Bicycle Accident Attorneys for Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura

Understanding Bicycle Accidents: Risks, Causes, and Legal Recourse

Bicycle accidents are unfortunately common occurrences, often resulting in serious injuries and even fatalities. Understanding the risks, causes, and legal options in the event of a bicycle accident is crucial for cyclists and their families.

Risks of Bicycle Accidents

Cyclists face various risks on the road, including collisions with motor vehicles, hazardous road conditions, and equipment failures. Without the protection of a vehicle, cyclists are more vulnerable to severe injuries in accidents.

Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents

Bicycle accidents can happen due to several reasons:

Collisions with Motor Vehicles: One of the most common causes of bicycle accidents is collisions with cars, trucks, or other motor vehicles. Drivers may fail to see cyclists, make unsafe turns, or disregard traffic signals, leading to accidents.

Dooring Accidents: When a driver or passenger opens a car door without checking for approaching cyclists, it can result in a dooring accident, causing the cyclist to collide with the door or swerve into traffic to avoid it.

Unsafe Road Conditions: Poorly maintained roads, potholes, debris, or lack of proper signage can create hazards for cyclists and increase the risk of accidents.

Distracted Driving: Drivers distracted by cell phones, eating, or other activities may not see cyclists or react in time to avoid a collision.

Impaired Driving: Drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs pose a significant danger to cyclists, as impaired judgment and reduced reaction times increase the likelihood of accidents.

Consequences of Bicycle Accidents

Bicycle accidents can have devastating consequences:

Physical Injuries: Cyclists involved in accidents often suffer from serious injuries, including broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and internal injuries.

Emotional Trauma: The psychological impact of a bicycle accident can be significant, leading to anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other mental health issues.

Financial Burden: Medical expenses, lost income from time off work, and costs associated with rehabilitation and ongoing care can create a significant financial burden for cyclists and their families.

Legal Recourse for Bicycle Accidents

If you’ve been involved in a bicycle accident, you may have legal options to pursue compensation for your injuries and losses. These may include:

Personal Injury Claims: You can file a personal injury claim against the at-fault party’s insurance company to seek compensation for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages.

Wrongful Death Claims: If a loved one died in a bicycle accident, you may be able to file a wrongful death claim to recover damages for funeral expenses, loss of financial support, and the emotional suffering caused by their death.

Negligence Claims: Proving negligence is crucial in bicycle accident cases. You must demonstrate that the at-fault party owed you a duty of care, breached that duty, and caused your injuries as a result of their negligence.

Insurance Claims: Dealing with insurance companies can be complex, but an experienced attorney can help you navigate the process and negotiate with the insurance adjusters to ensure you receive fair compensation.

How We Can Help

Our experienced team of bicycle accident attorneys is dedicated to helping cyclists and their families seek justice and fair compensation for their injuries and losses. We understand the challenges you face and will work tirelessly to protect your rights and hold negligent parties accountable.  If you or a loved one has been injured in a bicycle accident, don’t hesitate to reach out to us for a free consultation. We’ll review your case, explain your legal options, and guide you through the process of pursuing the compensation you deserve. Call the Akopyan Law Firm, A.P.C. at (818) 509-9975 or contact us online to schedule a complimentary case evaluation with our bicycle accident lawyers for Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura.

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Bicycle Accidents

Can I make a claim for my bicycle injuries even though I was not wearing a helmet while riding?

Yes! While the law in California requires a bicyclist to wear a helmet, a bike rider who gets hurt in a bicycle accident can still make a claim for their injuries. Your claim may be reduced by your comparative negligence compared to the negligence of the other driver, but you still have the right to make a claim. For instance, if your accident was so severe that you sustained serious injuries that would have occurred despite wearing a helmet (like a broken arm, for example), then you are entitled to make a full claim and be fully compensated for your injuries.

What should I do if I get a call from the other driver’s insurance company?

You are not legally required to speak with the other driver’s insurance company, and it is highly recommended that you refrain from doing so. Insurance companies’ main objective is to pay you as little money as possible so it would not be in your best interests to speak with them. They will try to use anything you tell them against you in the future so that they can minimize the amount they pay you. The best way to handle this situation is to politely decline and inform them that they will have to speak with your attorney. A lawyer can ensure your rights are fully protected and that you are not taken advantage of.

The other driver’s insurance adjuster is asking for my recorded statement; what should I do?

