El Paso Bicycle Accident Lawyer for Injured Cyclists

If a driver hit you while you were riding in El Paso, you can usually recover medical bills, lost income, bike replacement, and pain and suffering from the at-fault driver's insurer, and your own PIP and uninsured motorist coverage can fill gaps. Texas gives you two years to file suit, but a claim against the City of El Paso requires sworn written notice to the Mayor within 90 days. Bill Shirer, a Texas board certified trial lawyer and lifelong bike racer, represents only cyclists statewide and offers a free consultation at 972-392-1249.

I'm Bill Shirer, and I represent injured cyclists, and only cyclists, across Texas, including El Paso and the rest of West Texas. I am Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, I hold an AV Preeminent peer rating from Martindale-Hubbell, and I have tried injury cases for more than 40 years. I have raced bikes since 1987, finished more than 100 triathlons including Ironman Hawaii, and ridden more than 100,000 miles. Whether you were hit on Mesa Street, run off the shoulder on Transmountain, or doored downtown, you get a bicycle accident attorney who knows the law and the ride. I handle your bike damage and PIP claims at no fee, and if I don't recover for you, you don't pay.

Why Should El Paso Cyclists Hire a Bicycle Accident Lawyer Who Rides?

Because the adjuster handling your claim has probably never climbed Transmountain or priced a carbon wheelset. Insurers value bike crashes like fender benders: a used-bike price, a few weeks of soft tissue treatment, and a quick release. I know what a crash does to a rider's season, why carbon frames are replaced rather than repaired, and why a cyclist on Scenic Drive or Mesa sometimes has to take the lane.

That understanding shows up in how I investigate, how I document your bike and gear, and how I explain cyclist behavior to an adjuster or an El Paso County jury. I handle your file personally from start to finish. You will not be passed to a case manager.

Does El Paso Have a Safe Passing Law for Cyclists?

Yes. El Paso adopted a Vulnerable Road User Ordinance in December 2010. It protects people on bicycles, pedestrians, and other vulnerable road users by requiring drivers to move over or pass them safely, and it allows the city to fine drivers who do not. El Paso was one of the first Texas cities to adopt this kind of ordinance, alongside Austin and San Antonio.

State law is weaker. As of this writing, Texas has no statewide numeric passing distance. Texas Transportation Code Section 545.053 requires a driver to pass another vehicle "at a safe distance," and Chapter 551 gives a person on a bicycle the rights and duties of a vehicle operator. A statewide three foot bill passed in 2009 and was vetoed, and later versions have not become law. Inside El Paso city limits, the local ordinance adds weight when a driver squeezes, sideswipes, or clips you.

Your Rights on El Paso Roads

• You may ride on any public road except where bicycles are prohibited, such as most interstate highways, including I-10.

• A cyclist moving slower than traffic rides as near as practicable to the right curb, except when passing, turning left, avoiding hazards such as glass, gravel, or goatheads, or riding in a lane less than 14 feet wide.

• Two riders may ride side by side if they stay within a single lane and do not impede the normal and reasonable flow of traffic.

• At night, your bike needs a white front lamp visible from 500 feet and a red rear reflector.

• Texas has no statewide adult helmet requirement.

Where Do El Paso Bicycle Accidents Happen?

El Paso crashes cluster on wide, fast arterials and on the climbing routes riders love. Each area raises its own liability questions:

• Transmountain Road (Loop 375) through the Franklin Mountains: long climbs and fast descents where speed and lane position are often disputed, and passing trucks create wind blast and close passes.

• Scenic Drive: narrow lanes, sightseeing drivers, and parked cars at the overlooks.

• Mesa Street and Doniphan Drive: multi-lane arterials with frequent driveways and shopping center entrances, a classic right-hook setting.

• Montana Avenue and the East Side: high speeds, long blocks, and wide intersections where left-turning drivers misjudge a cyclist's speed.

• Alameda Avenue and the Lower Valley: older roadway, mixed traffic, and serious bicycle crashes investigated by EPPD in recent years.

• Downtown and UTEP: parked cars, delivery vehicles, and student traffic. The new Stanton Street two-way cycle track and downtown bike lane projects help, but transitions between protected and unprotected sections are where drivers and riders meet.

• Fort Bliss and Northeast El Paso: military and commercial truck traffic on Dyer Street and nearby corridors.

Desert conditions matter too. Low sun at sunrise and sunset along east-west roads like Montana and Paisano can blind drivers, which is not an excuse for hitting someone you should have seen. Shoulders collect gravel and debris that force riders toward the lane. These details help explain your position on the road to an adjuster who has never ridden there.

How Common Are Bicycle Crashes in El Paso?

The TxDOT El Paso District recorded 332 traffic crashes involving bicyclists from 2020 through 2024, according to the agency's May 2026 El Paso bike hearing. Over the same years, bicyclist fatalities rose 8 percent in the El Paso District and 25 percent statewide. Within the City of El Paso, Texas Peace Officer crash reports showed 47 bicyclist crashes in 2022 and 43 in 2023, with serious injuries both years and fatalities in each.

