info@carolinalaw.com
info@carolinalaw.com
Riding a bicycle through Raleigh should be a safe, enjoyable experience, whether you’re commuting to work, exercising, or simply enjoying the city’s greenways. However, it is not uncommon for drivers to fail to share the road responsibly, where cyclists pay the price with catastrophic injuries and sometimes fatalities.
At Maginnis Howard, our personal injury attorneys understand the unique challenges injured riders face when trying to take action to seek recovery. We’ve spent over a decade fighting for cyclists hit by negligent drivers, securing millions in settlements and verdicts. If you’ve suffered an injury in a Raleigh bicycle crash, we’re ready to help you recover the full compensation that addresses your accident-related losses.
Call our Raleigh office at (919) 526-0450 to learn your options and the best course of action.
Bicycle accident cases require professional understanding that goes beyond ordinary personal injury claims. Bicyclists face unique challenges on the road, and so do the cases involving them. At our Maginnis Howard, we’ve dedicated our practice to protecting injured riders because we recognize how devastating these crashes can be, not just physically but financially and emotionally as well.
Our track record has stood out for a long time. We’ve secured multi-million dollar settlements for cyclists who suffered life-altering injuries, including a $200,000 verdict for a client who sustained a broken toe when a bicycle struck him in Fayetteville. These results don’t happen by accident but come from our relentless approach to building strong cases that insurance companies can’t ignore.
At Maginnis Howard, we also pride ourselves on having a genuine understanding of NC cycling culture. We know which intersections are most dangerous and how quickly a ride can turn tragic. We’re also familiar with all the tired excuses drivers use to shift blame—“I didn’t see them,” “They came out of nowhere,” “They weren’t in the bike lane”—and we know exactly how to dismantle these arguments to your advantage.
When you work with us, you get comprehensive legal support that handles every aspect of your case. From the moment you hire us, we immediately dispatch investigators to document the crash scene, collect surveillance footage, and interview witnesses before memories fade. We handle all communications with insurance adjusters, negotiate medical liens to reduce what you owe providers, and consult with top medical experts to fully document your injuries. Our goal is to remove every burden so you can concentrate on healing.
Importantly, we understand what convenience means to you in the face of recovering from serious injuries. Our Raleigh office, conveniently located at 7706 Six Forks Rd near I-440 and North Hills, offers easy access whether you’re coming by bike, public transit, or car. If you are dealing with mobility challenges after your accident, we’re happy to meet at your home or rehabilitation facility because your comfort and accessibility are our priorities.
Bicycle collisions in Raleigh result mainly from preventable driver errors and hazardous road conditions. Different causes of bicycle accidents present unique evidentiary challenges that require thorough investigation and legal strategies.
Fortunately, Maginnis Howard maintains relationships with accident reconstruction experts, medical specialists, and bicycle mechanics to help properly document causation and injury mechanisms in these cases. We have been handling cases involving the following bicycle accident scenarios:
Dooring Incidents
A frequent hazard occurs when motorists negligently open vehicle doors into the path of approaching cyclists. These “dooring” accidents commonly cause upper body trauma, including clavicle fractures and dental injuries, as riders are propelled over the suddenly obstructed roadway.
North Carolina law explicitly requires drivers to ensure the roadway is clear before opening doors, yet such preventable collisions continue to injure hundreds of Raleigh cyclists annually. Our legal team has won many cases where drivers claimed inadequate visibility, demonstrating how such defenses fail under statutory requirements.
Right-Turn Collisions
Many serious bicycle accidents occur when motor vehicles execute right turns across the path of cyclists proceeding straight through intersections. These incidents frequently transpire along high-traffic corridors like Capital Boulevard, where impatient drivers neglect proper mirror checks and turn signals. The resulting impacts often cause debilitating orthopedic injuries, including complex wrist fractures and spinal compression injuries, as cyclists are thrown onto road surfaces or into adjacent traffic lanes.
Distracted Driving Impacts
The proliferation of mobile device use has created dangerous conditions for cyclists. Rear-end collisions caused by inattentive drivers drifting into bicycle lanes represent some of the most catastrophic accidents we encounter. Our firm routinely obtains and analyzes cellular records to establish driver distraction, which not only strengthens liability claims but may also support claims for punitive damages in appropriate personal injury cases.
Roadway Defect Hazards
Poorly maintained infrastructure presents significant dangers to cyclists. We have successfully pursued claims against municipalities for injuries caused by protruding utility covers, uneven pavement surfaces, and inadequately marked construction zones. While municipalities often assert immunity defenses, our attorneys have established precedents in holding responsible parties accountable for failing to maintain safe cycling infrastructure.
Cyclists involved in collisions with motor vehicles may still suffer catastrophic injuries despite taking proper safety precautions. The vulnerable nature of bicycle travel leaves riders exposed to particularly devastating trauma when accidents occur. Our legal practice regularly handles cases involving the following life-altering injuries:
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
While helmets provide essential protection, they cannot prevent all neurological damage in high-impact collisions. Victims may suffer concussions, intracranial bleeding, or diffuse axonal injuries that result in permanent cognitive impairment. These injuries often manifest through memory loss, difficulty concentrating, personality changes, and other neurological deficits that can permanently affect employment and quality of life.
