Have you been involved in a bicycle accident in Bakersfield? Are you struggling with painful and debilitating injuries? Contact Bakersfield Personal Injury Law to learn about your legal options. You may have the right to file a lawsuit and demand compensation if someone else is to blame.
Our Bakersfield attorneys have more than 17 years of experience handling complex personal injury cases. We’ve recovered millions in compensation for injured clients like you. If you’ve been injured in a bicycle accident, we’re here to help you fight for the money you need and deserve. Call our office today to schedule your free consultation. We’ll review your case and answer any questions you have.
Contents
- 1 Why You Should File a Bicycle Accident Lawsuit
- 2 How Our Bakersfield Bicycle Injury Lawyers Can Help You
- 3 Bakersfield Bicycle Accident Statistics
- 4 Causes of Bakersfield Bicycle Accidents
- 5 Bakersfield Bicycle Accident Injuries
- 6 Liability for Bakersfield Bicycle Accidents
- 7 Shared Fault in Bakersfield Bicycle Accident Cases
- 8 Damages Available to Bakersfield Bicycle Accident Victims
- 9 Don’t Hesitate to File Your Bicycle Accident Lawsuit
- 10 Need Help?
Why You Should File a Bicycle Accident Lawsuit
As a bicyclist, you’re at an increased risk of suffering severe injuries if you’re involved in an accident. All that stands between you and the road is your bike, a helmet, and maybe a few safety pads. You don’t have a large steel frame to keep you safe in a crash.
These severe bicycle injuries can physically, emotionally, and financially overwhelming. You shouldn’t have to struggle with the costs of your accident on your own. If someone else is to blame, they should be held fully accountable for your injuries. Filing a bicycle accident lawsuit can allow you to recover the compensation you need during this difficult time.
How Our Bakersfield Bicycle Injury Lawyers Can Help You
While you can pursue compensation on your own, it’s always best to work with an experienced attorney. Here’s why:
- Insurance companies will be more willing to negotiate and extend a fair offer when you’re represented by a lawyer.
- The laws and procedures that apply to your case can be complicated.
- You may not realize that more than one person is responsible for your injury.
- It can be difficult to value your case without input from experts.
- Others involved in the accident will try to blame you for your own injuries.
The attorneys at Bakersfield Personal Injury Law will be your biggest advocates. We will aggressively pursue compensation on your behalf. We will not let insurance companies push you around and give you less than you deserve. Call our Bakersfield office today to schedule a free consultation and learn more.
Bakersfield Bicycle Accident Statistics
Like many other cities in California, Bakersfield is an increasingly popular place to ride a bike. The city has embraced the bike culture and created a “bicycle transportation network” to connect “miles of bike paths, lanes, and routes.” Despite efforts to keep cyclists safe, bike accidents are still a problem in the Kern County city.
The rate of bicycle accidents has remained fairly consistent over the past few years:
- 2012: 72 bicycle accidents
- 2013: 73 bicycle accidents
- 2014: 78 bicycle accidents
- 2015: 70 bicycle accidents
- 2016: 88 bicycle accidents
In the past three years alone, there have been at least 50 reported fatal bicycle and pedestrian accidents in Bakersfield.
Causes of Bakersfield Bicycle Accidents
Hundreds of thousands of miles are driven in Bakersfield every day. An increasing number of bicyclists are also sharing the road. As a result, an average of 4.5% to 5.5% of all traffic accidents in Bakersfield involve bicyclists.
While these accidents happen for many reasons, certain causes are reported more frequently than others. Common causes of bicycle accidents in Bakersfield include:
- Limited visibility
- Aggressive driving
- Riding outside of a dedicated bike lane
- Not wearing a helmet
- Distractions, including phones and other electronic devices
- Ignoring traffic safety laws
- Speeding
- Equipment malfunction, and
- Dangerous road and/or weather conditions.
It’s important to make sure that your bicycle accident is investigated thoroughly. Many factors may have contributed to or caused the crash. Contact Bakersfield Personal Injury Law for help with your bike accident lawsuit today.
