If a driver hit you while you were cycling in Moore, Oklahoma, you can generally seek compensation from that driver’s insurance for medical bills, lost income, bike repair or replacement, and pain and suffering. Oklahoma law requires filing a bicycle accident lawsuit within two years of the crash under 12 O.S. § 95(A)(3). A Moore bicycle accident lawyer can review your claim for free.
Liability After a Bicycle Accident in Moore, Oklahoma
To recover damages after a bike crash, you generally have to show the driver was negligent: the driver owed you a duty of care, broke that duty, and caused your injuries and losses. Oklahoma drivers must give cyclists at least three feet of clearance when passing and yield the right of way when the law requires it. Distracted driving, speeding, and failing to yield at intersections cause most of the bicycle crashes we see.
Oklahoma follows a shared-fault rule for damages, so you are not shut out of a claim just because you share some blame for the crash. Under Oklahoma’s shared-fault damages rule, your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault, as long as you were not more at fault than the driver. A bicyclist is far more exposed to serious injury in a crash than someone riding inside a car, since a bike offers no frame, airbags, or crumple zone to absorb the impact.
Steps to Take After a Bicycle Accident in Moore
What you do in the first hours after a crash affects both your health and your claim.
- Call it in. Dial 911 if anyone is hurt. For a non-injury crash, the Moore Police Department’s non-emergency line is 405-793-5171. A police report documents the scene and the other driver’s statements.
- Get checked out. Some injuries, like a concussion or soft-tissue damage, do not show symptoms right away. Tens of thousands of cyclists are treated for crash-related injuries in the U.S. every year, and a medical exam creates a record tying your injuries to the crash.
- Document the scene. Photograph the road, traffic signs, the vehicles, and your bike and any visible injuries. Get contact information for any witnesses.
- Don’t admit fault. Exchange names, contact details, and insurance information with the driver, but keep the conversation to the facts.
- Track your losses. Save medical bills, repair or replacement estimates for your bike, and records of any missed work.
How a Moore Bicycle Accident Lawyer Can Help With Your Claim
Hasbrook & Hasbrook builds a Moore bicycle accident claim in stages: collecting the police report and any camera footage, interviewing witnesses, and preserving your damaged bike and helmet as evidence. From there we identify every source of recovery, which can include the driver’s liability coverage, your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, and, where a road defect played a role, a claim against the party responsible for the road.
Insurance adjusters routinely open with a low offer. We handle that back-and-forth, present a documented claim covering your medical costs, lost income, and pain and suffering, and prepare to file suit if a fair settlement is not on the table. We take these cases on a contingency fee, so there is nothing owed upfront. See how a Moore bike-crash claim moves from police report to settlement for a fuller walkthrough. Our Moore practice works alongside a bike-crash attorney based in Oklahoma City on the firm’s wider cycling-injury cases, and if your crash happened while you were driving rather than cycling, our attorneys who also handle Moore car accident claims can help. For other injury claims in the area, see the broader personal injury team serving Moore.
What if the Driver Fled the Scene?
In a hit-and-run, write down everything you remember about the vehicle and driver right away: color, make, partial plate, direction of travel. Ask nearby witnesses if they saw anything or caught it on a phone or dashcam. Call the police immediately and get checked out medically, even if you feel fine. Report the crash to your own insurer, since Oklahoma law lets you pursue what happens when you notify the at-fault driver’s insurer or, when the driver is never identified, your own uninsured motorist coverage instead.
Can I Still Recover Compensation if I Was Partially at Fault in Moore?
Yes. Oklahoma’s shared-fault rule means partial responsibility does not end your claim, only reduces it. If you were 20% at fault and your total damages were $100,000, you could still recover $80,000, as long as your share of fault does not exceed the driver’s. Cornell Law School’s overview of how shared-fault rules work is a useful plain-language reference if you want more background before your case is evaluated.
Moore Bicycle Ordinances You Should Know
These city ordinances mainly come up when an insurance company tries to shift some blame onto the cyclist:
- Sec. 15-1602, Applicability of traffic laws. Cyclists on the road have the same rights and duties as drivers, except where a bike-specific rule applies.
- Sec. 15-1603, Obedience to traffic-control devices. Cyclists must follow signals and signs, though they may proceed cautiously through a stop sign or red light after slowing or stopping if no hazard is present.
- Sec. 15-1605, Riding on roads and bike paths. Ride near the right-hand curb unless passing, turning left, avoiding a hazard, or in a right-turn lane. Riding more than two abreast is barred if it blocks traffic.
- Sec. 15-1609, Riding on sidewalks. Sidewalk riding is prohibited in business districts, and cyclists must yield to pedestrians.
- Sec. 15-1610, Lights and brakes. Bikes need a front white light, rear red light and reflector, and brakes able to stop the bike within 25 feet at 10 mph.
- Sec. 15-1614, Penalty. Violations carry a fine up to $500 and/or 30 days in jail under Sec. 1-108.
How Long Do You Have to File a Bicycle Accident Lawsuit in Moore?
Oklahoma gives you two years from the date of the crash to sue over a bicycle accident injury. Miss that window and the court will typically dismiss the case regardless of how strong the underlying claim is, so it is worth talking to a lawyer well before the deadline approaches.
If you were hurt biking in Moore, talk to our team about your Moore bike-crash claim or call (405) 605-2426 for a free consultation.