Spinal Cord Trauma
The violent forces involved in bicycle accidents frequently cause vertebral fractures and spinal cord damage. Depending on the injury location, victims may experience partial paralysis (paraplegia) or complete paralysis (quadriplegia). These catastrophic injuries require lifelong medical care, adaptive equipment, and home modifications, with costs often exceeding millions of dollars over the victim’s lifetime.
Orthopedic Fractures
The impact of a motor vehicle frequently causes serious fractures, where bones break through the skin, as well as comminuted fractures, where bones shatter into multiple pieces. These severe breaks often require:
Such musculoskeletal trauma typically requires multiple surgical interventions followed by years of rehabilitation. Many victims face permanent mobility limitations that dramatically affect their quality of life and employment prospects.
Severe Soft Tissue Damage
Road rash injuries are sometimes dismissed as superficial. But what may appear as simple road rash after a bicycle accident may involve:
These are painful injuries that may require extensive wound care and reconstructive procedures. Most soft tissue injuries leave both physical and psychological scars that our legal team accounts for when pursuing compensation for pain and suffering.
Internal Organ Damage
The blunt force trauma of a collision during an accident involving a bicycle can cause internal injuries, including:
These life-threatening conditions may necessitate emergency surgical intervention and extended hospitalization. This may generate substantial medical expenses that must be included in your injury claim from the outset.
A unique aspect of internal organ damage is that it may not show immediately after an accident. Some internal injuries may manifest 24-72 hours post-accident, especially due to the effect of adrenaline. Therefore, seeking immediate medical evaluation after an accident is in your best interests. Note that a delay in medication can jeopardize both health outcomes and legal claims, as insurers exploit treatment gaps to dispute injury causation.
When you’ve suffered an injury in a bicycle collision, you might expect the at-fault driver’s insurance company to treat you fairly. Unfortunately, insurers routinely employ sophisticated tactics designed to minimize payouts. Insurance adjusters will try to reduce or deny claims subtly. Some of the tricks you may encounter when dealing with insurers include the following:
Our bicycle accident attorneys in Raleigh know every trick in the insurance playbook because we’ve spent several years fighting them. After taking up your case, we will immediately secure essential evidence, like traffic camera footage, before it’s erased. We may also engage medical specialists to properly document current and future treatment needs. We will consider retaining cycling safety experts who can refute false claims about rider behavior. And when insurers refuse to negotiate in good faith, we’re fully prepared to take your case to trial.
After a bicycle accident, you’re likely grappling with physical injuries, mounting healthcare costs, and the stress of handling insurance claims. The process can feel overwhelming, especially when insurance companies attempt to deny or delay your compensation. A Raleigh bicycle accident attorney will handle the legal process to help rebuild your life. Here are the ways a lawyer from our firm can help:
Navigating North Carolina’s bicycle accident laws can be daunting, particularly due to the state’s pure contributory negligence rule. This can block your claim if you’re found even slightly at fault. A Raleigh bicycle accident lawyer provides clarity by breaking down how traffic laws apply to your case and identifying the applicable legal deadlines, such as statutes of limitations. They also assess whether multiple parties can share liability. We will explain your options, including whether to settle or pursue a lawsuit. You can avoid costly mistakes and confidently protect your legal rights with professional legal guidance.
Insurance companies frequently shift blame onto cyclists, alleging improper riding or rule violations to deny claims. A Raleigh bicycle accident lawyer can counter these tactics with a thorough investigation to establish the true cause of the crash. We will collect admissible evidence to determine who acted negligently. With robust evidence, it will be difficult for insurers to deny or reduce your claim unfairly.
Personal injury victims often underestimate the full extent of their losses, accepting settlements that fail to cover long-term needs. However, we will evaluate all damages to ensure your claim reflects your whole suffering due to the accident. This includes the following damages:
We undertake a comprehensive assessment to prevent you from bearing costs the at-fault party should pay.
Insurance companies often pressure unrepresented victims with lowball offers, hoping they’ll settle for less. Your accident lawyer takes charge of all communications, shielding you from these manipulative tactics. They reject inadequate settlement offers, counter bad-faith strategies, and negotiate assertively to secure the full compensation you’re entitled to. If the insurer doesn’t offer a fair deal, your lawyer will take the case to trial to protect your interests.
If you’ve suffered an injury in a bicycle accident, you shouldn’t have to face the physical, emotional, and financial challenges on your own. At Maginnis Howard, we’re committed to providing the legal support and personal attention you need to move forward confidently. Our team is ready to break down your rights, guide you through your options, and fight for your rightful compensation.
With a Raleigh bicycle accident lawyer handling your case, you can focus on health and healing. Call us today at (919) 526-0450 for a free consultation.
Address: 7706 Six Forks Rd Suite 101
Raleigh, NC 27615, United States
Phone: (919) 526-0450
