Injured bicycle riders have the same rights as any other person legally using the public roadways. The types of damages typically recovered in a bicycle accident include:
Payment for pain and suffering
Past and future medical bills
Past and future lost earnings
Emotional distress
Lawsuits seeking to recover damages for bicycle accidents with automobiles often involve similar issues as car accident lawsuits. Negligence is a key factor, meaning whether the driver of the car caused the cyclist’s injuries, or whether negligence of the cyclist caused or contributed to the accident. Both cyclists and drivers are responsible for obeying the rules of the road, and they also have a duty to exercise care for other drivers and pedestrians on the road. Bicyclists are governed by state law, and must adhere to state and local traffic laws. So if the bicyclist somehow contributed to the cause of the accident, his or her recovery may be reduced by the percentage of negligence they shared in causing the collision.