Advocacy & Safety - Lawyers

How many lawyers does it take...

Just kidding! :D We all love to hate lawyers (until we need one! :eek: ) Especially those "ambulance chasers" (or, more affectionately, "personal injury" attorneys.)

To be honest, personal injury lawyers might be very useful for
cyclists by putting the fear of being sued into careless (or hopefully, "carless") motorists.

Am I dreaming? Wake me up, please!

At least one member of the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition is an attorney specializing in bicycle and pedestrian personal injury cases. You are not dreaming, Pete!

John, I know of two "expert consultants" or "expert witnesses" (but not lawyers) who offer their services in bicycle accident cases. One of these, John Allen, was quite helpful to a member of these forums (Ba-Dg-Er) after he was shamefully treated in a collision with a car.

Mr. Allen responded by e-mail almost immediately (no charge) and
gave both moral support and solid follow-up advice. His views on the accident proved accurate.

The officer on the scene had ticketed the cyclist (Badger) after he attempted to make a perfectly legal left turn, having been clipped from behind (while awaiting a break in traffic) by an impatient motorist.

Before we had the time to use Mr. Allen's free advice and local law enforcement references, the Tucson police did a 180 and apologized to Badger in person. Today, I still don't know if
there was any connection between the ammunition Mr. Allen provided and the abrupt change of attitude by the police.

This is not meant to be anti-police. I just think it pays to know the law, as many well-intentioned officers may not.

Mr. Allen's website: www.bikexprt.com

What is the difference between a proud rooster and a lawyer?


The rooster clucks defiance!

Hey watch it guys, there's at least a couple of us round here with a law degree :D

Richard

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?threadid=3245

Ra!

Originally posted by Richard D
Hey watch it guys, there's at least a couple of us round here with a law degree :D

Richard

Some of us ain't chicken either!

Originally posted by Richard D
Hey watch it guys, there's at least a couple of us round here with a law degree :D

Richard

You have my sympathies.

All I will say on the subject of lawers is, if the law made any sense, there'd be no need for them.

One of my ancestors, John Scott Eldon, codified English Common Law, in an attempt to establish laws which made sense. Often, the law is OK, but the enforcer or interpreter is clueless. At other times, the "law is [indeed] a @$$." This is why political activism is so crucial for all of us.