Los Angeles Bicycle Accident Lawyers
Contact a Los Angeles bicycle accident attorney for a free consultation. Find out if you are entitled to injury compensation. Victims of Los Angeles bicycle accidents and their families can seek financial compensation for their losses by filing a personal injury claim against the at-fault party.
Every accident is different and many serious injury accidents potentially have multiple liable parties. A skilled Los Angeles personal injury attorney will stay abreast of the official investigation to ensure that fair compensation is offered to the victim or the victim's family.
Top 8 Types of Bike Accidents in Los Angeles
Riding bicycles in LA can range from recreational use, for work, for transportation and many other uses. But regardless of the reason for utilizing a bikes transportation capabilities, they can be dangerous, whether it is you, the bike or someone else's fault that causes the bicycle accident or personal injury.
Here is a list of the Top 8 Most Common Reasons for Bicycle Accidents:
- A motorist made a right turn in front of bicyclist
- A motorist made a left turn in front of an oncoming bicyclist
- Motorist opened vehicle door resulting in bicyclist crashing into door
- Sudden road debris obstructing bicyclist path
- Premise liability or Governmental entity
- Rider error - Losing control, excessive speed or distraction causing crash
- Bicycle malfunction - Tire blow out, frame snapping or pieces coming apart
- Alcohol: Many times, alcohol is associated with bicycle accidents
Bike Injuries Can Be Deadly
Every year thousands of pedestrians sustain minor injuries in a bike accident but many of them are serious and even life threatening. It's typical to suffer severe head trauma in bike accident even while wearing a helmet.
Fractures are common and can take a long time to heal resulting in an impaired quality of life. Immediate care right after the bike accident is vital to recovery.
Even if you feel fine immediately following a bike accident, you should have a full medical exam to make sure there are no underlying injuries that may come up later.
Most common causes of bicycle accidents are the bike riders using the wrong side of the street or making unsafe turns in traffic. The rider should always be aware of oncoming traffic and not rely on the vehicles to see them. Always ride WITH traffic.
Top 10 Most Common Injuries from Bicycle Accidents
Growing up we learned how to ride bikes, and many times it resulted in smashing into a mailbox, stop sign or parked car, leaving us crying and holding scraped up and bloodied knee or elbow. But for many bicyclist who ride to work, on roadways with other vehicles or any other reason, injuries can result from severe to fatal.
Here is a list of the Top 10 Most Common Injuries from Bicycle Accidents:
- Skin and soft tissue: contusions, lacerations and abrasions (scrapes, cuts and bruises)
- Bone fractures: arms, wrists, legs, ankles, etc.
- Traumatic head injuries: concussions, coma, aphasia, etc.
- Pulled, strained or tore tendons and ligaments
- Hip and pelvis: iliopsoas tendinitis and trochanteric bursitis
- Handlebar neuropathies: Ulnar nerve, median nerve (deep palmar branch)
- Face and eye: corneal foreign bodies, facial and dental fractures
- Dismemberment or amputations: if an accident is severe enough, the loss of limbs or body parts is a high probability
- Brain Injuries: aneurysm, stroke, hemorrhage or permanent brain damage
- Death
Victims' families can file a Wrongful Death claim if it was not entirely the bicyclists fault. Compensation that is rewarded does depend on your states current laws, but can consist of the following:
- Pain and suffering
- Medical costs
- Funeral costs
- Loss of future income
- Loss of companionship
Rights of Injured Cyclist in Los Angeles
The experienced Los Angeles bicycle accident lawyers at our law firm have helped numerous accident victims protect their legal rights, obtain just compensation and hold negligent parties accountable.
We fight hard for the rights of our clients and help ensure that they receive maximum compensation for their significant losses.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a Los Angeles bicycle accident, please contact us to obtain more information about pursuing your legal rights.
There are a number of class I bike paths in Los Angeles where only bicyclists are allowed. These paths are often a safe distance from motorists as they run along rivers, parks and beaches. Unfortunately, just about anywhere else you travel in Los Angeles on a bicycle can be potentially dangerous.
A review of recent Los Angeles bicycle accidents shows that there are many causes of injury accidents and many locations where an accident can occur.
According to California Highway Patrol's 2010 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 11 people were killed recently and 2,065 were injured in Los Angeles bicycle accidents.
During that same year, there were 25 fatalities and 4,201 injuries reported due to Los Angeles County bike crashes. Los Angeles is moving towards promoting more bicycle laws and rights.
You can download the Bicycle Riding Tips brochure from the CHP for tips on protecting your safety.
Unsafe Locations in Los Angeles for Bicyclists
A 34-year-old Los Angeles man was killed during the early morning hours of August 19, 2012, while biking in the Mount Washington area of Los Angeles. Jean Carlos Galavis was traveling southbound on Canon Crest Street toward Avenue 45 when he crashed into a hillside.
He suffered abdominal and internal bleeding and succumbed to his injuries at a nearby hospital. Officials say the dangerous nature of the roadway, which is steep and narrow, may have contributed to the fatal bicycle accident.
Similarly, on August 5, 2012 a man in his 50s was seriously injured in a Los Angeles bicycle accident along San Gabriel Road. According to The San Gabriel Valley Tribune, he lost control downhill on the winding mountain road and collided with the mountainside.
Had he not been wearing a helmet, his injuries could have been far worse.
Were these roadways safe for bicyclists? Were they safely designed and adequately maintained? Should there have been warning signs to encourage bikers to slow down on the winding, mountainous roads?
These are some of the important questions that must be asked in bicycle accidents involving dangerous roadways. If a hazardous roadway did cause or contribute to a bicycle accident, the governmental agency (such as a city or county) can be held liable for the incident.
Under California Government Code Section 911.2, any personal injury or wrongful death claim against a governmental agency must be filed within 180 days of the incident.
Passionate Legal Representation in Los Angeles
Bisnar Chase has been helping injured bike accident victims in Los Angeles since 1978 and has established a 96% success rate. The firm has spent over 40 years working to obtain justice for plaintiffs and has won over $500 Million for our clients. We are familiar with LA courts and defense teams after spending decades taking cases to trial and mediation.
If you've been injured in a bicycle accident contact a Bisnar Chase Los Angeles Bicycle Accident Lawyer for a Free Case Evaluation. You may be entitled to recovery and compensation.
For immediate assistance Call 323-238-4683.
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