Car-Cyclist Collisions

Many people ride bicycles, either for pleasure or as a means of transportation. While bicycles should be given the same consideration on the road as other vehicles, drivers often fail to exercise reasonable care when driving around cyclists, leading to car-cyclist collisions. The injuries sustained in cyclist accidents with cars are usually very serious and can be fatal. If you or a loved one was injured in a cyclist accident with a car, you may be entitled to recover compensation for the injuries and pain and suffering caused by the accident. The New Hampshire car accident lawyers at Peter Thompson and Associates have more than 60 years of collective experience and have maintained a high success rate and a record of substantial verdicts. We have the knowledge and skills needed to formulate a case that will provide you with a strong chance of a successful outcome.

Sometimes drivers fail to leave a safe amount of distance between their vehicles and cyclists traveling in front of them, or they may pass too close to cyclists. A cyclist accident can also occur when a driver does not notice a cyclist riding behind them and backs up into the cyclist. Cyclists can also be injured when a person in a parked car fails to notice a cyclist riding next to the car and opens the car door.

Cyclist accidents with cars can result in severe and life-threatening injuries. If you were injured in a car-cyclist collision, you should not need to bear the cost of your medical treatment if you were not responsible for causing the accident. Most lawsuits to recover damages for an accident allege that a party’s negligence caused the accident to occur. Under New Hampshire law, to prove negligence in a case involving a cyclist accident, your lawyer must show that it is more likely than not that the driver owed you a duty to operate the car in a safe and reasonable manner, he or she breached the duty, the breach of the duty caused the accident to happen, and the accident was the cause of the injuries and property damage that you allege.

When a law exists that defines a standard of care, the standard set forth by the law will replace the reasonable person standard. If a person is found to have breached a standard provided by law, it is “negligence per se,” which means that the injured party no longer needs to prove a duty and a breach. For example, under New Hampshire law, all drivers are required to leave a “reasonable and prudent” distance between their car and a cyclist to ensure the safety of the cyclist. The distance is presumed to be reasonable if it is a minimum of three feet when the driver is going 30 miles per hour, with an additional foot required for each 10 miles an hour above 30. If a car-cyclist collision occurs because a driver followed too closely behind a cyclist, the cyclist can argue that the driver was negligent per se. While negligence per se does not mean that you will win your case, it may make it easier to recover damages from the driver.

All lawsuits to obtain compensation for injuries and property damage sustained in an accident must be filed within three years of the accident. If a loved one passed away due to injuries sustained in the accident, any wrongful death claim must be filed within three years of the date of their death. Damages recoverable include the cost of any past and future medical treatment, as well as the cost to repair or replace any damaged property. If you were unable to work after the accident, you may be entitled to recover lost wages and loss of future earnings. Additionally, you may be able to recover damages for the pain and suffering caused by your injuries.

If you are a cyclist who sustained injuries in an accident with a car, you may be entitled to hold the driver liable for your damages. You should consult a knowledgeable car accident lawyer as soon as possible to discuss the circumstances surrounding your case. At Peter Thompson and Associates, our attorneys have the knowledge and experience required to help you set forth your strongest case under the circumstances. We have offices in Bedford, Nashua, Portsmouth, and Manchester, from which we represent injured individuals throughout New Hampshire. Contact us at 800.804.2004 or via our online form to set up a free consultation.