If you are a motorist in Baltimore, or anywhere else in Maryland for that matter, you probably have noticed that there are increased numbers of bicycles sharing the streets. This is not by chance. For many years, the city has lagged behind other metropolitan areas in providing the infrastructure for encouraging more bicycling. That has changed in recent years, to a point where this year, Baltimore is recognized as one of 10 U.S. cities leading the way on making improvements.
Many drivers might find this annoying. Others may be taking it all in stride. On the bicycling side of the equation, advocates are campaigning to maintain gains they’ve made. It hasn’t been an easy struggle. Sadly, when bicycles and motor vehicles collide on city streets, it is usually the cyclist who suffers the worst. As we noted in a previous post, sometimes victims never completely heal.
Because personal injury law is complex and every case unique, it is not possible for anyone to predict how a given matter will finally be settled. It is not unusual for victims to have mistaken impressions about their options. They might believe that their insurance, or the driver’s, will cover all the costs of medical care and recovery, no questions asked. Alternatively, the injured might fear that pursuing legal action will lead others to think they are only doing it for the money.
These are misconceptions that deserve to be addressed and consulting with an experienced personal injury attorney is a good way to do that, especially when the initial conference is free. A skilled attorney is in the strongest position to be able to assess the nuances of your situation and offer insight into the possibilities.
Regardless of what side of the bicyclist-motorist faceoff you are on, the reality is that the need for both groups to share the road remains and is likely to be more pronounced down the road.