Prioritize your safety and call 911. Bicycle injuries from car collisions are often severe: broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, spinal damage, and road rash requiring surgery. If you're able, document the scene: photos of the vehicle, license plate, your injuries, your damaged bike, road conditions, and any bike lane markings. Get the driver's name, phone number, and insurance information. Collect witness contact info. If the accident caused injury, death, or over $1,000 in property damage, it must be reported to the Washington State Patrol within 4 days if police didn't file a report. See a doctor immediately, even if you feel okay. Then contact a bicycle accident lawyer before speaking with the driver's insurance.

Under Washington law (RCW 46.61.755), bicycles are considered vehicles, and cyclists have the same rights and duties as drivers on public roadways. When a driver fails to yield to a cyclist, turns across a bike lane, opens a door into a cyclist's path, or passes unsafely, that driver can be held liable. Washington also has a safe passing law (RCW 46.61.110) requiring drivers to pass cyclists at a safe distance. Common at-fault scenarios include right-hook turns, dooring, left-turn collisions, and failure to yield at intersections. Washington follows pure comparative negligence (RCW 4.22.005), so even if you were partially at fault, you can still recover, just reduced by your percentage of fault with no bar threshold.

Yes. Under RCW 46.61.110, drivers must pass cyclists at a safe distance and not return to the lane until safely clear of the bicycle. Violating this law when it results in injury creates strong evidence of driver negligence. If a driver sideswiped you, clipped your handlebars, or forced you off the road while passing, this law is a powerful tool in your claim.

Washington does not have a statewide bicycle helmet law for adults. However, King County (which includes Seattle, Bellevue, and surrounding cities) previously had a mandatory helmet law that was repealed in 2022. Currently, no jurisdiction in Washington requires adult cyclists to wear helmets. Riders under 16 may be subject to local ordinances in some areas. Importantly, even if you were not wearing a helmet, it does not bar your claim. Under Washington's pure comparative negligence system, the lack of a helmet may be raised as a factor, but it only potentially reduces your recovery for head-specific injuries, and does not eliminate your right to compensation for other injuries.

Yes. You can file a claim against the at-fault driver's auto liability insurance. Washington requires minimum liability coverage of $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident for bodily injury (RCW 46.29.090). If you have your own auto insurance policy with PIP, it may also cover your bicycle accident injuries regardless of fault (PIP covers pedestrians and cyclists struck by insured vehicles under RCW 48.22.095). Your own UM/UIM coverage may apply if the at-fault driver was uninsured or underinsured. An attorney can identify every available policy.

Medical expenses (past and future), lost wages and lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, emotional distress, scarring and disfigurement, bike repair or replacement, and loss of enjoyment of life. Bicycle injuries tend to be more severe than car-on-car accidents since cyclists have no protection from impact. Washington has no cap on noneconomic damages (Sofie v. Fibreboard Corp., 1989). The value depends on injury severity, recovery timeline, liability evidence, and available insurance coverage.

Three years from the date of the accident (RCW 4.16.080). If a government vehicle or entity was involved (a city bus, a WSDOT vehicle, a road defect), you must file a tort claim first and wait 60 days (RCW 4.96.020). Don't wait. Traffic camera footage, witness memories, and road conditions deteriorate quickly.

Our bicycle accident lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing upfront and owe no fees unless we win. Our fee is typically 33% to 40% of the settlement or verdict. No hourly charges, retainers, or hidden costs.

Yes. Senft Legal helps injured cyclists throughout Washington state, including Seattle, Tacoma, Spokane, Everett, Bellevue, and communities across the state. Whether your accident happened on a city street, a bike lane, a multi-use trail, or a highway, our team can review your claim and help you pursue maximum compensation.