Bicycle Accidents Involving Children

Many parents are excited when their children learn to ride bikes. They may ride their bikes to school, the park, or a friend's house. However, many children under the age of 16 are seriously injured or killed in bicycle accidents each year. Many motorists are insufficiently attuned to the possibility that a child bicyclist may be on the side of the road, and they may be texting while driving or otherwise distracted. If your child has been injured in a bicycle accident in East Tennessee, it is important to retain legal representation from someone who understands how devastating these accidents may be. Maryville bicycle accident lawyer Mark Hartsoe knows that the injuries from a bicycle accident may be lifelong, and he works hard to pursue the greatest possible compensation for child victims. Hartsoe has years of experience representing children and is honored to help these vulnerable injured victims.

Bicycle accidents may be devastating, due to the total lack of protection that bicyclists have against the force of a larger vehicle. Too often, drivers of larger vehicles fail to yield to a cyclist, turn directly into a cyclist, try to pass a bicycle even though there is not enough space, or fail to look behind them before opening a car door into a bicyclist. Sometimes drivers stop and offer help, but at other times there may be a hit and run. When the victim in such an accident is your child, the physical injuries may have long-term repercussions, including paralysis or brain trauma, and the coming months may be emotionally challenging for everyone in the family.

As with motor vehicle accidents involving adults, in most bicycle accident cases involving children, you will need to establish a driver's negligence. This means that you will need to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the driver failed to drive safely and thus was the cause of your child's injuries. It is well-settled under Tennessee law that when a driver is aware of the presence of children, the driver must take a greater amount of care to drive safely and take account of the possibility of impulsive or childish behavior. Courts have found that drivers need to keep a special lookout for children once they become aware of them, and a failure to do so is negligent.

If your child suffered injuries, you may be able to recover compensation for medical expenses, services, therapy, rehabilitation, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment, and mental anguish on their behalf.

In some cases, a driver will argue that you or your child was at least partially at fault for the accident. The jury may determine the total damages as well as the fault of each party involved. As long as your child’s or your fault is less than the combined negligence of all of the other involved parties, you may be able to recover compensation.

When your child is hurt due to someone else's negligence, it is important to enlist an attorney who will work hard to pursue a satisfying outcome. Knowledgeable Maryville bicycle accident attorney Mark Hartsoe is ready to represent you during this difficult time. Call the Hartsoe Law Firm at 865-804-1011 or contact us via our online form for a free consultation. Mark Hartsoe represents people throughout East Tennessee who need a motor vehicle collision attorney, including in Knox, Blount, Monroe, Loudon, Jefferson, Grainger, Cocke, Campbell, Hamblen, Greene, Anderson, Cumberland, and Fentress Counties.