Springfield Bicycle Accident Attorney

What Our Springfield Bicycle Accident Lawyers Do To Assist You

Our team has decades of experience representing pedestrian-injury clients in Springfield and across Missouri. We handle the legal work so you can focus on treatment and recovery. Here’s what that looks like:

Free initial consultation.

A free consultation to review the incident, your injuries, and possible paths forward.

Thorough investigation.

We move immediately to secure critical evidence related to the crash—surveillance video, witness statements, police reports, and physical evidence from the scene—before it’s lost. We identify how the crash happened and who is responsible.

Expert partnerships.

When needed, we bring in accident-reconstruction specialists, treating and consulting medical professionals, and economic experts to document the full scope of your injuries and lifetime losses.

This supports claims for medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and future requirements.

Insurance advocacy.

We deal with the carriers so you don’t have to. Our law firm has focused exclusively on Missouri motor-vehicle cases since 1990, and we know the tactics and how to counter them to pursue the compensation you’re owed.

When you hire Beck & Beck Missouri Car Accident Lawyers, you get a family-run law firm that stays engaged from start to finish. You will receive clear updates, direct access to attorneys John Beck and Paul Beck, and a plan aimed at securing the financial resources you need to rebuild after a bicycle accident injury in Springfield.

Why Choose Beck & Beck?

We’re a family-run firm, and you’ll feel that in how we work with you—direct, down-to-earth, and present. Over three decades experience gives us a deep grasp of the issues cyclists face with insurers after a collision.

You get a dedicated advocate from day one. We handle the legal side of things so you can focus on healing.

• Exclusive Focus. We handle only Missouri motor-vehicle accidents, bringing specialized knowledge other firms don’t.
• Local Knowledge. We know Springfield’s roads and courts—and the insurance tactics used in bicycle claims here.
• Proven Results. We’ve recovered over $105 million for injured Missourians.

Reasons Bicycle Accidents Happen in Springfield

Many bike crashes happen because drivers don’t share the road safely. We regularly see collisions tied to basic negligence and inattention.

• Distracted driving. Texting, talking on the phone, or using in-car devices means cyclists aren’t seen until it’s too late.
• Failure to yield at intersections. Drivers turn or proceed without a careful check for cyclists with the right-of-way.
• “Dooring.” A driver or passenger opens a door into a cyclist’s path—serious injuries can occur even at low speeds.

Other recurring causes: unsafe passing without the legally required distance; speeding or driving too fast for conditions; drunk or otherwise impaired driving; following too closely; and improper lane changes without checking mirrors and blind spots.

Liability in Bicycle Accident Claims

Missouri uses an at-fault system: the party who caused the wreck is responsible for the harm. That legal responsibility is liability. Often the driver is on the hook.

But, depending on the facts, others may be too—the employer if the driver was on the clock, a manufacturer if a defective part failed, or a city or state agency if unsafe design or maintenance played a role.

Finding every liable party matters because it increases the insurance available. We follow the evidence, pull the records, and map the chain of responsibility so your claim captures the full measure of your losses.

How Missouri Comparative Fault Affects Your Bicycle Claim

Missouri applies pure comparative fault—liability isn’t all-or-nothing. You can still recover compensation even if you share responsibility for the crash. However, your award is reduced by your percentage of fault, not eliminated.

For example, if you’re found partly at fault, your recovery drops in that same proportion, but you can still collect damages from the other party.

Insurers often try to use this rule against cyclists—arguing you weren’t visible enough or that you rode too far into the lane. We push back on those claims with the record (lighting, lane position, camera footage, and witness accounts), minimizing any fault assigned to you while maximizing the driver’s share so your compensation reflects what really happened.

Recovering Compensation After a Springfield Bicycle Accident

If a negligent driver hurt you, you can claim all crash-related losses—both the economic costs you can document and the non-economic harm you live with.

In some cases, your spouse may also file a claim for loss of consortium, which compensates them for how your injuries have negatively impacted your marital relationship.

What To Do After a Bicycle Accident in Springfield

The minutes after a crash are messy, but a few decisive steps protect both your health and your claim.

Call 911 and Get Medical Care

Start with 911—report the collision and request EMS, even if you think the injuries are minor. Same-day treatment does two things: it gets you properly evaluated and it creates a medical record that ties your injuries to the crash.