Crash counts like these are almost certainly low, because many bicycle crashes are never reported. Statewide, TxDOT lists driver inattention, failure to yield the right of way, and speeding as the leading causes. The good news is that money is moving toward safer streets: TxDOT, the City, and El Paso County are funding new bike lanes, a citywide bicycle infrastructure project, and the Mission Valley segment of the Paso del Norte Trail, building on the City of El Paso Bike Plan.

What Kinds of El Paso Bicycle Accident Cases Do I Handle?

I represent cyclists hurt in any crash caused by someone else's carelessness. The most common El Paso cases include:

Left-Turn and Right-Hook Crashes

A driver turns across your path at an intersection or a shopping center entrance. These failure to yield crashes are among the most common and most provable bicycle claims when evidence is preserved quickly.

Close Passes and Sideswipes on Fast Roads

Mirror strikes and trailer sideswipes on Transmountain, Montana, and rural roads in the Upper and Lower Valley often cause serious injuries. Inside city limits, the Vulnerable Road User Ordinance supports your claim.

Dooring Crashes Downtown and Near UTEP

A parked driver or passenger opens a door into your path. Texas law requires occupants to check before opening a door into traffic. Read more about dooring accident claims.

Hit-and-Run Crashes

Your uninsured motorist coverage can pay when a driver flees, but Texas requires actual physical contact with the unknown vehicle and prompt reporting. Report to EPPD or the Sheriff right away.

Crashes With Out-of-State or Cross-Border Drivers

El Paso shares roads with New Mexico drivers and with vehicles crossing from Ciudad Juarez. Some carry limited coverage, coverage that is hard to collect, or none at all. Your own UM/UIM coverage can be the most important policy in the case, and I identify every source early.

Road Defects and Construction Zones

Potholes, debris, uneven plates, and poorly marked work zones can involve the City of El Paso, El Paso County, TxDOT, or a contractor. These claims carry very short notice deadlines. See my guide to roadway defect claims.

E-Bike and Trail Crashes

Texas treats most electric bicycles like bicycles; see my e-bike accident lawyer page. Crashes on trails and park land raise the Texas Recreational Use Statute, which limits a landowner's duty but does not protect a careless rider, dog owner, or driver.

What Is My El Paso Bicycle Injury Claim Worth?

Your claim is worth the full cost of what the crash took from you. I don't quote numbers before reviewing your records, because every case turns on its own injuries, insurance, and facts. Here is what I pursue in every El Paso case:

• Medical expenses: emergency care at University Medical Center of El Paso or other hospitals, surgery, therapy, and future care.

• Lost income and earning capacity, including time off for appointments.

• Bike and gear: full replacement value for carbon frames, wheels, power meters, helmets, computers, and clothing. I handle the bike damage claim at no fee.

• Loss of the sport: missed events, lost fitness, and time away from the riding community.

• Pain, mental anguish, and physical impairment, including fear of riding again.

• Disfigurement from road rash, fractures, and surgery.

See claim value and duration for how value is built over time.

Which Insurance Pays After an El Paso Bike Crash?

Usually more than one policy. In El Paso, where uninsured and out-of-state drivers are part of daily traffic, stacking every available policy is essential:

• The at-fault driver's liability insurance pays your injuries and bike damage up to its limits.

• Your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) pays medical bills and lost wages regardless of fault, even on a bike. I collect it at no fee. See how your auto insurance covers you in a bike accident.

• Your uninsured and underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage pays when the driver has no insurance, too little, or fled.

• Your health insurance pays treatment and may seek reimbursement later. I negotiate that subrogation claim at no extra fee.

• Homeowner's or renter's insurance may cover your bike in some situations.

Hurt on an El Paso road? Call before you give the adjuster a recorded statement. Reach me at 972-392-1249 or request your free consultation online. I return calls quickly, including evenings and weekends, and I know El Paso is on Mountain Time.

What Deadlines Apply to an El Paso Bicycle Accident Claim?

Two years is the outer limit, but claims against the City of El Paso need notice within 90 days.

Under Texas's proportionate responsibility rule, you can recover as long as you are not more than 50 percent responsible, and your share of fault reduces the recovery. Expect insurers to argue about lights at dusk, lane position, and speed on descents. Learn more about comparative negligence in bicycle cases.

What Should You Do After a Bicycle Accident in El Paso?

Get medical care, get a police report, and protect the evidence. In order:

• Call 911. Serious crashes in the city are investigated by the El Paso Police Department's Special Traffic Investigations unit; crashes outside city limits may go to the Sheriff's Office or DPS.

• Get evaluated the same day. Head and spine injuries often show symptoms hours later.

• Photograph the vehicle, plate (including out-of-state or Mexican plates), the driver's license and insurance card, your bike, the road surface, and your injuries.

