Were you Hurt in a Lime Bike Accident?

If a crash involves personal injury, property damage, or stolen merchandise, the user must file a report with the local police department within 24 hours. VBikes have silver frames and yellow wheels. They cost $2 an hour to rent or $14.95 a month for unlimited rides. Both Lime and VBikes operate similarly in that users download the companies’ mobile apps to their smartphone to locate a bicycle and unlock it. After a rider is done using a dockless bike, both companies encourage users to park the bicycles near a bike rack or in a location that does not obstruct sidewalks. As D Magazine described it, Dallas is a “freeway-choked” city “whose transportation infrastructure is often downright hostile to anything on fewer than four wheels.” The thousands of dockless bike rentals show there is indeed a demand for these kinds of services, but many people in the city are still adjusting to an increased presence of bicyclists in the city.

Were you hurt in a Lime Bike accident? If so, the Dallas bike-share accident lawyers of The Benton Law Firm can help you hold the responsible party accountable for what happened to you. We have the experience and resources you need on your side to get justice. In February 2018, D Magazine wrote that Dallas was “was an unlikely candidate to become the bike-share capital of North America,” but the nearly 20,000 bicycles in the city at that time were more than the 12,000 in New York or the 10,000 in Seattle. Dockless bikes, which allow people to rent bicycles without having to return them to specific stations or locations, began appearing in Dallas in August 2017 and quickly became quite popular. The San Mateo, California-based dockless bike-share company Lime reported in December that the company had 45,000 active riders who had pedaled 105,000 miles in a matter of months. As quickly as dockless bikes arrived in Dallas, the companies behind the bikes began to disappear.

Bike-share companies are responsible for making sure that the bicycles they are renting are safe to use. Any accident caused by a dangerous or defective bike could make the rental company liable for a victim’s injuries. In some cases, the bikes being rented may have defective parts that cause crashes. The manufacturer of that part could be liable if the part were defectively manufactured or designed. Texas laws do not do much to protect bicyclists. Riders are not required to wear helmets, and Texas Transportation Code § 545.053 only requires drivers to pass at a “safe distance” without specifying a certain number of feet. Bicyclists are susceptible to severe injuries when they are involved in almost any kind of motor vehicle accident. Most bicycle accident victims will have to deal with enormous medical bills, and it could be several weeks, months, or even years before they can make a full recovery.

Another problem victims face is an inability to return to work. With severe injuries, there is the possibility that some victims might never be able to maintain employment again. Unfortunately, there are times when a bicyclist sustains fatal injuries. In these cases, the victim’s family members can file a wrongful death lawsuit against the negligent party. If you are involved in any kind of bike-share crash, your first move should be to quickly seek medical attention, even if you do not believe you were hurt. Some injuries involve delayed symptoms, and an insurance company will often pounce on any delay in treatment. Try to take pictures of the crash scene after your accident. It is important to photograph all factors relating to your accident, including pictures of your injuries before they heal. You could also file a complaint with a bike rental company if your bicycle was defective, but the chances are good that the company will conclude that the bike was fine and that the accident was your fault. It will be far more beneficial for you to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer. An attorney will be able to conduct an independent investigation into your accident. They can determine the actual cause of your crash, collect key evidence, and identify all liable parties. Immediate legal action is often required in these cases, as Texas has a statute of limitations of two years on most personal injury claims, including bicycle accidents. You should not wait to begin taking the steps necessary to preserve your claim. Did you sustain catastrophic injuries or was your loved one killed in a bike-share accident in the greater Dallas area? Make sure that you retain legal counsel as soon as possible. The Benton Law Firm represents bike accident victims in Dallas and many surrounding areas of Texas. This a rtic le has been g enerat​ed ᠎wi​th t​he he​lp of G᠎SA  C onte​nt Gener ator Demov ersion .