Were you involved in a bicycle accident in Columbus, Ohio? You may be entitled to compensation from the at-fault party. Mani, Ellis & Layne, PLLC can help you take legal action and recover damages for your financial losses, pain and suffering, and more.
We’re a top-rated personal injury law firm in the area that consistently wins cases for our clients, with hundreds of millions of dollars recovered to date. Our Columbus bicycle accident lawyers have 71 years of combined experience and will work hard to get a favorable outcome for your case from the beginning.
Contact us today or call (614) 587-8423 to get started. We offer a free initial consultation with no strings attached to review your case.
How Mani, Ellis & Layne, PLLC Can Help After a Bicycle Accident in Columbus, OH
Whether you were commuting to work or were riding recreationally, getting into a bicycle accident can be an overwhelming, terrifying experience. Ohio law gives you the right to file a legal claim against the responsible party, but that doesn’t mean you’ll automatically get the full amount available to you.
Mani, Ellis & Layne, PLLC has the resources, skills, and experience to maximize the value of your claim. Our award-winning Columbus personal injury lawyers each have an AV-Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest recognition available. We’ve also been named Super Lawyers for multiple years running. We can assist with your case by:
- Investigating your accident to gather evidence and determine your best course of action
- Evaluating all of the damages you’ve suffered
- Protecting you from allegations of comparative negligence
- Hiring industry experts as needed to strengthen your case
- Handling all of the paperwork and communications involved in your case
- Negotiating with the at-fault party for a settlement agreement
- Filing a lawsuit against the opposing party if necessary
We provide each of our clients with comprehensive legal services. Learn more about how we can help by contacting our law offices in Columbus, OH, today for a free case review.
How Common Are Bicycle and Motor Vehicle Accidents in Columbus?
Vizion Zero Columbus is an initiative intended to reduce the amount of fatal and injury-causing collisions in the city as much as possible. As part of the program, an annual report is released that contains various motor vehicle accident statistics. The latest data are from 2021 and are as follows:
- At least 73 people were killed in crashes in Columbus in 2021, which is a 14% increase from the year prior
- In 2020, there were 294 serious injury accidents in Columbus, which is a 7% decrease compared with the previous year
- There were 3 bicyclists killed in collisions in 2021, a record high for Columbus
These figures reveal that motor vehicle accidents, including those involving bicycles, remain a serious issue in the City of Columbus despite the ongoing efforts to improve the situation.
What Damages Can I Get After a Bicycle Accident in Columbus, Ohio?
The two primary types of damages available following a bicycle accident are called economic and non-economic damages. These “compensatory damages” aim to make you whole again as best as possible.
Economic damages include:
- Property damage
- Current and future medical bills
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- In-home care
- Lost wages
- Diminished earning capacity
Non-economic damages include:
- Pain and suffering
- Decreased quality of life
- Mental anguish
- Conditions such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD
- Emotional distress
- Loss of consortium
Punitive damages may also be available in rare bicycle accident cases that reach trial. However, punitive damages require a stronger showing of evidence and are reserved for cases involving extreme behavior from the defendant (at-fault party).
We’ll Fight To Recover Compensation for All of Your Bicycle Accident Injuries
Even when wearing all the appropriate safety equipment, bicyclists are vulnerable to sustaining severe injuries in a crash. Our bicycle accident attorneys in Columbus can help you pursue a legal claim for any of the following kinds of injuries:
- Broken bones and fractures
- Road rash
- Spinal cord injuries
- Crushing injuries
- Leg injuries
- Nerve damage
- Paralysis
- Lacerations
- Soft tissue injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Burn injuries
- Eye injuries
- Whiplash
- Back injuries
- Concussions and other traumatic brain injuries
- Amputations
- Wrongful death of a loved one
Contact our law offices to learn about your best path forward if you’ve sustained injuries in a bicycle collision. We’re here to assist as best we can.
How Much Is My Columbus Bicycle Accident Case Worth?
It’s important to understand the full value of your bicycle accident case in Columbus prior to demanding compensation from the responsible party. Otherwise, you risk settling your claim for less money than it is actually worth.
Some of the factors that our legal team considers when evaluating a claim include:
- The severity and types of injuries you’ve suffered
- Whether you will make a full medical recovery
- The amount of your financial expenses
- The nature of the accident and identity of the at-fault party
- Whether you share any responsibility for the collision
- The pain, suffering, and other similar consequences you’ve experienced
- The strength of the evidence that supports your claim
- Whether you’ll be able to return to your job, and in what capacity
If you hire us, we’ll work hard to put as much money into your pocket as possible. For further information regarding how much your case might be worth, reach out to us for your free initial consultation.
Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in Columbus
Bicycle accidents are generally caused by driver negligence, which means something similar to “carelessness.” More specifically, some of the most common causes include:
- Fatigued driving
- Failure to check blind spots
- Drunk driving
- Poor weather or road conditions
- Defective parts or machinery
- Failure to yield the right of way
- Distracted driving
- Improper lane changes or turns
- Failing to follow traffic signs or signals
Our personal injury lawyers in Columbus can assist you after any type of bicycle accident. Call today to schedule a time to meet and discuss your case at no cost.
What if I’m Being Blamed for My Bicycle Accident in Columbus?
You can still obtain compensation for your Columbus bicycle accident even if you share some of the blame, so long as you are not mostly responsible. Ohio follows a “modified comparative negligence” law with a 51% recovery bar.
Under this framework, you’ll be assigned a percentage of fault for your accident. From there, your damages can be reduced (or even eliminated) based on your assigned percentage. For instance, sharing 15% of the blame can reduce your damages by 15%, and sharing 51% or more will bar you from recovering compensation altogether.
The opposing party will likely try to say the crash was your fault in an effort to escape liability. This is one reason why it may be in your best interest to hire an attorney. Your lawyer can respond to allegations of shared fault effectively and work to minimize your assessed percentage of blame.
How Much Time Do I Have To File a Personal Injury Lawsuit in the State of Ohio?
By default, Ohio’s personal injury statute of limitations allows you two years from the date of your accident to file a lawsuit. If your lawsuit isn’t filed on time, you might lose your ability to receive compensation for your injuries.
Although exceptions to this two-year time limit exist, they only apply to rare circumstances. Contact us as soon as possible after your crash to protect your legal rights and for help confirming the time limit for your case.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Experienced Columbus Bicycle Accident Attorneys
If someone else is responsible for your bicycle accident in Columbus, Ohio, you may have the right to file a legal claim against them. Mani, Ellis & Layne, PLLC can represent your interests throughout the entirety of your case while you focus on your health and well-being.
Our Columbus bicycle accident lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, which means hiring us costs you nothing upfront. Further, we only get attorney’s fees if we successfully handle your case. In other words, we’re only paid if you are.
Set up your free consultation today by giving us a call at your convenience.
