Oregon Injury Lawyer Blog
Traveling by bicycle offers bicyclists many benefits. It is a great way to stay healthy, to take in our area’s beautiful scenery, and to reduce one’s pollution output. Unfortunately, recent headlines paint a dangerous picture for bicyclists in and around Portland. Speeding drivers, inattentive/distracted drivers, intoxicated drivers, and other negligent drivers are dangerous to everyone who shares the road, but a wreck that impacts a bicyclist often involves serious or fatal injuries. Because a catastrophic or fatal accident often involves many steps like insurance claims, civil lawsuits, or both, it is well worth your while to retain a skilled Oregon bicycle accident lawyer who can help you understand your rights and all your options for getting justice.
One of those recent bicycle accidents occurred in Southeast Portland. OregonLive reported that a vehicle driver and a bicyclist crashed near the intersection of SE 145th Avenue and SE Powell Boulevard at around 7:00 pm on July 13. The bicyclist died from his injuries on July 14.
According to the report, the vehicle driver, who was shoeless, had “bloodshot eyes and smelled like alcohol.” The driver also allegedly “appeared to be struggling to walk in a straight line or talk.”
On July 12, a hit-and-run driver crashed into a bicyclist in Washington County, flinging the bicyclist into a ditch, where she remained until passersby found her early the next morning. The collision, which occurred along NW Dairy Creek Road, left the bicyclist with “serious leg and facial injuries,” according to the local sheriff’s office.
In addition to these news stories, statistics illustrate the elevated risk bicyclists face. According to the IIHS, 1,155 bicyclists were killed in collisions with vehicles in 2023. That figure was the highest ever recorded. Data from the CDC shows that, although bicycle trips represent only 1% of all trips in this country, bicyclist deaths are roughly double that rate, or 2% of all crash fatalities.
In the recent Southeast Portland crash, police believe alcohol was a factor. That is disturbingly common. According to the CDC, roughly “one-third of crashes that result in a bicyclist’s death involve alcohol.”
Insurance Coverage and Your Bicycle Accident
As this information illustrates, bicycle accidents often inflict massive harm. Given that inevitable reality, it is vital to understand what options you have available for financial recovery.
One of those is an insurance claim (or claims). Even though you were not operating a motor vehicle when you got hurt in a bicycle-versus-vehicle crash, your auto insurance coverage may be a helpful place to turn. If you have auto insurance coverage, or even if you merely live with somebody else who has auto insurance, the policy’s Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage can help. That coverage can potentially pay tens of thousands of dollars — the legal minimum for PIP in Oregon is $15,000 — of your initial medical bills. If your injuries trigger an absence from work, PIP coverage can also help with income replacement benefits.
These local news reports should remind all bicyclists who have auto insurance of the importance of regularly reviewing their coverage and ensuring that they have enough protection. Given today’s costs as well as the prevalence of drivers on the road with only a state-minimum policy (or no insurance at all), having at least $100,000/$300,000 in underinsured/uninsured motorist protection should be a part of every bicyclist’s auto insurance coverage.
If you have questions about compensation for bicycle accidents — whether via insurance claims or civil action — we are here to provide you with honest, reliable, and straightforward answers. To find out more, reach out to the Oregon bicycle accident attorneys at Kaplan Law LLC. Call (503) 226-3844 today or contact us online to schedule your free consultation.
