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We Represent Nevada Cyclists
Had a Bicycle Crash in Nevada?
Contact Ben Dodge to see if the bicycle crash lawyers at Bike Accident Attorneys (BAA) can help. Unlike other lawyers who attempt to represent cyclists, our BAA lawyers actually ride and race their bicycles as well as appear and win in court. Most attorneys are just pencil pushers. We are court room litigators who are passionate about riding our bikes and we have associated local counsel in other states to allow us to help you in your state. Based on our expertise and experience we have also been admitted in other states to appear in court for our bicycle crash clients on a case by case basis. We can help you directly or ensure that you get the quality help you need in your state. Contact Ben Dodge now to see how we can protect your rights.
3 Tips on Choosing the Best Bicycle Crash Lawyer and Avoid Being Scammed
So how do you know if you have the best lawyer? There are 3 things to investigate when hiring a bicycle lawyer that can help you avoid a scammer. Some of that depends on what you think the “best” really means. To me, it is simple. The “best” lawyer will get you to the most advantageous position possible with as little cost as possible. That’s it. Nothing else to it. I have seen too many lawyers give up or miss out on incredible opportunities for their clients because of their own egos arguing the irrelevant issues or pushing too hard in a direction that only generates their own fees as opposed to the results the client would rather have.
The most advantageous position is sometimes not even what the client comes in asking for. I can’t tell you how many times I probably talked myself out of a job in an initial consult because what the client wanted actually puts them in a worse position and I wasn’t afraid to tell them so. It would have been so much easier to just tell them what they desperately wanted to hear, help them feel heard and let them vent a little. All just tell them we better hurry up and rush to court so they can be vindicated. When in reality, that won’t help them at all. So that is what many lawyers do- they try to figure out what the client wants emotionally and then sell them a legal service that matches that emotional need and of course charge them for it based on whatever they think the client is able to pay.
Obviously not all attorneys are this cold-hearted. Many of us actually care. Many of us strive to do right by the client as opposed to just trying to do right by the pocket book.
Here are some general things to watch out for when looking for an attorney, especially a bicycle accident lawyer (I don’t like the word accident, I prefer “crash” – but most of the world uses the term accident and I understand why, so I sue it too). Here are the issues to watch out for:
1) Specific Knowledge
Do they have the specific knowledge required to handle your case? Just because they graduated from law school doesn’t mean they know anything about cycling! In fact, in my opinion, most of the country doesn’t know anything about cycling. It is crazy that all sorts of professionals from police offices charged with enforcing cycling safety to insurance adjusters responsible for finding fault don’t know anything about cycling laws. This is especially true with local rules, ordinances, and even more so with knowledge of local customs and implied expectations of cycling culture and more. Now fast forward to the moment when you are looking for an attorney to help you with your crash (your bicycle accident case) and you see a billboard on the side of the freeway, or a TV commercial, or even a Google search where the words cycling lawyer were used… How much specific knowledge of bicycle cases do you think they really have? Ask them how often they ride? Ask them what their favorite route is? Ask them if they could buy any bike on the planet what would it be and why? These questions will help you quickly identify if they are even remotely plugged into the cycling community and whether or not they have specific knowledge relating to cycling. Why is this important? SIMPLE- as a cyclist you already know that most people (drivers) hate that we are out on the roads. You already have an uphill court battle of public opinion. Being right on some traffic issue isn’t enough for us. Your lawyer must know this intimately in order to successfully navigate the complex negotiations of your case with the insurance company and opposing attorneys and then ultimately in a court room where you can bet no one on the jury will be a cyclist.
Also on the topic of specific knowledge. How many cases like this issue have they handled? What were the outcomes? How confident do you feel with their answers to these questions? Specific case knowledge is helpful. Do they have experience with the opposing insurance company? With that specific police department? With your judge? And on and on.
Specific knowledge is very helpful and you can’t buy it with expensive marketing on billboards, commercials, etc. It is earned with blood, sweat, and sometimes tears through years of experience.
