What Could Limit a Bicyclist’s Recovery?
Unfortunately, defense attorneys for negligent drivers and insurance companies both often try to shift the blame for bike accidents onto injured cyclists, and if a court agrees with their argument, the end result may be a significant reduction in a bicyclist’s recoverable damages. In fact, under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code §33.001, a claimant found more than 50 percent to blame for their own injuries cannot recover compensation at all, even if someone else is still partially at fault.
On top of that, TX Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §16.003 sets a two-year statutory filing deadline on all personal injury claims filed in the state of Texas, including those based on bicycle collisions. If a prospective claimant does not file suit within two years of discovering their injuries, or if they do not have a bike wreck lawyer in the area do so for them, they will almost certainly be barred from seeking any restitution for that particular incident.