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October 17, 2014

According to reports, on the early morning of Friday, October 17, 2014, a sixteen year-old Indianapolis resident became the victim of a hit-and-run when he was struck while riding his bicycle near the intersection of Shelby Street and Raymond Street in Indianapolis, Indiana. Members of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department indicated that a motor vehicle struck the male cyclist before driving away from the scene. The extent of the cyclist’s injuries is unknown and the investigation into this matter is ongoing.

The sad reality of any hit-and-run accident, especially one involving a bicycle vs. motor vehicle collision, is that, if the perpetrator is not caught by police, the victim of the hit-and-run is almost certainly left with injuries without any means of receiving compensation for them. The result is the same if a cyclist is struck by a motor vehicle operator who does not possess any insurance to cover the injured person’s injuries and damages.

As a result of those exact circumstances, the Indiana bicycle attorneys at Caress Law Group strongly encourage all cyclists (and all motorists for that matter) to obtain uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage as part of their automobile insurance policies. Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage is insurance that protects an insured even if the liable party did not have insurance or if the liable party flees the scene. Even though it is illegal in Indiana for a driver to operate a motor vehicle without insurance coverage, there are many drivers who do not have coverage, and it is a very real problem for injured persons who are entitled to have their medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering paid for.

Our lawyers also recommend that all Indiana cyclists (and drivers) obtain Underinsured Motorist (UIM) coverage, which is insurance that protects an insured despite the liable party not having enough insurance to cover the injured person’s injuries and damages. In Indiana, the minimum bodily injury insurance requirement is $25,000.00 per person and $50,000.00 per incident. This means that even if a cyclist is severely injured, or even killed, by a motor vehicle, the absolute maximum amount that the cyclist and/or his family can obtain from the at-fault party is $25,000.00, even though the injuries and damages are worth hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars.

For these reasons, we recommend you check your automobile insurance policy’s declaration page and make sure you have adequate Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage. If you have any questions about this article or about Indiana bicycle law, feel free to contact our Indiana bicycle crash lawyers, Tim Caress or Lance Worland. Call us for free at 317-255-5400 or click here to submit an online inquiry. We take great pride in assisting Indiana cyclists, and we wish this cyclist a speedy recovery.

October 16, 2014

On Monday, October 13, 2014, two separate Indiana cyclists in their twenties were involved in separate bicycle crashes that ended up taking both of their lives. Devon Lehman, a 26 year-old resident of Goshen, Indiana, was riding his bicycle on State Road 13 near Millersburg, Indiana, when a Jeep Liberty being driven by Matthew Kid collided with him. Sadly, Mr. Devon Lehman was pronounced dead at the scene of the bicycle accident.

That very same day on Monday, October 13, 2014, Ryan Richardson, a 27 year-old resident of Anderson, Indiana, was riding his bicycle northbound on Madison Avenue over an Interstate 69 overpass when he was struck by the passenger side of a vehicle traveling in a northerly direction being operated by Ricky Stohler of Alexandria, Indiana.

Mr. Ryan Richardson initially survived this collision and was taken by ambulance to St. Vincent Anderson Hospital before being lifelined by helicopter to St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis. Tragically, Ryan Richardson died on the evening of Tuesday, October 14, 2014 from injuries related to the bike crash. Following the accident, residents living near the location of Ryan Richardson’s bicycle collision indicated that cyclists and pedestrians often use the overpass as a means of travel.

While all Indiana bicycle accidents involving motor vehicles are tragic, the bike crashes that took the lives of Devon Lehman and Ryan Richardson are particularly difficult to accept, as they were both young, twenty-somethings who had years upon years of life ahead of them. Further, these incidents were entirely preventable, as they both appear to be the result of motor vehicles attempting to pass the cyclists. As many of you know, many Indiana communities have adopted the “3 foot rule,” which requires motor vehicles attempting to pass cyclists to leave at least 3 feet of space.

The Indiana bicycle accident lawyers at Caress Law Group offer our thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of Mr. Devon Lehman and Mr. Ryan Richardson during this difficult time.

If you have any questions regarding this post or any question regarding Indiana bicycle laws or Indiana personal injury, feel free to call our experienced Indiana bicycle injury lawyers at 317-255-5400 or click here to submit an online inquiry. Please remember to ride safe!

August 27, 2014

On August 23, 2014, Anthony Schoettle of the Indianapolis Business Journal (IBJ) published an article spotlighting the work of Caress Law Group’s very own Indiana bicycle accident attorneys, Tim Caress and Lance Worland.

