- Who Are Our Milwaukee Bicycle Accident Attorneys?
- Recent Bicycle Accident Statistics in Milwaukee
- What Are the Main Causes of Milwaukee Bicycle Accidents?
- Most Typical Bicycle Accident Injuries
- What Types of Damage Can You Recover After a Bicycle Accident?
- How Much Is My Case Worth?
- Real-World Bike Accident Settlement Example
- Our Recent Case Settlements
- Who Can Be Held Liable for a Bicycle Accident?
- What Do You Have to Do After a Bicycle Accident?
- Bicycle Laws in Milwaukee
- Statute of Limitations for Bicycle Accident Claims in Wisconsin
- How Can a Bicycle Accident Lawyer Help You Obtain Maximum Compensation?
- Contact Our Milwaukee Bicycle Accident Lawyers Today!
- Get a FREE case evaluation today
Any accident is a source of frustration and strain on multiple levels. The physical trauma, emotional distress, and financial impact of a bike crash make many cyclists agree to the first offer they receive. While that may be an obvious and quite palpable opportunity, it is not the only chance you have.
If you or your loved ones have been hurt in a biking incident, you can recover past and future expenses in full. All it takes is a clear understanding of your legal options and a professional personal injury lawyer defending your rights.
Who Are Our Milwaukee Bicycle Accident Attorneys?
The number of dangers that a bike rider faces in a large city on a daily basis is great – being cycling activists ourselves, we know them all firsthand. A deep understanding of the local biking community’s struggles, paired with years of experience in personal injury law, gives our team significant leverage. Our successful case record proves that we know how to use it.
Our Milwaukee personal injury attorneys are fierce and persuasive experts who know how to handle the most intricate of claims. On top of that, we prioritize the comfort and well-being of our clients so that they can focus on recovery instead of the legal process.
Recent Bicycle Accident Statistics in Milwaukee
The State of Wisconsin went up a bit on the National Bicycle Friendly States rank—in 2024, it held the 27th position. Due to the lack of investment in the cycling infrastructure, only 2% of federal funds were spent on related improvements. Although Milwaukee hasn’t been named the most unsuitable city in the area, the bicyclist safety rates leave much to be desired:
| Total Crashes | Cyclist Fatalities | % of all crashes | |
| 2019 | 55 | 1 | 1.8% |
| 2020 | 87 | 3 | 3.4% |
| 2021 | 71 | 1 | 1.4% |
| 2022 | 85 | 5 | 5.9% |
Interesting Facts About Biking in Milwaukee
- Bicycle accidents at intersections decreased by 3% over the past years.
- The incidents at non-intersection locations increased by 6%.
- Daytime bike crashes dropped by 7%.
- Nighttime accidents went up by 3%.
- The number of collisions involving impaired riders is less than 7%.
- Almost 7% of bicycle crashes involve fatal injuries.
- 80% of male bicyclists suffer from serious injuries after the collision.
- On a slightly lighter note, local government entities, the mayor of the city promised to build at least 50 miles of protected lanes for bicyclists in the near future.
What Are the Main Causes of Milwaukee Bicycle Accidents?
The most common causes of bicycle crashes in the city usually derive from two denominators: negligence and lack of safety precautions. Typically, accidents happen because of:
- Distracted driving: It is forbidden by law to use cell phones in Wisconsin while driving, yet many drivers discard them. A momentary lapse of attention—to check an incoming message or to send one—can lead to severe consequences.
- Shared lanes: The lack of adequately equipped lanes in the area forces cyclists to share roads with larger vehicles. High speed limits, blind spots, and suddenly opened doors pose a danger to bike riders.
- Road rage: When it comes to sharing the lane, not every motor vehicle operator is happy about it. Aggressive drivers may intentionally refuse to yield, stalk bicyclists, and use improper gestures and vile language, compromising their control of the bike.
- Hit-and-run instances: Unfortunately, around 26% of bicycle crashes are caused by hit-and-run drivers. Cases like this are exceptionally difficult since there’s no one to hold accountable for the incident. Only a trained bicycle hit-and-run attorney may be able to turn the tables.
- Road conditions: If the roads in the city are filled with potholes and debris or are slippery from the rain, they pose a palpable threat for cyclists and often become the underlying cause of traumatic incidents.
