Pittsburgh
Bicycle Accident Lawyer

If you were struck by a vehicle while riding your bike in Pittsburgh, PA, we can help you hold the driver liable and pursue damages. The Pittsburgh bicycle injury lawyers from Berger and Green are here to help. We will review your case for free, fight to protect your rights, and build a solid case to go after the at-fault driver.

Our Pittsburgh personal injury lawyers handle all injury accident cases on a contingency fee basis. You do not owe us any attorney’s fees or costs until we recover compensation in your case.

You can get started with a free case evaluation with a member of our team. For a free legal consultation with a bicycle accident lawyer serving Pittsburgh, call now.

Steps to Take After a Bicycle Accident in Pittsburgh

If you’re involved in a bicycle accident, your actions in the minutes and days following the crash can greatly affect the outcome of your case. Here’s what to do:

• Call 911: Always report the accident to the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, even if injuries seem minor. The police report will be key evidence.
• Get Medical Help: See a doctor immediately—even if you feel okay. Some injuries may not show symptoms right away.
• Document the Scene: If possible, take photos of your bike, the vehicle involved, road conditions, traffic signals, and your injuries.
• Collect Information: Get contact and insurance details from the driver and contact information for any witnesses.
• Do Not Admit Fault: Even saying “I’m sorry” can be twisted by insurers to place blame on you.
• Contact a Lawyer ASAP: The sooner you contact our bicycle accident lawyers, the sooner they can begin protecting your rights and preserving critical evidence.

The aftermath of a crash is often overwhelming and stressful but our firm is here to help you during this difficult time.

Recoverable Damages in a Bicycle Accident Case in Pittsburgh, PA

The damages that may be available to you following a Pittsburgh bicycle accident case should compensate you for your accident-related expenses and losses. As a part of investigating your case, we collect evidence of your costs and calculate a value to put on your non-economic losses.

Types of Economic Damages in a Bicycle Accident Case

Economic damages are losses with inherent costs tied to them. Some financial damages we can include in your bicycle accident claim or lawsuit include:

• Medical care costs
• Ongoing care costs
• Lost wages
• Diminished earning capacity
• Property damages
• Out-of-pocket costs

Types of Non-Economic Damages in a Bicycle Accident Case

Non-economic damages do not have an inherent monetary value. These are losses associated with the accident’s impact on your life. The Pittsburgh bicycle lawyers at Berger and Green can include the following non-economic losses in your case:

• Physical pain
• Emotional suffering
• Other psychological damages

Wrongful Death Damages

If your loved one passed away following a Pittsburgh bicycle accident, you might be able to recover additional compensation for your family by filing a wrongful death action in civil court. We can help you understand the recoverable damages in this type of case, explain your eligibility, and handle your case on your behalf.

Some wrongful death damages you could be entitled to include:

• Funeral and burial costs
• Final medical expenses
• The decedent’s pain and suffering before death
• Loss of consortium
• Loss of parental guidance

You Only Have a Short Time to Take Legal Action and Hold the At-Fault Party Liable

Under Pennsylvania law, there is a statute of limitations of two years in any personal injury case, according to Pa. C.S.A. § 5524. This means we only have two years from the date of your accident to take legal action against the at-fault party. If we do not act by this date, we may not be able to file a personal injury lawsuit to recover compensation in your case.

We encourage you to reach out to our team as soon as possible after your accident. We can go to work protecting your rights and investigating your case. We can even meet with you in the hospital or at your home if necessary, because you are undergoing treatment or rehabilitation.

Our Lawyers Handle All Types of Pittsburgh Bicycle Accident Cases

In Pittsburgh, bicycle crashes often occur on busy corridors like Liberty Avenue or Boulevard of the Allies, where distracted or impatient drivers fail to yield to cyclists or check blind spots—especially in congested neighborhoods like Oakland, Shadyside, and the South Side.

At Berger and Green, we offer free case reviews to identify all potentially responsible parties. Once we’ve evaluated your situation, a Pittsburgh bicycle accident lawyer from our team will build a strong case to pursue compensation on your behalf. Potentially liable parties may include:

• Negligent Motorists: Drivers who fail to yield, don’t check blind spots, or disobey traffic laws can be held responsible for collisions with bicyclists.
• Government Entities: If poor road design or hazards like obscured signs contributed to your accident, a city or township may be liable.
• Vehicle or Part Manufacturers: Defective brakes, tires, or other components may point to the automaker or parts manufacturer.
• Employers: If the at-fault driver was on the job, their employer may be vicariously liable for your damages.

We’ll help determine liability and fight for the compensation you deserve.

Let a Pittsburgh Bicycle Accident Lawyer at Berger and Green Help You

At Berger and Green, we can help you pursue the compensation you need to recover from your injuries. Our firm has more than four decades of experience handling personal injury cases, and our team knows what it takes to build a strong case.

Let us go to work for you today. We offer free case reviews.

We Will Investigate Your Case

To recover compensation following a bicycle accident, we need to show the other party’s negligence. To do so, we will gather evidence to prove the following criteria:

• Duty of care: We must show the negligent party was responsible for acting reasonably to keep you safe.
• Breach of duty: The defendant must have done something negligent that broke their duty of care, such as violating traffic laws.
• Causation: We need to show that their breach of duty caused your bicycle accident.
• Damages: You now suffer injuries and financial and emotional losses because of the accident which an award can help with.