As many of our readers are aware, Caress Law Group’s lawyers focus a large part of their practice assisting victims of cycling accidents. Often times, cyclists involved in collisions are left with their lives being turned completely upside down due to the serious injuries and life disruption that follow thereafter.

Our bicycle personal injury lawyers have found that a fair and reasonable outcome of a bicycle injury case requires a thorough and complete understanding of Indiana’s bicycle laws, as well as each Indiana city’s local ordinances and the standard elements of negligence that govern all personal injury cases in Indiana. As cyclists ourselves, we take great pride in assisting victims of bicycle collisions throughout the State of Indiana. If you have any questions regarding the article provided below or any questions regarding Indiana bicycle law, please do not hesitate to call us at 317-255-5400 or submit an online inquiry at by clicking here.

Check out the article below:

http://www.ibj.com/broad-ripple-lawyer-represents-cyclists-involved-in-personal-injury-accidents/PARAMS/article/49157?utm_source=eight-at-8&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=2014-08-27#.U_3c8lV2IDA.twitter

July 23, 2014

Indiana cyclists appear to still be learning how to adjust to safe cycling practices. Since the amount of bicyclists has doubled since the year 2000, this makes some sense. This is echoed by statistics compiled by The League of American Bicyclists, which reports that the bicycle crash rate in Indianapolis is higher than most other large cities across the United States. Specifically, between 2007 and 2012, Indianapolis saw 492 bicycle collisions per 10,000 bike commuters. The Indianapolis bicyclist fatality rate was just as alarming: 4.88 deaths per 10,000 bicycle commuters.

Over the course of the last couple of years, the Indiana Bicycle Accident Lawyers at Caress Law Group in Indianapolis have seen a substantial increase in persons injured in bicycle crashes with both motor vehicles and other cyclists/pedestrians. So the question becomes – “What can each individual cyclist do to stay safe while biking and decrease the chance of being involved in a bicycle collision in Indiana?” We hope the following tips will assist all bicyclists who read this post.

DO’S

Use lights on the front and back of your bicycle at night (and even during the day to be extra safe)

Use the middle of the lane in the street if you do not feel safe by cars passing you in the bike lane (you have a right to be there!)

Wear a helmet. While on your bicycle. At ALL times.

Keep your eyes out for cars and other cyclists – cyclists should always be aware of their surroundings

Ride with traffic

DON’TS

Don’t ignore stop signs, stop lights, and other rules of the road. Indiana cyclists are required to follow the same traffic laws as motor vehicles

Don’t ride against traffic

Don’t ride on the sidewalk, especially when a bike lane is available

Don’t wear headphones while riding your bicycle – it is important to be aware of all your surroundings while riding, and your ability to hear is key to that

As a motor vehicle operator, do not pass a cyclist and leave less than 3 feet of space. It is the law in Indianapolis to leave at least 3 feet of space when passing a cyclist

 

If you or a loved one has any questions regarding this post or an issue involving Indiana personal injury law and/or bicycle law, contact Indiana Bicycle Accident Attorney Lance Worland at 317-255-5400 or via email at Lance@CaressLaw.com at any time. All e-mails and phone calls are returned promptly and are free of charge. Caress Law Group’s Indiana bicycle lawyers are Indiana’s premier bicycle injury lawyers, and we have over 20 years of experience in assisting victims of injury due to negligence of others.

 

July 14, 2014

On July 11, 2014, Brian Eason of the Indianapolis Star published an enlightening and well-written article on the confusion caused by Indiana’s cycling laws. We highly recommend that all Hoosier cyclists and motorists read this article, as it may shed light on information that was previously unknown to you.

We are also proud of Caress Law Group’s own, Lance Worland, for the information he was able to provide for this article. Both Lance Worland and Tim Caress have worked tirelessly in their careers to represent victims of bicycle accidents across the State of Indiana, and during that time, they have gained invaluable information regarding bicycle safety. Further, they have proudly had the opportunity to advocate for bicycle accident victims – making sure they are fairly and appropriately compensated for their injuries as a result of a wide array of different types of bicycle accidents.

Check out the article below:

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/2014/07/10/collision-course-confusing-laws-vex-indiana-drivers-cyclists/12489675/

Caress Law Group’s Indiana Bicycle Lawyers are the leading Indiana personal injury attorneys who dedicate a significant portion of their law practice to representing victims of bicycle accidents. Please contact us at any time at 317-255-5400 or by clicking the "Contact Us" tab above.
We look forward to helping you on your path to recovery.