Failure to Yield
Drivers failing to yield when entering an intersection, crossing a bicycle lane, leaving a driveway, or turning through an area used by cyclists.
Bend Bicycle Accident Lawyers
REPORT A CRASH
To report a bicycle crash, please call (866) 835-6529 or use the form to contact us. The consultation with a cycling accident attorney is free.
Experienced Bicycle Accident Attorneys Serving Bend Communities
Bend has bicycle lanes, neighborhood routes, shared-use paths, and recreational trails that support riding for transportation, exercise, and outdoor recreation. The city continues to develop connections between neighborhoods, schools, businesses, parks, and trails through projects intended to make walking and bicycling more accessible. Even with these facilities, cyclists may encounter serious hazards involving motor vehicles, busy crossings, roadway debris, construction activity, and changing traffic patterns. When a bicycle crash occurs, Oregon law provides protections for injured cyclists. Determining how those protections apply may require examining the movements of the people involved, the condition and design of the roadway, applicable traffic rules, and the available evidence. Bicycle Law represents injured cyclists throughout Oregon, including Bend and surrounding Deschutes County communities. Our bicycle accident attorneys handle claims arising from motor vehicle collisions, unsafe streets or paths, defective bicycle equipment, and other circumstances that may cause serious injury. Depending on the facts of the case, we pursue claims through insurance negotiations or court proceedings.
Common Causes of Bicycle Crashes in Bend
Bicycle crashes in Bend may occur on urban streets, major traffic corridors, neighborhood routes, trail crossings, and other locations where cyclists and motorists must anticipate one another’s movements. Common contributing factors include:
Right Hook Collisions
A motorist turns right across the path of a cyclist traveling alongside or approaching the vehicle.
Left Cross Crashes
A driver turns left in front of an oncoming bicycle.
Dooring Incidents
A driver or passenger opens a vehicle door into a cyclist’s path.
Sideswipe Accidents
Motorists passing without sufficient clearance, drifting toward a cyclist, or entering an occupied bicycle lane.
Rear-End Collisions
Drivers who fail to recognize, slow for, or stop behind a cyclist.
E-Bike Collisions
A driver or another road user misjudges the bicycle’s speed, distance, or time of arrival.
Roadway Hazards
Crashes involving loose gravel, potholes, snow or ice, broken pavement, drainage features, construction zones, roadside debris, or pavement markings that are difficult to see.
The conduct of an individual driver is not always the only issue that must be investigated. Depending on the circumstances, a public agency, contractor, property owner, bicycle manufacturer, repair business, or another party may also have contributed to the crash. Roadway design, delayed maintenance, work-zone conditions, unsafe property features, or defective bicycle components may be relevant in some claims.
Bicycle Laws and Safety Regulations in Bend
People riding bicycles in Oregon generally have many of the same roadway rights and responsibilities as other vehicle operators. State law also establishes requirements that apply specifically to bicycle travel. In a Bend bicycle accident claim, attorneys may review whether state statutes, local ordinances, or other traffic rules affected how the collision occurred, including:
- Oregon’s safe-passing requirements, which generally require a motorist to leave enough space to avoid striking a cyclist if the cyclist were to fall into the motorist’s lane.
- Right-of-way rules governing intersections, crosswalks, driveways, bicycle crossings, roundabouts, and turning movements.
- Oregon’s bicycle stop-sign rule, which may allow a cyclist to proceed through a stop sign or flashing red signal without coming to a complete stop after slowing to a safe speed, yielding as required, and determining that it is safe to continue.
- Bicycle-lane requirements, including exceptions that permit a cyclist to leave an available lane or path to pass, turn, avoid a hazard, or respond to another unsafe condition.
- Sidewalk riding rules, which require cyclists to yield to pedestrians, provide an audible warning before passing, and reduce speed when approaching certain intersections, driveways, and curb cuts.
- Bend’s Downtown District restriction, which prohibits riding bicycles on sidewalks within the designated downtown area.
- Lighting and reflector requirements that apply when a bicycle is ridden at night or under conditions of limited visibility.
- Oregon’s bicycle helmet law, which requires riders and bicycle passengers younger than 16 to wear protective headgear.
- Electric bicycle rules that may affect where certain classes of e-bikes may be operated, including some sidewalks, paths, trails, and park areas.
A traffic or equipment violation may be considered as part of the evidence within a bicycle accident case, but it does not automatically determine who is legally responsible. Outstanding circumstances remain important, including visibility, traffic conditions, road design, the actions of each person involved, and whether another hazard contributed to the crash.
