The electric bike craze has hit Portsmouth hard, and so have the accidents. I’ve been handling bicycle and eBike injury cases in Hampton Roads for over four decades, and I’m seeing more serious eBike crashes than ever before on Portsmouth’s busy streets. When a 2,000-pound car hits someone on a 50-pound eBike, the physics are brutal.

If you’ve been hurt in an eBike accident in Portsmouth, you’re dealing with more than just road rash and bent wheels. Medical bills from Naval Medical Center Portsmouth or Bon Secours Maryview are piling up. You might be missing work while trying to heal from broken bones, head injuries, or worse. The insurance companies are already circling, trying to pay you pennies on the dollar.

That’s where I come in. I am The Hammer, and insurance companies know what that means.

Portsmouth’s eBike Accident Problem is Getting Worse

Portsmouth’s mix of narrow residential streets and busy commercial corridors creates perfect conditions for eBike disasters. I’ve handled cases on High Street where distracted drivers plow into cyclists, and accidents near the Portsmouth Naval Medical Center where drivers simply don’t see eBikes in traffic. The Elizabeth River Trail sees its share of crashes too, especially where it crosses busy intersections.

Here’s what makes eBike accidents different from regular bicycle crashes: these bikes are faster, heavier, and often ridden by people who aren’t experienced cyclists. A traditional bike might hit 15 mph on flat ground. An eBike can easily reach 28 mph, and some go faster. When something goes wrong at those speeds, the injuries are catastrophic.

After representing thousands of injured cyclists in Virginia, I’ve seen the devastating pattern. Driver opens a car door without looking – cyclist goes flying. Texting driver runs a red light – eBike rider ends up in the ICU. Right turn without checking mirrors – another family gets that terrible phone call from Portsmouth General Hospital.

Virginia Law Protects eBike Riders, But Insurance Companies Don’t

Virginia treats eBikes the same as traditional bicycles under most traffic laws, which means you have the same rights to the road as any vehicle. Drivers are supposed to give you at least three feet of clearance when passing. They’re supposed to yield when turning across bike lanes. They’re supposed to check their mirrors before opening doors.

Of course, knowing your rights and getting insurance companies to respect them are two completely different things.

I’ve spent 40 years fighting insurance adjusters who think eBike riders are somehow asking for trouble just by being on the road. They’ll claim you were going too fast, that you should have worn different gear, that the accident was “unavoidable.” They’ll try to blame Virginia’s contributory negligence law, hoping you don’t know that even if you made a minor mistake, their driver’s negligence can still make them fully responsible for your damages.

State Farm, Geico, Progressive – I’ve taken them all on in Portsmouth courts and won. They know The Hammer doesn’t back down from a fight.

Real eBike Injuries Require Serious Legal Representation

The eBike accident cases I handle in Portsmouth aren’t fender benders. These are life-changing collisions that leave families struggling to cope with massive medical expenses and lost income.

Head injuries are common because many eBike riders don’t wear helmets, or their helmets aren’t designed for the higher speeds these bikes can reach. I’ve represented clients with traumatic brain injuries who needed months of rehabilitation at Sentara Norfolk General. The medical bills alone can reach six figures before you even think about lost wages or pain and suffering.

Broken bones are another constant. Arms, legs, ribs, collarbones – when you hit pavement at 25 mph, something’s going to break. The orthopedic surgeons at Portsmouth Naval Medical Center do excellent work, but excellent work is expensive, and recovery takes time. Time you can’t work. Time your family suffers financially.

Road rash might sound minor, but severe cases require skin grafts and leave permanent scarring. I’ve seen eBike riders need multiple surgeries just to restore basic function to damaged limbs.

Then there are the psychological injuries that insurance companies love to ignore. Many of my eBike accident clients develop anxiety about riding or even being around traffic. Some can’t sleep because they keep reliving the crash. These are real injuries with real impacts on your life, and Virginia law recognizes your right to compensation for emotional trauma.

How The Hammer Handles Portsmouth eBike Cases

When you call my office after an eBike accident in Portsmouth, we spring into action immediately. The insurance company is already working against you – they had investigators on the scene before the ambulance left. We need to level the playing field fast.

First, we secure the crash scene evidence before it disappears. Skid marks fade, security camera footage gets deleted, witnesses forget details. I work with accident reconstruction experts who can piece together exactly what happened, even weeks after the crash.

We also get your medical treatment documented properly from day one. The emergency room at Naval Medical Center might have stabilized you, but we need to make sure every injury is properly diagnosed and that your treatment plan addresses long-term complications. Insurance companies love to argue that injuries weren’t caused by the accident if they show up later in your recovery.

While you focus on healing, I focus on building your case. That means gathering police reports, interviewing witnesses, consulting with medical experts, and dealing with insurance adjusters who are trained to minimize your claim. I speak their language because I’ve been fighting them for four decades.

Portsmouth Drivers Need to Start Paying Attention

The explosion of eBikes on Portsmouth streets means drivers need to adjust their habits, but many haven’t gotten the message. They’re still looking for traditional bicycles moving at traditional speeds. When an eBike appears in their peripheral vision moving 20-something mph, they don’t have time to react.

Portsmouth city officials are trying to help by adding bike lanes and improving intersections, but infrastructure changes take years. In the meantime, eBike riders are getting hurt every week, and someone needs to hold negligent drivers accountable.

That’s exactly what I do. When drivers choose to text instead of watch the road, when they roll through stop signs, when they make turns without checking their mirrors, they need to face consequences. The only language they understand is money, and I speak that language fluently.

Your eBike Accident Case Won’t Cost You a Dime Upfront

I know what you’re thinking – you can barely afford your medical bills, how are you going to pay a lawyer? Here’s the deal: I work on contingency for all eBike accident cases. That means you don’t pay me unless I win your case. When I get you a settlement or jury verdict, I take my fee from that. If I don’t win, you don’t owe me anything.

The insurance company will never offer you what your case is truly worth. They’re hoping you’ll take their first lowball offer and go away. Don’t let them get away with it. I’ve recovered millions for injured cyclists in Hampton Roads, and I know exactly what Portsmouth eBike accident cases are worth.

Call The Hammer Before You Talk to Any Insurance Company

Every day you wait makes your case harder to win. Evidence disappears, witnesses move away, and insurance companies use delay tactics to pressure you into a cheap settlement. Don’t give them that advantage.

I’ve been fighting for injured people in Portsmouth and across Virginia for more than 40 years. I know the local courts, the judges, the defense lawyers, and most importantly, I know how to win. Whether your accident happened on High Street, near the Naval Medical Center, or anywhere else in Portsmouth, I’m ready to take on the insurance companies and make them pay what you deserve.

Call me right now at (757) 461-5555. The consultation is free, and I’ll tell you exactly what your eBike accident case is worth. The insurance company has lawyers working against you from day one. You need The Hammer working for you just as hard.

Don’t let them turn your eBike accident into their payday. Call (757) 461-5555 and let’s get started.