Bike Accident Attorneys Serving St. Louis, Columbia, St. Charles, and All of Missouri

Cyclists in St. Louis have every right to share the road. With more than 150 miles of bike lanes, trails, and shared paths throughout the city, St. Louis has made real investments in cycling infrastructure. But those lanes and paths do not protect riders from drivers who are not paying attention. When a car, truck, or other vehicle strikes a cyclist, the injuries are almost always serious, and the victim is almost always the one left to absorb the consequences.

Strong Law, P.C. has been fighting for injury victims in St. Louis and throughout Missouri since 1976. When a negligent driver injures a cyclist, we pursue the full compensation that rider deserves, including medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and the long-term costs of a serious injury. With more than $7 billion recovered and 7 nationally acclaimed trial lawyers, we have the resources and the record to take on any insurer on behalf of an injured cyclist. Call (314) 940-8300 for a free consultation. No fee unless we win.

FREE CASE REVIEW  |  (314) 940-8300  |  injury@stronglaw.com  |  No Fee Unless We Win

Why Strong Law, P.C. for a Bicycle Accident Case in St. Louis

Bicycle accident cases present the same insurance defense dynamics as any motor vehicle case, plus one additional challenge: bias. Insurance adjusters and juries sometimes assume that cyclists contribute to their own accidents by choosing to ride on roads shared with cars. Strong Law specifically prepares against this bias, building cases from the evidence out and establishing clearly that our clients were riding lawfully and were hit by drivers who failed in their basic duty to share the road safely.

Our Credentials

• Founded in 1976, with over 45 years of proven results for Missouri injury victims
• $7+ billion in verdicts and settlements recovered
• 7 nationally acclaimed trial lawyers
• 99% positive client review rate
• Named to the Inner Circle of Advocates
• Recognized by Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent, Super Lawyers (Top 10 in Missouri), Best Lawyers in America, Lawyer of the Year (Best Lawyers), and US News Best Law Firms
• St. Louis office at 5100 Daggett Ave STE B, serving St. Louis, Columbia, and St. Charles

Bicycle Accidents in St. Louis: The Reality on the Road

St. Louis has grown into a genuine cycling city over the past decade. The Mississippi Greenway, Forest Park trails, the Gravois Greenway, the Chouteau Greenway, and bike lanes on major corridors throughout the city and county all reflect a commitment to making St. Louis more bike-friendly. Missouri State University of Science and Technology, Washington University, and Saint Louis University all generate significant student cycling populations. And thousands of commuters, recreational riders, and trail users take to St. Louis roads and paths every day.

But sharing the road with distracted, aggressive, and inattentive drivers remains one of the most dangerous things a person can do in this city. The Missouri State Highway Patrol and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department document hundreds of bicycle-involved crashes annually in the metro area, with a significant number resulting in serious injury and fatalities. The most dangerous locations for cyclists in St. Louis include high-traffic arterials like Kingshighway, Grand Avenue, Manchester Road, and Natural Bridge, as well as intersections throughout the city and county where turning vehicles fail to yield to cyclists in bike lanes or crossings.

Missouri Bicycle Law: Your Rights on the Road

Missouri law gives cyclists the same rights and responsibilities as motor vehicle drivers. Understanding these rights is the foundation of every bicycle accident case.

Cyclists Have Full Rights to the Road

Under Missouri Revised Statutes Chapter 307, cyclists operating on a roadway have all the rights and are subject to all the duties applicable to motor vehicle drivers. This means drivers must treat cyclists the same as any other vehicle on the road, yield the right of way when required, and refrain from dangerous passing, following too closely, or cutting off a cyclist.

The Three-Foot Passing Law

Missouri law requires drivers to give cyclists at least three feet of clearance when passing. When passing a bicycle is not possible while maintaining three feet of clearance, drivers must wait until it is safe to pass. Violations of this law are directly relevant to liability in a bicycle accident case where a driver struck or sideswiped a rider.

Bike Lane Protections

When a designated bike lane exists, cyclists have the right to use it free from intrusion by motor vehicles. Drivers who enter, block, or turn across a bike lane without yielding to cyclists already in the lane are violating both traffic law and the cyclist’s right of way. Dooring incidents, where a driver or passenger opens a car door into the path of an oncoming cyclist in a bike lane, are a recognized cause of serious bicycle injuries in urban St. Louis.