Most Typical Bicycle Accident Injuries
Although all bicycle accident cases are different, there are types of injuries that bicyclists are more prone to. For instance:
- Head traumas: Whether it is a concussion, a skull fracture, or any other type of head injury, it usually comes with a variety of complications that may have a direct impact on a person’s cognitive abilities.
- Back injuries: A cyclist who sustains a spinal injury after a bicycle accident is at risk of developing temporary mobility problems or, in some worst-case scenarios, permanent loss of limb sensitivity or even paralysis.
- Broken bones: Fractures of different complexity are yet another frequent injury type that bike riders can suffer from, partially because of the force of the impact and partially from the lack of sufficient protection.
- Soft tissue injuries: Varying degrees of sprains and strains that are a direct result of the fall usually take time to heal and sometimes result in chronic pain that the cyclist will experience for the rest of their life.
- Road rash: A minor skin abrasion may not seem that serious of a trauma, compared to the conditions described above. However, some scrapes may leave scars, constantly reminding the victim about the crash.
What Types of Damage Can You Recover After a Bicycle Accident?
Some damages and losses sustained as a result of an incident are more tangible than others. Depending on the severity of the accident, an injured victim can claim economic, non-economic, or punitive damages. The latter type of damage is the rarest since it means that the at-fault party was extremely reckless or committed the crash on purpose. So, they serve to punish the guilty party and rule out similar instances in the future.
As for the monetary and non-monetary losses, a claimant can obtain the following damages:
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Medical expenses
Even if you have visited an emergency room to ensure that you don’t need stitches, you can recover the costs of the visit, not to mention the substantial medical bills for costly meds, surgeries, rehabilitation, and other services.
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Lost wages
Some people have to take a leave of absence because of their physical condition, which was compromised by the accident. So, the loss of income or loss of earning capacity is up for reimbursement.
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Pain and suffering
Many bicyclists have to deal with such post-traumatic conditions and loss of consortium, depression, and anxiety after a collision with a car. While their damages are intangible, a skilled lawyer can help recover suitable compensation for these, too.
How Much Is My Case Worth?
Even the best injury attorneys don’t have a precise formula for one’s case worth. There are special settlement calculators that can give you an idea of which direction to move, but they leave many details, making the estimation incomplete. Different factors can define the final amount of your compensation. For example:
- Injury severity: When one cyclist suffers minor scrapes and the other, injured in a similar accident, requires complex surgeries and months-long rehabilitation, they will be up for different reimbursement amounts.
- Percentage of liability: In some cases, both parties are partially at fault in an incident. The state of Wisconsin abides by the modified comparative negligence rule, which means that an injured party can obtain compensation as long as they are less than 50% guilty. However, the percentage of their attribution will be deducted from the final settlement.
- Insurance coverage: Sometimes, the liable party has insufficient insurance coverage to pay for the inflicted damages. If that is the case, the victim will have to seek alternative options to cover their losses or pay for them out of their own pocket. A qualified legal assistant could advise which route to take.
Real-World Bike Accident Settlement Example
The final compensation can vary from a few thousand to multi-million reimbursements. For instance, one of the recent wrongful death claims—the Brian Hodgson vs. Emilly Zhu case — ended in over $15M in settlement. The truck driver, B. Hodgson, struck Emilly Zhu in a marked crosswalk. The latter died from the inflicted injuries. The victim was pronounced innocent, and the driver was deemed 100% negligent. The jury determined that the parents of the deceased deserve $10M in compensation for their loved one, and the victim deserves $5M for her conscious pain and suffering.
Our Recent Case Settlements
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Bicycle Accident?
A bicycle accident can happen due to a variety of reasons, and a few parties can be involved and held responsible for it. The list of potentially liable entities includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- Negligent drivers: One of the most common responsible parties for biking incidents would be negligent motorists. Whether they were speeding, driving under the influence, or violating state-approved traffic rules in any other way, they would be held liable for the inflicted losses.
- Local municipalities: It is challenging, but possible with qualified legal representation, to hold the city or the state accountable for your damages. If you were riding a poorly maintained road, critical signature was missing, or the traffic lights malfunctioned, governmental entities would have to satisfy your recovery claim.
