A bicyclist who was involved in a hit-and-run accident in Effingham County, Georgia, in December 2012 has died from his bicycle accident injuries. According to Effingham County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson David Ehsanipoor, 47-year-old Mitchell Johnson was riding on Hodgeville Road near Forest Haven Road on December 9, when he was struck from behind by an unknown vehicle. Following the accident, a passerby saw the wrecked bicycle and Johnson lying on the side of the road. The bicycle accident victim was transported to Memorial University Medical Center with serious injuries. Unfortunately, Johnson succumbed to the traumatic injuries he sustained in the crash and died on February 1, 2013. If you have suffered serious injuries in a bicycle accident in Georgia, contact our reputable attorneys at Rechtman & Spevak today for legal help.
Common Causes of GA Bicycle Accidents
Like motorcycle riders, bicyclists are more vulnerable to catastrophic accidents than passenger cars and trucks, due to their small profile. Bicycles also offer riders limited protection, which often results in bicyclists sustaining devastating and possibly even fatal injuries when involved in a collision with a motorist. There are certain precautions bicyclists can take to reduce the risk of being struck by a motor vehicle, such as wearing high-visibility or reflective clothing, installing a headlight on the bicycle and being wary of drivers who are not paying attention. Unfortunately, when it comes to negligent drivers – i.e. drivers who are distracted, speeding, driving when drowsy, under the influence of alcohol, or simply driving recklessly – there is typically little a bicyclist can do to prevent a collision caused by that driver. If a bicycle accident does occur, your first course of action, after seeking medical attention, should be to enlist the help of a qualified personal injury attorney.
Consult Our Experienced Lawyers for Help
It’s important to remember that a bicyclist on the road has the same rights as a driver, and motorists in passenger cars and trucks are obligated to respect bicyclists when they are on Georgia roadways. The unfortunate truth, however, is that many drivers view bicyclists as an annoyance, preventing them from passing another vehicle or driving as fast as they’d like to. For this reason, many motorists fail to give bicyclists adequate room on the roadway, and in situations where the driver feels like he is being delayed by the bicyclist, he or she may become angry and begin driving recklessly, putting the safety of the bicyclist at risk. If you have been injured in a bicycle accident in Georgia, or if you lost a loved one in such an accident, consult our skilled lawyers at Rechtman & Spevak to discuss the possibility of filing a personal injury or wrongful death claim against the person or party found at-fault in the accident.
