Truck - Bicycle Accidents

No one wants to imagine the consequences of a truck accident. But one of the most frightening prospects is a collision involving a large semi truck or tractor trailer and a bicycle rider.

In any truck accident, the bicyclist is at a great disadvantage because the truck is big, heavy, and usually moving fast. As a result, the bicycle rider is at grave risk of severe, or even fatal, injuries.

The facts are shocking. In the United States, 41,000 bicyclists were injured in traffic accidents in 2004, and 725 of these cyclists died. Of all non-motorists killed in highway crashes, one out of every eight was a bicycle rider.

Cyclists under age 16 account for 21% of the deaths and 32% of the injuries in traffic accidents. At the same time, the proportion of adult victims has increased in the past decade, as more Americans rely on bicycles for local transportation and exercise. Regardless of the bicyclist's age or circumstances, the results of a collision with a truck can be devastating.

If the victim survives the truck accident, he or she may lose substantial income from work or time from school. The bicyclist could have to cope with severe injuries, major surgery, extensive rehabilitation, or even lasting disability.

In short, a serious truck accident can change the victim's life -- temporarily -- or permanently.

If you or a family member is a bicyclist involved in a truck accident, you need to protect your legal rights. Consult an experienced truck accident attorney, before you talk with the insurance company of the person at fault. If you sign the wrong papers, you may give up all your legal claims for payment of medical bills and lost income, as well as compensation for the pain and suffering caused by the truck accident.

After truck accidents, injured bicyclists and their families tend to focus on their physical, emotional, or financial challenges. Nevertheless, the time that truck accident law allows an adult -- or a child -- to act to preserve legal rights starts to run from the day of the truck accident.

If you or a loved one was injured in a truck accident, make the time to talk with an experienced truck accident lawyer immediately.