as long as you are less than 50% responsible for the crash. If you are 50% or more at fault, you cannot recover anything.
You get proportionate damages if you are partially to blame but less than 50%. That means that your damages are proportionate to your share of responsibility. So, for example, if you are 30% to blame, you can only recover 70% of your total damages.
How Do I Prove Negligence After a Bicycle Accident In South Carolina?
If you are going to win your bicycle accident case, you will need to prove negligence. If you cannot prove that the person who caused the crash was negligent, then you are likely not entitled to compensation.
Someone is negligent when they fail to use reasonable care. Their failure causes the bicycle accident, and as a result, someone gets hurt. Reasonable care means that they acted as an ordinary and reasonable person would in the same situation. They are cautious to avoid foreseeable risks of harm to others, but they aren’t expected to be perfect.
There are four elements to every negligence claim:
- Duty
- Breach of duty
- Causation
- Damages
You must prove each element by a preponderance of the evidence. This means that it was more likely than not. If you can prove each element, then you will win your case.
Jeffcoat Injury and Car Accident Lawyers can help you prove negligence after a bicycle accident in Blythewood, SC.
How Long Do You Have to File a Lawsuit After a Bicycle Accident?
In South Carolina, you typically only have three years to file a personal injury lawsuit. If a loved one is killed in a bicycle accident, you also have three years to bring a wrongful death claim. If you fail to bring your case before the statute of limitations expires, you can be barred from recovering damages.
Contact Our Blythewood Bicycle Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation
Call a Blythewood bicycle accident lawyer to learn more about your legal options in Blythewood, SC. The legal team at Jeffcoat Injury and Car Accident Lawyers are ready to start on your case. The sooner that you ask for help, the sooner you can get paid and move on with your life.
