Common Challenges in Bicycle Accident Cases – And How Our New Mexico Injury Lawyers Can Help

There are plenty of reasons to ride a bike – it is an inexpensive way to get around and good for your health (and the planet). Yet, that enjoyable experience can turn into a terrible tragedy when a driver does not see you and strikes your bike.

If you are hurt in any type of accident like this, turning to Flores Mendez Law enables you to fight for fair compensation for your losses. Our New Mexico bicycle accident lawyer knows how to make them pay for what they did to you.

The Rise of Bicycle Accidents in New Mexico

Heading out onto the bike trail or just for a quick trip around the block is becoming a popular pastime in various areas of the state. The good news is that most rides are safe. However, in 2021, 241 bike accidents occurred in the state.  Between 2019 and 2023, the fatality rate for motorcyclists in crashes was 4.8% for helmeted riders and 10.2% for unhelmeted riders.

Bicycle accidents are particularly dangerous. Rides do not have the same protections as passengers in a vehicle. The force of a fast-moving car striking a bike rider can cause serious injury and fatalities. Even a slow-moving vehicle can cause a high risk of loss.

Common Legal and Insurance Challenges in Bicycle Accident Claims

Challenges in bicycle accident claims are not uncommon. Because of the severity of these accidents and the resulting injuries, a number of potential challenges occur, including:

• Denial of claims: Insurance companies may try to deny or minimize claims to reduce their losses, meaning victims do not receive the fair compensation they deserve
• Shifting the blame: It is not uncommon for insurance companies to make allegations of the cyclist being at fault or partially at fault, creating the risk of comparative negligence and a reduction in compensation to victims.
• Difficulty proving liability: It is not always simple to pursue a claim against the at-fault driver simply because it may be your word against theirs, with limited evidence available to substantiate your claims.
• Lack of documentation: If law enforcement did not come to the scene of the accident or you did not file a police report, this can lead to difficulty in obtaining evidence and proving your losses
• Insufficient compensation: Though victims of bicycle accidents often have serious injuries, insurance companies may not provide fair compensation as allowable under the law, especially if the victim does not know what their losses are.

If you are facing insurance issues after a bike accident, do not agree to anything. Instead, reach out to our New Mexico bicycle accident lawyers for the immediate support you need. Our bike accident attorneys will provide you with insight into your legal rights.

Why Bicycle Accident Injuries Tend to Be More Severe?

A key concern in filing a claim for less than you are owed in a bicycle accident is that the lack of funding could be damaging to your future. Many victims suffer serious injuries that transform their lives and limit their overall well-being.

For example, the lack of protection of a cyclist compared to that of a motor vehicle can play a significant role in your ability to have the financial compensation you need to meet ongoing medical needs. Many victims simply do not know the extent of their losses.

Common injuries suffered in bike accidents, creating these types of difficult insurance claims, include:

• Traumatic brain injuries or other head injuries
• Spinal cord damage, including loss of mobility
• Fractures that lead to chronic pain
• Internal organ injuries
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Amputations
• Infection from road rash

You may need ongoing medical care and support to protect your future from any of these or other injuries. Many victims find themselves requiring in-home help or complex reconstructive surgeries. If you settle your case for too little, you miss that key opportunity to get the money you need and deserve.

How a Skilled Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help?

Getting legal help for a bike accident can provide you with the peace of mind you need throughout this process. Our attorney can assist you during this difficult time in several ways:

• Protect your rights: You need to know your rights. That includes what you need to share and what you do not know about your medical condition. You also need to know your right to a full investigation. We help you manage communication with insurance companies to minimize any disruption in those rights.
• Gathering evidence: It is your attorney’s responsibility to gather evidence to document who is at fault and to value your losses. With the help of our legal team, we will prove what happened, why it happened, and what damages you are owed as a result of that person’s negligence.
• Negotiate aggressively: Insurance companies will try to negotiate with you to reduce the amount of compensation they pay for your losses. We make it clear that you will not settle for less than you are owed.
• Go to trial: In some situations, especially with serious losses, your case may go to trial. Having an experienced trial attorney by your side can protect your rights in these situations.

A bicycle accident attorney near me can make a difference in your case. You do not have to face this long road to recovery and legal compensation on your own, and you should not do so.

Act Now and Contact the New Mexico Bicycle Accident Lawyers at Flores Mendez Law

Contact a New Mexico bicycle accident lawyer now. In New Mexico, you have three years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit in a court of law. We want you to be able to have all available evidence to back up your claim and help you get the most owed to you much sooner. Set up a free consultation with us now. Working with our legal team does not involve upfront costs, and if we do not win your case, you will owe us nothing. Call Flores Mendez Law today at 915-308-1999. We are here to help you. We have offices in El Paso, Texas and Las Cruces, New Mexico.