A 40-year-old bicyclist suffered major injuries in a Costa Mesa car crash after being hit from behind by a vehicle. According 
to a news report in The Daily Pilot, the injury collision occurred in the 1200 block of Victoria Street the evening of January 21, 2013. Police say a 2009 Toyota Corolla driven by a 26-year-old struck the cyclist. The bicyclist sustained major head injuries. Both the cyclist and driver are Costa Mesa residents. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact police at 714-754-5264. The investigation into this collision is ongoing.
OC Bicycle Accident Statistics
California Highway Patrol reports that there were no fatalities, but 82 injuries reported as a result of bicycle accidents in Costa Mesa in 2010. During the same year, three people died and 1,187 were injured as a result of bicycle accidents in Orange County as a whole. Also, 100 fatalities and 13,368 injuries were reported due to car accidents countywide in 2010.
What Caused the Collision?
Based on this news report, it appears that the cyclist was struck from behind by the Toyota. There are still several questions here. How did this collision occur? Who was at fault? Where was the bicyclist riding at the time of the collision? Was the motorist inattentive or distracted? Was there a dangerous condition on the roadway that may have caused or contributed to this accident? Was the driver of the vehicle impaired or speeding at the time? I trust officials are looking into these and other issues in order to determine precisely what occurred here and why.
Rights of Injured Victims
If the driver is determined to have been at fault, then, he or she can be held liable for the injuries and damages caused. If a dangerous condition on the roadway contributed to the incident, then, the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining the roadway can also be held liable. Injured victims in such cases can seek compensation for damages including medical expenses, lost wages, hospitalization and rehabilitation costs, permanent injuries, pain and suffering and emotional distress.
Injured victims and their families should remember not to rush into settlement with an insurance company or any other party. It would be in their best interest to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer in Costa Mesa who will explain their rights and present their options. Victims must also refrain from signing any documents that will grant insurance companies or other parties access to their personal information such as medical and financial records.
Source: http://www.dailypilot.com/news/tn-dpt-0123-victoria-bicycle-20130122,0,483992.story
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