Author: You’re getting your kids ready for a ride around the neighborhood, and you’re not thinking about accidents. You’re busy making sure that everyone has their helmets and that the tires have enough air. Then, 15 minutes into the ride, you hear that horrific sound of brakes screeching, and none of that matters anymore.
Whatever happened, now you have medical bills to handle and an insurance company that wants to know who’s to blame. If you’re a masochist, you’ll deal with this yourself, but if you’re smart, you’ll contact a lawyer.
Now just any lawyer, mind you; one who has experience with cases exactly like this one.
4 Law Firms You Should Know About
Some lawyers handle bicycle accidents here and there, which doesn’t mean they’re bad at what they do, but it does mean that there are better options out there.
Rosenfeld Injury Law
Jonathan Rosenfeld, who’s behind Rosenfeld Injury Law (founder and managing partner), has been handling cases of serious injury for more than 20 years. And the firm has some sizable settlements for bicycle accidents on its record.
If you look at the results published on https://www.rosenfeldinjurylaw.com/chicago-bicycle-accident-lawyer/, you’ll see that the lawyers have recovered $2.25 million (USD) for a cyclist who suffered a serious head injury, as well as $1 million for a person who got injured in a dooring accident. There’s also a report of a settlement of $760,000 for a cyclist who was hit from behind while stopped at a traffic light.
The firm’s page is very useful because it explains exactly how the lawyers handle investigations, from checking police records, talking to witnesses, to reviewing available footage, and so on.
Basically, there’s a lot to read there, and it’s all useful when you find yourself in a situation like this.
Flanzig & Flanzig, LLP
Imagine cycling down a bike lane in New York when suddenly there’s a tractor-trailer turning across your path. Terrifying, isn’t it? That’s exactly what happened in a case that Daniel Flanzig handled, and it ended in a settlement of $900,000.
Cathy Flanzig has also worked on some difficult claims that included cycling.
One of those involved a cyclist from Queens who had to have knee surgery after a commercial vehicle struck them. The other side denied being responsible for more than 2 years.
In the end, the case settled for $600,000 shortly before trial was supposed to start.
The interesting thing about Flanzig & Flanzig is how much detail the firm gives you about those cases. They don’t just splash random settlements across their pages or say that they’ve recovered millions. Instead, the content on the website describes actual incidents and which attorney handled which case.
You’ll also find information about cycling laws in New York (which is where the firm is from) and a legal guide for cyclists.
Michael A. Colbach, Attorney at Law
There are some personal injury lawyers who spend most of their time negotiating settlements, but that’s not the case with Michael A. Colbach. He has spent a good deal of his career in court, and the fact is, courtroom experience is important for lawyers.
Before he opened his personal injury practice in Portland, he worked as a deputy district attorney in Multnomah County, where he tried more than 140 jury cases.
One of those civil cases involved Genevieve Luikart.
What happened is that she was struck by a New Seasons grocery truck while riding her bike, and in 2011, a Multnomah County jury awarded her $667,742. The case was even covered in Willamette Week, so if you want to read more about it, you can do it there, although the law firm’s website also has a description of the case.
Also, Colbach is a longtime cyclist, and he’s written about commuting by bike since the 1990s. That gives him firsthand experience with some situations cyclists find themselves in while they’re on the road.
Washington Bike Law
Bob Anderton didn’t exactly plan to become a bicycle accident lawyer, but it happened. Today, cases related to bicycle accidents take up over 90% of his work. And not only has he spent about 30 years representing injured people, but he also commutes by bike every day.
The firm’s team includes Jessica Cutler and Kelli Bynum, who both have plenty of experience (both cycling and legal!), and they’re a great value to the practice.
The firm’s website has a lot of practical information you can read, and you can even request a free waterproof spoke card that has important bicycle rules on it.
Of course, you can also read about insurance claims and attorneys there.
Conclusion
And there you have it. The absolute best law firms for anyone looking for help with the aftermath of a bicycle accident. Hopefully, you’ll never need any of them, but in case you do, at least now you don’t have to spend days researching lawyers.
Of course, you’ll want to do some reading on your own to see who could be the best fit.
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