Comparative Fault and Cyclists

Missouri follows pure comparative fault. Even if a cyclist was technically violating a traffic law at the time of a crash, they may still recover damages, with the award reduced by their percentage of fault. Insurance companies try aggressively to inflate cyclists’ fault in these cases. Strong Law contests those characterizations with evidence and legal argument.

Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in St. Louis

Left-Turn Collisions

A driver turning left across oncoming traffic fails to see or misjudges the speed of an approaching cyclist and turns directly into their path. This is one of the most common and most deadly types of bicycle accidents. It happens repeatedly at intersections throughout St. Louis, including high-traffic crossings on Kingshighway, Hampton Avenue, and throughout the Central West End and Tower Grove neighborhoods.

Dooring

A driver or passenger opens a parked car door directly into the path of a passing cyclist. Dooring incidents in St. Louis’s urban neighborhoods and commercial corridors, where on-street parking is common and bike lanes run adjacent to parking lanes, cause serious injuries when cyclists are launched over the door or into traffic. Both the person who opened the door and in some cases the vehicle owner may face liability.

Failure to Yield at Intersections

Drivers pulling out of side streets, alleys, driveways, and parking lots frequently fail to check adequately for oncoming cyclists. The same right-of-way rules that apply between two motor vehicles apply between a motor vehicle and a bicycle, and violations of those rules create the same liability.

Distracted Driving

A driver looking at their phone, adjusting a navigation system, or otherwise not watching the road is one of the most common causes of bicycle accidents in St. Louis. Cyclists in bike lanes are particularly vulnerable to distracted drivers who drift partially out of their travel lane or fail to check for cyclists before turning.

Unsafe Passing

Drivers who pass a cyclist with insufficient clearance, who cut back into the lane too quickly after passing, or who accelerate aggressively past a cyclist and then brake suddenly create serious crash risk. Missouri’s three-foot passing law exists precisely because these passes regularly cause falls and collisions.

Right Hook Crashes

A driver traveling alongside or behind a cyclist suddenly turns right across the cyclist’s path. This is particularly common when a driver underestimates the cyclist’s speed or fails to check their right mirror and blind spot before turning. Right hook crashes are a leading cause of cyclist fatalities at urban intersections.

Road Hazards and Defective Infrastructure

Potholes, raised utility covers, drainage grates with slots parallel to the direction of travel, uneven pavement at road transitions, and unmarked road construction hazards can all cause a cyclist to lose control and crash without any vehicle involvement. When a government entity’s failure to maintain safe road conditions or a contractor’s negligent road work caused or contributed to a crash, a claim against the responsible agency may be available. These cases have short notice deadlines, sometimes as brief as 90 days for government claims.

Rideshare and Commercial Vehicle Conflicts

Uber, Lyft, and delivery vehicle drivers who double-park in bike lanes, swing open doors without checking, or make sudden stops create specific hazards for St. Louis cyclists in commercial and entertainment districts. These cases may involve the rideshare company’s insurance in addition to the driver’s personal coverage depending on the driver’s status at the time of the incident.

Common Injuries in Bicycle Accidents

Cyclists have no protective frame around them. When a vehicle strikes a cyclist, the rider absorbs the full force of the impact. The injuries that result are frequently severe:

• Traumatic brain injury, including concussion, brain contusion, and diffuse axonal injury, even when a helmet was worn
• Road rash, ranging from superficial abrasion to deep tissue damage requiring skin grafting
• Broken bones, including clavicle fractures, wrist and arm fractures, and lower extremity fractures
• Spinal injuries, including herniated discs, vertebral fractures, and in severe crashes, spinal cord damage
• Knee and shoulder injuries from direct impact or instinctive bracing
• Internal injuries and organ damage from impact forces
• Facial injuries, including fractures, dental damage, and scarring
• Psychological injuries, including post-traumatic stress disorder and fear of cycling

Even crashes that seem minor can produce injuries that are not immediately apparent. Traumatic brain injury in particular often does not show its full severity at the scene. Seeking medical evaluation immediately after any bicycle accident is critical both for your health and for the documentation of your legal case.

Who Can Be Held Liable for a Bicycle Accident in St. Louis?

