Cyclists account for nearly 2.2% of all traffic fatalities, with 966 people killed in bike accidents in 2021 alone. When a car or truck strikes a bike, the cyclist’s injury is usually severe, resulting in brain damage, spinal cord injuries, or broken bones.
Bike riding provides numerous benefits to cyclists and society. However, a significant drawback is the danger of negligent drivers.
Since cyclists have the same rights as drivers of motor vehicles, cyclists can use the middle part of the traffic lane unless other laws prevent them.
"Of all the lawyers I have met, this one is a true professional. This attorney goes against the biggest law firms and wins!"
Response from the owner:The compliment is much appreciated. Like every profession, it all starts with training our lawyers to be the best at every aspect of car accident cases. But the foundation of a great case is a great client. Thanks!
I'd say this lawyer is in the top three of the best you'll ever see. Add this attorney to the interview list if you ever get in an automobile accident. This Law Firm is on another level.
Response from the owner:Much appreciated. Techniques that an attorney or any professional uses are paramount for success. This is part of our lawyers training and preparation. It leads to success. Thank you!
People say this is the best car accident lawyer in St.Louis. Yep! Seeing this attorney in action is incredible.
Response from the owner:Great compliment. We work hard to be the best. Our lawyers also work very hard to help other lawyers in our profession. Not matter what, a cases is only as good as the client is. Thanks!
Response from the owner:Thanks! Referrals and recommendations from prior car accident clients is our #1 source of cases. People who grew to trust us send family and friends.
The Hoffman law firm is truly professional. After hiring them I was truly relieved and knew I was in good hands. Highly recommend!
Response from the owner:Being in good hands is important. Many lawyers take cases with little experience and little resources. Our firm specialized decades ago. We are focused exclusively on accident cases.
The lawyers on tv just dont compare for auto accident injury cases. Mr.Hoffmann is as good as they get.
Response from the owner:Thank you. The TV attorneys are just settlement mills. People are hiring a paralegal, not a lawyer. Our law firm is different. You are represented by an attorney and we do not have settlement quotas.
I would describe this lawyer as highly educated, sharp, and top of his game. Explains the car accident process and treatment options well. The lawyer said if they don’t pay you, we will have the jury take it from the insurance company. Great lawyer. Dynamic person.
Interviewed all the TV car accident lawyers and decided to call this law firm that had great reviews. So happy I did. What a difference!
Response from the owner:TV car accident lawyers are just mass production. This is not a good fit for litigated cases. Paralegals instead of lawyers. Monthly quotas for settlements. Car accident victims end up in a cattle call with the lawyers on TV.
Love my car accident lawyer. This law firm is a step above.
Response from the owner:Our lawyers train and track the best approaches on cases. Whether litigation in cases or the practicalities of certain treatment, the growth of our lawyers over time is paramount. Always staying ahead of and setting practice trends. Thank you.
Serious family member have a car accident injury? Look no further. This litigator is for real. Always two steps ahead of the other lawyer.
Response from the owner:This is a sad reality for car accident lawyers. The #1 passenger in an auto accident is a relative. Helping a family make it through this and putting the family back together is one of the most rewarding things I do as an automobile accident attorney.
This lawyer handles really big accident cases in St Louis. He is a lawyer, accountant and has his masters in tax so he gets the injury cases for individuals that can never go back to work or individuals own a business and cannot run it due to injury. He specializes in valuations of massive loss. Thank goodness a firm like this exists.
Response from the owner:Thank you. When accident are severe and you lose the ability to work or to continue a business, having an accounting and tax background is key. Valuing large losses are second nature for us.
Asked a trauma surgeon who operates on car accident victims who are the best injury lawyers that have taken his deposition. He said “by far” it was Mr Hoffmann. Interviewed several attorneys and this was a correct assessment. In a league of his own!
