Bicycle Accident Attorney

FaultWho Is at Fault When a Car Hits a Bicycle

In Washington, a cyclist riding on the road has the same rights and duties as the driver of a vehicle (RCW 46.61.755). Fault turns on who broke the rules of the road — and in car-versus-bike crashes, that is frequently the driver. The collisions we see most often include:

• Left-turn and right-hook crashes — a driver turning across or into a cyclist's path at an intersection or driveway.
• "Dooring" — a parked driver opening a door directly into a rider's path.
• Failure to yield at intersections, driveways, and parking-lot exits.
• Trail-to-roadway crossings — where a shared path like the Foothills Trail or the Puyallup Riverwalk Trail meets an arterial and riders enter faster-moving traffic.

Washington also asks cyclists to ride as near to the right as is safe and practicable, with important exceptions for passing, turning, and avoiding hazards (RCW 46.61.770). Insurers sometimes misuse that rule to shift blame onto a rider. Around the firm's South Hill office, the Meridian Ave and Hwy 512 corridors put cyclists alongside higher-speed arterial traffic, where these disputes come up often — and where knowing the actual statutes matters.

Comparative FaultPartial Fault Doesn't Erase Your Right to Compensation

This is the single most common misconception we hear from injured cyclists — and it stops people from pursuing valid claims.

This page provides general information about Washington law and is not legal advice. The rules that apply to your case depend on its specific facts; contact us to discuss your situation.

Be HonestWhen You Might Not Need a Lawyer

Not every bike crash needs an attorney, and we'll tell you so. If your crash caused only property damage — a damaged bike, no injury — and the driver's insurer is already cooperating on a fair repair, you can often handle that yourself without paying for representation.

It's a different story if any of these are true, and they're the signs it's worth a free call before you do anything else:

• You were hospitalized or needed significant medical care.
• You have any concussion or head-injury symptoms.
• The police report is disputed or gets the crash wrong.
• An adjuster is pushing you for a recorded statement or a fast settlement.

The ProcessHow a Bicycle Accident Claim Moves Forward

From a client's perspective, a bicycle accident claim generally moves through these stages:

1. Free consultation to review your injuries, the crash, and who is responsible.
2. Investigation — the police report, scene photos, witness statements, and the applicable insurance policies.
3. Demand to the at-fault driver's insurer, with your medical documentation and losses laid out.
4. Negotiation, with the insurance company's communications routed through us rather than to you.
5. Litigation, only if needed — filed before Washington's deadline if the insurer won't resolve the claim fairly.

Our South Hill office sits near the Meridian Ave and Hwy 512 corridors, and you work directly with Rob Lloyd and Tim Greene — personalized, contingency-fee representation, not case-number treatment.

Protect YourselfWhat to Avoid Saying to an Insurance Adjuster

After a crash, the at-fault driver's insurer may call quickly and sound helpful. Be careful — a few early missteps can hurt an otherwise strong claim:

• Don't give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurer before you've spoken with an attorney.
• Don't guess at or accept a share of fault. You may not have all the facts yet, and an offhand comment can be used to shift blame.
• Don't downplay your injuries before a full medical evaluation. Concussion and soft-tissue symptoms often surface days later.

You can, of course, be completely candid with your own attorney — that conversation is protected, and the more we know, the better we can protect your claim.