Bicycle Crash Injuries And Louisiana Law

Cycling can be a wonderful activity, either for transportation or recreation. But while the activity can be enjoyable, there are risks. There are Louisiana bicycle laws that riders must follow, but crashes and injuries are still possible when all precautions have been taken.

Talk to a Shreveport injury lawyer about your crash injuries. There may be a path to compensation.

Bicycle Laws in Louisiana

Sharing the road is a legal requirement. Cars and trucks need to drive responsibly and be aware of cyclists on streets. Children under the age of 12 are able to cycle on sidewalks, but older riders need to share the roads with other vehicles. If there is a bike lane, that is for cyclist use exclusively. Drivers should not be traveling in bike lanes.

There are also rules of road safety that bicyclists must follow. A couple of the laws for keeping young riders safe include all bike riders or passengers under 12 years of age must wear a helmet and bicycle passengers must be in a restrained safety seat if they are under 40 lbs. in weight or 40 inches in height.

Signaling is a crucial part of road safety. When cars, trucks, and bicycles know when one another are planning to turn, they can adjust their traffic patterns, if necessary. Bicyclists are required to use the following hand signals.

• Left turn hand signals. Extend your left arm out horizontally. Begin your signaling about 100 ft. Before performing a turn.
• Right turn signaling. Extended left arm out and bend your arm at elbow so hand is pointing up.

There are times when a person riding a bike needs to have both of their hands on their bike to operate the bicycle safely. If control is an issue, the hand signals may not be required. Each situation has its own details to consider.

Medical Fees Could Be Part of Damage Recovery

If you are a Louisiana bicyclist who was hurt in a car crash because a driver was behaving recklessly, there could be a path to a full and fair damage recovery package. It is common for individuals hurt on a bike to be coping with multiple forms of harm.

• Medical fees and bills. You may have bills for treatments you received as well as expenses connected to tests, hospital stays and ongoing therapy needs.
• Loss of work wages. Recovery timelines may require you to take time off of work.
• Pain and emotional distress. Disfigurement and loss of employment because of a physical injury can lead to mental anguish alongside physical pain. Emotional suffering could be part of your compensation package.

Were you struck by a vehicle when riding your bike and now are suffering from a physical injury? The personal injury lawyers at Rice & Kendig may be able to negotiate with an insurance company for you. We truly care about our clients and devote our knowledge, skills and resources toward securing a great result every time. You do not need to navigate complicated negotiations on your own. Together, we can achieve success. Contact us today at 318-222-2772 to schedule your free consultation.