- Why Choose Our Portland Bicycle Accident Attorneys
- Common Causes of Bike Accidents We Handle in Portland
- Common Bicycle Accident Injuries We Help Recover Compensation For
- Bicycle Accident Laws That Protect You
- Who Is Liable for a Bicycle Accident?
- Our Recent Case Results
- What to Do After a Bicycle Accident
- When Should You Contact a Portland Bicycle Accident Attorney?
- How Your Bicycle Accident Case Works
- Contact a Bicycle Accident Lawyer Today
- Get a FREE case evaluation today
- Frequently Asked Questions
Bicycle Accident Lawyers Group is a dedicated bicycle injury firm and lawyer serving Portland, Oregon and the surrounding metro area, including Beaverton, Gresham, Lake Oswego, Tigard, Hillsboro, and Multnomah County. Our proven results include recovering over $1 billion for bicycle accident victims nationwide. We handle bicycle, electric bike, and e-scooter matters exclusively.
Whether you were hit by a careless driver on SE Hawthorne, doored on NW Broadway, or struck in a hit-and-run on E Burnside, Bicycle Accident Lawyers Group has experience with your type of bike accident and knows how to win it. Unlike many Portland firms, we represent clients in cycling matters only.
Portland law is on your side. Bicyclists have the same rights as anyone operating cars, trucks, or any other vehicle on the roadway (ORS 814.400), and you can recover even if you were partially responsible, as long as your share does not exceed 50% (ORS 31.600).
If you were injured in a bicycle accident, reach out for a free consultation and case evaluation at 888-521-6377. There are no fees upfront, and you pay nothing unless we win.
Why Choose Our Portland Bicycle Accident Attorneys
Portland is consistently ranked among the most bicycle-friendly cities in the country, but that reputation comes with risk. Out of 12 fatal bicycle crashes statewide in a recent year, 5 happened in Portland Oregon. Reports show that 94% of cycling accidents take place on the road, including designated bike lanes. E Burnside at 102nd Avenue, NW Broadway at Hoyt Street, SE Hawthorne at 7th Avenue, and the Willamette River bridge approaches are where our clients get hit.
Bicycle accidents often leave injured cyclists with brain trauma, spinal damage, fractures, and deep abrasions. Before you have even left the hospital, the insurance company is already building a strategy to pay you less. The Bicycle Accident Lawyers Group knows exactly what insurers are doing and how to stop it.
- Over $1 billion recovered for injured cyclist cases across the United States.
- Zero financial risk. Free consultation, no upfront fees, no charge unless we win.
- Direct access. You speak with your attorney directly, not a paralegal.
Were you hit in traffic? Doored while riding? Call 888-521-6377 or fill out our contact form for a free consultation with a Portland bicycle accident attorney on our team.
Common Causes of Bike Accidents We Handle in Portland
Insurance adjusters will try to pin your bike accident on you. Our bicycle injury attorneys investigate every cause below, because each one changes who pays, how much you recover, and how we build your case. Common accidents include:
- Dooring accidents: It is prohibited by state laws to open doors into a busy lane since a sudden open door can affect the rider’s balance and send them off the bicycle. However, many motorists disregard the rule.
- Failure to yield: Not all the drivers in the state are aware of the right-of-way requirements. Falsely assuming that a cyclist owes this duty to motorists, the latter often commit serious accidents.
- Distracted driving: Over 30K crashes with multiple fatalities took place in Oregon because drivers were using their electronic devices instead of paying attention to the road. Cyclists play a palpable part in that statistic.
- Speeding: Many vehicle operators still violate state-approved speed limits, driving at least 10 mph faster than allowed. Such reckless behavior often results in catastrophic, if not fatal, injuries sustained by a cyclist.
- Infrastructure: Many bicycle incidents take place in locations with steep declines where it gets harder to control the speed of the vehicle. The same applies to unsafe approaches and departures from the main city bridges.
Common Bicycle Accident Injuries We Help Recover Compensation For
An injured cyclist hit by a 4,000-pound vehicle has nothing between them and the impact. No frame, no airbag, no crumple zone.
Common bicycle accident injuries start severe and medical bills follow fast. Insurance companies push to settle before you understand what you are facing. If someone else caused your crash, you deserve compensation for your serious injuries, medical expenses, and lost wages.
- Head traumas: An adult cyclist isn’t required to wear a protective helmet, but even if they do, it can’t eliminate the chance of suffering from such serious traumatic brain injuries as concussions and skull fractures.