• The at-fault driver, for negligent, distracted, or reckless operation of their vehicle
• The driver’s employer, if they were operating a vehicle in the course of employment
• A rideshare company, under certain circumstances when their driver caused the crash during an active trip
• A vehicle or bicycle manufacturer, if a defective component contributed to the accident
• A government entity, if a dangerous road condition, defective bike lane design, or inadequate infrastructure maintenance caused or contributed to the crash
• A property owner, in dooring incidents or cases where dangerous conditions on adjacent property created the hazard

Compensation Available After a St. Louis Bicycle Accident

Economic Damages

• Medical expenses, past and future, including emergency care, surgery, rehabilitation, and ongoing treatment
• Lost wages for time missed from work during recovery
• Loss of future earning capacity if injuries cause lasting impairment
• Bicycle repair or replacement and related property damage

Non-Economic Damages

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Permanent disfigurement or disability
• Loss of consortium

Punitive Damages

When a driver was intoxicated, engaged in road rage, or acted with deliberate recklessness toward a cyclist, punitive damages may be available.

Call (314) 940-8300 or email injury@stronglaw.com for a free case evaluation.

What to Do After a Bicycle Accident in St. Louis

• Call 911 and request medical assistance. Accept evaluation at the scene even if you believe your injuries are minor.
• Stay at the scene until police arrive and an accident report is completed.
• Document everything: photograph the vehicles, the road, the bike lane or intersection, skid marks, your bicycle, and your visible injuries.
• Get the driver’s name, license number, insurance information, and vehicle information.
• Collect contact information from any witnesses.
• Preserve your bicycle and helmet. Do not repair or discard them. Both are evidence.
• Follow all medical treatment instructions and keep records of every appointment and expense.
• Call Strong Law at (314) 940-8300 before speaking to the driver’s insurance company.

What NOT to Do

• Do not admit fault or apologize at the scene
• Do not give a recorded statement to the at-fault driver’s insurer without an attorney
• Do not post about the accident or your injuries on social media
• Do not accept any settlement offer before consulting a lawyer

Frequently Asked Questions: St. Louis Bicycle Accident Cases

What if the driver says I was at fault because I was in the road?

Missouri cyclists have a legal right to use the road, and drivers have an obligation to share it safely. The fact that you were riding in a travel lane rather than on a sidewalk or trail does not make you at fault for an accident. Missouri’s pure comparative fault rule means you can recover even if you share some responsibility, but in most cases where a vehicle strikes a cyclist who was riding lawfully, the driver bears the primary fault. Strong Law contests inflated fault assignments against cyclists with evidence and legal argument.

I was not wearing a helmet. Does that hurt my case?

Missouri does not require adult cyclists to wear helmets, and the absence of a helmet does not bar a bicycle accident claim. The defense may argue that your injuries were worsened by not wearing a helmet, but this argument is limited in scope to injuries that a helmet would have specifically prevented and does not affect liability for the crash itself. Contact us to discuss how this issue affects the specific facts of your case.

What if the at-fault driver had minimal insurance?

Your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage may provide additional recovery. There may also be other liable parties with separate coverage. Strong Law identifies every available source of compensation in every bicycle accident case.

The accident happened on a city bike trail, not a public road. Do I still have a case?

Accidents on shared paths, greenways, and multi-use trails can give rise to claims against other path users or, if inadequate trail design or maintenance contributed to the crash, against the trail’s operator or the government entity responsible for maintenance. Contact us to discuss the specific circumstances.

What does it cost to hire Strong Law?

Nothing upfront. All bicycle accident cases are handled on a contingency fee basis. You pay no attorney’s fees unless we recover compensation for you. Your consultation is always free.

Serving St. Louis and the Surrounding Region

• St. Louis City and St. Louis County
• Columbia, MO
• St. Charles, MO
• Clayton, Kirkwood, and the greater St. Louis metropolitan area

Not sure if we serve your area? Call us. Consultations are always free.

Talk to a St. Louis Bicycle Accident Attorney Today

You had every right to be on that road. The driver who hit you should be held fully accountable. Strong Law, P.C. has been fighting for Missouri injury victims since 1976. Our St. Louis bicycle accident attorneys will pursue every dollar you are owed so you can focus on getting better.

$7+ billion recovered. 7 nationally acclaimed trial lawyers. 99% positive reviews. No fee unless we win.

Call Strong Law, P.C. at (314) 940-8300  |  injury@stronglaw.com  |  5100 Daggett Ave STE B, St. Louis, MO 63110

Strong Law, P.C.  |  stronglaw.com  |  Founded 1976  |  $7+ Billion Recovered