It seems like the perfect solution for the carless city dweller: Indego bike-share programs to allow users to “borrow” a bicycle at their convenience – all for just a couple dollars per hour. However, packed urban areas are often rife with accidents and injuries, particularly involving vulnerable pedestrians and cyclists.
If you are an avid bike-share participant, read on to learn about liability issues surrounding this burgeoning idea – and be sure to contact a legal advocate at Cordisco & Saile LLC if you recently suffered injuries from an accident while riding an Indego bike.
Driver fault
Bicycle accidents are unfortunately common in Pennsylvania, with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation statistics revealing 1,311 bicycle crashes and 19 fatalities in 2014 alone. So, what causes this trend, especially considering the fact that pedestrians and cyclists are generally supposed to travel out of the way of traffic and alongside the shoulder? Most often, bicycle accidents occur as a result of any of the following mishaps.
- Driver inattention (texting, talking on the phone, etc.)
- Motorist failing to properly check surrounding lanes before merging
- Speeding through intersections
- Failing to yield to a cyclist in a bicycle lane
When any of the above cause an accident, there is a strong likelihood the driver will be the liable party – and must pay some or all of the victim’s medical expenses and costs. However, in the context of an Indego bike-share arrangement, the Indego company may actually face liability in certain limited scenarios, as discussed below.
Note: If you were engaging in any of these behaviors when the accident occurred, an investigation may find you partly liable for the accident.
Third-party liability
In some bicycle crash scenarios, the cyclist sustains injury not because of the misconduct of an adjacent motorist, but due to a malfunctioning bicycle component. If this occurs while a rider is using an Indego bike, the liability may turn on the company responsible for maintaining and inspecting the bicycles for safety.
Moreover, the manufacturer from which Indego obtains its bicycles may also be liable to the victim if the facts of the accident reveal some sort of dangerous design defect or manufacturing flaw. In the end, both parties are responsible for ensuring a safe consumer product, but Indego must, first and foremost offer riders a reasonably safe bicycle to use – or it could be on the hook for any subsequent injuries.
Contact a Pennsylvania attorney at Cordisco & Saile LLC today!
If you recently sustained injuries in an accident with an Indego bike-share bicycle, speak with a Pennsylvania bicycle accident attorney. Please do not hesitate to contact Cordisco & Saile LLC in Bucks County today at 215-791-8911.
