Injured in a Bike Accident?
Cycling is one of the best ways to see Chattanooga. Riders share the Tennessee Riverwalk, roll through the bike lanes on Broad Street, and cross the river to the shops and cafes around Frazier Avenue on the North Shore.
As more people ride for exercise, for commuting, and for fun, more bikes end up sharing the road with cars, and not every driver is used to watching for them.
Most serious bike crashes here involve a motor vehicle striking a cyclist. A rider has almost nothing between their body and the pavement, so even a low-speed collision can cause real harm.
Bad crashes often send injured riders to Erlanger Baroness Hospital, the region’s only Level I trauma center. When a driver’s carelessness causes the wreck, you have the right to hold that driver accountable for what the crash cost you.
How Do Bicycle Accidents Most Commonly Occur?
Driver negligence causes most bike crashes. Many drivers still are not used to sharing the road with cyclists, and a single moment of inattention is all it takes.
People often assume big intersections are the most dangerous spots, but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most bicyclist deaths happen in urban areas away from intersections.
Some of the most common ways drivers cause bike crashes include:
- Dooring: A driver or passenger opens a car door into the path of a passing rider without looking first.
- Unsafe Passing: Tennessee law requires drivers to leave at least three feet when passing a cyclist, and many crashes happen when they do not.
- Right Hooks and Left Crosses: A driver turns across a rider’s path at an intersection or driveway.
- Failure to Yield: A driver pulls out or turns without giving a cyclist the right of way.
- Distracted or Impaired Driving: A driver looking at a phone or driving drunk may never see a rider at all.
Common Injuries in a Bicycle Accident
Because a bike offers no protection, the injuries in these crashes tend to be serious.
Some of the most common include:
- Head and Brain Injuries: A concussion or traumatic brain injury can happen even when you are wearing a helmet.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: Damage to the spine can lead to lasting nerve problems or paralysis.
- Broken Bones: Riders often fracture wrists, arms, collarbones, hips, and legs bracing for impact.
- Road Rash: Sliding across pavement can cause deep cuts and scrapes that are at risk of infection and scarring.
- Internal Injuries: Blunt force can damage organs and cause internal bleeding that is not obvious at first.
- Facial and Dental Injuries: Hitting the ground or a vehicle can break teeth and bones in the face.
Some of these injuries do not show symptoms right away. A concussion or a soft-tissue injury can feel minor for a day or two, then worsen. See a doctor as soon as you can, even if you think you walked away lucky. Prompt care protects your health and creates a medical record that ties your injuries to the crash.
What to Do After a Bicycle Accident in Chattanooga
What you do in the minutes and days after a crash can shape your entire claim.
If you are able, take these steps:
- Call 911 and get a police report. An official report documents the crash and the driver’s information.
- Photograph everything. Capture your bike, the vehicle, your injuries, the road, and anything that shows how the crash happened.
- Collect information. Write down the driver’s name, insurance, license plate, and contact details, and get the names and numbers of any witnesses.
- Save your ride data. If you use a Garmin, a Strava app, or a cycling computer, that speed and location data can help show what happened.
- Keep your gear. Do not throw away your damaged bike or helmet, because both can serve as evidence.
- Get medical care and keep records. Follow your treatment plan and hold onto every bill and report.
Be careful when the other driver’s insurance company calls. An adjuster may ask for a recorded statement or push a quick offer. You are not required to give the other driver’s insurer a recorded statement, and it is wise to speak with a lawyer first. Contact us before you sign anything or agree to a settlement.
Uninsured, Underinsured, and Hit-and-Run Drivers
Too often, the driver who hits a cyclist has no insurance, not enough insurance, or speeds away without stopping. That does not always leave you without options.
Your own auto policy may include uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, and that coverage can apply even when you were on a bike rather than in your car. It is worth checking, because this is one of the most overlooked sources of compensation after a bike crash.
If the driver fled, report the hit-and-run to the police right away and share any details you remember, such as the vehicle’s make, color, or license plate. These claims take work, and insurance companies know it.
Adjusters count on riders not understanding their uninsured motorist coverage, leading them to settle for too little. Gary Massey spent years on the insurance-defense side, so our firm knows how these claims get lowballed and how to answer that.
Tennessee Bicycle Laws Every Rider Should Know
In Tennessee, a bicycle is treated as a vehicle. Under Tennessee law, cyclists have the same rights and the same duties as drivers.
