Gulfport Bicycle Accident Attorney

If you were recently hurt in a bicycle accident in Gulfport, MS, you don’t need someone to tell you how painful and expensive these incidents can be. What you need is a legal team that’s ready to help you pursue fair compensation for what you’ve suffered, and to treat you with the respect and compassion you deserve while they do it. That’s exactly what you’ll find at HFFR Injury Attorneys.

For over a decade, we’ve been recovering life-changing compensation on behalf of accident victims throughout Mississippi’s Gulf Coast region. Contact us today at (228) 872-8752 for your free, no-obligation consultation with a bicycle accident lawyer in Gulfport, and let us help you demand more.

Why Choose HFFR Injury Attorneys for Your Bicycle Accident Case?

Since 2014, injured people across Mississippi’s Gulf Coast have been turning to HFFR Injury Attorneys for help pursuing justice. The following are a few reasons we think you should, too:

• We offer a free, no-pressure, fully confidential case review, so you can understand your options at no cost or obligation.
• We develop legal strategies around each client’s unique circumstances and needs. We will never treat you like just a number or name on a case file.
• We can help you find specialized medical care to help with your physical and mental recovery. We want you focused on getting better, not stressing about your legal case.
• We aggressively negotiate with insurance companies for maximum compensation. Your attorney will communicate with adjusters and representatives so you don’t have to.
• We aren’t afraid to take your case to trial if that’s the best way to secure every dollar you deserve. Our lawyers do not back down from a fight when our clients’ needs are on the line.

What’s more, our law firm will not charge you a fee until we’re putting money back in your bank account. We believe you should not have to pay out of pocket to demand justice and accountability.

How a Gulfport Bicycle Accident Lawyer Can Help

At HFFR Injury Attorneys, we think you should be able to focus on your physical recovery. While you do that, we can concentrate on your financial recovery by doing the following:

• Investigating the accident to recover critical evidence before it can become lost or destroyed
• Reviewing that evidence with the help of experts to identify everyone who might be to blame for what happened
• Calculating the personal and financial harm you’ve suffered as a result of your injuries
• Determining all available sources of compensation to maximize your recovery
• Connecting you with medical professionals if you do not have your own team already
• Handling communications with at-fault parties and their insurers
• Negotiating aggressively for a fair settlement that gets you paid without the need for a trial
• Going to court if the other side won’t make you a fair offer
• Supporting you at every stage of this process and making it as stress-free for you as possible

What Should You Do Immediately After a Bicycle Accident?

What you do in the aftermath of a bike accident can have a big impact on your personal injury claim. The following are some steps to take at the scene if you’re able to do so:

• Move out of traffic if you can do so safely, but leave the bicycle and other evidence undisturbed when possible.
• Report the accident to the authorities. Call 911 if it’s an emergency or the Gulfport Police Department directly if it is not. GPD’s non-emergency number is (228) 868-5959.
• Exchange contact and insurance information with the driver. Do not argue about fault or downplay your injuries.
• Gather evidence at the scene. Photograph the vehicle that hit you, your damaged bicycle, and the general area. Get the contact info of anyone who saw what happened.

What you do in the days and weeks to come is just as important. The following are some follow-up steps to protect yourself and your rights:

• Seek medical attention if you were not transported from the scene, even if your injuries initially seem minor. Not only
• Notify your own auto insurer or bicycle insurer if you have one, but stick to the facts and don’t speculate.
• Collect your evidence in one place. Write down your memory of what happened while it’s still fresh. Get copies of the police accident report and your medical bills. Do not repair your damaged bicycle, and hang onto anything else that was damaged in the accident.
• Be very cautious if you get a call from the driver’s insurance provider. Do not agree to give a recorded statement or accept a quick settlement before you’ve had a chance to talk with an attorney.
• Avoid posting anything about your accident on social media, as the insurers can use your words and photos against you.

Finally, contact HFFR Injury Attorneys and ask for a free consultation with a Gulfport personal injury lawyer. Bring along any evidence you were able to gather so we can review it with you.

Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in Gulfport

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 1,166 fatal bicycle accidents in the most recent year with available data, and an additional 49,989 injuries. The first harmful event in roughly 94 percent of fatal accidents was a collision with a motor vehicle. These accidents are caused by driver errors such as the following:

• Failing to check blind spots before turning or changing lanes
• Making unsafe left turns across a bicyclist’s path
• Opening a parked vehicle’s door into a bicycle lane (“dooring”)
• Passing a cyclist too closely
• Speeding or driving too fast for road conditions
• Distracted driving, such as texting
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Failing to stop at traffic lights or stop signs
• Backing out of a driveway or parking space without looking
• Misjudging a bicyclist’s speed or distance
• Turning right across a cyclist traveling beside the vehicle

Unsafe road design can also contribute to these collisions, particularly when cyclists are forced to share traffic lanes with motor vehicles and are not given their own bike lane.

Who Can Be Held Liable for a Bicycle Accident?

Many different people could be liable for the bicycle accident that injured you, such as the following:

• The driver who hit you
• That driver’s employer, if they were on the job at the time
• A company that manufactured a defective component
• A bicycle repair or rental shop that put you on an unsafe vehicle
• A government entity that failed to ensure a safe roadway

Depending on the circumstances, multiple parties could share liability for the accident. A lawyer can investigate what happened, determine all potentially at-fault parties, and identify every source of compensation that may be available to you.

What Compensation Can Bicycle Accident Victims Recover?

If someone else is to blame for the bicycle accident that injured you, they should have to compensate you for the many ways you’ve suffered as a result – on a financial level as well as a personal one. Economic damages cover the former and may pay for past and future medical care, lost income, reduced earning capacity, and the cost of repairing or replacing your bicycle. Non-economic damages address losses that do not come with a fixed dollar amount, such as physical pain, emotional distress, permanent disability, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life.

If the person who injured you was behaving in an extremely careless or reckless way, or did so deliberately, you could be entitled to punitive damages. Mississippi law (MS Code § 11-1-65) describes this behavior as actual malice, gross negligence, or reckless disregard for others’ safety. Punitive damages would not compensate you for the harm you suffered. Rather, they are meant to punish the other person for their antisocial actions. They can only be awarded at trial and are awarded rarely. Also, state law caps them based on the at-fault party’s net worth.

If a bicycle accident victim’s injuries prove fatal, the personal representative of their estate can bring a claim for wrongful death damages (MS Code § 11-7-13). The personal representative is generally the executor named in the deceased’s will. If the deceased left no will, a probate court may appoint a representative. These damages can cover medical and funeral expenses, lost financial support, property damage, the deceased’s pain and suffering before death, and the family’s loss of companionship and society.

How Long Do I Have to File a Bicycle Accident Lawsuit in Mississippi?

As a general rule, you have three (3) years from the date of the bicycle accident to file your lawsuit against the person who hurt you (MS Code § 15-1-49(1)). If the person who hit you did so deliberately, you have one year to file (MS Code § 15-1-35). Don’t wait too long to contact an injured cyclist lawyer, as late filing could lead to dismissal and the loss of your right to compensation.

Contact Our Gulfport Bicycle Accident Lawyers Today

For over a decade, HFFR Injury Attorneys have been helping the people in Gulfport and throughout the region get fair compensation after accidents that weren’t their fault. Contact us today at (228) 872-8752 or contact us online to speak with a bike accident lawyer about your case, and let us demand more on your behalf. Your case review is free, without obligation, and fully confidential, and you pay nothing unless we successfully resolve your matter.