We will call in accident reconstruction specialists, medical experts, and others to help us understand what happened and prove your case. The evidence we can gather to build your case includes:

• The police report
• Your medical records
• Traffic camera footage
• Security footage from nearby businesses or residences
• Witness statements

We Will Negotiate a Settlement on Your Behalf

Next, we will use the case we built against the negligent party to negotiate a settlement for you. We will likely seek compensation from the negligent driver’s insurance company, but other parties we can handle communications with include:

• The at-fault driver
• The at-fault driver’s legal team
• A corporation responsible for the accident
• A government agency responsible for maintaining the street

Most civil cases settle out of court, and we will work hard on your behalf to attempt to achieve a fair award. However, this is not always possible.

We Will File a Lawsuit if Needed

A lawyer from Berger and Green in Pittsburgh, PA, will not hesitate to file a lawsuit in civil court if that is what it takes to fight for the compensation you deserve after a bicycle accident.

Sometimes, insurance companies and liable parties are unwilling to compensate you fairly. If we believe you are entitled to an award, we will do everything in our power to achieve one.

Common Bicycle Accident Injuries and Their Legal Impact on Pittsburgh Accident Victims

Bicycle accidents often result in serious injuries, many of which can have long-term consequences. Common injuries include:

• Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs): Even with a helmet, cyclists can suffer TBIs, which may result in cognitive or emotional impairments in addition to physical trauma.
• Spinal Cord Injuries: These can lead to partial or full paralysis, drastically altering the victim’s quality of life and earning capacity.
• Fractures and Orthopedic Injuries: Broken bones may require surgery and lengthy rehabilitation.
• Internal Injuries: Damage to organs can be life-threatening and difficult to detect initially.
• Soft Tissue Damage and Road Rash: Painful, sometimes disfiguring, and may require skin grafts.

The severity and permanence of injuries directly impact the compensation you’re entitled to. We work with medical experts to document your injuries fully and connect them to the accident.

Pittsburgh Bicycle Accident FAQs

Our Pittsburgh bicycle accident lawyers understand that you may not know what to do following an accident. Your immediate attention should be on your injuries and getting proper medical care. But you’ll have plenty of questions about pursuing compensation, and we’ll have answers.

What Causes Bicycle Accidents?

Roadway accidents most often involve a collision between two vehicles. While accidents are experienced much more frequently by motorists, bicyclists are not free from risk.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 1,000 bicyclists died and more than 130,000 people were injured in bicycle-related accidents in 2022.

Children and adolescents ranging from 10 to 24 years of age often have the highest rates of non-fatal bike injuries, while adults from 55 to 69 years of age are more likely to suffer fatal injuries in a bicycle accident. Bicycle accidents can be attributed to a variety of factors, many of which can include other motorists:

• Failing to yield the right of way
• Failing to see bicyclists approaching at an intersection
• Failing to use turn signals
• Running red lights and stop signs
• Driving recklessly or aggressively
• Driving under the influence
• Failing to look both ways when crossing an intersection or turning
• Failing to leave sufficient space when sharing the road
• Opening car doors without checking mirrors (also known as “dooring”)
• Running into or backing over cyclists

How Can a Bicycle Accident Attorney in Pittsburgh Help?

If you’ve been injured in a bicycle accident, contacting an attorney as soon as possible can have a profound impact on the outcome of your case.

Early legal intervention ensures that time-sensitive evidence is preserved, witnesses are interviewed while memories are fresh, and no critical deadlines are missed.

Even seemingly straightforward cases can quickly become complex. Insurance companies often act fast to protect their bottom line—not your best interests—and any delay in hiring legal counsel can leave you vulnerable to their tactics.

By hiring a bicycle accident lawyer right away, you gain an advocate who can:

• Shield you from predatory insurer tactics
• Help you avoid making damaging statements
• Begin building a solid case from day one

With a lawyer in your corner, you can pursue the compensation you need without accepting a lowball settlement offer from the at-fault party’s insurance company. To that effect, a lawyer can make sure your losses are fairly assessed by:

• Reviewing police and accident reports
• Recreating the accident scene
• Gathering witness statements and testimonies
• Inspecting and documenting bicycle damage and your injuries
• Investigating the driving record and history of the alleged liable party
• Contacting expert witnesses, such as medical professionals and accident reconstruction specialists

Pennsylvania is a choice no-fault insurance state, which means you might work with your own provider for initial coverage through your personal injury protection (PIP).

A lawyer can help you sort out where to file a claim, determine when to step outside the no-fault system, and handle both insurers on your behalf.

How Do Insurance Companies Try to Undermine Bicycle Accident Claims?

Insurance companies often prioritize minimizing payouts, and they may use various tactics to reduce or deny your claim. Here’s what to watch for:

• Quick Settlement Offers: Insurers may offer you a fast payout that seems generous—until you realize it doesn’t cover future medical bills, lost wages, or emotional suffering.
• Requesting Recorded Statements: Adjusters might ask you to go on record early, hoping you’ll say something that can be twisted to imply fault or minimize your injuries.
• Disputing Liability: They may argue that you were partially or fully at fault for the accident, which could reduce the compensation you’re entitled to under Pennsylvania’s comparative negligence laws.
• Delaying Tactics: By dragging out the claims process, insurers hope financial pressure will push you into settling for less than your claim is worth.
• Downplaying Injuries: Insurance companies might argue that your injuries are not as serious as documented or that they were pre-existing.

The moment an insurance company contacts you, it’s in your best interest to direct them to your lawyer. We know their strategies and how to counter them—protecting your right to full and fair compensation.

Hire a Bicycle Accident Lawyer in Pittsburgh, PA

If you or a member of your family suffered injuries in a Pittsburgh, PA, bicycle accident, our team is standing by to take your call or respond to your text.

A lawyer from Berger and Green can help you understand the strength of your case, protect your rights, and build a solid argument to support our pursuit of compensation on your behalf.

Let us review your case for free today. You have nothing to lose. There is no obligation, and you owe us nothing until we recover damages in your case. Call or text us now to get started.