Medicine Hat Bike and Pedestrian Accident Lawyers
It’s not easy for cyclists and pedestrians who get into accidents with passenger vehicles here in Medicine Hat. It’s typical for riders and pedestrians to sustain terrible, life-altering injuries. Many will be unable to properly work, pursue an education, or take care of their families after sustaining severe injuries. Spinal and traumatic head injuries are common.
Many pedestrians and cyclists are surprised to learn that the auto insurance company doesn’t want to help them at all. In fact, it’s far more common for the insurance company to look for every opportunity to blame pedestrians and cyclists for the accident so that they don’t have to pay anything. It’s common for insurance companies to claim the pedestrian or cyclist disobeyed traffic signals, made improper turns, or made some other mistake which makes them, and not the driver, responsible.
Yet most pedestrian and bicycle accidents are the driver’s fault. In 47.1% of pedestrian cases, for example, the driver failed to yield the right of way to the pedestrian.
Here at Medicine Hat Personal Injury Lawyer we’ve got a team of experienced lawyers who are ready to help you file your claim and get the money you need to pay your medical bills and pay for your lost wages. We also see to it that you get compensation for your pain and suffering.
Personal Injury Claims for Bike and Pedestrian Accidents
There is no such thing as an “automatic win” in a bike or pedestrian accident claim. Every person involved in a catastrophic accident should expect to have to fight hard to protect their rights and to get the compensation they deserve.
There are numerous Medicine Hat cases wherein cyclists and pedestrians have lost cases. They get accused of breaking traffic laws, or leaving the safety of the curb when they shouldn’t have. Sometimes they can’t rule that the pedestrian or cyclist did anything wrong, but nevertheless claim that the motorist was not negligent because they had no way of seeing the pedestrian or cyclist coming.
The fact that the motorist driving the bigger, more dangerous vehicle should bear a greater percentage of responsibility barely seems to occur to the insurance companies.
You can expect the driver’s defense team to take full advantages of these instances in Alberta case law. Even if they can’t get you named the 100% at-fault party, they can use Alberta’s comparative negligence laws to decrease your claim by a large percentage.
Even when an insurance company makes an offer you can expect it to be far lower than what you’ll need to pay for your long-term care. That is because injuries from these accidents tend to qualify as “catastrophic” and tend to need a fair bit of future care in addition to the immediate emergency care you would have received on the day of the accident.
Before making any decisions it’s imperative that you talk to a personal injury lawyer in Medicine Hat who has extensive experience handling these sorts of cases. Ideally, you’d call a lawyer as soon as you’re awake and alert to do so, a day or so after the accident. While you have two years to make a personal injury claim, there is rarely any value in waiting. Sometimes, waiting can actively harm your case, as both witnesses and evidence tend to disappear over times.
We can file the insurance claim for you, thus shielding you from common insurance adjuster tricks and high-pressure tactics designed to get you to hand them harmful evidence against you, agree to things you shouldn’t agree to, or make statements that you should not make. You’ll also put that insurance company on immediate notice that your case cannot be taken lightly and cannot be waved away.
It’s especially important to call us fast if you were unconscious after the accident, unable to take photos or gather evidence for yourself. That lets us get our team of accident reconstructionists on the case, and lets us work to swiftly gather the necessary information to begin pursuing your claim.
Wrongful Death Claims for Bike and Pedestrian Accidents
It’s tragic but true: many pedestrians and cyclists perish as a result of these accidents.
If you are the spouse, parent, or child of someone who has been killed in an accident then we can help you recover full wrongful death benefits.
A full tort claim will help you pay for funeral expenses and get money to replace your loved one’s loss of income or services. You may also be eligible for Alberta bereavement benefits.
We know a wrongful death claim can’t bring your loved one back to you. We also know that the money we can help you attain will make it easier to make ends meet while you adjust to the loss. Let us help you make your claim.
Why choose us?
We are one of Canada’s most experienced legal teams. Most of our lawyers have over two decades of personal injury law behind them, and a long track record of successful cases. We’ve helped our clients recover billions of dollars.
We are persistent and diligent as we work your case. We explore every avenue and angle to make sure you get every dollar you deserve. You’ll also find us to be responsive, caring, and devoted to your success. In addition, we’re known for being some of the toughest litigators and savviest negotiators in Canada. When we bring you a settlement offer, you’ll know it’s a good one. When we tell you it’s time to go to court, you’ll know that going to court is in your best interests.
“This is an excellent firm. They relieved me of worry and strain by handling my case efficiently and quickly. I hope not to get into another accident where I’ll need their services, but I will strongly recommend their firm to anybody looking for a personal injury lawyer.” –William Greene
Ready to go over the facts of your case? Call today.