As the number of people riding their bikes around Utah…
continues to climb, so do bike crashes. These crashes are generally not “accidents” since they will usually involve a motorist who is not following the rules of the road and puts the cyclists’ safety in jeopardy. For example, motorists might disregard the 3-foot rule and cut in too close to you while on your bike.
They might fail to make sure the coast is clear before opening their car door and “door” you or someone in your group. They may choose not to look to the right when they pull out and make a left-hand turn and hit a cyclist who might be on the sidewalk. As a cyclist who bikes over a thousand miles a year, I know that many motorists are antagonistic toward cyclists and think its fun to honk or yell as they go by, intentionally cut in too close or even “roll coal” with their diesel truck to smoke us out.
I’ve experienced all of this and more dozens of times….
All of these negligent and intentional acts and are not “accidents.” These are acts of wrongdoing and are actionable against the at-fault motorist if they cause you injury and then there is the Utah’s juror’s inclination to blame the cyclist for even being on the road and making themselves vulnerable by being on a bike. Focus group research our firm has done shows that bike riders can have an up-hill battle from day one unless their case is framed the right way.
Knowing this…
we work on and develop our client’s story so the jury can understand that our client was following the rules of the road when the crash happened and that the motorist, the person who posed the greatest amount of danger, bears the lion’s share of the blame. But all of this takes time and work to develop. Expert witnesses are often required to talk about unique issues in the case. And so if you’re looking for a bicycle accident lawyer, make sure the one you hire understands the unique circumstances that go along with these types of personal injury cases.