Using a bicycle on surface streets and neighborhood roads in San Diego should be a fun time, but it can also be hazardous when other drivers refuse to share the road and end up hitting you.
If you or a loved one were involved in a bicycle accident, you may be able to get compensated for your injuries, property damage, and more. Contact Ben Crump Law, PLLC for a free consultation where we can discuss the accident and whether or not you may be eligible to file a claim and work with a San Diego bicycle accident lawyer. Our representatives are available at (800) 761-5225 to take your call.
Causes of Bicycle Accidents
Negligent drivers are often the cause of bicycle accidents, as it is hard to spot a bicyclist if they are not devoting their full attention to the road or driving correctly. Other common causes of bicycle accidents include:
- Reckless Driving: Speeding, weaving around other cars, tailgating, and other forms of reckless driving could lead to a bike accident. Often, cars will inch up behind bicyclists as other drivers get impatient, which could end up badly.
- Driving Under the Influence: Drinking or using drugs while driving may impede a driver’s reaction time, which may cause them to crash into a bike or not even see the bicycle before wrecking it.
- Distracted Driving: Texting and driving, adjusting the radio or A/C, or turning around to discipline a child are all forms of distracted driving, and that means the driver’s eyes are off the road and they do not see you on your bike.
- Fatigued Driving: A fatigued or tired driver risks falling asleep at the wheel. If they fall asleep, they could crash into you on your bike.
- Failure to Yield: Sometimes, drivers will not obey traffic laws and fail to yield to bicyclists when the bicyclist has the right of way.
For a free legal consultation with a bicycle accidents lawyer serving San Diego, call (800) 761-5225
Steps to Take After a Bicycle Accident
Being involved in a bicycle accident may end up traumatic for you or a loved one, especially since a bicycle offers virtually no protection in a collision. If you are able, contact 9-1-1 for emergency medical attention. Even with seemingly minor injuries, you should still seek out a medical professional so they can examine you to ensure that you are okay. This also ensures an official record of your injuries should you decide to file a claim.
Recovering from bicycle accident injuries may be difficult, and you will need all of your strength to focus on that recovery. Talking to difficult insurance companies will be a source of stress for you that you do not need at this time. Consider making a phone call to a San Diego bicycle accident lawyer so that they can handle communication with the insurance companies for you.
San Diego Bicycle Accident Lawyer Near Me (800) 761-5225
Reasons to Consider Hiring a Bike Accident Lawyer
If you choose to hire a lawyer for your bicycle accident claim, then you could end up seeing immense benefits. Lawyers take stress and worry off of your mind so that you are able to recover from the accident or help your loved one recuperate from their injuries.
Dealing with insurance companies is never easy and your lawyer will negotiate with them for you. They want you to get the most compensation possible, whereas the insurance company wants to pay next to nothing if they can get away with it.
Additionally, your lawyer will put together everything needed for your claim. This can include crucial evidence like medical records, photos of the accident scene and the damage to your bike, traffic camera footage, witness statements, and more.
They will compile things as quickly as possible to make sure that your claim is filed before the California two-year statute of limitations expires. If you had any fault assigned to you in the accident, they will also try to get that either reduced or removed. California negligence laws, guided by Civil Code (CIV) § 1714, allow for anyone to file for damages, but their final award is reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to them. Your lawyer wants you to get the most compensation that you can.
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Kinds of Compensation You Can Add to Your Claim
When you file your claim, your lawyer will help you decide the best kinds of compensation so that you can get the largest award possible. These may be things such as:
- Property Damage: You can claim the damage done to your bike, whether it was broken or completely totaled.
- Lost Wages: You might have to spend time away from work to recover from the accident or to help a family member recover, and you should be able to claim the lost wages.
- Medical Costs: Surgery, hospital stays, doctor visits, and more can be very expensive and could be a crippling bill without the money from the other driver’s insurance company.
- Wrongful Death: Sometimes, you could unfortunately end up losing a loved one to a bicycle accident and if this happens, you can file for a wrongful death claim.
- Pain and Suffering: These damages cover the mental and emotional trauma caused by the accident.
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Contact Us for a Free Consultation
Bicycle accident victims in San Diego and the surrounding area may be entitled to recoup damages for what happened to them. If you were a victim of a bike collision, the team at Ben Crump Law, PLLC may be able to help you. We have helped many other accident victims get the compensation they deserve for their accident and injuries.
Contact us today for a free initial consultation where we will review the details of your case and talk about what you may experience when you work with a San Diego bicycle accident lawyer. Our team is ready to speak with you. Call us at (800) 761-5225 to begin your consultation.
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