Tacoma Personal Injury Attorneys
Tacoma Bicycle
Accident Lawyer
When a reckless driver hits you on your bike, you deserve more than an apology. We hold negligent motorists accountable and fight for the medical bills, lost wages, and recovery you’re owed.
“After searching for an attorney, they truly were the only ones that looked at me as a person, not just an easy case.”
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Biking Shouldn’t Cost You Everything
Tacoma gives many people the freedom to ride to school or work, and the city keeps adding bike lanes to its roads. But biking still means sharing the pavement with motorists — and not every driver is cautious behind the wheel.
When a careless driver hits you, a Tacoma bicycle accident lawyer can work on your behalf. You may be entitled to monetary compensation for your medical bills and emotional trauma. Call our injury attorneys today — your first consultation is free.
How Bicycle Accidents Happen in Tacoma
Except on freeways, cyclists have the same right to the road as any driver. Most Tacoma bike crashes aren’t the rider’s fault — they happen when a motorist ignores that right. These are the causes we see most:
Unsafe passing
Drivers who squeeze past a rider without leaving a safe cushion of space.
Distracted driving
Texting, phone calls, or fiddling with the dash means a driver never sees the cyclist.
“Dooring”
A parked motorist flings a door open into the bike lane, directly into a rider’s path.
Failure to yield
Drivers who roll through stop signs or pull out without yielding the cyclist’s right-of-way.
Unsafe left & right turns
The classic “left cross” and “right hook” — a driver turns straight into a cyclist’s line of travel.
Speeding & aggressive driving
Excess speed leaves no time to react and turns a near-miss into a catastrophic crash.
What Your Bicycle Needs on the Road
Being seen is the best protection a cyclist has — and after a crash, an insurer will look hard at whether you were visible and in control. A well-equipped bike prevents collisions and takes away one of the adjuster’s favorite arguments. Riders in Pierce County should ride with:
A white front lamp after dark
Washington requires a front lamp emitting a white light visible at least 500 feet ahead. It is also the single best answer to a driver who says they never saw you.
A red rear reflector
A red rear reflector of a type approved by the State Patrol, visible up to 600 feet behind you in a car’s low beams. This one is required — a taillight does not replace it.
Working brakes
Your bike must have a brake that can skid the braked wheel on dry, level, clean pavement. Brakes that meet that standard also rebut a blame-shifting adjuster.
A rear lamp, in addition
A red rear lamp or flashing LED taillight visible 500 feet back is allowed on top of the reflector — not instead of it. Most riders should run both.
Side and pedal reflectors
Not required by the lighting statute, but they make you visible from angles a front lamp cannot cover — especially at intersections.
A helmet
Washington has no statewide bicycle helmet law, and some cities set their own rules. Wearing one protects you regardless of what any local ordinance says.
The lighting, reflector, and brake requirements above come from RCW 46.61.780, and a driver’s duty to pass you at a safe distance comes from RCW 46.61.110. Helmet rules are local, not statewide — and remember that a driver’s failure to watch for you is what causes most crashes.
Who Is Usually at Fault in a Bike Crash?
Drivers are trained to watch for cars and trucks, but many never train their eyes to spot cyclists. By law, every motorist has a duty to watch for you and avoid an accident by driving responsibly. When they don’t, they breach that legal duty.
To recover damages, you must prove the driver was negligent and caused the crash. A skilled Tacoma attorney knows how to identify the four elements of negligence — and prove every one of them.
Duty of care
Every motorist has a legal duty to watch for cyclists and share the road responsibly.
Breach of that duty
When a driver speeds, turns without looking, or fails to yield, they breach that duty.
Causation
We connect the driver’s careless act directly to the crash that injured you.
Damages
We document your medical bills, lost income, and the human cost of your injuries.
3 YRS
Deadline to file
You Have Three Years — but Don’t Wait
Under RCW 4.16.080(2), a personal injury claim in Washington must generally be filed within three years of the crash. If the injured cyclist is under 18, RCW 4.16.190 tolls that clock until they turn 18.
Claims against a city, county, or other local government run on a different track: RCW 4.96.020 requires a presuit tort claim form and a mandatory 60-calendar-day waiting period before suit. Riding a bike never means you forfeit your right to compensation — but the evidence and the deadlines both fade fast.