2) Desk or Courtroom
The next thing to investigate is whether or not the attorney you’re thinking about hiring is a desk lawyer (I fondly refer to these lawyers as pencil pushers) or a courtroom lawyer. There is a need for all sorts of lawyers. But unless you are planning on having your bicycle accident attorney draft a will or some contract for you, then you want a courtroom lawyer not a pencil pusher.
I know this is a guess, but in my experience it seems like 95% of lawyers, especially the ones who end up on billboards and commercials, are just pencil pushers. Once their cases get to tough they refer them out to a real lawyer to finish the courtroom stuff for them. Most attorneys talk a big talk in their consult with potential clients about how good they are, but when push comes to shove and they have to actually prove it to you in a courtroom with you watching, their peers (opposing lawyers on the other side of your case) and in front of a judge and jury- they simply freak out and completely drop the ball or settle for less than you should ever take just to avoid the scary courtroom.
Don’t mistakenly hire a pencil pusher. Hire a bicycle accident lawyer who thrives in the courtroom. One simple question to help catch them off guard is ask them when is the last time they were in court? What was it about? What kind of hearing was it? What was the argument they proposed and made to the judge? How did it turn out? These simple questions will help you find out if they are pencil pushers or not. Their hesitation or odd answers are a dead give away that they are likely misleading you on their courtroom abilities and experience.
We are courtroom lawyers, sometimes even going multiple times per week to court. We file lawsuits, we don’t just write a few meaningless settlement letters and sell our clients on how good the settlement is- we prove it to our clients.
3) Do You Recognize Them from a Billboard or Commercial?
Yes I said that right, do you actually recognize them from a billboard or a TV commercial? Why is this even a thing? Well, it sounds harsh but those lawyers out there spending hundreds of thousands of dollars per year (for some they spend that per month) just to recruit new clients may be struggling to get their current and past clients to even refer to them… Yep, what if your lawyer was so good and you were so impressed that you happily sent business to him/or her? See how powerful that is? I’m not saying that everyone who advertises in our line of work is a horrible lawyer. What I am saying is that it is a bit suspect since advertising is NOT cheap and it begs the question as to why they have to advertise in the first place? Is their reputation with their own clients so bad that they have to find an alternative source to finding clients? Possibly. I’m one of those guys who avoids, in fact runs away from any professional I see on a billboard. I’d much rather consult a trusted friend and get their opinion as to whom I should see or NOT see based on their experience.
Not all lawyers who advertise are bad. But like I said, I personally run away from any professional on a billboard or TV commercial. A good old fashioned referral has always proved to be much better much more often. Just sayin’.
These are just 3 of the many things to look out for when you hire a bicycle accident lawyer. Call my office up and we can chat over the phone sometime about all the other million things to look out for like attorney billable hour quotas, bonus structures, professional reputation among peers, and so much more!
We are here for you. We got your back. We protect our own like you’re a member of our tribe. Good luck. Be safe out there and keep the rubber side down.
Contact Ben Dodge and let the lawyers in the Bike Accident Attorneys National Network help you. We will assist you in your case and/or find someone for you in your state that we can trust and recommend. We have your back. We are here for you.
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Nevada Bicycle Accident Statistics
Resident Population
2,940,000
Total Traffic Fatalities
328
Pedalcyclist Fatalities
6
Percentage of Total Traffic Fatalities
1.8%
Pedalcyclist Fatalities per Million Population
2.04
Nevada Bicycle Statutes
OPERATION OF BICYCLES, ELECTRIC BICYCLES AND VEHICLES FOR PLAY
NRS 484B.760 Penalty for violation of provisions; responsibility of parent of child or guardian of ward; applicability of provisions to bicycles and electric bicycles.
NRS 484B.763 Application of traffic laws to person riding bicycle or electric bicycle.
NRS 484B.767 Certain persons operating bicycle or electric bicycle while on duty not required to comply with laws in certain circumstances. [Effective through December 31, 2013.]
NRS 484B.767 Certain persons operating bicycle or electric bicycle while on duty not required to comply with laws in certain circumstances. [Effective January 1, 2014.]