- Back injuries: Spinal cord injuries are quite typical outcomes from a collision with another vehicle, especially the one speeding. Back traumas may inflict severe, if not permanent, impairments.
- Internal organ damage: Internal bleeding and organ damage need a medical expert to be detected on time, or they may lead to lethal outcomes.
- Fractures: Many bicyclists suffer from multiple broken bones, including wrists, arms, legs, ribs, and many others. Some of these fractures may be extremely complex and require costly surgeries and lengthy rehabilitation.
- Skin abrasions: Road rash is a typical result of sliding on a hard surface without any durable body protection. Lacerations, cuts, and abrasions may leave scars and take time to heal if they get infected.
Bicycle Accident Laws That Protect You
If you were partially at fault, you can still recover compensation. Oregon follows a modified comparative negligence rule (ORS 31.600) that allows recovery as long as your share does not exceed that of the other parties combined. A cyclist found 30% at fault recovers 70% of the total. At 51% or more, you recover nothing.
Insurers rely on three arguments: no helmet, riding at dusk, taking the lane. Traffic laws answer all three:
- ORS 814.400. Bicyclists have the same responsibilities as any other vehicle operator.
- No adult helmet law. Helmets are required only for riders under 16 (ORS 814.485). Choosing not to wear one as an adult cannot bar your recovery.
- Safe passing law. ORS 811.065 requires drivers to pass bicyclists at a safe distance. At speeds over 35 mph, the operator must leave enough room to prevent contact if the cyclist falls.
- Mandatory sidepath exceptions. Bicyclists are generally required to use designated lanes when available (ORS 814.420), but the law provides exceptions for unsafe conditions, debris, and preparing for turns.
- Door zone protection. ORS 811.490 prohibits opening a vehicle door into a bike lane or traffic, including bicyclists.
Filing Deadlines for Your Bicycle Accident Claim
State law gives you two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit under ORS 12.110. Miss it and you generally lose the ability to recover anything.
- Personal injury claim: 2 years from the date of the accident.
- Wrongful death: 3 years from the date of death (ORS 30.020).
- Minor child: The statute of limitations is tolled until the child turns 18, then the child generally has one additional year (ORS 12.160).
- Government claims: 180 days from the date of injury to provide written tort notice to the public body (ORS 30.275).
The 180-day deadline matters when a collision involves defective infrastructure, missing signage, or hazardous conditions. Miss the notice window and you lose your right to pursue that government entity. We track every deadline from the day you hire us.
E-Bike Laws
- Class 1: pedal-assist only, no throttle, max 20 mph.
- Class 2: throttle-equipped, max 20 mph.
- Class 3: pedal-assist only, max 28 mph.
The three-class e-bike system took effect January 1, 2025 (HB 4103). E-bikes are classified as bicycles under state law (ORS 814.405) and do not require a license, registration, or health insurance. Riders must be at least 16 years old (ORS 807.020). Unlike regular bicycles, e-bikes are prohibited from riding on sidewalks statewide (ORS 814.410).
Our firm handles all e-bike and e-scooter collisions under these legal frameworks. Like car accidents and motorcycle accidents, these collisions require a bicycle injury lawyer with trial experience.
Who Is Liable for a Bicycle Accident?
The at-fault driver is rarely the only person responsible. In most cases our firm handles, there are multiple defendants, which means multiple insurance policies and a higher total payout for you.
- The at-fault operator. Their auto insurance is the first source of money for each injured cyclist. Every insurance policy includes personal injury protection PIP, which provides immediate benefits regardless of who was at fault in any collision.
- Their employer. If the operator was on the clock or driving for a rideshare service, the employer’s commercial insurance policy applies, typically starting at $1 million.
- Government entities. A missing lane marking, an unlit intersection, a driveway with obstructed sightlines, or a pothole reported but never repaired. When a government body has failed to maintain safe conditions for cars, bicycles, and pedestrians, we hold them accountable. These matters require tort notice within 180 days (ORS 30.275).
- Construction contractors. Work zones that narrow lanes, remove markings, or create uneven pavement without signage. Both the contractor and the government entity can be named as defendants.
- Bicycle and vehicle manufacturers. A defective brake system, cracked fork, or tire separation. If a product defect caused or worsened the crash, the manufacturer is liable.
- Property owners. If the collision happened on a trail, unsafe driveway, blocked sidewalk, or other hazard on private land, the property owner can be held accountable.
- Other users on the road. A pedestrian stepping into a designated lane, another cyclist running a stop sign, or an e-scooter cutting across traffic. Each party pays in proportion to their share under the comparative negligence rule.
