Brandenburg and the surrounding areas of Meade County offer scenic roads and trails that attract cyclists from across Kentucky. However, sharing the road with motor vehicles can be dangerous, and bicycle accidents can result in devastating injuries that change lives forever.
If you’ve been injured in a bicycle accident in Brandenburg and have lost wages or incurred high medical bills, you’re not alone, and you’ve found the right law firm to help you.
The Fleck Firm’s bicycle accident attorneys have been providing caring and compassionate legal advice and skilled representation to bicycle accident victims like you. Attorney Tyler Fleck, an Army Veteran who founded the firm, has helped countless clients with their accident cases and secured substantial settlements for them. With deep roots in Brandenburg and throughout Meade County, we understand the unique challenges cyclists face on our local roads.
If you’re involved in a bicycle accident with a negligent driver in Brandenburg, you need to speak with a qualified personal injury attorney and get legal advice you can trust. The Fleck Firm has been fighting for our clients in Kentucky and we’re confident we can assist you after an accident.
What Type of Injuries Can Happen in a Bicycle Accident in Brandenburg?
Bicycle accidents are an unfortunate reality in Brandenburg and everywhere else in Kentucky. While you may be a cautious, defensive cyclist who follows all traffic laws, you can’t control the behavior and skills of the drivers sharing the road with you.
Where bicycle accidents happen, injuries follow, and sometimes they can be catastrophic. Unlike occupants of motor vehicles, bicyclists have virtually no protection in a collision. Even a low-speed impact can result in severe and life-altering injuries.
There are a variety of bicycle accident injuries possible, such as:
- Cuts, bruises, bumps, and road rash
- Burns from friction with the pavement
- Soft tissue injuries, including whiplash, torn muscles, strains, and ligament damage (sprains)
- Fractures (both simple and compound) of arms, legs, wrists, collarbones, and ribs
- Injuries of the head, shoulders, and neck
- Spinal cord injuries affecting the back and neck
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), even when wearing a helmet
- Facial injuries, including broken teeth, jaw fractures, and eye damage
- Organ damage, internal bleeding, and other internal injuries
- Amputation of limbs or permanent loss of use
- Permanent scarring and disfigurement
- and even death
When you’ve been in a bicycle accident, it’s important to seek medical attention promptly. While you may be able to recover fully from some of these injuries with proper medical treatment, others are life-altering and life-threatening. Traumatic brain injuries, in particular, can have long-lasting cognitive and physical effects that impact your ability to work and enjoy life.
We know you’re in enough pain – not just from your injuries but also from financial hardships sustained from not being able to work or live your life to the fullest after your bicycle accident. We will work to hold those responsible for our clients’ injuries accountable for their actions. We will fight for the most compensation possible for our clients.
If we choose to take your case, you will not pay anything up front. The Fleck Firm works on contingency fees, which means you pay NOTHING unless we win your case and recover money for you.
What Should You Do After You’ve Been in a Bicycle Accident in Brandenburg?
After a bicycle accident, if you or anyone else involved requires immediate medical assistance, be sure to call 9-1-1 to get emergency first responders to the scene. Your first priority should be to seek medical attention if you’ve been injured. You may not be able to tell the extent of your injuries immediately after the accident due to adrenaline and shock. You need an exam by a qualified medical professional as soon as possible.
If you’re seriously injured in a bicycle accident, you may need to be transported by ambulance to an emergency room at facilities like Baptist Health Hardin or University of Louisville Hospital. However, if you are capable after an accident or your injuries are not immediately life-threatening, contact the police so they can come to the accident scene and make a report. This is crucial for establishing what happened. The Brandenburg Police Department or Meade County Sheriff’s Office will respond and document the scene.
While you are waiting for the police, look around for any potential witnesses to the accident and get their contact information. Then, use your phone camera to take photos and videos of the accident scene, including your bicycle, the vehicle that hit you, any damage, road conditions, traffic signs, and your visible injuries. This is important because once the scene is cleaned up and traffic begins again, much of the valuable evidence of the accident will be gone.
It’s a good idea at this point in the process to speak with an experienced bicycle accident attorney who can review your case, refer you to a qualified medical professional for treatment, and recommend next steps for getting you the compensation you deserve as quickly as possible.
After you’ve dealt with the police and visited a medical professional for injury assessment and treatment, it’s time to contact your insurance company. Having a bicycle accident attorney to advise and assist you with the insurance process is a good idea, so you have someone on your side who knows what kinds of tactics the insurers might try to use against you. Keep in mind, while you may be required to report the accident to the insurance company, be very careful what you say to any insurance representatives. Their goal is often to pay out as little as possible, so they may try to get statements from you with the intention of denying your claim or diminishing its value. Or they may try to get you to admit certain things that could potentially make you look bad in court later.
How Do You Establish Who is at Fault in a Bicycle Accident in Brandenburg?
Kentucky is a “choice no-fault” auto insurance state, which means drivers have the option to choose traditional tort liability or no-fault coverage when it comes to paying for medical expenses and accident-related damage. Understanding who is at fault in your bicycle accident is vital in establishing the potential of your claim and how much compensation you may be eligible to get in Kentucky.