Response from the owner:Our attorney have deposed nearly all the trauma surgeons at every Level 1 Trauma Center in Saint Louis. These doctors save lives after a car accident. Whether controlling bleeding or reestablishing blood flow or bone structures, they are life savers.
Few lawyers in St. Louis can handle the biggest injury cases! This is one of them!
Response from the owner:Our law firm has made great efforts in terms of training to handle life changing injury cases. Whether in depth knowledge of the medical, loss of income and earning capacity, or lifetime medical care plans, our clients feel confident and know their case is in good hands. Thank you for the compliment.
Cannot say enough about this lawyer. Call if in an accident. This attorney handles the biggest car accidents in St Louis.
Response from the owner:Thanks Ash! Our biggest source of cases is our clients. Our second biggest referral source is defense lawyers telling their relatives to call us. Few lawyers can handle the largest cases. Our law firm welcomes and has trained for this. We don’t do mass production settlement like the lawyers on TV. Our clients can never go back to work. Their cases need massive focus and effort and often long fought litigation.
So glad I called attorney Hoffmann. This time I got it right! So glad I hired the Hoffmann Law Firm - professional, reliable and available.
Response from the owner:Thanks Taylor. Our lawyers answer the phone day, night, weekends and even during lunch. Being professional means training to beat the best defense lawyers. Client rely on us to get results and we do.
Great lawyer. Cares about his clients, knows his stuff and goes the extra mile. I recommend this lawyer for car wreck injury claim. Every other lawyer on TV would not even help with my property claim. This attorney did.
Response from the owner:Thank you for the kind words. Every case starts with a great client. You are correct the car accident lawyers on TV are mass production settlement mills. When injury clients fire them, we get their files and the cases are not worked up at all. Appreciate your confidence in us!
Major car accident injury in St Louis area for a family member. Four different lawyers we know said the same thing - call Chris Hoffmann. On another level.
Response from the owner:This is such a great compliment. Most of our cases come from prior client or lawyers that also do car accidents cases but the particular case is too large or too difficult. Being a lawyer and an accountant, we specialize in cases with total lost of income, earning capacity and/or often the inability to continue a family business. Evaluations such as these are second nature for our lawyers. Thanks.
This attorney is very smart, very experienced, returns phone calls and knows the answers when asked. One call and I knew this was a great law firm for auto accidents.
Response from the owner:Our law firm appreciates this. This is a comment we get from so many people who call…”none of the lawyers we called told me all the things that you did.” Whether we take a car accident case or not, helping people is a good thing.
5 Star Lawyer for sure! Best you will find in Saint Louis.
Response from the owner:Thanks for the 5 Star Rating. Reviews like this are great. Injury victims quickly figure out the TV advertisers are not good. We work hard at being the best we can be and it reflects in our representation of car accident victims.
Watch this lawyer in action. Was way better than all the others. Get this lawyer for an automobile accident for sure.
Response from the owner:Thanks for the recommendation. Besides doing cases, our attorneys train for this. Hard work, case knowledge and technique is key to success in car accident litigation.
Very pleased with The Hoffmann Law Firm. Lawyers are attentive, friendly and go the distance to force the settlement you want. The TV lawyers recommend low offers. This law firm gets the maximum.
Response from the owner:We get calls from car accident victims that had to fire the TV lawyers that they hired. They give the same two reasons: 1) they never spoke to a lawyer at the Big TV law firms, only a paralegal, and 2) the paralegal recommended they accept a low offer.
At our law firm, you only talk to the lawyer and if an offer is low we tell you to sue. Thanks!
Several lawyers said to call this lawyer because he is the best. You will appreciate this law firm. Helped with the injury and property claims. Attentive and knowledgeable. Great reputation in St Louis.
Response from the owner:Thanks Lexi. Our #1 source of cases is other lawyers referring us cases that are too big for them to handle.
Would use this accident law firm. Best in Saint Louis. Highly rated and it shows. After one phone call, you just know this attorney is better. 5 Stars!!
