The climate and natural beauty of American Canyon, California – and the entire Napa county- lend itself to a robust bicycling population. Bicycling is a popular and environmentally friendly recreation, exercise, and commuting form. There are several very safe bicycle routes throughout American Canyon – including the Napa River Bay Trail. However, the pleasant activity comes with increased risks when riding in areas with vehicle traffic. Every year, bicyclists are injured or killed in accidents with motor vehicles. An experienced bicycle accident lawyer can help an injured cyclist receive compensation from a negligent driver to recover for medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering.

Collisions between motor vehicles and bicyclists often cause severe injuries to the rider. With extensive injuries come astronomical medical bills, time lost from work, financial difficulties, pain, anxiety, and uncertainty. A skilled attorney can ensure that the complicated legal process of recovering compensation from a negligent party is handled correctly, your legal rights are protected, and your case value is optimized. The injury lawyers at AutoAccident.com have years of experience in personal injury matters and have achieved excellent results for their clients, including those seriously injured in bike accidents.

One way to reduce the risks of riding your bicycle near moving vehicles is to ride in areas with little traffic. One such area is the Napa River Bay Trail, a paved bicycle and pedestrian (multi-use) path. The trail will eventually connect from American Canyon’s southern boundary to Napa’s northern boundary. When completed, the trail will serve more than two-thirds of the entire population of Napa County. Most of the trail is incorporated within the planned region-wide, 500-mile San Francisco Bay Trail, which is now slightly more than halfway completed.

The Napa River Bay Trail has several segments and no-fee trailheads to access the regional trail. The most popular access point is Wetlands Edge Park, at 2 Eucalyptus Drive in American Canyon.

Watch the YouTube Video. Below is drone footage giving a bird’s eye view of the city of American Canyon.

Of course, if one is a true bicycling enthusiast or a bike commuter, it is nearly impossible to always avoid vehicle traffic. When biking near traffic, it is a good idea to ride defensively, and part of doing that is understanding and anticipating common scenarios in which vehicle versus bicycle collisions occur.

Often, the excuse a vehicle driver gives following a collision with a bicyclist is that the driver did not see the bike. Bicycles have a much lower profile on the roads than passenger vehicles. However, it is still the motorist’s responsibility to be on the lookout for bicyclists, pedestrians, motorcyclists – essentially all others with whom they share the roads. If negligent action by the vehicle driver caused the collision, they could be held financially responsible for damages caused to the rider.

Below are some common scenarios in which motorist negligence results in a car versus bike accident:

• A vehicle driver turning left strikes a bicycle. This type of accident is expected because the motorist is not on the lookout for a bike traveling in the opposite direction.
• The driver may also turn right and strike a bicyclist. This happens when the driver fails to look in his rearview or to the side before executing a right turn to see if there is a rider within the bike lane.
• When pulling out from a side street or parking lot, motorists must ensure that there are no oncoming bicyclists and, if there are, must yield to them.
• A common bicycle accident scenario is when a vehicle occupant opens the door of their parked vehicle into the path of an oncoming cyclist. This can cause the rider to be thrown from the bike and suffer serious injuries.
• When a motorist is distracted, fatigued, or impaired, the risk of striking a bicyclist from the rear or side after veering toward the suitable increases.
• There is a three-foot law in California. When passing a bicyclist, the motorist must maintain at least three feet of space between the vehicle and the bike whenever possible. When it is impossible, the driver must slow and use extreme care. If this rule is negligently ignored, a collision may occur.

In California, if you have sustained injuries due to another’s negligence, you have the legal right to seek monetary compensation for your economic and non-economic damages, the categories of which could include:

• Past and future medical bills related to the incident include emergency department, hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation, home health care, etc.
• Loss of income and future earning capacity, including the value of lost employment benefits.
• Noneconomic damages compensate for pain, suffering, and emotional trauma.
• If applicable, the injured party’s spouse may be awarded loss of consortium damages due to the injuries’ adverse effects on the marital relationship.

It is difficult enough to deal with the tactics of insurance claims adjusters when you are feeling well. Amid a difficult physical recovery, it can be too much to bear. Enlisting a skilled bicycle accident attorney to protect your rights and maximize the value of your case can take a lot of worry off your mind so that you can focus on healing.

If you were injured in a bicycle accident caused by the negligent actions of a motorist, call us promptly to speak with a compassionate injury lawyer. The tasks of preserving crucial evidence and interviewing witnesses should begin as soon as possible after the subject incident. Our local number is (707) 564-1900, and from outside the local area code, please use our toll-free line: (800) 404-5400.

^{Editor’s Note: updated [cha 9.11.23] Image by Manolo Franco from Pixabay mm [cs 981] cha}