- Vehicle manufacturers/distributors: Whether it is your bike or you rent one and it malfunctions during the ride, you can blame the manufacturing or rental company for your injuries. It will take time and effort to prove that the vehicle was defective before you sat on it, but it is possible to file the case and win.
What Do You Have to Do After a Bicycle Accident?
The first thing you should do after you’ve been in an accident is to move to safety. Try to get away from a busy street as fast as you can. That is if your traumas allow it. In case you’ve been significantly injured, you should stay where you are awaiting medics.
Aside from that, there are a few critical steps to take to lay a solid background for your future claim:
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Call the emergency services
Both medical services and the police will document the scene along with the scale of your traumas and losses. You can add these official reports to your case to prove its validity.
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Talk to the witnesses
Eyewitnesses are the source of unbiased information, and their statements can also be used as critical evidence. Record their contact information along with the statements in case you will need them to testify later on.
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Keep calm and don’t say too much
Under the pressure of the situation, it is possible to say something that may be used against you. Don’t apologize and admit your fault, no matter how polite and friendly the other party seems.
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Contact a bike lawyer
Many law firms offer a legal representation service at the scene. You can call a lawyer to make sure that the situation is well handled and your legal rights are well preserved.
Bicycle Laws in Milwaukee
According to the state laws of Wisconsin, all bike riders share the same rules and regulations as the rest of the motor vehicle operators. This means that cyclists have to follow the same traffic regulations as well. On top of that, all bicyclists must:
- Ride on the furthest right of the road, but if not possible because of the width of the lane, bikers are allowed to ride in the middle of the lane.
- It is forbidden to ride on sidewalks across the city unless the local municipalities install a special signature allowing it.
- Just like drivers must yield the right of way to cyclists, the latter owes the duty to pedestrians.
- Helmets aren’t mandatory protective gear when it comes to adult riders.
- All bicycles must be fully functioning and equipped with proper light and reflective gear.
- Bike riders are obliged to use hand signals to warn other road users of turns or lane changes.
- Bicyclists aren’t prohibited from texting while riding on a legal level, but it is advised to refrain from the activity to move safely.
Statute of Limitations for Bicycle Accident Claims in Wisconsin
Every bicycle accident case falls under the category of personal injury claims. In Wisconsin, a claimant has three years, on average, to file the recovery request. However, there is a list of exceptions when it comes to wrongful death cases, bicycle accidents involving minors, or governmental entities. It is best to get in touch with a legal field representative to know for sure where you stand with your claim. After the given period expires, you may lose your right to recover any settlement.
How Can a Bicycle Accident Lawyer Help You Obtain Maximum Compensation?
Many injured victims choose not to hire an industry attorney since they are afraid of additional financial strain on top of already piling expenses. However, many legal representatives offer their assistance on a no-win, no-fee basis. This means that unless your claim is successfully resolved, you won’t have to pay any lawyer fees. Besides, there are additional benefits to consider:
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Establishing liability
Not all bicycle accidents are precisely straightforward. Suppose you are faced with disputes over who’s to blame. In that case, a legal expert will investigate the case on every level to determine the party’s liability, supported by necessary evidence and expert conclusions.
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Dealing with insurers
Holding an insurance company responsible is harder than it seems. If you don’t want to settle for a lowball offer, a skilled attorney will negotiate a fair deal for you, acting in your best interests.
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Professionally handled litigations
Most legal proceedings are tangled and complex, with countless nuances that a person with little legal background won’t be able to navigate. Your lawyer will file all the paperwork, making sure it is in order and issued on time. Should the case go to trial, they will provide upscale representation.
Contact Our Milwaukee Bicycle Accident Lawyers Today!
A bicycle crash is a traumatic experience with all its physical, emotional, and financial implications. The legal process that comes after it is no less mentally draining, and we believe that no one has to deal with all of this on their own.
Contact our team and share your story with us in a free consultation about future medical and other financial compensation. We offer a free case evaluation topped with professional advice with no strings attached. If you choose to work with us, we’ll take this heavy burden off your shoulders. As you focus on a speedy recovery, our bicycle incident expert will negotiate the fair financial support you deserve!
Share the details of your situation with us so we can begin advocating on your behalf. We customize our approach to fit the unique needs of each client.
