After a car accident, most occupants of the car know that car insurance is important for recovering financial damages, such as medical bills, lost income wages, household chores benefits, and attendant care nursing help benefits. However, most people don’t know that car insurance also cover accidents involving bicycles riders involved in a car accident in Michigan.
Riding a bicycle is a popular activity in the spring through fall in Michigan – whether used for commuting to work or a recreational pastime. With bicyclists sharing the road with motor vehicles, bike accidents involving cars are bound to occur and can have devastating consequences to the bicyclist. Continue reading to learn more about how car insurance plays a role in paying people riding a bike when involved in an accident.
Bike accident victims can suffer severe, permanent, and debilitating injuries. Bicyclists on a bike are more physically exposed to anything that may come in contact with them such as a vehicle. A rear-end accident that causes minor damage to a car can be catastrophic to person on a bicycle due to the lack of crash protection. Examples of bike accident injuries can include spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, whiplash, spine injuries, severe bone fractures, wrist injuries (from breaking a fall), soft tissue injuries, bruises, brain damage, and lacerations.
Injuries from bicycle accidents can have long-lasting consequences for the victim on the bike. An injured cyclist can have endless medical bills and a loss of wage income as a result of being disabled from work occupation. The injured cyclist may find it difficult to perform activities of daily life.
In Michigan, a bike accident victim may file a claim with his own household auto insurance carrier to obtain personal protection insurance benefits without regard to who was at fault. The bicyclists can also make a claim with one or more insurance carriers for the at fault parties to obtain additional compensation depending on the circumstances. This is why answering the question of whether car insurance covers bike crashes are so critical. Don’t pass up getting the compensation you deserve and are legally entitled to receive after being hit by a truck or car on a bike. The personal injury protection benefits commonly referred to as PIP claim benefits are mandatory benefits paid no matter who is at fault and by how much. Call today to learn about your bike accident rights in a free consultation with an experienced bike accident injury lawyer nearby. Call 866-HIRE-JOE. We are here to serve you!
There are several different types of bike accidents, involving cars. For instance, a bicyclist may encounter a car at an intersection while crossing the street, a car could be coming out of a driveway and hit T-bone, or car rear-ends a bike, or car side swipes a bike, or mirror hits a bike. If your bike makes any contact with a motor vehicle, you would be entitled to car insurance benefits regardless of who was at fault.
In a bicycle accident where the vehicle is somehow involved, even cutting you off on the road, car insurance may cover damages. Your claim will depend on the facts of the accident involving a motor vehicle, including who is liable and the individual car insurance policy if the driver of the car is at fault. The car driver’s insurance can pay pain and suffering when the operator of the car is at fault.
No. If your bike accident did not involve a car then car insurance will not cover for your bicycle accident injuries. For example, if you fall off your bike without car involvement, you hit a pothole and fall off your bike, or a bicycle crashes with another bicycle, sustaining injuries, you don’t have a car insurance claim . Another example may include a bicyclist riding too fast in the rain and then wipes out on the road. Typically, car insurance will not cover a bicycle accident that does not involve some type of “motor vehicle”.
FINDING LIABILITY IN A BIKE ACCIDENT
Both a motorist and a bicycle rider can share being at fault in a motor vehicle versus bike accident. Investigation will need to be done to determine the parties at fault for the bicycle accident to know the true facts and circumstances. In some cases, the motorist and bicyclist may share responsibility for the collision. A motorist who speeds, drives drunk or is a distracted driver, or fails to yield the right of way to a bicyclist would be considered at fault in causing a serious accident. Likewise, a bicyclist who is not paying attention, or fails to obey traffic signals may share some fault if a vehicle strikes the bike.
After a bike accident, it is critical to perform a thorough investigation to determine which of the parties sharing any fault because it will impact who is responsible for paying damages to you.
If the vehicle driver is totally at fault for the accident, car insurance will cover damages by the bicyclist up to the bodily injury policy limits. In some cases, the insurance may not be sufficient to cover all your medical expenses and losses, and the injury victim may choose to pursue the assets of the at fault driver. If the at fault driver does not have insurance you may want to check your own household auto policies for underinsured motorist coverage to claim benefits through this source. An accident attorney can take a close look at all your options to make sure you maximize your recovery and exhaust all possible sources of compensation. An accident attorney can also explain the different types of car insurance policies applicable and laws —which includes bodily injury compensation coverage, uninsured motorist coverage, underinsured motorist coverage, and PIP no-fault coverage—and the steps you need to take to make all these different types of claims viable. Time is of the essence when making an insurance claim because the insurance policy contract will set conditions and a short time limit making a claim.
If you’ve been injured in a bike accident, Joseph Dedvukaj law offices are here to help you deal with the anguish and pain. We have helped thousands of car accident victims obtain financial compensation, and we can get started on your claim today. Our car accident lawyers know the ins and outs of the laws applicable to bikes, cars, and trucks. We know how to negotiate with the insurance companies for a maximum settlement on your behalf. Contact us today by filling out our consultation form below or calling 866-HIRE-JOE. A bike accident team member will be in touch with you to schedule a free initial consultation.
