Reading Bicycle Accident Lawyer

If you’ve suffered injuries in a bicycle accident in Reading, PA, a top Reading bicycle accident attorney at Munley Law will help you recover any compensation you deserve. Our Reading personal injury firm assists victims of bicycle collisions in recovering damages, including medical costs, lost income, pain and suffering, and additional losses. Whether you’re prepared to take legal action or still considering your options, one of our experienced Reading bike accident attorneys is ready to evaluate your case and discuss your legal alternatives. Don’t hesitate to contact Munley Law for a free consultation to learn your legal options following a bike crash.

How a Reading Bike Accident Attorney Can Help With Your Claim

Being involved in a bicycle accident can be a traumatizing experience, especially when it is you versus a passenger vehicle. However, following the accident, there are steps you should take to protect yourself to help build a strong legal case.

• Get medical attention: Even if the accident seems minor, getting a medical evaluation will help establish the baseline for your injuries. In the days that follow, more injuries may appear once the adrenaline wears off, so it’s important to keep an eye on any changes you experience and get medical care immediately.
• Collect evidence: If possible, take pictures of the accident scene. These can be helpful when proving fault.
• Get a copy of the police report: A police report will hold many details of the accident that you may not know. Securing a copy of this will be helpful to your lawyer.
• Talk to witnesses: Depending on the time of day the accident occurs, there may have been witnesses to the accident. If you can talk to witnesses and get their contact information, they may be able to share what they saw, which can impact your case.
• Call a Reading bike lawyer: Recovering from a bicycle accident can be daunting, and when you add filing a legal claim against the at-fault driver to the mix, you may be overwhelmed. Don’t take it on alone–let Munley Law handle your case.

What Makes Munley Law Different From Other Reading Injury Lawyers?

It can be overwhelming when looking for a personal injury law firm to take on your bicycle accident claim. With so many lawyers in your area, you may feel like any firm will do–but the reality is not so. At Munley Law, our bicycle accident lawyers serve all injury victims in Reading, Berks County, and the surrounding areas.

Munley Law differs from other accident lawyers because we have the experience, compassion, and resources that set our firm apart. Our team understands the complexities of Pennsylvania’s bicycle laws and the financial hardship injuries can place on a family.

Because of this, we work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing upfront for our legal resources. Instead, you only pay if we win your settlement or verdict. It’s never more than what you won, so you can focus on what’s important.

Compensation in a Reading Bicycle Accident

If you or a loved one were hurt in a bicycle accident in Reading, you have a right to pursue a personal injury claim against the driver or at-fault party. However, you cannot bring a claim forward if you have already accepted a settlement from the insurance. After your accident, be sure to call Munley Law. Our firm can help you recover the following forms of compensation for your losses:

• Medical bills
• Lost wages
• Diminished earning capacity
• Property damage
• Pain and suffering
• Funeral and burial costs in the case of wrongful death

Remember that the value of your claim will change based on the extent of your injuries, how much income you lose while away from work, the liability of each party, etc. If you handle the claim alone, you may be talked into much less compensation by the insurance company than the amount you are truly owed. But a Munley Law bicycle accident attorney can help with your case.

How Pennsylvania’s Bicycle Laws Affect Your Reading Injury Claim

As a Pennsylvania cyclist, there are rules you must abide by, just as a motor vehicle must follow when sharing the road. Pennsylvania has some of the strictest bicycle laws in the country, and following them can be the difference between a safe ride and a disastrous collision.

Below are some of the laws that have been implemented in the Keystone State:

• Riders must use a seat on the bike when riding.
• Riders can only have the allotted number of riders the bike permits—i.e., passengers cannot sit on the handlebars, stand on the back, etc.
• Cyclists must abide by the same road rules as other motor vehicles.
• The bike must have the proper lights and reflectors when riding between sunset and sunrise.
• People under 12 cannot operate a bicycle or ride as a passenger without a helmet.
• No bicycles can be ridden on freeways.

If you were found not to have obeyed Pennsylvania’s bicycle laws and are involved in an accident, you risk being found at fault for the collision, hurting your chances at financial recovery.

Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in Reading, PA

As a cyclist, you must care to protect yourself on Reading’s streets. Unfortunately, we cannot always account for the actions of others, which can lead to devastating accidents. According to the latest numbers from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the total number of bicycle accidents had the highest amount of fatalities in the past five years.

Some of the most common Reading bicycle accidents include:

• Right-hook accidents occur when a motor vehicle fails to move far enough ahead of a cyclist before beginning a right turn. When this occurs, the car can strike the bicyclist riding straight ahead.
• Dooring accidents happen when a driver or passenger does not exercise due care when opening their door and striking a passing bicyclist.
• Overtaking crashes occur when a motor vehicle does not overtake properly and collides with a cyclist from behind.

If you have been involved in any of the above collisions, call the Reading bicycle accident lawyers of Munley Law.

Establishing Liability in a Reading Bicycle Collision

To establish liability in a Reading bicycle accident, you must prove that negligence occurred and that had the negligence not occurred, the accident and resulting injuries and losses would not have happened.

To prove negligence, you must show that:

• There was a duty of care owed to the bicyclist
• There was a breach of that duty
• The cyclist suffered injuries
• The breach caused those injuries to occur

Under Pennsylvania’s 51 percent comparative negligence rule, you may be found partially responsible in a bicycle accident in addition to the motor vehicle driver having a fault. If you are found less than 51 percent at fault for the accident, you can still recover compensation for your injuries and losses.

However, this can be hard to do, so contacting a Reading bicycle accident lawyer from Munley Law will be critical to the success of your claim.

Munley Law is Your Reading Bicycle Accident Lawyer

If you were injured in a bicycle accident in Reading, PA, you have a choice of injury attorneys to choose from. Go with the best option — choose Munley Law. For 65 years, our Reading bicycle accident lawyers have been helping clients throughout Berks County with their claims. We are here for you.

Don’t wait much longer. Contact Munley Law today to schedule a free consultation.

Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys

606 Court St.
Reading, PA 19601
(610) 831-4234