Understanding Legal Rights and the Bicycle Crash Claims Process
Being partly responsible for a bicycle crash does not necessarily prevent you from recovering compensation in Bend. Under Oregon’s modified comparative negligence law, you can generally recover damages as long as you are less than 50% at fault. However, any compensation you receive is typically reduced by your percentage of responsibility. For example, if you are found to be 20% responsible for the accident, your recovery would generally be reduced by 20%. A bicycle accident claim begins with determining what happened and who may be responsible. Depending on the circumstances, that may involve reviewing police reports, medical records, photographs, video footage, witness statements, and damage to the bicycle and any vehicles involved. Investigators may also examine traffic controls, roadway design, weather conditions, or other factors that contributed to the collision. Some cases require additional investigation. This may involve obtaining nearby business or residential video before it is deleted, preserving electronic vehicle information, inspecting a bicycle or component, documenting a construction area, or identifying the public entity responsible for a particular roadway. Once the available evidence has been reviewed, a claim may be submitted to one or more insurance companies. Many bicycle accident claims are resolved through discussions with the insurance company. However, if a fair settlement cannot be reached, the case may move forward in court. The process can include exchanging information, taking witness testimony, consulting with specialists when needed, participating in mediation, and, in some cases, going to trial. Compensation may address different forms of harm caused by the bicycle accident, including:
- Economic losses, such as medical bills, rehabilitation, future care, missed income, reduced earning ability, bicycle or equipment damage, and other measurable expenses.
- Non-economic losses, such as physical pain, emotional distress, scarring, disability, physical limitations, and reduced enjoyment of everyday activities.
Coverage Areas: Serving Bend Communities
Bicycle Law represents injured cyclists throughout Bend, Deschutes County, and nearby Central Oregon communities.
Our attorneys handle bicycle accident cases arising in areas that include Old Bend, River West, Southern Crossing, Orchard District, Larkspur, Mountain View, Boyd Acres, Awbrey Butte, Summit West, Century West, Southwest Bend, Southeast Bend, and the Old Farm District.
We also represent cyclists injured on Bend’s streets, bicycle lanes, neighborhood routes, shared-use paths, and trail connections. This includes accidents occurring along or near the Deschutes River Trail, routes through the Old Mill District, Bear Creek Road, 27th Street, Greenwood Avenue, Franklin Avenue, Reed Market Road, and other frequently traveled corridors throughout the Bend area. The Deschutes River Trail extends through several parts of the community, while city transportation projects identify Bear Creek Road, 27th Street, Greenwood, Franklin, and Reed Market among important bicycle and pedestrian connections or crossings.
Bend Bicycle Law Attorneys FAQs
Still have questions about your bicycle crash?
Bicycle Law focuses on injury and wrongful death matters involving cyclists. Cases may arise from motor vehicle collisions, dooring incidents, e-bike crashes, unsafe roadway or trail conditions, defective bicycles or components, and hazardous conditions on public or private property.
Bicycle Law represents injured cyclists throughout Bend, Deschutes County, surrounding Central Oregon communities, and other parts of Oregon. Our attorneys are licensed in Oregon and California and are prepared to handle bicycle-related cases throughout both states. Representation is not limited to accidents occurring within Bend.
We recommend you call us directly at (866) 835-6529 for the quickest service. You can also fill out the contact form on this page. This connects you immediately with our team to confidentially discuss your case and schedule a free consultation.
What our Client’s Say
★★★★★
Coopers Law firm saved my life. They really did save my life.
I had a bad bicycle crash a few years ago. From the crash, I developed five major injuries and illnesses. I tried to keep working but the injuries kept me holding down a job. I believed the crash was due to a faulty bike component. Coopers Law agreed to take my case and Andrea stepped in to help. She was amazing. Not only did she prepare an excellent case, with all the needed expert witnesses and documents, but she determined that there may have been exemplary damages involved. We were nearing our trial date and trying to get the defendants to settle when the Judge informed us the case would be delayed due to trial back-log. I was depressed and sad. I needed the settlement to get the medical care. I needed and to pay my bills as I could not hold down a 9-5 job. Suddenly, the next day Andrea called with great news, she had negotiated a settlement. A really good settlement. I am very thankful to Andrea, Miles and Maryanne Cooper, Kay, and the rest of the great team at Coopers Law. They really did save my life. Or at least saved me from a painful and homeless future.
★★★★★
I feel incredibly fortunate to have connected with Coopers LLP after being injured in a bicycle accident.
From our initial meeting to the final resolution, their team made me feel that my concerns were heard and that my case was a priority. My lead attorney, Bryan Vix, patiently answered my questions and ensured I understood what was happening with my case every step of the way. When it came time for the legal proceedings, seeing Miles and Maryanne Cooper in action gave me the confidence to trust the process, which was important since this was all new territory for me. I can't express enough gratitude for the exceptional people at Coopers LLP who helped me navigate this challenging ordeal. I would recommend them to my closest friends and family without hesitation.
Contact Information and Free Consultation Details
If you’ve been injured in a Bend bicycle crash, contact Bicycle Law today to review your options.
How to Contact Us
Bicycle Law offers free consultations for cyclists across Bend. To report a bicycle crash, please call (866) 835-6529 or use the form to contact us. Request a virtual meeting if travel is difficult. During your free consultation, we’ll review the facts, explain your legal options, outline the claims process and timelines, and discuss how we can help pursue full compensation. We represent clients on a contingency fee basis. You do not pay attorney’s fees unless we successfully recover compensation for you. Our fee is typically a percentage of the recovery. In some cases, clients may be responsible for prevailing-party costs as determined by law.