FAQ’s for Memphis cyclists hit by cars

Memphis personal injury attorney Jami Ferrell was recently featured in “Memphis Health and Fitness” magazine where he discussed how injured cyclists can recover for their injuries and property damage.

bicyclist hit by car

Here is a list of some of the frequently asked questions that he was asked concerning cyclists who have been hit by automobiles and his answers to these questions.

Q: How many cyclists are injured each year?

A: According to the 2008 NHTSA report (the latest available), 52,000 bicyclists were injured and 716 bicyclists were killed on U.S. roads.

Q: Is there anything you can do to help you pay for damages if you were injured by a car while running or cycling?

A: Yes. If the vehicle stops you can get the driver’s insurance information and file an accident and injury claim to be reimbursed for any property damage, medical bills, missed work due to the accident and any other pain and suffering.

Q: Are you out of luck if the driver doesn’t stop?

A: Not necessarily. Even if the driver who hit you doesn’t stop or doesn’t have insurance you still may be able to be reimbursed for your injuries and loss if you have uninsured motorist coverage (UIM) on your own car.

Q: Will my insurance go up if I make a claim for someone else hitting me while running or cycling?

A: No. Tennessee insures are not allowed to rate your rates or cancel coverage for making a claim under their uninsured motorist coverage policy.

Q: What is an “injury” and how bad do you need to be hurt before you need to call a lawyer?

A: My philosophy is that if you are lucky enough to walk away and get back to your regular routine without a visit to the doctor, missing days of work or not being able to train because of pain then you should say your prayers and count your blessings. But if your bike has been wrecked, you have a lot of doctor’s bills, severe pain and discomfort then you need to give an attorney you trust a phone call.

My advice to all of you who are active and always moving is that you need to call your insurance provider today to see if you have UIM coverage. If you don’t have it then add it right away.

The cost is very minimal and it can mean all the difference in the world if you’ve been hit by someone while enjoying your favorite activity. With UIM coverage in place, personal injury attorneys like me will actually be able to help you get back on your feet and back outside.

Memphis cyclist hit by car on Wolf River Boulevard

I live in Germantown very near Wolf River Boulevard. In fact I often run up and down that street when training and see and wave to many cyclists on this stretch of road. That’s why the following story really hits close to home for me.

The Commercial Appeal is reporting that a cyclist was hit by a car on Wolf River Boulevard near Houston High School in Germantown this past Sunday.

It seems that the bicyclist may have suffered severe injuries and damage from the accident. In fact he was in critical condition and had to be airlifted by helicopter to the Med emergency room for treatment.

My sincerest thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family. I’m sure he was enjoying a great day up until the point of the accident. No one ever expects and event as terrible as this to happen.

Please be careful when you’re riding your bike. It doesn’t matter if you’re alone, with your group of buddies or in a huge peloton, accidents and wrecks happen fast. Be on the lookout for cars that aren’t watching you, it’s your best and sometimes only defense.

To learn more about what to do if you have been hit while riding your bike here in Memphis read this bicycle accident post I recently made.

And if you were riding your bike and were hit by a car give me a call at 1-888-GET-JAMI today, or call me at 901-754-1340. I’d be happy to talk with you to see if there is anything I can do to help you.

Help for Memphis bicyclists hit by cars while riding

How many times have you been running or biking along the streets of Memphis when someone driving their car barely misses you? It may have been because they were talking or texting on the phone, or even worse, they may have simply not wanted to give you the proper right-of-way or passing space. If you’re lucky you came away with just a close call. And in a worst case scenario someone you know and love may have lost their life due to the carelessness of someone else.

If you’re the unlucky person whose been hit by a car you may think that there is nothing you can do, and that you’ll be stuck paying for the medical bills and property damage out of your own pocket. But did you know that you might not need to do this on your own dime?

Even if the driver who hit you doesn’t stop or doesn’t have insurance you still may be able to receive help paying your bills and restoring the property that was damaged. How can you get this? By looking to see if your own car insurance coverage can help.