Under Kentucky law, bicycles are considered vehicles, and bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as motor vehicle operators. According to KRS 189.287 and 601 KAR 14:020, cyclists must follow the rules of the road just like drivers. However, this also means that when a driver violates traffic laws and causes a bicycle accident, they can be held liable for the cyclist’s injuries.
In Brandenburg bicycle accident cases, establishing fault often involves examining several factors:
- Was the driver distracted, texting, or using a phone?
- Did the driver fail to check blind spots before turning or changing lanes?
- Was the driver under the influence of alcohol or drugs?
- Did the driver violate Kentucky’s safe passing law, which requires at least three feet of clearance when passing a bicycle?
- Did the driver fail to yield the right of way to the cyclist?
- Were road conditions or poor road maintenance a contributing factor?
- Was the bicycle visible and properly equipped according to Kentucky law?
For instance, in Brandenburg, if you’re hit by a vehicle that turned right without checking for cyclists in the bike lane, then in all likelihood, the fault is 100% on the driver. However, if you were riding without lights at night in violation of Kentucky regulations, fault might be shared.
It’s important to establish what, if any, percentage of the fault is on you in an accident, because Kentucky follows a comparative negligence rule. Under KRS 411.182, you can still recover compensation even if you were partially at fault, even if you were mostly at fault. For example, if you are 20% responsible for the accident you were in, then you are eligible to seek compensation for 80% of the damages. However, not every case is the same. Only a qualified Kentucky bicycle accident attorney can speak to the specific details of your individual case.
That’s why it’s so important to have elements like a police report, eyewitness statements, and as many photographs and videos as you can take. They will help to tell the truth about what happened and demonstrate to the insurance companies and the other driver what their level of responsibility is.
Is a Lawyer Really Necessary for Your Bicycle Accident Case in Brandenburg?
In the United States, no one is required to have an attorney to handle their bicycle accident case, but here’s the crucial truth: Insurance companies DON’T want you to have an attorney. It’s better for them if you don’t.
Insurance companies don’t want to pay you, and they know that the average person involved in a bicycle accident doesn’t know the law well enough to get everything they deserve. Insurers will use every tactic possible to keep from giving you the compensation you have earned. They may argue that you violated traffic laws, that you weren’t visible enough, or that your injuries aren’t as serious as you claim.
In addition, many studies show that you’re not only more likely to get compensation with a personal injury attorney than trying to negotiate with an insurance company on your own, but you’ll also secure a higher settlement amount with an attorney. Bicycle accident attorneys are tough negotiators who always push for the most compensation possible.
That’s why retaining a bicycle accident attorney like The Fleck Firm is a smart choice. Attorney Tyler Fleck knows the law, understands the unique challenges cyclists face, and has experience negotiating with insurance companies on behalf of injured clients. We know what tactics insurers are likely to use against you, and we’re prepared to counter them. Bicycle accident lawyers can use the power of the law to bring forth and compel evidence, make demands, and request documents. What’s more, using an attorney will keep your claim transparent, so the insurance company can’t hide anything.
Bicycle accident cases can be complex. They often involve questions about traffic laws, visibility, road conditions, and the extent of injuries. Having an experienced attorney who understands Kentucky bicycle laws and has handled similar cases in Brandenburg and Meade County can make all the difference in the outcome of your case.
The Fleck Firm Can Help with Your Brandenburg Bicycle Accident Case
Don’t spend your time after a bicycle accident struggling alone to put your life back together and get the compensation you need. You deserve someone in your corner who will fight to get you everything you require to get back to living the life you had before the accident.
At The Fleck Firm, we fight for our clients’ rights and to recover what they deserve after suffering injuries from another’s negligence. Our team is professional, experienced, and ready to take on the insurance company or take your case to court should we need to. We’ll build your case so you can get back to rebuilding your life.
Attorney Tyler Fleck understands what it takes to serve this community. As an Army Veteran and lifelong Kentuckian, he founded The Fleck Firm to provide honest, aggressive legal representation to people throughout Brandenburg, Meade County, and surrounding areas. We treat every client with the respect and attention they deserve, and we’re committed to getting results.
Just been in a Brandenburg bicycle accident? Don’t wait, our aggressive bicycle accident attorneys can start fighting for your compensation TODAY. We offer immediate consultations by phone, video, or in-person at our convenient Kentucky offices. Call now to protect your rights.
If you can’t come to us, our lawyers and investigators can come to you – even if you’re in the hospital or confined to your home due to your injuries. What’s more, you can handle all the paperwork electronically by email or text, so you can quickly get on with your day and life. Our legal team will advise you, answer all your questions, and be there by your side throughout the process.
If you or a loved one is hurt in a bicycle accident in Brandenburg, don’t waste another minute: Call or text us 24 hours a day, seven days a week for a FREE, no-obligation case review, CHAT WITH US NOW, or fill out the contact form on this page.
Remember, we work on a contingency fee basis – you pay nothing unless we win your case and recover compensation for you. With The Fleck Firm, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.