• Collect witness names and numbers, and ask nearby businesses to save video.

• Keep your bike, helmet, and clothing exactly as they are.

• Save GPS ride data from Strava, Garmin, or your bike computer.

• Decline recorded statements to the driver's insurer until you have advice.

• Order your crash report through TxDOT's Crash Records Information System, or let me get it for you.

My full checklist is on the what to do after an accident page.

How Do I Handle an El Paso Bicycle Accident Case?

• Free consultation: by phone or video. We go through the crash, your injuries, and your insurance.

• Claims and coverage: I notify every insurer, confirm limits, and take over all communication.

• Evidence: I obtain the crash report, EPPD investigation materials when available, witness statements, video, and photos.

• Medical and PIP: I help your providers bill correctly and collect your PIP benefits.

• Bike claim: I resolve your property damage early so you can ride again.

• Demand and negotiation: when your treatment stabilizes, I present a full demand and review every offer with you. Nothing settles until you approve a specific in-pocket number.

• Lawsuit if needed: if the insurer won't be fair, I file suit and try the case. My fee stays at 33 1/3 percent.

Why Do El Paso Cyclists Choose Cyclist at Law?

Looking for a Bicycle Injury Lawyer Near You in West Texas?

Texas lawyers are licensed statewide, and I represent cyclists in El Paso from my Dallas office. Most of a bicycle claim happens by phone, email, video, and records requests, so distance does not slow your case. I also represent riders in Midland, Odessa, Lubbock, San Angelo, Abilene, and Amarillo. See all West Texas service areas.

El Paso Bicycle Accident FAQs

Can a bicycle accident lawyer based in Dallas represent me in El Paso?

Yes. Texas lawyers are licensed statewide, and I represent cyclists anywhere in Texas. Most of the work in a bicycle claim happens by phone, email, video, and records requests, and if your case requires a lawsuit, I can file it in El Paso County. I handle every case personally and return calls quickly, including evenings and weekends.

How long do I have to file a bicycle accident claim in El Paso?

Texas generally allows two years from the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit. If the City of El Paso is involved, for example through a city vehicle or a street defect, El Paso Municipal Code 3.28.010 requires sworn written notice to the Mayor within 90 days, or within six months for good cause. Claims against TxDOT or El Paso County generally require notice within six months.

Does El Paso have a safe passing law for bicycles?

Yes. El Paso adopted a Vulnerable Road User Ordinance in 2010 that requires drivers to move over or pass cyclists and other vulnerable road users safely, with fines for violations. Texas has no statewide numeric passing distance, so the ordinance applies inside El Paso city limits.

What if the driver who hit me had New Mexico or Mexican insurance, or none at all?

You still have options. The driver's policy may apply, but cross-border and out-of-state coverage can be limited or hard to collect. Your own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage and PIP often become the most important sources. I identify every policy early so nothing is missed.

Who is responsible if I crashed on Transmountain Road or another state highway?

Usually the driver who caused the crash. If a road defect on a state highway contributed, a claim against TxDOT falls under the Texas Tort Claims Act, which has a six month notice deadline and strict limits. A careless contractor in a work zone may also be responsible.

Should I give the insurance adjuster a recorded statement?

Not before you get legal advice. Adjusters use recorded statements to find words that shift fault to the cyclist, such as admitting you did not see the car. You must notify your own insurer, but you can decline the other driver's request for a recorded statement.

Do I have the same rights if I was riding an e-bike in El Paso?

In most cases, yes. Texas law treats an electric bicycle with operable pedals and a motor of 750 watts or less that does not exceed 28 miles per hour like a bicycle for most purposes, so the same rules and claims apply.

Can I recover if I was partly at fault for the crash?

Yes, as long as you are not more than 50 percent responsible. Texas reduces your recovery by your percentage of fault. Insurers often blame cyclists for lane position or lighting, and I use evidence and the law to push back on unfair fault findings.

How much is my El Paso bicycle accident case worth?

It depends on your injuries, medical care, lost income, bike damage, the impact on your life, and the insurance available. I do not quote numbers before reviewing your records, but I pursue every category of damages, including your bike and the riding you lost.

How much does it cost to hire an El Paso bicycle injury lawyer at Cyclist at Law?

Nothing up front. My fee is a 33 1/3 percent contingency on the bodily injury recovery, and it stays the same if a lawsuit is filed. I charge no fee for your bike damage claim, your PIP benefits, or health insurance subrogation work. If I do not recover for you, you do not pay.

Talk to an El Paso Bicycle Accident Attorney Today

If a driver hit you while riding in El Paso, you deserve a lawyer who understands the law and the ride. I'm Bill Shirer, a board certified trial lawyer who represents only cyclists. Call me at 972-392-1249 or schedule your free consultation here. There is no fee unless I recover for you, and I handle your bike damage and PIP claims at no charge.