Pennsylvania Bicycle Accident Lawyer

Since 1981, Attorney Thomas Newell has been the personal injury lawyer chosen by many injury victims in Eastern Pennsylvania.  Some of his clients have been injured in bicycle accident cases.

Click here for Bicycle Accident Settlements

Set forth below are a few questions and answers
regarding bicycle accident cases and the PA Vehicle Code:

Should I hire a bicycle accident lawyer to protect my legal rights after being hit by a car on Rt. 309 near Lansdale, PA?

• The negligent driver of the automobile who hit you is being represented by a professional who is only looking out for their interests.
• Shouldn't your bicycle accident claim be handled by an attorney with 28 years of experience representing personal injury victims - just like you?

I was riding my bicycle against the flow of traffic on Cedar Crest Blvd. in Allentown, PA when I had a collision with a car.  Who was at fault for the bicycle accident?

• The Pennsylvania Vehicle Code requires that a bicycle operator ride their bike in the same direction as the motor vehicles on the road.
• However, your violation does not permit the car driver to drive negligently, but your conduct could seriously limit your bicycle accident attorney's ability to successfully resolve your personal injury claim.

Please CONTACT ME to have a bicycle accident lawyer with 28 years of experience review your personal injury claim.

My 9 year-old son was sitting on the handlebars of a bicycle driven by a teenaged neighbor in Bethlehem, PA.  The bicycle operator lost control and my son fell and broke his jaw.  Do we have a bicycle accident claim?

• It is illegal for a bicycle rider to permit a passenger to be on the bicycle unless there is a specific seat on the bicycle for the passenger - which is the only place on which he can sit.

I was riding my bicycle on Washington St. in Easton, PA when a car turned into me causing me to be thrown from my bicycle.  How soon do I need to hire a bicycle accident attorney?

• The sooner you hire an experienced professional, such as Attorney Newell, the sooner the aggressive representation of your bicycle accident case can begin.

Please go to CLIENT REVIEWS to obtain information regarding the experiences of over 20 of Attorney Newell's former personal injury clients.

I am the member of a bicycle club and we frequently ride in a group of 9 or 10 at a time.  Can we operate our bicycles together in the same lane?

• The Pennsylvania Vehicle Code only permits 2 bicycle riders to ride abreast on a public roadway.
• The only time more than 2 can ride abreast is if the bicyclists are using a part of a road or path which is exclusively set aside for use by bicycles.

I often ride my bicycle at night in Stroudsburg, PA.  Am I required to have an illuminated front headlight?

• Yes.  Your bicycle must have both a front headlight on, as well as a red rear reflector in place.  These safety features are designed to try to prevent a bicycle accident from occurring.

I was riding my bicycle on a sidewalk in a residential neighborhood outside of Quakertown, PA when I had a bicycle accident with a pedestrian.  Who has the right-of-way in that bicycle accident case?

• A bicycle driver using a sidewalk must yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and is required to give an audible sound before overtaking and passing a pedestrian.

Please visit HOME for information regarding Attorney Newell's experience and qualifications to represent bicycle accident victims.

What is the age requirement for bicycle riders and the use of helmets?

• Any person under 21 who operates a bicycle or is a passenger on a bicycle must wear a helmet.

My 8 year-old daughter was riding her bicycle in Doylestown, PA when a car hit her.  If we make a bicycle accident claim, can the lawyer representing the driver tell a jury that my daughter wasn't wearing her helmet at the time of the bicycle accident?

• No.  There is a specific section of the PA Vehicle Code that prohibits the lawyer's attempt to introduce into evidence the failure of the bicyclist to use a helmet.

Bicycle Accident Settlements 

Listed below are summaries of bicycle accident cases that Attorney Newell has successfully resolved.  Of course, each bicycle accident claim must be evaluated through an analysis of relevant factors - including the age of the personal injury victim, their specific injuries and violations of the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code.

The settlement amount Attorney Newell obtained for one bicycle accident victim does not guarantee the same recovery in another personal injury case.

Northampton County, PA

$45,000.00

An Easton, PA resident was bicycling on Willow Park Road in Easton when a car made a left turn directly in front of him causing a bicycle accident.  The personal injury victim sustained a clavicle fracture.

The Lehigh Valley native was taken to St. Luke's Hospital in Bethlehem where surgery was performed.  A rod with attached pins and wires was installed to help stabilize the bicycle accident victim's shoulder.  Unfortunately, the Easton resident's shoulder became infected necessitating a second surgery.

Once the bicycle accident victim regained full range of motion of his shoulder, the orthopaedic hardware was removed.  Attorney Newell obtained a $45,000.00 settlement for this bicycle accident victim.

Northampton County, PA

$50,000.00

A gentleman from Bethlehem, PA was riding his bicycle near his home.  Unbelievably, a cable had been negligently strung across the street and it caught him in the neck.  The bicycle accident victim was thrown off his bike and he hit the street, with his face and shoulder striking the asphalt.

The Lehigh Valley victim was transported by ambulance to Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown, Pennsylvania.  He was admitted to the Trauma Center and numerous x-rays and CT-Scans were taken.  The bicyclist sustained two fractures around his eye which were described as a fracture of the lamina papyracea and a deep orbital floor fracture.

As a result of ongoing complaints regarding his shoulder, an x-ray was taken which showed a comminuted fracture of the humeral neck.  Ongoing difficulties with his vision required the bicycle accident victim to be evaluated by an eye specialist from Bethlehem.

After his discharge from the hospital, the Bethlehem resident received physical therapy from a rehabilitation expert in the Lehigh Valley.  The condition of his shoulder was also evaluated by an orthopaedic surgeon from Allentown who ultimately released him to return to his full prior active lifestyle.

Attorney Newell negotiated with a representative from the cable company and obtained a $50,000.00 payment for the bicycle accident victim.

Monroe County, PA

A young boy from the Pocono Mts. was involved in a bicycle accident on Rt. 534.  The Effort, PA resident was turning into a gas station when he was hit by a motorcycle.  The bicyclist was thrown off the bike and landed on his left side.

The bicycle accident victim was taken by ambulance to Pocono Medical Center in East Stroudsburg, PA.  Two staples were used to close a laceration on his elbow.  The road rash on the bicyclist's body was treated by the ER physicians.

After his discharge, the personal injury victim was evaluated by a plastic surgeon from the Stroudsburg area who monitored his nasal fracture.  Attorney Newell negotiated a settlement on behalf of the PA bicycle accident victim which was approved by Judge Peter J. O'Brien of the Monroe County Court of Common Pleas.

Lehigh County, PA

A teenager was riding his bicycle adjacent to Tilghman Street in Allentown when his front tire hit a depression in the sidewalk.  The bike stopped and the bicycle accident victim flew over the handlebars and crashed face first into the sidewalk.

The Allentown, PA resident sustained a fractured jaw and a fractured hand, as well as a broken tooth which was extracted by a Lehigh Valley dentist.  An Allentown orthopaedic surgeon placed the bicyclist's right hand in a cast for a month.

A settlement of this bicycle accident claim was only reached after Attorney Newell filed suit versus the negligent Allentown homeowner for not properly repairing her sidewalk.

Disclaimer

Attorney Thomas Newell provides the content of this website for informational purposes only.  Nothing provided in this website should be interpreted as being legal advice.  The laws in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania regarding personal injury law are constantly evolving and changing.  You are strongly advised to hire a bicycle accident lawyer licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania.