Bicycle Injuries Can Quickly Become Serious
Motorists have significantly more protection than cyclists, so when a collision occurs between the two, a cyclist’s injuries will likely be much more severe.
Bicycle accidents can cause serious — sometimes life-altering — injuries, including:
- Broken bones: Cyclists can sustain broken legs or broken arms and fractures to elbows, knees, ankles, or other joints. Spinal fractures can cause serious impediments. Broken bones can take several weeks to several months or more to heal properly, usually require physical therapy, and sometimes require surgery to repair properly.
- Traumatic brain injuries: Bike helmets can reduce the risk of traumatic brain injury (TBI), but they cannot eliminate it altogether, especially in violent collisions. TBI can drastically change your life.
- Paralysis: Spinal cord injuries leading to paralysis often stem from bike accidents. If you are paralyzed, you may need extensive home modifications, occupational or physical therapy for prolonged periods of time, and home healthcare.
- Scarring and disfigurement: A bicyclist who lands on the pavement may experience significant road rash, scarring, or disfigurement, which can be very expensive to correct and have a negative impact on self-esteem.
Whether your bicycle accident injury was serious and life-altering or relatively minor, you have the right to seek compensation from the negligent party.
Scott J. Corwin has represented more than 3,000 injured victims, placing special focus on serious bicycle accident injuries in Los Angeles. He has obtained more than $175 million, compensating clients for doctor bills, missed paychecks, and pain and misery. Trust Scott with your bicycle injury case. Scott will ensure that you receive proper medical treatment. He will handle your case from start to finish, providing personalized attention every step of the way.
Learn how our Los Angeles bicycle accident lawyer can help you. Contact us online or call (310) 683-2300 today.
Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in Los Angeles
Although the city of Los Angeles is well known as a bike-friendly city, collisions between cars and bicycles are all too common. Since these often cause very serious injuries, you should contact an experienced attorney right away if you or a loved one were injured in a bike accident.
Collisions between cars and bicycles can occur in many ways, including:
- Open car doors: When a driver opens their car door without first checking to see that no one is approaching, bicyclists can be knocked off their bikes and suffer serious injuries.
- Right or left turns: Motorists often make turns without looking for bicyclists. As a result, they strike bicyclists who have the right of way.
- Red lights: Drivers attempting to beat red lights can strike bicyclists while speeding through intersections.
- Lack of understanding of bike laws: Many drivers do not realize that bicyclists follow the same rules as vehicles. Drivers need to give the same respect to bicyclists that they give to other drivers.
- Reckless rideshare drivers: Hit by an Uber? Struck by a Lyft driver? These and other rideshare drivers are trying to maximize their earnings on the road. This can result in sudden stops and illegal maneuvers that are extremely dangerous to bicyclists.
- Intoxicated drivers: Adhering to the highest standards of care and safety on the road only goes so far when you encounter a driver under the influence of drugs or alcohol. In one split second, the lives of accident victims and their family members are forever changed.
In California, only bike riders under the age of 17 must wear a helmet. Many believe these helmet laws should extend to all bike riders. After all, adults are just as vulnerable to head injuries in bike accidents as children.
Do I Still Have Time to File a Claim?
In California, if you are injured in a bicycle accident, you have a limited amount of time to make a claim. This is called the statute of limitations and is usually two years from the date of your accident. After this time has passed, you will no longer be able to make a claim for compensation. It is important that you contact an experienced bicycle accident lawyer right away so they can help protect your rights and get the compensation you deserve.
How Much Is My Case Worth?
The worth of any personal injury case is based on a variety of factors. These include the nature of the injury-causing event, the severity of the injury you suffered, the amount of pain the injury caused, and whether the injury has lingering effects. Only after all the evidence is gathered and analyzed can the true value of your case be determined.
As our law firm works to determine the value of your claim, we will take the following issues into consideration:
- Past and future medical bills
- Past and future lost wages
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional trauma
- Mental and physical disability
- Disfigurement and scars
- Property damage
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of love and affection
PTSD: The Injury You Can't See After a Bike Accident
When most people think about the injuries a person can suffer in a bicycle accident, they often think about bruises, broken bones, head injuries, and other physical traumas. These injuries are typically easy to address because doctors can see them and know how to treat them.
But what about the injuries you can’t see, like pain and suffering? What if a person experiences constant nightmares that force them to relive the accident? What if they experience panic attacks every time they get near a vehicle while riding on a bicycle? These are typically the injuries we don’t see after a crash.
However, they are not any less deserving of compensation.
It’s not unlikely for someone to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after a bicycle accident, but due to the nature of this injury, it can be difficult to prove you need compensation for it unless you get verification from a doctor and medical statements that describe the impact the accident has had on your mental state.
Even with medical evidence supporting your claim, you may still need a lawyer to help you effectively present your case. With years of experience handling complex bicycle accident claims, Scott J. Corwin, APLC can help you with your claim and get you closer to the compensation you need and deserve.
How a Los Angeles Bicycle Injury Lawyer Can Help You
If you’ve been injured in a bicycle accident, you know how devastating the consequences can be. You may have suffered physical injuries and emotional trauma, as well as financial losses due to medical bills or lost wages. Fortunately, a Los Angeles bicycle accident attorney can help you get the compensation you need.
A bike accident attorney can:
- Investigate the details of each bike accident and collect evidence to build a strong case for their clients
- Interview witnesses and obtain statements from them that can be used in court
- Negotiate with insurance companies on behalf of their clients to secure fair compensation for medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, emotional distress, property damage repairs/replacement, and other losses stemming from the bike crash
- Obtain police reports as well as any surveillance footage or photos that could provide insight into what happened at the scene
- File motions with courts if needed to obtain records of past incidents involving defendants in the case
- Assist injured individuals in filing claims with responsible parties or seeking damages through a personal injury lawsuit
- Represent their clients throughout all stages of litigation including pre-trial discovery processes such as deposition proceedings and trial preparation
- Explain complex legal terms related to bicycle accident law so injured individuals have an accurate understanding of their rights under state laws
- Advise clients on options available to them outside legal action such as settlement agreements
With an experienced bicycle accident attorney on your side advocating for justice and fairness, you can rest assured that all of your legal options are being explored so that you get the best possible outcome from this difficult situation.
Essential Steps to Take Following a Bicycle Accident
From the moment you experience a bike accident, every action you take might have a significant impact on determining your rights and options in the days and months to come.
The following is intended to help you preserve evidence and legally protect yourself after a bike accident:
- Seek medical attention for those injured during the bicycle accident, including yourself.
- Contact the police and ask them to come to the scene and make a report of your bicycle accident.
- Gather information and evidence about the bicycle crash. This includes preserving damaged property, photographing the damage, vehicles, and other drivers, writing down notes about the accident, getting the names and information of others involved, and getting the names, contact information, and statements of witnesses.
- Have a bike shop manager observe, assess, and document the damage to your bicycle.
- Report your accident to your car insurance company (if you have one).
- Get a copy of the police report once it is available.
- Seek legal advice from an experienced bicycle accident attorney. Speak with an attorney who can properly advise you on your best course of action.
Contact a Los Angeles Bicycle Accident Lawyer for a Free Case Evaluation
Learn more about your legal rights and options by scheduling a free case evaluation with our bicycle accident attorney in Los Angeles.
Call Scott J. Corwin, A Professional Law Corporation at (310) 683-2300. You can also contact us online to discuss your bicycle accident case today.