We investigate every situation to identify every responsible party and available policy. More defendants means more leverage and a stronger position when necessary at trial. A bike crash lawyer has the experience to present these challenges before a jury.
How We Prove Negligence in a Bicycle Accident Case
The party who hit you, or their insurer, owes you for every dollar of damage they caused. Proving that comes down to four elements, and we build each one before the insurer sees our demand.
- Duty. Every operator of a motor vehicle owes a legal duty to watch for bicyclists, yield at intersections, and maintain safe passing distance on the roadway. The duty of due care (ORS 811.005) applies to all operators of cars and motor vehicles.
- Breach. A car driver who texts behind the wheel, runs a red light, fails to yield on a left turn, or opens a door into a cyclist’s path has breached that duty. We prove it with police reports, camera footage, dashcam video, cellphone records, and witnesses.
- Causation. We connect the breach to your injuries using medical records, collision reconstruction experts, and testimony. The insurer will argue your injuries were pre-existing. We close that gap before they try.
- Documentation. We document every loss: ER visits, surgery, physical therapy, costs associated with future medical care, lost wages, lost income from reduced earning capacity, replacement of your damaged bicycle, and pain and suffering.
Our Recent Case Results
What to Do After a Bicycle Accident
Your injury case starts at the scene. What you do in the first hours shapes everything that follows.
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Step 1: Call 911
Move to safety if you can. The law requires you to report any collision involving a serious injury, a death, or property damage exceeding $2,500. The police report becomes the foundation of your claim and provides critical information for the investigation.
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Step 2: Get Medical Attention
Go to the ER even if you feel fine. Concussions, internal bleeding, and hairline fractures can take days to surface. The medical records from that first visit link your condition directly to the collision. Without that documentation, insurance companies will argue your condition was pre-existing.
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Step 3: Document the Scene
Photograph everything: your bicycle, the vehicle, and any hazards. Get the operator’s name, car insurance information, and plate number. Collect witness contacts. Everything you document helps your bicycle attorney build a stronger case.
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Step 4: Call Us Before You Talk to the Insurer
The adjuster will reach out fast and ask for a recorded statement. Decline it, reject any early lowball offer, and stay off social media until your case is resolved. Talk to a bike injury lawyer at 888-521-6377. We handle the insurer from day one so nothing you say is used against the compensation you deserve.
When Should You Contact a Portland Bicycle Accident Attorney?
If any of these describe you, take action and contact a bicycle accident lawyer as soon as possible.
- Your condition is serious or your medical bills are significant. Surgery, hospitalization, broken bones, head trauma, or severe injuries all increase the value of your case. The more serious the injury, the harder the insurer will fight. Every client in this situation needs a personal injury lawyer.
- The insurance company is delaying or disputing liability. Low offers, slow responses, or arguments that you caused the accident are signs the adjuster is not treating your injury claims fairly.
- Your case involves complex challenges. Collisions caused by road hazards, construction debris, or multiple parties require a personal injury lawyer who can identify every liable side and pursue every liable party.
- You were hit by an uninsured or unidentified driver. After a car accident or hit-and-run, UM/UIM coverage through your own auto insurance is often the only path to compensation. State law requires uninsured motorist coverage (ORS 742.504), and a bicycle accident lawyer can identify which policies apply.
- A government entity may be responsible. If road design, maintenance, or signage contributed to your collision, the 180-day tort notice deadline means you cannot afford to wait. Contacting a bicycle accident attorney early is essential.
How Your Bicycle Accident Case Works
- Free consultation. Call 888-521-6377 or fill out the form. A bicycle accident attorney from our team calls you back the same day.
- Contingency agreement. No money out of pocket. We get paid only when we recover for you.
- Investigation. We reconstruct the collision using scene photos, surveillance footage, witness statements, medical records, and collision reconstruction experts.
- Demand and negotiation. We file the demand and negotiate from evidence, not posture.
- Trial if necessary. If the insurer will not offer fair value, we file a personal injury lawsuit and go to trial. Our team has tried bicycle accident cases before a jury and knows how to win.
You talk directly to your attorney throughout the process, not a paralegal, not an answering service. Every client gets the attention and difference that experienced legal representation makes.
Contact a Bicycle Accident Lawyer Today
Whether your bike accident was minor or catastrophic, our bicycle injury lawyers will pursue fair compensation on your behalf. Contact us today for a free consultation and a personal injury lawyer will call you back. There are no upfront charges and no fees unless we win.
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.
