Garden Grove Bicycle Accident Attorneys

Garden Grove is a bustling city in northern Orange County, which has more than 170,000 residents. Garden Grove is home to the Crystal Cathedral and the Strawberry Festival. A number of people ride their bikes to and from school and work. There are also many who ride their bicycles for exercise. Riding a bike, while a fun and economical way to get around Garden Grove, can also be risky.

Garden Grove Bicycle Accident

There are a number of traffic collisions that occur in Garden Grove each year and many of them involve bicycles. According to California Highway Patrol's 2010 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were no fatalities but 77 injures as a result of Garden Grove bicycle accidents. During that same year, three people were killed and 1,187 were injured in Orange County bike crashes.

Young Boy Injured in Garden Grove Bicycle Accident

One example of a Garden Grove bicycle accident involved a 13-year-old boy. According to a news report in The Garden Grove Journal, the bike crash occurred the evening of December 29, 2011 at the intersection of Chapman Avenue and Gilbert Street. Officials say a car that was making a turn struck the young bicyclist. He sustained severe injuries and was listed in critical condition following the crash.

What to do After a Garden Grove Bicycle Accident

If you choose to ride your bike in Garden Grove, it is important that you understand how to protect your legal rights and options. Bicycle accidents can happen at anytime and all riders are in danger of suffering an injury. If you are ever involved in a crash, what you do immediately after the collision can affect your ability to pursue compensation for your suffering.

• Call the authorities: If there is any chance that you suffered an injury, you need to notify the authorities. Did you suffer broken bones? Did you lose consciousness? Are you bleeding? Do you feel confused or nauseous? Is your neck or shoulder sore? Call the authorities to file a report and to get emergency personnel on scene. You should not try to ride to the hospital.
• Collect information: It is possible that you will be too injured or shocked to collect information. Call a friend or family member so he or she can write down the specifics of the crash and collect details that can be very valuable during the claims process. When and where did the accident occur? What were you doing at the time of the crash? How fast was the vehicle going? Were there any witnesses to the crash?
• Get contact information: Write down the information for the driver involved and his or her insurance information. Collect the contact information from anyone who may have witnessed the crash.
• Get your side of the story in the police report: Never admit fault. Simply stick to the facts.
• Seek medical attention: Seeing a doctor right away is a good idea for a number of reasons. First, it will increase your chances of having a complete and speedy recovery. Secondly, it will document the extent of your injuries.
• Stop social networking: If you have filed a personal injury claim, it would be in your best interest to suspend all social networking activity. What you say or post on these sites can be used against you by defendants and insurance companies who actively look for any information that can be used to their advantage.

Protect Your Rights

The experienced Garden Grove bicycle accident lawyers at our law firm, for more than three decades, have helped injured victims and their families obtain just compensation for their losses. Please contact us for a no-cost consultation.