A few laws matter most after a crash, including:
- Safe Passing: Drivers must leave at least three feet when passing a cyclist (Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-8-175).
- Lights at Night: A bike ridden at night needs a white front light and a red rear reflector or light.
- Helmets for Young Riders: Tennessee requires riders under 16 to wear a helmet. Adults are not required to wear one.
In Tennessee, whether you were wearing a helmet is not admissible as evidence in a civil trial. An adjuster may still try to argue that going without a helmet makes the crash partly your fault, but the law bars that argument in court. Knowing rules like this one is part of how we protect your claim.
What If the Cyclist Was Partly at Fault?
You can still recover money even if you were partly to blame, as long as you were less than 50% at fault. Tennessee uses a rule called modified comparative fault, set out in the Tennessee Supreme Court’s decision in McIntyre v. Balentine. The court compares your share of the fault to the driver’s, and your compensation is reduced by your percentage.
For example, if a jury awards you $100,000 but finds you 40% at fault, your award drops by 40% to $60,000. There is a hard cutoff, though. If you are found to be 50% or more at fault, you recover nothing. That is why it helps to have someone building your side of the story from the start, before the insurance company frames it their way.
What Your Bicycle Accident Claim May Be Worth
Every case is different, and no lawyer can promise a number. What we can do is pursue the full range of losses the crash caused you. Those losses usually fall into two groups.
Economic damages cover your measurable costs, such as medical bills, future treatment, lost wages, lost earning capacity, and the cost to repair or replace your bike and gear. Non-economic damages cover the harder-to-measure harm, like pain and the loss of activities you used to enjoy.
Tennessee caps non-economic damages at $750,000 in most cases, and that cap rises to $1,000,000 for catastrophic injuries. It does not cap your economic damages. The value of your claim depends on your injuries, your losses, and the facts of your case, and you may be entitled to more than an early insurance offer suggests.
How a Chattanooga Bicycle Accident Lawyer Can Help
Handling a bike crash claim on your own, while you are trying to heal, is a lot to take on. Our firm can carry that weight for you.
We can investigate what happened, gather the police report and witness accounts, and deal with the driver’s insurance company so you do not have to. We can put a real value on your claim and, if the insurer will not make a fair offer, take your case to court.
That last part matters. Insurance companies keep track of which firms actually try cases and which always settle, and it shapes every offer they make. Our attorneys have real courtroom experience.
We are selective about the cases we take because we want to give each client our full effort. We work on a contingency fee, which means you don’t pay us anything unless we recover money for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are the Most Common Injuries in a Bicycle Accident?
The most common injuries include head and brain injuries, broken bones, spinal cord injuries, road rash, and internal injuries. Some, like concussions, may not show symptoms right away. See a doctor as soon as you can, even if you feel fine, both for your health and to document the injury.
What if the Driver Who Hit Me Was Uninsured or Left the Scene?
You may still have a path to compensation. Your own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage can apply even when you are on a bike, and it may cover your losses when the at-fault driver cannot. Report a hit-and-run to the police right away and share any details you remember about the vehicle.
How Should I Document the Crash Scene and My Injuries?
Take photos of your bike, the vehicle, your injuries, and the road, and collect the driver’s information and the witness’s contact information. Call the police to file an official report and save any ride data from a cycling computer or app. Keep your damaged bike and helmet, because both can serve as evidence.
How Long Do I Have to File a Bicycle Accident Claim in Tennessee?
You generally have one year from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit in Tennessee. This is a strict deadline, and missing it usually means losing your right to compensation. It is best to talk to a lawyer early so there is time to build your case.
Can I Still Recover Money if I Was Partly At Fault?
Yes, as long as you were less than 50% at fault. Tennessee reduces your compensation by your share of the blame, so being 20% at fault lowers your recovery by 20%. If you are found 50% or more at fault, you cannot recover.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Bicycle Accident Lawyer?
Our firm handles most of these cases on a contingency fee, so there is no upfront cost. You don’t pay us anything unless we get money for you, and the consultation is free.
What Is My Bicycle Accident Claim Worth?
It depends on your injuries, your financial losses, and the facts of your crash. Claims can include medical bills, lost wages, bike and gear damage, and pain. No one can promise a specific amount, but you may be entitled to more than an early offer reflects.
