GRESHAM BICYCLE
ACCIDENT LAWYER

We Represent Bicycle Accident 
Victims in Gresham and Throughout Oregon

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If you have been hurt in a bike accident, you likely deserve monetary compensation for your injuries. To obtain the full settlement you deserve, you will have to work with an insurance company, either your own or that of the negligent party. It’s usually better to do that while working with a personal injury law firm.

Dealing with the insurance companies is usually never easy. Insurance is a big business and insurers are far more interested in protecting their own bottom line than they are your safety and well-being. To claim the full damages you are entitled to, it is important to work with a Gresham bike accident lawyer who can protect your rights and help get you that compensation you are entitled to!

Oregon Bicycle
Laws in Gresham

It is important for all cyclists to comply with Oregon’s bicycle laws. If you do not, you could be found partly at fault for an accident, which will ultimately reduce the total damages you are entitled to. For example, if you used the roadway and were hurt while cycling down the middle of the road, you could be found at fault if you were not trying to pass, turn, or avoid a dangerous object.

Whether you are involved in an accident or just out for a beautiful ride, there are many bicycle laws in Gresham. It is important to know what these laws are, so you can make sure your rights are protected, and to ensure you are in compliance with the law. If you do not comply with the law, it may hurt any future claim you file and result in a reduction of damages. Some of the most important bicycle laws in Gresham are as follows:

• Required equipment: Anyone who is under the age of 16 years old must wear a bicycle helmet while on their bike and on public property or public roads. All bicycles must also be equipped with a braking system that allows the bike to stop within 15 feet from a speed of ten miles per hour on level, dry, clean pavement. White light must also be used in conditions of limited visibility and must show a distance of at least 500 feet from the front of the bike. Lighting devices and red reflectors are also required pieces of bicycle equipment.
• Locations cyclists can ride: Bicyclists can ride on either the sidewalk or the road in Gresham. When using the roadway, cyclists should use bike lanes when they are available. If there is no bike lane available, cyclists should remain on the right side of the road unless turning, passing, or avoiding a hazard.

If you are wanting to know all of the biking laws, contact one of our Gresham bicycle accident lawyers today for info on where to find them all. If you are an injured cyclists due to one or more motor vehicles hitting you, call our law office today for your free consultation!

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What Duty Do Motorists Owe Cyclists
in Gresham?

Motorists and cyclists alike have a legal duty to each other to focus on the road in front of them and to use reasonable care in an effort to avoid a bicycle accidents. In relation to cyclists, motor vehicle drivers have specific obligations to people on bikes. All drivers must yield to cyclists in bike lanes, as well as to cyclists on sidewalks. This latter situation usually occurs when a motorist is trying to enter or exit a driveway and strikes a bicyclist because they do not look to ensure the way is clear.

When passing a bicyclist, motorists must also use extra caution. Drivers can only use the left side to pass a cyclist and they must provide enough distance when they do. A safe distance is one that is reasonably sufficient to prevent coming into contact with the cyclist. Unfortunately, too many drivers violate the law and cause to many that was entirely preventable. When that occurs, it is likely to result in the most serious of injuries, and even wrongful death, for the cyclist.

Types of Bicycle
Accident Cases We Handle

Cyclists become hurt in a number of ways when they are sharing the road with drivers. Some of the most common types of bike accidents in Gresham are as follows:

• Left hook accidents: A left hook accident occurs when a cyclist is traveling in one direction and a motorist is traveling in the other direction. Both approach an intersection that does not have stop signs or traffic lights. The motorist fails to see a cyclist and turns left, striking the person on the bike as they do.
• Right hook accidents: Right hook accidents are similar to left hook accidents. In these cases though, the driver is traveling in the same direction as the cyclist and makes a right turn, hitting the biker as they do.
• Parking lot accidents: Many parking lots throughout Gresham have cars, pedestrians, and cyclists all moving in different directions. When motorists do not look where they are going and fail to yield to cyclists, it can result in a serious accident.
• Dooring accidents: Due to the vast amount of on-street parking in Gresham, dooring accidents are quite common. These collisions occur when a motorist parks their vehicle and opens their door without looking in their side mirror. Failing to see an approaching cyclist, the driver continues to open their door, and the cyclist ends up crashing into it. Dooring accidents are not only common, but they can result in catastrophic injuries.
• Side mirror accidents: Just as side mirrors can prevent accidents, they can also cause collisions. In most cases, this happens when a driver does not give a cyclist the proper amount of space they are legally entitled to while on the road. The motorist gets too close and the side mirror of the vehicle hits the cyclist.