NRS 484B.768 Required action of operator of bicycle or electric bicycle when turning from direct course; when signal not required.
NRS 484B.769 Signals required to be given by operator of bicycle or electric bicycle on roadway.
NRS 484B.770 Where bicycles or electric bicycles may be ridden; limitation on number of persons carried on bicycle or electric bicycle.
NRS 484B.773 Attaching to vehicle upon roadway prohibited.
NRS 484B.777 Operating bicycle or electric bicycle on roadway.
NRS 484B.780 Carrying articles on bicycle or electric bicycle.
NRS 484B.783 Lamps, reflectors and brakes required on bicycles and electric bicycles.
NRS 484B.760 Penalty for violation of provisions; responsibility of parent of child or guardian of ward; applicability of provisions to bicycles and electric bicycles.
1. It is a misdemeanor for any person to do any act forbidden or fail to perform any act required in NRS 484B.768 to 484B.783, inclusive.
2. The parent of any child and the guardian of any ward shall not authorize or knowingly permit the child or ward to violate any of the provisions of chapters 484A to 484E, inclusive, of NRS.
3. The provisions applicable to bicycles and electric bicycles apply whenever a bicycle or an electric bicycle is operated upon any highway or upon any path set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles or electric bicycles subject to those exceptions stated herein.
(Added to NRS by 1957, 505; A 2009, 113, 399)—(Substituted in revision for NRS 484.501)
NRS 484B.763 Application of traffic laws to person riding bicycle or electric bicycle. Every person riding a bicycle or an electric bicycle upon a roadway has all of the rights and is subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle except as otherwise provided in NRS 484B.767 to 484B.783, inclusive, and except as to those provisions of chapters 484A to 484E, inclusive, of NRS which by their nature can have no application.
(Added to NRS by 1957, 504; A 1997, 1728; 2009, 113, 399)—(Substituted in revision for NRS 484.503)
NRS 484B.767 Certain persons operating bicycle or electric bicycle while on duty not required to comply with laws in certain circumstances. [Effective through December 31, 2013.]
1. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a peace officer, a firefighter, an emergency medical technician certified pursuant to chapter 450B of NRS or an employee of a pedestrian mall, who operates a bicycle or an electric bicycle while on duty, is not required to comply with any provision of NRS or any ordinance of a local government relating to the operation of a bicycle or an electric bicycle while on duty if he or she:
(a) Is responding to an emergency call or the peace officer is in pursuit of a suspected violator of the law; or
(b) Determines that noncompliance with any such provision is necessary to carry out his or her duties.
2. The provisions of this section do not:
(a) Relieve a peace officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician or employee of a pedestrian mall from the duty to operate a bicycle or an electric bicycle with due regard for the safety of others.
(b) Protect such a person from the consequences of the person’s disregard for the safety of others.
3. As used in this section, “pedestrian mall” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 268.811.
(Added to NRS by 1997, 1728; A 2005, 315; 2009, 399)—(Substituted in revision for NRS 484.504)
NRS 484B.767 Certain persons operating bicycle or electric bicycle while on duty not required to comply with laws in certain circumstances. [Effective January 1, 2014.]
1. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a peace officer, a firefighter, an emergency medical technician, an advanced emergency medical technician or a paramedic certified pursuant to chapter 450B of NRS or an employee of a pedestrian mall, who operates a bicycle or an electric bicycle while on duty, is not required to comply with any provision of NRS or any ordinance of a local government relating to the operation of a bicycle or an electric bicycle while on duty if he or she:
(a) Is responding to an emergency call or the peace officer is in pursuit of a suspected violator of the law; or
(b) Determines that noncompliance with any such provision is necessary to carry out his or her duties.
2. The provisions of this section do not:
(a) Relieve a peace officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician, advanced emergency medical technician, paramedic or employee of a pedestrian mall from the duty to operate a bicycle or an electric bicycle with due regard for the safety of others.
