Injured in a Bicycle Accident? Pennsylvania Law Is on Your Side.

Types of Bicycle Accident Cases We Handle

Our Pittsburgh bicycle accident lawyers represent injured cyclists and their families throughout Western Pennsylvania. Bicycle accident cases involve legal complexities distinct from standard car accident claims, and our legal team has the knowledge and experience to navigate them.

Bicycle accident cases our firm handles:

• Collisions caused by negligent motorists who failed to yield the right of way;
• Dooring accidents when car doors are opened directly into a cyclist's path;
• Rear-end collisions with cyclists on Pittsburgh roads and bike lanes;
• Hit-and-run bicycle accidents;
• Distracted driving and drunk driving accidents involving cyclists;
• Reckless driving crashes on Pittsburgh streets and arterial roads;
• Accidents caused by defective brakes or other faulty bicycle components;
• Crashes caused by road hazards, poor visibility, or missing bike lane markings;
• Wrongful death when a fatal bicycle accident claims a family member's life;
• Accidents on the North Shore, Oakland, and other high-traffic Pittsburgh areas.

Common Bicycle Accident Injuries in Pittsburgh

Cyclists have little protection when riding their bikes, no metal frame, no airbag, and no seatbelt between them and the road. When a motor vehicle strikes a bicycle, the resulting injuries are frequently severe and life-threatening. According to PennDOT's 2024 Crash Facts and Statistics, bicycle crashes accounted for over 1% of all Pennsylvania traffic accidents in 2024, and 64% of all bicycle crashes occurred at intersections. Bicycle accident victims in Pittsburgh face some of the most serious injury outcomes in all of personal injury law.

Injuries our Pittsburgh bicycle accident attorneys pursue compensation for:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) requiring long-term medical care and rehabilitation;
• Spinal cord injuries that can result in partial or permanent disability;
• Broken bones and compound fractures requiring surgical procedures;
• Severe road rash and soft tissue damage, causing lasting pain;
• Internal injuries with significant ongoing medical expenses;
• Neck and back injuries affecting your ability to work and earn a living;
• Emotional trauma and PTSD following the accident;
• Permanent disfigurement or disability;
• Wrongful death in fatal bicycle accidents.

When injuries are severe enough to permanently alter how you live and work, they may also qualify as catastrophic injuries under Pennsylvania law, which can significantly expand the compensation available to you.

Waiting Helps Them, Not You

Insurance companies begin building their defense the moment a bicycle accident is reported. The sooner you have legal representation, the stronger your position.

Why acting fast matters:

• Evidence disappears: Surveillance footage from intersections is often overwritten within days.
• Witnesses forget: Details are clearest in the hours and days immediately after the crash.
• Pennsylvania's deadline is strict: You generally have only 2 years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury claim.
• Insurers move quickly: Adjusters begin assigning fault and building their defense from day one.

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What to Do After a Bicycle Accident in Pittsburgh

The actions you take immediately after a bicycle accident directly affect your ability to recover compensation. Your first priority is always safety, but once you are out of immediate danger, these steps protect both your health and your legal claim.

Immediate Steps to Take

1. Get to safety and call 911: Move out of traffic if you are physically able. Ensure police respond and that an official police report is filed. Request a copy for your records.
2. Seek medical attention immediately: Accept on-site emergency care and follow up with a physician even if injuries seem minor. Some injuries, including traumatic brain injuries and internal injuries, may not present symptoms right away. Prompt medical records are foundational to your personal injury claim.
3. Document the accident scene: Photograph your injuries, the vehicle involved, any road hazards, missing or damaged bike lane markings, traffic signals, skid marks, and the positions of both vehicles.
4. Get the at-fault driver's information: Collect the driver's name, license plate number, insurance details, and contact information.
5. Gather witness statements: Collect names and phone numbers from anyone who witnessed the accident. Their accounts can be critical to your case.
6. Do not admit fault or give recorded statements: Do not speak with the at-fault driver's insurance company before consulting an attorney. Even a casual comment can be used to reduce your compensation.
7. Keep a complete record: Save every medical bill, treatment note, and documentation of lost wages related to your injuries.
8. Contact a Pittsburgh bicycle accident attorney: Reach out to Del Sole Cavanaugh Stroyd, LLC before accepting any settlement offer. Our firm handles the full range of motor vehicle accidents throughout Western Pennsylvania.

