Personal InjuryCalifornia Bicycle Accident Attorneys
There are plenty of reasons to choose to commute on your bicycle these days. Gas prices are at all-time highs, a healthy lifestyle that includes daily exercise will prolong your life, and the temperate weather that California residents enjoy have people choosing to purchase and ride bicycles everyday. Unfortunately, bicycle riders also put themselves at risk when they ride on California roadways. It is estimated that every six hours a bicyclist is fatally injured in our country. Head trauma accounts for seventy-five percent of all serious injuries and deaths from bicycle accidents. Negligent drivers are also a major factor in bicycle accidents.
Under California and federal traffic law, a bicycle should be considered a vehicle in most situations, with all the same rights and responsibilities that apply to drivers and motorcyclists. That means a bicyclist should follow all the same traffic laws that drivers do, and should be treated like an equal by motorists. By the same token, both drivers and bicyclists have a duty to observe "standards of care" -- to be reasonably careful on the road. If either party does not observe those standards of care, he or she could be found negligent in a court of law, as well as liable for any laws he or she might have broken. And if poor conditions on the road are found to have contributed to the accident, the municipality in which it took place may also be liable.
There are countless ways that a bicyclist can end up in a serious accident, some of them include:
- failure to yield
- cross walk accident
- hit and run
- crowding bicyclist off of road
- failure to come to a complete stop at intersection
- potholes and roadwork on city streets
- Drivers open doors of parked vehicles directly in bikers' paths
Despite the type of bicycle accident, its cause, or who is at fault, one thing is clear: Bicyclists are the ones who suffer the worst injuries in any accident they are involved in. Regardless of helmet use, bike riders are exposed when a car, truck, or SUV collides with them. Even at the lowest of speeds, the impact in a bicycle accident can cause a cyclist to be thrown from their bike, resulting in disabling spinal cord damage, traumatic head and brain injury, or in some unfortunate instances, death.
If you have been involved in a bicycle accident due to someone else's actions or negligence and are considering filing a lawsuit, it is important to take action quickly -- but not before speaking with an experienced bicycle accident attorney. With nearly 30 years of experience recovering damages for injured bicyclists and their families, Bisnar Chase can help you evaluate your case and get the best possible results in court. Call 1(866)909-6161 for a free consultation.
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