Like motor vehicle drivers, bicyclists are legally obligated to operate their bikes safely and obey all pertinent traffic rules and regulations. In some cases, a bike rider may sustain injuries in an accident for which they are partially responsible. For example, if they fail to halt at a stop sign or red traffic light and collide with a motor vehicle that is speeding through an intersection, the cyclist may share some degree of fault for the accident.
Fortunately, Bay Shore adheres to state comparative fault laws, which allow bicyclists to recover damages from negligent motorists even if they bear some responsibility for their accident, depending on the circumstances. However, a bicyclist who is partially responsible for their injuries would have their compensation limited.
For instance, if they are 25 percent at fault for their accident, they may only seek compensation for 75 percent of their losses. In other words, a partially responsible cyclist would have their compensatory award reduced in proportion to their assigned percentage of fault. A diligent bicycle accident lawyer in Bay Shore could help determine the potential recovery for an injured claimant.