Posted in Bicycle Accident on December 18, 2014
Earlier this month in Culleoka, a local dentist was killed when he was struck by a vehicle while riding his bike. According to a report by one local news source, the dentist was riding his bicycle on Station Road at around 6:22 in the morning when the fatal bicycle accident occurred.
Evidently, the vehicle was traveling around a corner when it crashed into the dentist riding his bike. Emergency responders pronounced the dentist dead at the scene of the accident. It is unclear whether the dentist was wearing a helmet. Reports indicate that another rider was with the dentist at the time of the accident, but he was not hit by the vehicle and was not injured.
This marks the fifth fatal bicycle accident this year on Tennessee roads. Last year, there were a total of eight fatal accidents. Unless the unanticipated happens, this year we are on track to have fewer fatal bicycle accidents.
Bicyclists’ Rights and Responsibilities
By law, bicyclists are supposed to ride in the road and follow all posted traffic laws. This means that bicyclists not only have a right to be on the road, but it is their responsibility to ride on the road with other motorized vehicles. The flip side of that responsibility is that bicyclists have every right to be on the road along with cars. However, sometimes other drivers don’t treat bicycles with the respect and care that they deserve.
Along those lines, it is important that bicyclists and motorists both understand that everyone who uses the road has a responsibility to everyone else on the road. This duty requires that motorists and bicyclists operate their vehicles in a safe manner. If a driver violates this duty while causing an accident, he or she may be held liable to the accident victim.
Bicycle Accidents in Tennessee
Each year in Tennessee, hundreds of cyclists are seriously injured in car accidents caused by negligent or careless drivers. It seems as though the accident mentioned above occurred when a vehicle was traveling around a blind corner and couldn’t see that there was a bicyclist in the road. This is a common type of bicycle accident, and often a fatal one.
If you have been involved in any kind of bicycle accident in Tennessee, contact a dedicated personal injury attorney.
Are You in Need of an Attorney?
If you or a loved one has recently been involved in a bicycle accident in Tennessee, you may be entitled to monetary damages based on the driver’s negligence. To learn more about how you may be able to recover for an accident that you have been in, call Matt Hardin Law, a preeminent Nashville personal injury law firm. The skilled and dedicated attorneys at Matt Hardin Law have years of experience bringing personal injury cases of all kinds, including those arising out of bicycle accidents. Call 615-200-1111 to set up a free consultation with a Tennessee personal injury attorney today.
See Related Blog Posts:
Man Arrested in Clarksville after Causing Hit-and-Run Accident on I-24, Nashville Injury Lawyer’s Blog, published December 17, 2014.
5 Common Causes of Auto Accidents, Nashville Injury Lawyer’s Blog, published November 14, 2014.