Response from the owner:Thanks for recommending our lawyers in St Louis. There is a major difference in lawyers as you well know.
Car accident lawyers on tv are not good . Get this attorney ! He is a pro !!
Response from the owner:Thanks Nathan. TV lawyers market for car accidents, use paralegals instead of lawyers and give their employees settlement quotas hence forcing cheap settlements. At our law firm, you get a lawyer who keeps pushing forward for more.
Quality lawyer. Best law firm for a car accident. Advice was way better than other lawyers I called in St. Louis. Helped with property and injury.
Response from the owner:Thanks. The TV lawyer advertisers are just car accident settlement mills. As soon as people call a real attorney, they always tell us how much better and more helpful we were. Appreciate this.
This lawyer is big time. Smooth. The other lawyers on the other side were not nearly as good as this attorney. I recommend friends in St Louis to him for accident injuries and they all say the same thing…”that lawyer is great.”
Response from the owner:Very nice of you to say. Our lawyers work hard on auto accident cases.
Family used this car accident attorney after a crash. Located in St Louis. This lawyer answers the phone and will walk you through the process. Knows his stuff!
Response from the owner:Taking calls, going over the car accident injury and property process is important. Clients that call always say we are the only lawyers that explained everything. Much appreciated.
Tried the lawyers on TV. They were not good. Hired this car accident lawyer instead because he had great reviews. The reviews are correct. This attorney is as good as they get. He does big injury cases that need to be litigated.
Response from the owner:Car accident lawyers on TV do not litigate cases. It is mass production. They have quotas. Local attorneys are best on auto accidents.
Used this attorney for an auto accident. Highly recommend this lawyer in St. Louis. Communicates well.
Response from the owner:Communicating with clients is essential. Taking the client though the car accident claims process is important otherwise major mistakes can occur. It is an effort that we make. Thanks!
Fantastic law firm, I would recommend! Received free consultation related to an auto accident when my parked car was damaged by a baseball. Very supportive advice, these guys are good!
Response from the owner:Thanks Tana. Appreciate this!
Adherence to road rules may help cyclists avoid accidents with motor vehicles. The “side-of-the-road” rule requires cyclists to use bike lanes on public roads. However, bike accidents may still happen for numerous reasons, including:
A person opening a car door will nearly always be at fault since the law requires a cyclist to pass close to parked cars, and doors cannot be opened unless it is safe.
Cyclists should use the right side of the road if they cannot keep up with motor vehicle traffic. Cyclists are required to use bike lanes if these are provided. A cyclist should only leave the bike lane or the side of the road:
If the cyclist can keep up with the traffic
If the space for the bike lane is restricted
When making left turns
To avoid obstructions
Space Provided To Passing Vehicles
Motor vehicles are required to provide a three-foot space while they are passing. However, it takes work to recreate an incident accurately, making it difficult for trucks, buses, and SUVs. Motor vehicles should avoid passing cyclists using the road unless it is already safe. Motorists should slow down and wait for an excellent opportunity to pass, and cyclists are not required to allow the motorist to pass except in the far right lane.
If the vehicle that hit the cyclist is larger than a standard vehicle, the width of the bicycle and traffic lane should be measured. The cyclist can have an advantage in the claim if the extra width of the car makes passing safely problematic.
Right-of-Way Right Turn
A car turning right is among the most common accidents involving cyclists. Cars may slow down while making a right turn into the path of a cyclist or turn right without seeing the cyclist. The motorist is at fault in these instances since the vehicle can only turn when it is already safe to do so. The side-of-the-road rule allows cyclists to continue driving through intersections without stopping for right-turning motorists.
Bicyclist Hit By Car in St. Louis
So, what should you do if you get hit by a car while riding your bike in St. Louis? Take the following steps: work with an experienced St. Louis bike accident lawyer to get the compensation you deserve.
