Bicycle Accident Lawyers in Washington

Washington has some of the strongest cycling protections in the country on paper: a safe-passing law, a vulnerable user law and a rule that gives bicycles the same rights as vehicles on the road. In practice, a cyclist hit by a car still faces an insurer that starts from the assumption the rider was in the wrong place. The injuries are serious, the bike is often the only vehicle damaged, and the medical bills arrive before anyone has accepted fault.

The bicycle accident attorneys at Ritchie-Reiersen Injury & Immigration Attorneys represent injured cyclists and their families across Washington from eleven offices in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Arizona. We know the rules that protect riders and how to use them. No fees unless we win.

Washington Bicycle Law and Your Claim

• Same rights, same duties: a bicycle is a vehicle under Washington law. Riders may use the full lane when necessary, and drivers owe cyclists the same care they owe other vehicles.
• Safe passing: when passing a cyclist, a driver must slow down and leave at least three feet of space on a two-lane road, or move fully into the adjacent lane on a multi-lane road.
• Vulnerable user law: a driver whose careless driving injures a cyclist, pedestrian or motorcyclist faces enhanced penalties, and a citation under this law is strong evidence in a civil claim.
• Safety stop: cyclists may treat a stop sign as a yield sign when it is safe to do so.
• Dooring: opening a vehicle door into the path of traffic, including a cyclist, is a violation.
• Crosswalks: a cyclist in a crosswalk has the same rights as a pedestrian.
• Helmets: there is no statewide helmet requirement for adults; some cities and counties have local rules. Not wearing a helmet does not bar a claim.
• Fault and deadlines: pure comparative fault applies, and you have three years from the crash to file a lawsuit, with a tort claim form and 60-day wait required for claims against government entities, including unsafe road and trail design.

How Bicycle Crashes Happen

• Right-hook and left-cross collisions at intersections, where a turning driver cuts across a cyclist’s path
• Dooring on streets with parallel parking
• Unsafe passing on rural roads and highway shoulders
• Drivers pulling out of driveways and parking lots without looking
• Distracted and impaired drivers
• Poor road conditions: potholes, storm drain grates, debris and unmarked construction
• Collisions on multi-use trails and at trail crossings

Insurance for Injured Cyclists

Cyclists are often surprised to learn how many policies can apply. The at-fault driver’s liability coverage is the primary source. Your own auto policy, if you have one, typically covers you as a cyclist: PIP pays your medical bills regardless of fault, and uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage applies if the driver has no insurance, not enough insurance or fled the scene. A household member’s auto policy may also cover you. Homeowner’s or renter’s coverage may apply to the bike. We identify every policy before anyone negotiates.

What to Do After a Bicycle Accident

• Call 911 and get medical care. Head, spine and wrist injuries are common and not always obvious at the scene.
• Photograph the vehicle, its plate, the location, the bike and your injuries. Note whether the driver was turning, parked or passing.
• Get the driver’s information and the names of witnesses. If the driver fled, report it immediately; hit-and-run claims go through your UM coverage.
• Keep the bike, helmet and clothing as they are. Do not repair the bike until it has been photographed and inspected.
• Do not give a recorded statement to the driver’s insurer or accept an early offer.

What Your Claim Can Include

• Medical expenses, past and future
• Lost wages and loss of earning capacity
• Pain and suffering, disability, scarring and loss of enjoyment of life
• The bike, components and gear
• Loss of consortium
• Wrongful death damages when a crash is fatal

Washington does not cap damages. For riders with lasting injuries, we work with treating physicians and economists to document long-term care and lost earning capacity so the claim reflects the real cost.

How We Handle Your Case

• Scene investigation, witness statements and, where available, intersection and business camera footage
• Identification of every applicable policy, including your own household coverage
• Documentation of the injury and its long-term effects
• Demand and negotiation with each insurer
• Litigation in superior court when fair value is refused, prepared for trial from the start

Bicycle Accident Lawyers Near You

We handle these cases from every office: Kennewick, Tacoma, Auburn, Yakima, Moses Lake, Everett, Spokane, Wenatchee, Portland, OR, Twin Falls, ID, Mesa, AZ. Phone and video consultations are available anywhere in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Arizona.

Our Personal Injury Attorneys

Brandon Ritchie

Brandon Ritchie has devoted his entire legal career to personal injury and has personally represented more than a thousand injured clients. He holds a J.D. from the University of Idaho College of Law and an MBA from Washington State University.

Guy Zimmerman

Guy Zimmerman’s practice has focused exclusively on litigation since law school, including trial experience as a prosecutor in Twin Falls County. He is admitted to practice in Washington and Idaho and focuses solely on personal injury litigation.

Attorney Steve Ritchie, admitted in Washington, also handles personal injury claims; before law school he spent seven years in rental car management working with customers and insurance companies during the claims process. Consultations are available in English and Spanish.

Related Reading

• How Does a Kennewick Bicycle Accident Lawyer Handle a Claim When You Were Partly at Fault?
• Who Pays Your Medical Bills While a Wenatchee Bicycle Accident Lawyer Builds Your Case?
• Bicycles and Automobiles – 3 Feet of Space
• Hurt in a Bicycle Accident? Know Your Options

Frequently Asked Questions

I was not wearing a helmet. Can I still recover?

Yes. Washington has no statewide adult helmet law, and even where a local rule applies, not wearing a helmet does not bar a claim. The insurer may argue it contributed to a head injury under comparative fault, and we respond with the medical evidence.

Does my car insurance cover me when I am on my bike?

Usually yes. PIP on your auto policy pays medical bills when you are hit by a car as a cyclist or pedestrian, and your UM/UIM coverage applies if the driver is uninsured, underinsured or unidentified. Send us your declarations page and we will confirm.

The driver left the scene. What are my options?

Report the hit-and-run to police right away. Your own uninsured motorist coverage, or a household member’s, typically covers a hit-and-run. Nearby cameras and witnesses can also identify the driver, which is why acting quickly matters.

How long do I have to file a bicycle accident claim in Washington?

Three years from the date of the crash for injury claims. Claims against a city, county or the state for a dangerous road or trail condition require a tort claim form and a 60-day wait before a lawsuit.

What is the vulnerable user law?

A Washington law that imposes enhanced penalties on drivers whose careless driving seriously injures or kills a cyclist, pedestrian, motorcyclist or other vulnerable road user. A citation under it does not decide the civil case, but it is strong evidence of negligence.

Talk to a Washington Injury Lawyer

Call (888) 884-7337 or send us a message for a free consultation. No fees unless we win. Se habla español.