That matters because some bike injuries—concussions and internal trauma in particular—may not show symptoms right away.

Photograph Everything You Can See

If you can, use your phone to document the scene: the final positions of the vehicles and your bike, any skid marks, traffic signs, lighting and road conditions, and damage to your bicycle and gear.

Also photograph your visible injuries and any torn or damaged clothing. Those images often make the difference when an insurer tries to minimize a claim.

Get Police Report Number and Driver Information

Ask the responding police officer for the report number and find out how to obtain a copy of the full report. Make sure you get the driver’s name, contact information, insurance company, and policy number before they leave the scene.

If there are witnesses, politely ask for their contact information as well. Independent witnesses can provide crucial testimony about what happened.

Avoid Recorded Statements and Document Signing

Don’t give a recorded statement—to the other driver’s insurer or your own—until you’ve spoken with a lawyer. Adjusters use scripted questions that can narrow or miscast your answers and undermine your claim.

Likewise, don’t sign forms or accept early money. Quick offers are usually below value and often include releases that cut off your right to seek additional compensation later.

Call Beck & Beck Missouri Car Accident Lawyers Before Talking to Insurers

Contact our experienced Springfield bicycle accident lawyers before you speak with any insurance company. Once we’re on the file, we take over every call and email with adjusters so you don’t risk a statement being taken out of context and used to weaken your claim.

Reaching out early lets us move fast to preserve key evidence—video, vehicle data, and witness information—and lay a solid foundation for your case from day one.

Cost To Hire an Attorney

Start here: your consultation is free and carries no obligation. If you hire us, we work on a contingency fee—so there’s no upfront payment and no attorney’s fee unless we recover money for you.

Because serious cases need experts and filings, we also advance the costs (accident reconstruction experts, medical specialists, and court fees), which means you won’t have out-of-pocket expenses while the case is pending.

The upshot is simple: you focus on treatment and daily life; we carry the legal and financial load needed to move your claim forward.

Filing Your Claim Before the Deadline Expires

Missouri’s statute of limitations for bicycle accident claims gives you five years from the crash date to file a personal-injury claim. That said, the smart move is to act quickly.

If a government entity may be at fault the clock can run much faster; some notices must be filed within 90 days. Reaching out to an attorney early helps protect your rights and preserves the evidence you’ll need.

Factors That Affect Your Springfield Bicycle Accident Settlement

Settlement value is fact-specific, but injury severity usually sets the range. Current treatment costs and credible projections for future care push that number up or down, and we use medical experts to document both.

Lost wages and any lasting hit to earning capacity must be built in if your injuries keep you from prior work. Clear liability proof—traffic violations, reliable witnesses, video—strengthens bargaining power.

And regardless of the facts, available insurance limits what can be paid, so we identify every policy that might apply.

Common Bike Accident Injuries

Because cyclists don’t have a steel frame, airbags, or crumple zones, a collision with a vehicle can produce significant trauma—one reason these cases frequently involve substantial damages.

• Head and brain injuries. Even with a helmet, impacts can cause traumatic brain injuries that alter memory, thinking, and mood or personality.
• Arms, legs, ribs, and collarbones are frequently broken when a rider is struck or thrown; many require surgery and a lengthy course of rehabilitation.
• Road rash and soft-tissue trauma. Sliding across pavement can tear skin deeply enough to need grafting and may leave permanent scarring.
• Spinal cord injuries. Among the most severe outcomes, these can result in partial or complete paralysis and demand lifelong medical care.
• Internal injuries. Damage to organs such as the spleen, liver, or kidneys may be hidden at first yet life-threatening, requiring immediate treatment and careful long-term follow-up.

Springfield Bicycle Accident Law Firm With 35+ Years Experience

After a serious bike crash, the last thing you need is a fight with an insurer. We step in early, manage the claim from end to end, and keep you updated so you can stay focused on treatment.

Because we’re a down-to-earth, family firm, you’ll work directly with your attorney—and we’ll do the legwork: records, negotiations, and, if needed, litigation.

We’re here 24/7 to hear what happened and lay out your options in plain English. Don’t let an insurance company set the terms while you’re recovering.

Beck & Beck Missouri Car Accident Lawyers has helped bike crash victims in cities including St. Louis, O’Fallon, Jefferson City, Independence, Columbia, Joplin, Kansas City, Kirksville, Cape Girardeau, and more.