Call 911 To Get Police & EMS At The Scene Immediately If you can, call 911 to get emergency medical treatment and to get the police to the accident scene immediately. Otherwise, a witness should call 911. Bike accidents with cars almost always result in significant injuries, so you may need to get treatment from EMS, and the police should come to the scene to document the crash site.
Get Contact Information From Witnesses If possible, get contact information from witnesses. If you are injured and can’t do this, ask someone. Drivers will often try to make crashes with bikes seem like the cyclist’s fault, so you must have multiple people who can back up your version of events, particularly if you want to pursue damages.
Take Photos Of The Scene, If Possible Taking photos of your bike, your injuries, the car that hit you, its license plate, and other things can help you document the crash and build a stronger case. Again, you can ask a witness to do this if you’re seriously injured. The police should also do this, but having your own documentation is helpful, too.
Tell Your Version Of Events & Get A Copy Of The Incident Report The police will interview you to learn what happened. Ensure you are clear about what happened and the laws the driver violated when you were hit. You should get information from the police after the incident, like a case number. Contact the police to get a copy of the incident report and ensure it’s accurate. If there are mistakes or the report is inaccurate, you can contact the police to correct these problems—particularly if you have evidence that contradicts the police’s claims.
Speak With an Experienced Bike Accident Lawyer You should always speak with a bike accident lawyer if you plan to file a claim with the driver’s insurance company – or pursue further damages for personal injury. A lawyer will help you build the best case and avoid common mistakes throughout the legal process.
Proving Liability and Damages in Bicycle Accidents
Many people driving cars and trucks don’t look for bicycles or believe they don’t belong in traffic. In Missouri, however, bicyclists have the right to travel on the side of the road as long as they abide by traffic laws.
When handling a cyclist injury claim, we interview witnesses, gather evidence, and work with seasoned investigators to identify who was at fault. We also analyze the bike and car damage and examine the accident scene. We then prepare a strong case that proves the driver’s fault in causing the bicycle accident.
Frequent causes of bicycle accidents include:
The driver was driving drunk
The driver wasn’t looking when they pulled into traffic from a parking lot or driveway and crashed into the cyclist.
The driver was looking in the wrong direction when turning and hit the bike rider in the intersection.
We regularly retain the services of some of the top medical professionals in the St. Louis area. These experts offer testimony regarding the extent of our client’s injuries, past and future medical treatment costs, and any permanent disabilities resulting from the bike accident.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bike Accidents
What should I do immediately after a bike accident?
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After a bike accident, ensure your safety and seek medical attention. Document the accident scene with photos, gather contact information from witnesses, and report the accident to the police. Avoid negotiating with the other party or admitting fault at the scene.
How can I claim compensation after a bike accident?
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To claim compensation, it’s crucial to prove that another party was at fault. Collect evidence such as witness statements, police reports, and medical records. Contact a bike accident lawyer in St. Louis to help you navigate the claims process and negotiate with insurance companies.
What are common challenges in winning a damage claim for a bike accident?
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Common challenges include proving liability, dealing with insurance companies that may attempt to undervalue your claim, and overcoming biases against cyclists. A knowledgeable lawyer can help address these challenges and strengthen your case.
How can I improve my chances of a successful compensation claim after a bike accident?
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Enhance your chances by promptly seeking legal advice, thoroughly documenting the accident and your injuries, and following through with all medical treatments. A skilled attorney can guide you in building a compelling case and handling negotiations.
What compensation might I be eligible for after a bike accident?
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Compensation can cover medical expenses, lost wages, bike repairs, and non-economic damages such as pain and suffering. The specific compensation will depend on the details of your case, the extent of your injuries, and the impact on your life.
Free Consultation with a St. Louis Car Accident Lawyer
Don’t talk to an insurance claims adjuster before speaking with The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C. We can help you avoid making statements that may affect the outcome of your case. The consultation is free; you don’t pay unless we get you money!