Where Bicycle Accidents Happen Most in Pittsburgh

According to a decade-long study by Allegheny County and the Western Pennsylvania Regional Data Center, a cyclist is involved in a crash approximately every six days in Pittsburgh. Our attorneys know the city's most dangerous stretches and use that local knowledge to build stronger cases for injured cyclists.

High-risk bicycle accident zones in Pittsburgh include:

Oakland (University and Hospital District)

Heavy vehicle traffic around the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, and UPMC facilities, combined with limited protected cycling infrastructure, creates frequent conflicts between cyclists and motor vehicles. Drivers making sudden turns near campus corridors and hospital entrances pose a serious risk to cyclists.

The North Shore and Allegheny Riverfront Trail

Cyclists along the North Shore face risks from event-day traffic surges near PNC Park and Acrisure Stadium, where drivers unfamiliar with the area fail to yield to cyclists at trail crossings and intersections.

Liberty Avenue and Penn Avenue Corridors

These high-traffic downtown corridors are frequent sites of dooring accidents near parked cars and collisions at intersections where cyclists have the legal right of way but face drivers turning without looking.

Forbes Avenue and Fifth Avenue in Oakland

Both roads carry high volumes of bus, rideshare, and private-vehicle traffic, along with significant cyclist use, creating dangerous conditions at intersections and around bus stops, where cyclists are regularly forced into traffic.

East End Neighborhoods (Shadyside, Bloomfield, East Liberty)

Narrow residential streets, parked cars blocking sightlines, and drivers making unsafe turns contribute to a disproportionate share of Pittsburgh bicycle accidents in these neighborhoods.

Bridges and Bridge Approaches

Pittsburgh's many bridges and their approach roads present distinct risks from merging vehicles, sudden lane changes, and cyclists forced into narrow shoulders adjacent to fast-moving traffic.

Pennsylvania Bicycle Laws Explained

Pennsylvania law provides specific protections for cyclists on the road, but there are rules and deadlines that directly affect your ability to recover full compensation after a bicycle accident. Our Pittsburgh bicycle accident attorneys explain what matters most.

The Four-Foot Safe Passing Law

Under 75 Pa. C.S. §3303, Pennsylvania requires all motorists to leave a minimum of four feet of clearance when overtaking a cyclist, at a carefully reduced speed. Pennsylvania is the only state in the country that mandates this four-foot buffer under all circumstances, according to Bike Law's Pennsylvania Guide. A driver who violates this law may face fines, license points, and civil liability. If a motorist passed you too closely and caused your crash, that violation is direct evidence of negligence.

Modified Comparative Negligence

Pennsylvania follows a modified comparative negligence rule under 42 Pa. C.S. §7102. You can recover compensation as long as you are found to be less than 51% at fault for the accident. Your award is reduced by your percentage of fault, but you are not barred from recovery entirely unless you exceed the 50% threshold. Insurance companies understand this rule well and will work to push your share of fault over 50%. Having an experienced attorney evaluate and present the evidence is what prevents that from happening.

Helmet Law and Contributory Negligence Protections

Pennsylvania law requires cyclists under age 12 to wear a helmet. For adult cyclists, helmets are not legally required. Critically, under 75 Pa. C.S. §3510(c), the absence of a helmet cannot be used as evidence of contributory negligence against you in a personal injury claim. A driver who struck you cannot use the fact that you were not wearing protective gear to reduce their own liability.

Statute of Limitations

Pennsylvania's statute of limitations for bicycle accident personal injury claims is two years from the date of the accident. Miss that deadline and you permanently lose the right to seek compensation through the courts. For wrongful death claims involving a fatal bicycle accident, the two-year clock generally begins from the date of death.

How Much Compensation Can You Recover After a Bicycle Accident*

Del Sole Cavanaugh Stroyd, LLC pursues the full range of compensatory damages available under Pennsylvania law for injured cyclists and their families throughout Western Pennsylvania. The table below outlines what bicycle accident victims may be entitled to claim, the key factors that affect case value, and the variables most relevant to Pittsburgh claims.

Disclaimer*

Settlement figures provided are illustrative only and do not constitute legal advice, a promise of recovery, or a guarantee of results. Each bicycle accident case is fact-specific, and compensation may vary significantly based on individual circumstances. For guidance specific to your situation, please consult a qualified attorney.