Compensation After a Bicycle Accident
In a collision between a bike and a vehicle, the cyclist almost always comes out far more seriously hurt. Even a helmet can’t prevent every injury. Broken bones, head trauma, and spinal cord damage are expensive to treat — and the at-fault driver owes you for them. Washington law lets injured cyclists recover two kinds of damages.
Economic Damages
Calculable, out-of-pocket losses you can prove with bills and records.
- Emergency care, surgery, and hospital bills
- Ongoing physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Lost wages and lost earning capacity
- Replacement of your bicycle and damaged gear
Non-Economic Damages
The human cost of your injuries — subjective, but very real.
- Pain and physical suffering
- Disfigurement and permanent scarring
- Loss of consortium and companionship
- Lost future enjoyment of life
Even If You Were Partly at Fault — You Can Still Recover
Washington follows pure comparative fault under RCW 4.22.005. Contributory fault diminishes proportionately the amount awarded, but it does not bar recovery — an injured cyclist can still recover even if they were found mostly responsible for the crash. Don’t let an insurer convince you that you have no case. We’ll explain exactly how your compensation is calculated.
We Make Getting Legal Help Simple
Your recovery may be long and expensive, and the bills don’t stop just because you can’t work. We handle the legal fight so you can focus on healing.
Free case review
Tell us what happened. We’ll explain your options at no cost — and we can come to your home or hospital.
We investigate
We gather the police report, witness statements, and evidence of driver negligence and road conditions.
We handle the insurers
You never have to argue with an adjuster. We negotiate aggressively so they cannot lowball you.
We fight for full value
If the insurer won’t pay fairly, we are ready to take your case to court.
Why Injured Cyclists Choose Valero Law Group
We Speak Spanish
Hablamos Español. You’ll always understand your case and your options.
No Fee Unless We Win
You pay nothing up front. We only get paid when we recover money for you.
Available 24/7
Day or night, a real person is here when you or your family need help.
Not a Volume Firm
You get our full attention — not a case number in an assembly line.
We Come to You
Injured and can’t travel? We’ll meet you at home or in the hospital.
$500M+ Recovered
Over 20 years fighting for the injured, including one of the largest PI settlements in the firm’s history.
See What Our Clients Are Saying...
“The first time I came into the office they welcomed me like I was family, and made sure to go over the whole process slowly and with great detail. My experience with this law firm was truly incredible and I can guarantee any client who decides to hire them will see exactly what I experienced.”
Jacob D.
Auto Accident
“Valero injury law firm made me feel comfortable like family and answered my questions no matter how small. They are completely committed to making sure you are taken care of. They are honest, they communicate with you, and they treat you like family.”
Elizabeth M.
Auto Accident
“After searching for an attorney, they truly were the only ones that looked at me as a person not just an easy case. Any question, no matter how small was answered. Any missed call was quickly returned. Even though they have many clients I never felt like I was not a priority.”
Nathan J.
Personal Injury
Serving Tacoma Cyclists & All of Pierce County
We live and work in Tacoma and know its busiest cycling corridors and crash hot-spots. From the paved paths along Ruston Way to the bike lanes on Pacific Ave, 6th Ave, and Tacoma Ave, we help injured riders in Tacoma, Lakewood, Puyallup, Federal Way, University Place, Fife, Gig Harbor, Bonney Lake, Spanaway, Parkland, and across Pierce County.
24/7 Line
(800) 985-9565Bicycle Accident FAQ
Who is liable if I’m hit by a car while riding my bike in Tacoma?
Can I still file a claim if I wasn’t wearing a helmet?
Does my bike’s equipment affect my claim?
How much space must a driver give me when passing on my bike?
What if the city’s road design contributed to my accident?
How long do I have to file a bicycle accident claim in Washington?
How much does a bicycle accident lawyer cost?
Sources: RCW 4.16.080(2) (3-year personal-injury deadline) · RCW 4.22.005 (pure comparative fault) · RCW 4.16.190 (tolling for minors) · RCW 4.96.020 (claims against local government).
Injured While Cycling? Let’s Talk Today.
A skilled Tacoma bicycle accident lawyer will negotiate with the insurance company and the defendant’s attorney — and go to court if that’s what it takes. Your first consultation is free. Call now: there are legal deadlines.
This page provides general information about Washington bicycle accident law and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. For advice about your specific situation, speak with a licensed attorney.