Vancouver Bicycle Accident Lawyer

Cyclists are some of the most vulnerable street users in Vancouver. When involved in an accident on the road, consequences for victims might include property damage, serious physical injuries, and even death. Between 2015 and 2018, ICBC reported an average of three cyclist fatalities per year in Metro Vancouver resulting from collisions with motor vehicles. 

Although it is mandatory for all bicycle riders in the province to wear a safety helmet, cyclists are still relatively unprotected from the dangers of the road. Unlike the drivers and passengers of motor vehicles, cyclists are entirely exposed to the elements. As a result, collisions with cars and other vehicles are often fatal. 

In the blink of an eye, a commuter on their way to work, a teenager enjoying a recreational ride through their neighbourhood, a nature enthusiast enjoying the scenery from behind their handlebars, and other community members who choose to cycle can lose their lives in senseless, sudden, and violent accidents. 

Cyclists who are lucky enough to survive collisions with motor vehicles often sustain severe or catastrophic injuries. Catastrophically injured cyclists may lose their mobility, their full range of motion, their ability to live independently, their access to regular income, their future earning potential, and the overall quality of life to which they had become accustomed. 

Recently, the province’s sole auto insurer, ICBC, switched to an “Enhanced Care,” or no-fault, insurance model, in an attempt to reduce drivers’ insurance premiums. However, doing so has made life even harder for the countless survivors of motor vehicle collisions. This is especially true for the province’s most vulnerable road-users– like cyclists– who have sustained severe injuries as a result of a negligent driver’s wrongdoings on the road.

At Preszler Injury Lawyers, our clients’ best interests are our top priority. That’s why our Vancouver bicycle accident lawyers are committed to fighting against unfair ICBC decisions. We endeavour to help the clients we represent recover the maximum amount of compensation to which they are entitled.

If you were injured in a bicycle accident and are having difficulty navigating the ICBC claims process or have questions about the compensation you might be owed, contact our bicycle accident lawyers serving Vancouver today. For a free initial consultation on your case, call 1-800-JUSTICE. We serve clients across the province.

Common Injuries Sustained in Vancouver Bicycle Accidents

When negligent drivers coast through stop signs, drift into bike lanes, change lanes without signalling, or otherwise violate the rules of the road, they put the lives of cyclists at risk. On average, 73 Canadians are killed each year as a result of a bicycle accident.

For people who survive a collision with a motor vehicle while riding their bike, the road to recovery could be exhausting and expensive. Injuries sustained in Vancouver bicycle accidents often require long periods of hospitalization, extended physiotherapy treatments, and drastic adjustments to one’s lifestyle. These injuries often include:

• Paralysis
• Spinal cord injuries 
• Concussions
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Chronic pain
• Broken or fractured bones
• Cuts, lacerations
• Friction wounds (e.g. “road rash”)
• Facial and dental injuries
• Internal organ damage
• And more

As a result of such injuries, bicycle accident survivors may be required to take time away from their jobs to recover. In addition to being isolating, the recovery process can cause an injured bicycle accident survivor to incur substantial financial losses related to:

• Lost wages
• Reduced future earning capability 
• Mileage to and from medical appointments
• Medical equipment 
• Prescription drugs
• Medical expenses
• Physiotherapy costs
• Psychological treatment 
• Home renovations to accommodate new disabilities
• And more

Unfortunately, the new changes to ICBC’s insurance model can make it very difficult for injured cyclists to recover the compensation they need to move forward. In the first year of ICBC’s no-fault model adoption, survivors of bicycle accidents may be automatically considered 50% responsible for their collision. This may be because their bikes are defined as “uninsured vehicles,” or insufficient evidence of the driver’s total fault exists. 

Although this policy has been recently rescinded, the new policies mandated by the provincial government’s Crown corporation may still favour negligent drivers– who are less likely to sustain injuries when they strike a cyclist– over vulnerable road-users like bicycle riders.

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Tell Us About Your Case

For more than 60 years, Preszler Injury Lawyers has been helping people across British Columbia pursue the compensation they deserve for their bicycle accident claims. As one of the country’s longest-standing personal injury law firms, our practice is devoted entirely to injury law and helping accident victims–it’s all we do.

Schedule a free consultation today to speak with our award-winning personal injury lawyers and find out if you have a case. Our legal team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to take your call.

1-844-373-8202

How a Vancouver Bicycle Accident Lawyer May Be Able to Help

Under ICBC’s no-fault insurance system, injured survivors of bicycle accidents in Vancouver have limited access to the courts to independently determine the amount of damages to which they should be entitled. Instead, everyone involved in an accident– even the at-fault driver whose negligence caused the collision to occur– is able to access basic medical coverage equally. 

Unfortunately, ICBC’s assessments of injured accident victims’ needs are rarely aligned with the income they truly require in order to recover from the traumatic incident and rebuild their lives with dignity and financial security. If a cyclist is injured catastrophically, the basic medical coverage to which they might be entitled will likely be far less than what they really need. 

If you have received an unfair ICBC settlement that does not take the full severity and financial impact of your injuries into account, our bicycle accident lawyers serving Vancouver may be able to assist you. At Preszler Injury Lawyers, we have extensive experience taking on ICBC and helping our clients recover fair settlements.

Contact Our Vancouver Bicycle Accident Lawyers Today

Riding a bicycle can be an enjoyable activity, an environmentally-friendly way to commute, and a recreational pastime for families to engage in together. Riding a bicycle should never end in tragedy. However, because of the wrongful conduct of negligent road-users, lives can be lost, severe injuries can be sustained, and accident victims can spend sleepless nights worrying about their finances after receiving an unfair insurance settlement from ICBC.

If you are struggling in the wake of an injurious bicycle accident, Preszler Injury Lawyers may be able to offer you legal advice and support. To discuss your case with our bicycle accident lawyers serving Vancouver and receive a cost-free, no-obligation initial consultation, call us at 1-800-JUSTICE. We can help clients across the province.

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