Bakersfield Bicycle Accident Injuries
At Bakersfield Personal Injury Law, our attorneys know that the injuries sustained in a bike accident can have immediate and long-lasting consequences. We’re here to help you recover compensation for any of your injuries, including:
- Broken bones
- Lacerations
- Soft tissue damage
- Burns
- Brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Back injury
- Amputation
- Paralysis,
- Wrongful death, and more.
Have you been injured in a Bakersfield bicycle accident? Bakersfield Personal Injury Law can help. Call our office today to learn more.
Liability for Bakersfield Bicycle Accidents
In California, anyone who contributes to a bicycle accident can be held financially responsible for injuries.
Parties who may be liable for your bike accident include:
Bicyclists: All bicyclists in Bakersfield have an obligation to follow traffic laws and share bike infrastructure. Some accidents happen because bicyclists behave dangerously and put others in harm’s way. You can hold another bicyclist responsible for your injuries if they played any part in causing your accident.
Drivers: Bikes and cars share the road in Bakersfield. Serious accidents can happen when drivers become aggressive or distracted, or fail to keep an eye out of nearby cyclists.
Pedestrians: Pedestrians have an obligation to use caution when sharing the road with bikes and cars. While pedestrians typically have the right of way, they are not allowed to jump into traffic and create a hazard. Distracted pedestrians are increasingly responsible for causing serious traffic accidents in Bakersfield.
Equipment Manufacturers: Sometimes bike accidents aren’t caused by negligent riders or drivers. Instead, they’re caused by defective equipment. Companies have an obligation to design, manufacture, and market safe products. If those products are defective, they can be liable for your injuries.
Bakersfield, Kern County, and California: The government has a responsibility to provide safe roads and paths for bicyclists. Cracks in the pavement, uneven sidewalks, and poor lighting can all create biking hazards and cause accidents. If the government knew about the hazard but did nothing to address it, you may be able to hold them accountable for your injuries.
Did you contribute to your Bakersfield bike accident? Don’t panic. In California, sharing fault will not automatically bar you from getting the money you deserve. You can file an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit as long as someone else is also to blame.
However, sharing fault will affect your financial recovery. You will not be able to recover all of your damages. Those damages will be reduced by the degree to which you are at fault.
For example, let’s say that you’re hit by a car while riding your bike in Bakersfield. You suffered damages of $100,000. An investigation reveals that you are 30% at fault for the crash. As a result, you will only be able to recover 70%, or $70,000, of your damages. You may also be liable for 30% of the other driver’s damages.
Damages Available to Bakersfield Bicycle Accident Victims
Bicycle accidents can cause severe and debilitating injuries. If someone else caused the accident, you may have the right to file a personal injury claim for damages.
Our personal injury lawyers will work with experts to identify your damages and determine how much they’re worth. You may be entitled to compensation for:
- Medical bills
- Rehabilitation
- Nursing care
- Disability
- Lost wages
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
- Disfigurement, and more.
Call our experienced legal team today to find out how we can help you maximize your financial award.
Don’t Hesitate to File Your Bicycle Accident Lawsuit
You don’t have an unlimited amount of time to file a lawsuit if you’ve been involved in a bike accident. In most cases, you will have to file your claim within two years of the date of your accident. If you don’t file your claim before the statute of limitations expires, you could lose your right to recover compensation.
There are certain times when you may have additional time to file your claim. The statute of limitations can be tolled if:
- The person who caused your injury can’t be found
- You are under the age of 18 at the time of the accident, or
- There is a reasonable delay in the discovery of your injury.
Protect your legal rights by contacting Bakersfield Personal Injury Law immediately after your Bakersfield bike accident. Our attorneys will get started on your case right away. Do not hesitate to contact us for help today.
Need Help?
Have you been injured in a Bakersfield bicycle accident? Is someone else to blame? You may be entitled to compensation. The attorneys at Bakersfield Personal Injury Law can help you maximize your award. Contact our office today to schedule a free, no-obligation case assessment.