Articles Posted in bicycle accident

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There is a lot of advocacy being done these days to promote bike ridership and also bike safety in places like the Greater Boston area. A lot of that work deals with the construction of bike lanes and making drivers more aware and educated about bike safety issues. While there has a been a lot of good that has come out of these efforts, there has also been more awareness brought to an entirely different issue.  According to a recent news article from Fast Company, less than a quarter of bike trips (including bike commutes) involve female riders.

Boston bike crashWhile this may seem obvious if you think of all the riders you see around Boston on a weekly basis, it is not an issue that is given much attention. There are various reasons for so few female bike riders suggested and realizing why this situation exists is the first step in getting more women out on the roads on bikes and bringing more equality to the growing community. Continue reading

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There are many ways a Boston bike crash involving a car can occur.  One of the more common ways involves cyclists in the extreme right lane, alongside a line of cars, with a car making a right turn. The problem is, many motorists don’t look for or see the cyclist and the result is a collision.

The National Law Review recently published an article about right turn bicycle accident lawsuits (we prefer to the term “crash,” though we know many people still commonly call them “accidents”).

Bike Commuting is Increasing 

bicycle accident lawyerThis type of bike crash is getting more common in Boston and cities across the nation as more and more people are using bikes as a primary mode of transportation including traveling to and from work.  According to the League of American Bicyclists, there is no question that biking as a means of commuting is getting more popular as time goes by.  This organization compiles various study results and keeps detailed statistics of how many people use bike riding as a primary means of commuting.  One way to measure the data is in terms of how many bicycles trips (not recreational use) are taken each year.  In 2001, there were 1.7 billion trips and by 2009, there were 4 billion trips.  This number is only continuing to increase as more time passes. Continue reading

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These days bike riding has become a popular form of transportation for adults as well as from of exercise.  There was a time when bike riding was mostly a kid’s activity. That has changed and most regular cyclists are over the age of 30. Still, it has remained a fun activity for children as well.  While a lot of the accidents we see in Boston involve commuters who are hit by cars on their way to work, we still see many cases involving young bike riders who are hit by cars.

bicycle accident BostonAccording to a recent news article from the Boston Herald, a young child and his father were struck by a car as the father was walking aside his son who was riding his bike.  Authorities have said the Boston bike crash resulted in serious personal injury to both the child and his father.  Witnesses have said  the car was a black sedan and had the word “Seniors” painted on the windows indicating that the car was being driven by high school senior. Continue reading

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In Boston and cities and towns in the Greater Boston area, some of the biggest dangers to bike riders is being hit by a truck or other large commercial vehicles. These vehicles have large blind spots in the areas in which bike riders tend to be, and while there are side guards that could prevent serious or fatal bike crashes, most trucks do not have them equipped.

truck accidentsAccording to a recent news article from The Boston Herald, a bike rider was struck and killed by a dump truck in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood. The fatal Boston bike crash occurred just before 2 p.m. in an industrial area of Dorchester.  Authorities have not issued an charges as of the time of this article an are still continuing to investigate the cause of the accident.  Following the crash, the area was blocked off with police crime scene tape and investigators took photos and measurements.  The driver of the dump truck stayed at the scene and was cooperating with investigating officers.

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Boston bike accidents often result in serious personal injury or death.  Riding a bike can be a great way to reduce one’s carbon footprint and thus help the environment, get some much-needed physical activity in our sedentary lives, and have a good time on the commute to work.  While there are many goods things about ridding a bicycle, they do not offer that much in the way protection in the event of a crash, so responsible bike riders are often at the mercy of other drivers to act reasonably so as to protect bike riders from foreseeable harms caused by negligent driving.

Boston Bike Rider Rights and Responsibilities

bike injury lawyerAs established in Section 11B of Chapter 85, of the Massachusetts General Laws (M.G.L.), bike riders are afforded may rights and given many responsibilities. The rights in Section 11B of Chapter 85 of the M.G.L are as follows: Continue reading

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When a person gets on a bike and hits the streets, they are getting exercise, reducing their carbon footprint and engaging in an activity that is becoming very popular in the greater Boston area and across the nation. While that is the upside, the downside is that many motorists are not driving in a safe manner and are not taking bike safety laws seriously, and this can and often does result in serious personal injury or death.

In some cases, a cyclist might even share part of the blame. This is what is referred to as comparative negligence. Thankfully, state law does not make this a barrier to recovering damages. Riders who were partially at-fault for the crash may still recover damages, so long as they are not more than half responsible for causing the crash.

bike injury lawyerAccording to a recent news article from CBS Boston, a middle school teacher in Charlton, was recently killed in a bike crash.  This victim was 40-years-old at the time of this death. A Massachusetts State Police (MSP) spokesperson said the accident occurred on Route 20 at 3:30 p.m. Continue reading

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Our Boston bicycle accident lawyers are not just attorneys – we are avid riders ourselves. We are committed to advocacy that makes Boston streets safer for cyclists, and have been on the forefront of some of the state’s most important legislation to protect cyclists. This in-depth knowledge of these statutes is what allows us to provide such strong representation for our clients. We also support others’ efforts to promote safe cycling and better driver awareness of rider presence and rights.

A recent news article from the Park Record discusses how middle school student who was in a serious bike crash now is dedicated to bike safety and has even given a seminar on the subject at this school.

Boston bike crash Continue reading

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Comparative negligence in bicycle accidents involves a rider who is partially to blame for the cause of a collision. In Massachusetts, comparative negligence is not necessarily a bar to recovery, but it may limit the amount of damages one can collect. So even if you are cited in a bike crash that resulted in serious injury, do not assume you don’t have a case until you speak with an injury attorney.

According to a recent news article from the Newburyport Daily News, a man from Chelsea was airlifted to the hospital following a serious bicycle crash involving a car. Authorities have said the 41-year-old bike rider was riding along with a woman at around 10 p.m.

bike crashes BostonThe couple was riding their bicycles when the bike crash victim collided with a motor vehicle that was traveling in the same direction.  The driver of the vehicle immediately came to a complete stop and waited for first responders to arrive. Continue reading

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Hurst v. Metropolitan Casualty Insurance Company

In Hurst v. Metropolitan Casualty Insurance Company, a case from the Supreme Court of Wyoming, two plaintiffs were ridding separate bicycles around noon.  One plaintiff was riding about 30 feet in front of the other, and they were both on the shoulder of the road and the emergency lane when one was present.

Boston Bike Crash lawyerAt this point, a woman driving a minivan at around 50 miles per hour when she veered into the breakdown lane where plaintiffs were riding. She hit the rear bicycle rider from behind and the rider flipped up onto the roof of the minivan.  He was then thrown over the back of the minivan and ended up hitting the ground nearly 2oo feet away. Continue reading

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With so many more people riding bikes and bike advocacy groups doing better than ever, one might expect the per-capita share of bike accidents to bike riders to be on the downswing.  This would be true ideally even if the overall number of bike crashes was on the rise.  This would make sense with there being so many new bike riders on the streets of Boston, Cambridge, and the surrounding areas.

bike injury lawyerAccording to a recent news article from the Boston Globe, Boston is still very much a dangerous place for bike riders in terms of the frequency of bike crashes and a lot of the danger has to do with road conditions.  As the author who is an avid Boston bike rider and has been for more than 20 years noted, Boston has some of the most dangerous roads in the world and he is comparing to other countries that are from being called developed nations. Continue reading