(b) Protect such a person from the consequences of the person’s disregard for the safety of others.
3. As used in this section, “pedestrian mall” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 268.811.
(Added to NRS by 1997, 1728; A 2005, 315; 2009, 399; 2013, 963, effective January 1, 2014)—(Substituted in revision for NRS 484.504)
NRS 484B.768 Required action of operator of bicycle or electric bicycle when turning from direct course; when signal not required.
1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, an operator of a bicycle or an electric bicycle upon a roadway shall not turn from a direct course unless the movement may be made with reasonable safety and the operator gives an appropriate signal. The operator shall give the appropriate signal at least one time but is not required to give the signal continuously.
2. An operator of a bicycle or an electric bicycle is not required to give a signal if:
(a) The bicycle or electric bicycle is in a designated turn lane; or
(b) Safe operation of the bicycle or electric bicycle requires the operator to keep both hands on the bicycle or electric bicycle.
(Added to NRS by 2009, 112)
NRS 484B.769 Signals required to be given by operator of bicycle or electric bicycle on roadway. An operator of a bicycle or an electric bicycle upon a roadway shall give all signals by hand and arm in the manner required by NRS 484B.420, except that the operator may give a signal for a right turn by extending his or her right hand and arm horizontally and to the right side of the bicycle or electric bicycle.
(Added to NRS by 2009, 113)
NRS 484B.770 Where bicycles or electric bicycles may be ridden; limitation on number of persons carried on bicycle or electric bicycle.
1. A person propelling a bicycle or an electric bicycle shall not ride other than upon or astride a permanent and regular seat attached thereto.
2. No bicycle or electric bicycle shall be used to carry more persons at one time than the number for which it is designed and equipped.
(Added to NRS by 1957, 504; A 2009, 399)—(Substituted in revision for NRS 484.505)
NRS 484B.773 Attaching to vehicle upon roadway prohibited. No person riding upon any bicycle, electric bicycle, coaster, roller skates, sled or toy vehicle shall attach the same or himself or herself to any vehicle upon a roadway.
(Added to NRS by 1957, 504; A 2009, 399)—(Substituted in revision for NRS 484.507)
NRS 484B.777 Operating bicycle or electric bicycle on roadway.
1. Every person operating a bicycle or an electric bicycle upon a roadway shall, except:
(a) When traveling at a lawful rate of speed commensurate with the speed of any nearby traffic;
(b) When preparing to turn left; or
(c) When doing so would not be safe,
Ê ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable, exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or one proceeding in the same direction.
2. Persons riding bicycles or electric bicycles upon a roadway shall not ride more than two abreast except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles or electric bicycles.
(Added to NRS by 1957, 504; A 1991, 2229; 2009, 400)—(Substituted in revision for NRS 484.509)
NRS 484B.780 Carrying articles on bicycle or electric bicycle. No person operating a bicycle or an electric bicycle shall carry any package, bundle or article which prevents the driver from keeping at least one hand upon the handle bars.
(Added to NRS by 1957, 505; A 2009, 400)—(Substituted in revision for NRS 484.511)
NRS 484B.783 Lamps, reflectors and brakes required on bicycles and electric bicycles.
1. Every bicycle or electric bicycle when in use at night must be equipped with:
(a) A lamp on the front which emits a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front;
(b) A red reflector on the rear of a type approved by the Department which must be visible from 50 feet to 300 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle; and
(c) Reflective material of a sufficient size and reflectivity to be visible from both sides of the bicycle for 600 feet when directly in front of the lawful lower beams of the headlamps of a motor vehicle, or in lieu of such material, a lighted lamp visible from both sides from a distance of at least 500 feet.
2. Every bicycle or electric bicycle must be equipped with a brake which will enable the operator to make the wheels skid on dry, level, clean pavement.
(Added to NRS by 1957, 505; A 1961, 136; 1975, 30; 1985, 1464, 1952; 1991, 2229; 2009, 400)—(Substituted in revision for NRS 484.513)
Source: Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) 484B – Rules of the Road. https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-484B.html