Helping Elle Seek Legal Counsel After Bike Accident

Hello everyone, my name is Elle.

On August 5th I was riding home eastbound on the designated bike trail along highway 12 when I suddenly felt an impact and saw black. Upon "coming to" on the pavement, I looked around and realized I had been struck from behind full speed by the larger bike you see in the photo for this campaign. Thanks to my community I have learned that the bike I was struck by exceeds the maximum capacity for an "e-bike" per Wisconsin Act 34. Unfortunately the responding sheriffs did not identify this and there were no citations related to the actual impact itself, whether from the illegality of what hit me on the bike trail or the admitted negligence of operator of the bike who claims they simply "did not see me."

I was taken to a local area hospital by ambulance with a primary complaint of head pain and back pain, which I am still experiencing to this day a week later. My helmet which previously had no damage indicates I hit my head from my fall. EMS and hospital staff believe I went head over my handlebars and onto my head/right side of my body. I have a follow-up doctor's appointment Friday the 15th to establish what is best for me moving forward with my current back pain, possibly some form of physical therapy.

The individual who hit me was cited at the scene for a disorderly conduct ticket as they were verbally assaulting me immediately after the impact. Immediately after the impact was the first (and only) time I have ever seen/met that person and the only time we have spoken.

The evening of August 5th I was alerted to public videos made by the individual who hit me threatening my life. This was followed up by discovering direct messages the next morning of the same nature. Rather than spending time recovering from the accident I had to seek an emergency temporary restraining order from this person on August 7th, which I was granted. I have an injunction hearing on Friday the 15th to extend the terms of this restraining order.

Unfortunately due to the fact there were no citations related to the actual impact and accident, and this doesn't involve insurance companies, pursuing litigation for the accident itself does not seem to qualify for a contingency basis, meaning I will have to pay for counsel out of pocket and directly.

I am making this GoFundMe to raise funds specifically for:

I am protecting myself by not sharing more information/details at this time but I fear for my safety. I want to reiterate that I have never met this person prior to the impact, I was hit full-on from behind which damage and the police report reflects, I never spoke to this person beyond a few minutes after the impact, and I have not named or described the person who hit me anywhere publicly online.