Again, you are not legally required to talk to the other driver’s insurance company, and you should not give any type of statement, recorded, written, or otherwise. Oftentimes, insurance adjusters use these “recorded statements’ as an excuse to help minimize their payouts. If you say anything incriminating, even if it was meant to be a simple explanation, it can be used against you later on. If that happens, you may receive less money than you would have had you not given a statement. Instead, you should give the insurance company your attorney’s contact information and tell them your legal representative will speak with them. An attorney can protect your rights and ensure you are not taken advantage of by the adjusters.

If I think the accident was my fault, should I say so?

Never. You should never admit fault in an accident because the other party may be completely at fault, even if you believe you are partially responsible. You should not admit anything to anyone. While you should comply with the police in their investigation, just remember that everything you say can and will be used against you in the future.

Select Vehicle Code Sections Applicable to Bicycles:

Vehicle Code Section 21202. Operation on roadway

(a) Any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at that time shall ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway except under any of the following situations:

Areas Served:

The litigation and trial attorneys of the Akopyan Law Firm, A.P.C. provide services throughout Southern California including but not limited to Adelanto, Agoura Hills, Alhambra, Aliso Viejo, Altadena, Anaheim, Apple Valley, Arcadia, Arleta, Atwater Village, Azuza, Bakersfield, Baldwin Park, Banning, Beaumont, Bell, Bell Gardens, Bellflower, Beverly Hills, Blythe, Boyle Heights, Brea, Brentwood, Buena Park, Burbank, Calabasas, Calimesa, Camarillo, Canoga Park, Canyon Lake, Carson, Cathedral City, Cerritos, Chatsworth, Chino Hills, Chino, Claremont, Coachella, Colton, Compton, Costa Mesa, Corona, Covina, Culver City, Cypress, Dana Point, Desert Hot Springs, Diamond Bar, Downey, Duarte, Eagle Rock, East Hollywood, East Los Angeles, Eastvale, Echo Park, El Monte, El Segundo, El Sereno, Encino, Fontana, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Gardena, Garden Grove, Glassell Park, Glendale, Glendora, Granada Hills, Hacienda Heights, Hawthorne, Hemet, Hesperia, Highland Park, Highland, Hollywood, Hollywood Hills, Huntington Beach, Huntington Park, Indian Wells, Indio, Inglewood, Irvine, Jurupa Valley, La Canada Flintridge, La-Crescenta Montrose, La Habra, La Mirada, La Palma, La Puente, La Quinta, La Verne, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lakewood, Lake Balboa, Lake Elsinore, Lake Forest, Lancaster, Lawndale, Lincoln Heights, Loma Linda, Long Beach, Los Alamitos, Los Angeles, Los Feliz, Lynwood, Manhattan Beach, Mar Vista, Maywood, Menifee, Mission Hills, Mission Viejo, Monrovia, Montclair, Montebello, Monterey Park, Moorpark, Moreno Valley, Murrieta, Newbury Park, Newhall, Newport Beach, Norco, North Hills, North Hollywood, Northridge, Norwalk, Ontario, Orange, Oxnard, Pacific Palisades, Pacoima, Palos Verdes, Palmdale, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Panorama City, Paramount, Pasadena, Perris, Pico Rivera, Placentia, Pomona, Porter Ranch, Rancho Cucamonga, Rancho Mirage, Rancho Santa Margarita, Redondo Beach, Reseda, Rialto, Riverside, Rosemead, Rowland Heights, San Bernardino, San Clemente, San Dimas, San Gabriel, San Fernando, San Jacinto, San Juan Capistrano, San Pedro, Santa Ana, Santa Clarita, Santa Monica, Sawtelle, Seal Beach, Shadow Hills, Sherman Oaks, Silver Lake, Simi Valley, South El Monte, South Gate, South Pasadena, South Whittier, Stanton, Studio City, Sun Valley, Sunland, Sylmar, Tarzana, Temecula, Temple City, Thousand Oaks, Toluca Lake, Torrance, Tujunga, Tustin, Twentynine Palms, Upland, Valencia, Valley Glen, Valley Village, Van Nuys, Ventura, Victorville, Walnut, West Covina, West Hills, West Hollywood, West Puente alley, Westchester, Westminster, Westwood, Whittier, Wildomar, Winnetka, Woodland Hills, Yorba Linda