You were riding your bike in Los Lunas when a driver sideswiped you. You fell and broke your arm, and your back and neck hurt. It’s unfortunate to be in this situation, but you may have legal options, and we understand your problem.
You should speak to a Los Lunas bicycle accident attorney at Gauthier & Maier Law Firm, P.C. We focus on bike and car accident claims. You can receive compensation for your bicycle accident injuries without upfront legal expenses. Learn more about bicycle accident claims on this page. Then, call one of our bicycle accident lawyers for legal advice at (505) 226-0009.
Why Choose Us?
Our Los Lunas personal injury attorneys have many years of experience obtaining substantial settlements and jury awards for our clients. For example, our personal injury attorneys have obtained six-, seven- ---, and eight-figure settlements for many personal injury clients. Our lawyers are committed to our clients, and we will investigate and negotiate your case to ensure the best settlement. If necessary, our personal injury attorneys will litigate your case in court, and we will always keep you informed and engaged.
Our Los Lunas law offices are conveniently located at 3457 Highway 47, Suite B, Los Lunas, NM 87031.
Compensation In A Bicycle Accident Claim
A bicycle accident can cause severe or fatal injuries. It’s natural to wonder how much your accident claim is worth. The best way to understand its potential value is to review your claim with a Los Lunas bicycle accident attorney today. Your attorney will review the case details and provide an approximate case value.
Also, the following factors may impact the settlement value of your bicycle accident claim:
- How severe your bicycle accident injuries are: Bicycle accidents may cause broken bones, brain injuries, paralysis, road rash, internal injuries, crush injuries, and more. A severe injury takes longer to heal, and the impacts on your life are longer than for a less severe injury.
- Medical expenses: A severe injury, such as brain trauma, can involve extensive hospitalization, surgeries, treatments, and physical therapy. These expenses can last months or years, so the case value will be higher. On the other hand, bone fractures, while severe, will likely heal within six months or a year.
- Pain and suffering: A bicycle accident in New Mexico can cause excruciating pain and suffering. First is the initial accident and impacts when you hit the vehicle or ground. Then, you may have severe pain and suffering during your medical care and recovery.
- Insurance available: Some New Mexico drivers have minimal or no auto insurance. Your case value can be affected if insurance does not pay your claim. However, our Los Lunas, New Mexico, bicycle accident lawyers will find every possible insurance policy to settle your claim.
These are just a few case-value factors that may influence your bike accident settlement. Talk to one of our Gauthier & Maier personal injury attorneys today to learn more about the value of your claim.
Where Do Accidents Occur Near Los Lunas?
Unfortunately, traffic and bicycle accidents are common near the Los Lunas, NM and surrounding Albuquerque area. Some of the most congested parts of the metropolitan area where bicycle and traffic accidents occur are:
- Frontage West and East and Second Street
- Montgomery, NE, and San Mateo
- Frontage Road North and South and Menaul Blvd.
- Montano Road and Coors Road
- Oak and Locust SE and Lead Ave.
These roads in the Los Lunas vicinity experience high volumes of speeding traffic, with plenty of traffic signals where pedestrians and bicyclists cross. Bikers should observe oncoming traffic, but drivers must obey traffic laws and yield to pedestrians. Talk to a personal injury attorney if you think a driver violated their duty of care and injured you.
Bicycle Accident Claims
Auto accidents involving pedestrians and bicyclists are a daily part of life in the Los Lunas area. Drivers who do not obey the law and cause bicycle accident injuries can be liable for medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering.
Some of the most common types of bicycle accidents in New Mexico caused by drivers are:
- Distracted driving: Drivers in New Mexico cannot be distracted by a cell phone or anything else when the car is in motion. However, drivers can be distracted by texting and other actions when they are driving. They may not see you in a crosswalk or on the right side of the road. Our personal injury attorneys will determine if the driver was distracted and hold them accountable in a claim.
- Not leaving enough space: Drivers in our state must leave space between them and bicyclists. However, many drivers don’t provide enough space when passing bikers. This law violation can cause them to sideswipe the biker, and severe injuries may occur.
- Speeding: There is less time to slow down when speeding. The faster the car goes, the more serious the impact with a biker. A biker is more likely to suffer a severe or fatal injury, so you should immediately contact a personal injury attorney to aid you.
- Unsafe lane changes: Because bikers are smaller and slower, they may remain in the driver’s blind spot longer. An impatient driver may not look carefully and change lanes into a biker.
- Turning without looking: Drivers must look for bikers and pedestrians when they turn, just as they should look for cars. Many avoidable bike crashes happen when a driver doesn’t look for a biker when they have the right of way.
- Running a red light or stop sign: Drivers often hurry in New Mexico. They may run a red light or stop sign and hit a biker at high speed.
- Head-on accident: Drivers on two-lane roads sometimes cause serious accidents when they drift into the oncoming lane. This may be because of fatigue, intoxication, or distracted driving. The impact is always severe or fatal when they hit a biker.
