My firm, Paceline Law Bicycle Injury Lawyer, proudly helps injury victims in California bicycle accidents. The injuries that you could be facing may be difficult to predict, but what’s not hard to understand is how they can negatively impact your life. When you’re hurt because of someone else’s negligence, we’ll be there to support you. Contact us today for a free consultation to learn more.
When Do You Need a Lawyer?
Any bicycle accident is going to leave you facing some type of injury. The question is if these injuries are going to be minor or major. Hopefully, you’ll only have minor injuries, at which point you probably don’t need a lawyer.However, given that most bicycle injuries are rather serious, my team can be very beneficial to you. Here’s how we approach bicycle accidents:
- Explaining your options
- Collecting and examining evidence
- Talking to witnesses and experts
- Looking at your losses to put a value on your claim
- Dealing with paperwork and talking to insurers
- Fighting for a fair settlement
Even small accidents can mean needing medical care and therapy. We take care of the legal side of things so you can focus on getting better.
What Are Some Common Injuries in Bicycle Accidents?
As you might expect, there’s not a lot you can do to protect yourself from injuries in a typical bicycle accident. You could even say this is the main drawback to riding a bike in the first place, especially in more crowded areas of California, where drivers aren’t really focused on you.
At the same time, riding your bike is meant to be a rewarding experience, so dealing with common injuries is tough. Moreover, every accident is different. So, depending on what happens, you could be looking at any of the following common injuries:
- Whiplash – Sudden, forceful movement of the neck can cause whiplash, leading to neck pain, stiffness, and limited mobility.
- Head injuries – Impact from a fall or collision can cause head injuries such as concussions, as well as neck and shoulder injuries ranging from strains to more serious conditions like dislocations.
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) – Severe impacts to the head can result in traumatic brain injuries, affecting cognitive function, motor skills, and overall quality of life.
- Facial injuries – When you’re thrown from your bike or collide with a fixed object, you often do so face first. This causes numerous injuries to your facial area, especially your mouth, cheeks, eyes, and nose.
- Wrist fractures – The force of impact in a bicycle accident can lead to fractures and broken bones in your wrist from trying to break your fall or defend against the impact.
- Back strains – Strains and sprains to the back muscles and ligaments can occur due to the jolt of impact or from the body’s position during a fall.
- Burns – In more severe accidents, contact with hot surfaces or friction with the road can cause burns, ranging from minor to severe, requiring specialized medical treatment.
- Road rash – Abrasions and friction burns, known as road rash, can occur when skin comes into contact with the road surface during a fall, leading to painful scrapes and cuts that may require cleaning, dressing, and monitoring for infection.
Like any accident, these injuries can vary in how serious they are. What’s worse, though, is that in most bicycle accidents, it’s likely that you’ll experience multiple of these injuries. This makes the legal process very important to your physical recovery.
How Can You Recover Damages After a Bicycle Accident?
Obviously, you don’t want to get hurt while riding your bike. But the good news is that if you do, you have legal options. Generally speaking, you have the option to file an injury claim against whoever is responsible for causing the accident. The purpose of this claim is to recover “damages,” which refers to your injuries and losses. There are two main options when filing a claim: filing an insurance claim or filing a personal injury lawsuit. While there are advantages and drawbacks to each approach, both give you the opportunity to get much needed financial support to deal with your injuries.
The specific circumstances of your bicycle accident will determine the extent of the support you can get from the responsible party. However, in general, the following damages are usually available to you:
- Medical expenses and related treatment costs
- Bills for physical therapy
- Lost wages due to missed work
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of companionship or enjoyment of life
Every case is different, so the right steps depend on your situation. Our experienced team knows how to approach bicycle accident cases and can guide you through this process. While these damages are important, what ultimately sets the course of things is figuring out liability.
Who’s Responsible For Paying For Your Damages After a Bicycle Accident?
When you’re in a bicycle accident, you have a lot of different things to worry about, particularly if you’re injured. Not only do you have to deal with your injuries, but you also have to figure out who is liable for the accident itself. The reason this is so important is because it determines who has the legal responsibility of paying for your damages.
What’s worse, it’s not always straightforward in a bicycle accident. Generally though, liability is set by showing “negligence.” which refers to someone failing to exercise reasonable care and causing the accident and resulting injuries.
In a typical bicycle accident scenario, the responsible party may include one or more of the following:
- Drivers – In most bicycle accidents, drivers who fail to share the road safely with cyclists, drive while distracted, speed, or something similar will be held responsible for causing bicycle accidents and paying for the subsequent damages.
- Government agencies – Sometimes, poorly maintained roads or improper signs can cause accidents, and the local government (the city or county, for example) might be responsible for not maintaining them properly.
- Bicycle manufacturers – If a bike or its parts are defective, it can cause accidents, and the company that made or sold it might be responsible for any injuries.
- Pedestrians or other cyclists – If people walking or riding bikes act carelessly, like crossing the road without looking or making sudden moves, they could cause accidents and be held responsible.
Along the same lines, your actions after the accident matter a lot, too. Make sure to get medical help, take pictures of the scene, gather witness details, and be careful if you talk to insurance companies without our help. Doing these things in the right way can help you get the financial support you need for your injuries.
Get Support From Paceline Law Bicycle Injury Lawyer
You don’t have to face the aftermath of a bicycle accident alone in California. At Paceline Law Bicycle Injury Lawyer, we’ll be there to support your recovery from your injuries, and will also guide you through the legal process with patience and skill. To get started, contact us today for a free consultation.