Most people don’t have a clue that their own car insurance coverage can help them even when they are hurt nowhere near their car. But if you have uninsured motorist coverage (UIM) on for your vehicle then you most likely will be able to recover and be compensated for your injuries, pain and suffering and property damage.

If you’re someone who is active and always moving you need to call your insurance provider today to see if you have UIM coverage. If you don’t then add it right away. The cost is very minimal and it can mean all the difference in the world if you’ve been hit by someone while enjoying the great outdoors. With UIM coverage in place, injury attorneys like me will actually be able to help you get back on your feet and back outside.

Jami Ferrell is an avid fitness enthusiast who can be found running the streets of Germantown and hanging with his family outside throughout the year. He is also an injury and accident lawyer who focuses on helping victims of serious and life-changing accidents, and is the author of the book “7 Deadly Mistakes That Can KILL Your Memphis Accident Case.” Jami can be reached at 901-754-1340 or by email at James@LawFerrell.com

Memphis a Top 5 Most Dangerous Metro Area for Pedestrians

Have you ever tried to scramble across Poplar Avenue? If so you know that it’s like a high wire circus act. I can’t even walk the one mile from my home in Germantown to the Saddle Creek mall because of lack of sidewalks and safe street crossings!

A new rankings list confirms what Memphis personal injury lawyers have known all along – our city makes commuting on foot a death defying stunt that only the brave should attempt.

The rankings by the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership, place Memphis at number 5 on a list of the most dangerous metro areas, based on a Pedestrian Danger Index (PDI). This PDI was calculated by dividing the average pedestrian accident fatality rate between 2007 and 2008, by the percentage of residents walking to work. It was created to compare metropolitan areas across the US, taking into account that in some cities, more people walked daily to work and therefore, there may be a higher rate of pedestrian fatalities. The first four spots on the list were taken by four metropolitan areas in Florida, making that state the most dangerous for pedestrians.

As I drilled down further into Tennessee’s data, I found that while the national PDI is 52.1, Tennessee has a PDI of 71.5. Memphis has a PDI of 137.7 followed by Chattanooga at 78.6, Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin at 70.2, Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol at 54.7 and Knoxville at 54.5.

According to the researchers, most pedestrian accidents occur on arterial roads, or highways that have simply expanded and become more congested over time. Poor design has contributed to these arterial roads becoming pedestrian fatality magnets.

As a Memphis injury lawyer, I know that it’s possible to prevent fatalities simply by making greater investments in pedestrian infrastructure, and using traffic calming techniques that can slow down traffic, and make streets safer for pedestrians. Programs like Complete Streets, which aim to ensure that road construction projects factor in the needs of all users, including pedestrians and bicyclists, can also help reduce pedestrian fatalities.

The researchers are calling for adopting a national Complete Streets policy, expanding the Safe Routes to School program and dedicating a portion of federal transportation funds to pedestrian projects.

Here’s my suggestion:

• For starters, why can’t we put in some pedestrian friendly sidewalks? It would be great if I could walk from my house to local restaurants without have to cross Poplar once to get to a sidewalk and then cross it again to come back to the same side of the street I was on previously, just to make it a few hundred yards.

• Secondly, how about some secondary routes that lead pedestrians to cool and fun areas? A prime example is the southern part of Shelby Farms. The only way for a pedestrian or biker to access the trails there is for them to cross a busy Germantown Parkway bridge. There have been several accidents and injuries from wrecks at that at that very bridge.

A better solution would be to connect Shelby Farms to the Germantown Greenway trails by building a pedestrian bridge over the Wolf River. This would alleviate the problem of pedestrians having to walk on a narrow side of a major 5-lane parkway bridge.

Come on Memphis, Germantown, Collierville and all of Shelby County – let’s start working on solutions for pedestrian safety today!

What do you think? Let me hear your ideas on how to improve pedestrian and biker safety in Memphis and Shelby County.