Our Gauthier & Maier personal injury attorneys can review your case and resolve any confusion about making a claim or receiving fair compensation. We regularly make convincing personal injury claims using available accident evidence, including the police report, eyewitness statements, photos, video, and more.
Bike Accident Injuries
Sadly, most bike accident injuries are serious. Cars weigh several thousand pounds, and bikers have no protection from impact forces. Below are some of the most common bike accident injuries.
Remember to seek medical attention immediately if you suffer an injury on your bicycle. You can have a serious injury and not know it for hours or days. The sooner you receive medical care, the better your case outcome will be - physically and legally.
- Traumatic brain injury: Unfortunately, many bikers hit their head on the ground or motor vehicle in an accident. Wearing a helmet helps, but you can still suffer severe or fatal brain injuries. Our bicycle accident lawyer will carefully calculate your medical bills and lost earnings related to a brain injury.
- Facial trauma: A bicycle helmet doesn’t usually protect your face, so you may have broken bones and lacerations on your face in the accident.
- Spinal cord injury: The impact of the accident can fracture your back and cause spinal cord damage. A permanent disability will cost millions over your life, so have a personal injury attorney review your claim today.
- Broken bones: The collar bone, arm, leg, wrist, ankle, and foot are commonly broken bones in bicycle accidents.
- Road rash: This injury occurs when bikers are thrown from their bikes and slide on the ground. The high-speed friction can tear off the skin and cause a painful injury. Some road rash is so severe that skin grafts are needed, and infection is a constant concern.
- Soft tissue injuries: Many bike accident victims have soft tissue injuries in the neck and back. Whiplash is a soft tissue injury to the neck that can cause severe pain and disability, but the insurance company may cast doubt on the injury.
You should also talk to a bike accident lawyer in Los Lunas if your loved one dies in a bike accident. In a wrongful death claim, you can sue the at-fault party for your economic and non-economic losses.
Your attorney will ensure maximum compensation for your economic and non-economic damages.
How To Fight The Insurance Company
You were in a bicycle accident when a driver ran a red light and hit you. Witnesses saw the accident, and you have broken bones and soft tissue injuries. You can contact the liable driver’s insurance company and receive fair compensation, right? Not necessarily.
Auto insurance companies make money by paying as little as possible to accident victims. They make money by taking in more in premiums than they pay out in claims. If you don't hire an attorney, you can expect an insurance company to question your claim and pay a small settlement.
Hiring a skilled bicycle accident attorney levels the playing field with the insurance company adjusters and attorneys. They’ll know that you have a lawyer aware of your claim’s value, and there is a chance that your attorney will file a lawsuit and seek maximum damages.
Having an attorney in your corner means they will negotiate aggressively with the insurance company to pay you fairly for medical bills, lost work time, mental anguish, etc. Our attorney is trained in insurance negotiations and has the skills and experience to accurately value your claim.
Therefore, always call a bicycle accident attorney in Los Lunas, NM if a driver hits and injures you. You can receive more compensation in a claim with an attorney leading your claim. Plus, the personal injury attorney doesn’t charge upfront; you pay nothing if your case isn’t unsuccessful.
What To Do After A Los Lunas Accident
Most bicycle accidents are serious, and you can have a severe injury. After calling the police and getting medical attention, there are several essential steps to receive the most compensation:
- Obtain a copy of the police report. The report is valuable information for the insurance company. It can help your attorney increase settlement demand, especially if the police officer cites the driver.
- Keep all receipts and invoices. You must carefully document your expenses and treatments. Keep all documents related to your accident to get the best settlement possible.
- Avoid talking to anyone about the accident: Only your bicycle accident attorney should hear about the accident, who caused it, and why. Do not post about what happened on social media until the case resolves.
- Do not post anything about your activities on social media. The liable driver’s insurance company may use your posts against you. They can cite your riding your bike or walking as evidence that you are not seriously injured.
- Take all of the bicycle accident evidence you collect and give it to your bicycle accident attorney at Gauthier & Maier. Your attorney will review and assemble the information to make a compelling case.
The best chance to maximize your bicycle accident compensation is to retain our personal injury attorney at Gauthier & Maier immediately. Our law firm works tirelessly to maximize your interests and compensation.
Speak To A Los Lunas Bicycle Accident Attorney Today
If you or a loved one has been involved in a bicycle accident in Los Lunas, NM, you likely have serious injuries. You shouldn’t suffer without compensation when another person’s negligence causes your bicycle accident injuries. Instead, retain a New Mexico bicycle accident attorney at Gaauthier & Maier Law Firm to represent you.
You can speak to a bicycle accident attorney today to determine if you have a claim. Just call (505) 226-0009 for a free consultation. Our attorneys will quickly learn if you have a viable case and then will hold the liable party accountable for your losses.
Gauthier & Maier Law Firm - Los Lunas office
3457 NM-47 suite B,
Los Lunas, NM 87031, United States