Bicycling is a more popular way of getting around than ever before. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has shown that an increasing number of people across the country regularly ride bicycles every year. Biking is a great way to get from points A to B, whether you use your bike for exercise, running small errands, commuting to work, or just enjoying the fresh air. While there are many well-known benefits to using a bicycle, there is also a real risk of being injured during an accident. Because cyclists don’t have the same protection as people in vehicles, they often sustain significant injuries when collisions occur.

NHTSA has also indicated that over 50,000 people annually suffer injuries in US bicycle accidents. On top of this, another 800 people lose their lives. The issue is even more prevalent because cycling is so popular in California. The Governor’s Highway Safety Association has published reports showing how dangerous this state can be for bikers. The reports included these unsettling statistics:

• Bicycle fatalities in California happen twice as often as the national average.
• California has the highest number of cyclist deaths annually per capita.
• Recent years have seen a relative increase in deadly accidents between bicycles and motor vehicles.

California has laws to ensure that roadways are safer for cyclists sharing the road with cars. However, about 30 percent of bicycle accidents still involve a vehicle. In most cases, the crash happens because the driver makes a reckless mistake. There are many different ways that drivers can cause an accident, and some of the more common include:

• Failing to give cyclists the right-of-way
• Failing to look out for cyclists before changing lanes or turning
• Opening a car door in front of an oncoming cyclist
• Driving while distracted
• Not properly stopping at a stop sign or red light
• Driving while intoxicated

In most cases, bicyclists suffer the most severe injuries in collisions with motor vehicles. Because cyclists almost always fall off their bikes and aren’t protected by seat belts, airbags, or walls of steel, they are liable to sustain various significant injuries. Many of these injuries can leave people with chronic or permanent symptoms that dramatically affect their lives. Some of the severe injuries cyclists can suffer during a collision include:

• Bone fractures
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Skull fractures
• Nerve damage
• Amputation injuries
• Back trauma
• Abrasions

This video from AAA has some great information about keeping yourself safe while riding a bike on California roadways:

After you have suffered an injury during a cycling collision, taking legal action as soon as possible is essential. The sooner your attorney can start collecting evidence and working on your case, the better they can ensure you receive the compensation you deserve. In many cases, liable parties will attempt to investigate the accident on their own and obscure key evidence. Having a skilled lawyer on your side early on can keep this from happening.

Many people don’t know whether their case requires an attorney’s help. Indeed, many cases aren’t necessarily suitable for a lawyer. However, contacting a Fairfield bicycle accident lawyer with experience with many different cycling injury cases is never a bad idea. Lawyers will usually gladly give you advice over a free phone call so that you can have the information you need to make an informed decision about how to take action on your case.

Suffering a catastrophic injury often means facing several expensive medical bills. Furthermore, many crash survivors have difficulty paying for these bills because their injury has left them unable to work. These are just some of the issues cyclists face after injury. However, personal injury claims can recover most damages related to accidents. Some of the losses that cyclists are often able to recover include:

• Repairs to damaged property
• Medical costs related to medication, surgeries, therapy, and hospital stays
• Pain and suffering damages
• Loss of wages, income, and/or earning potential

In most accidents, cyclists didn’t do anything wrong. For this reason, it can be surprising to learn that you need to prove that a driver acted negligently and that the accident caused your injuries to claim payments for damages. However, California’s civil justice system has specific requirements for injury claims. These requirements are:

1. The defendant had a duty of care
2. The defendant breached their duty of care
3. You were injured
4. The defendant caused your injuries

All of this means that the case evidence needs to be slightly in your favor for you to be able to claim compensation. This an excellent example of why working with a knowledgeable and skilled Fairfield bicycle accident attorney is critical when pursuing a serious injury claim. A good lawyer will be able to negotiate with insurance companies and, if necessary, convince courts to award you compensation for the full amount that you deserve.

Accidents involving a bicycle are often severe. If you or someone you care about suffered trauma in a bicycle accident, please contact me for free, friendly case advice. To reach our legal team, call (707) 564-1900 or (800) 404-5400.

Our law firm has helped people in Fairfield claim fairy injury claim settlements and verdicts since 1982.

^{Editor’s Note: updated [cha 8.17.23] Picture: StockSnap_C4E598828A ms cha [cs 909]}