The Best Los Angeles Bicycle Accident Lawyers are with The Ryan Law Group
A bicycle accident in Los Angeles can be difficult to move on from. You may have serious injuries that prevent you from returning to work, as well as psychological distress. Bicycle accident lawyers are personal injury attorneys who specialize in supporting the legal rights of cyclists who were injured due to the cause of another person’s negligence. In most cases, cyclists are injured by automobile drivers. However, negligent cyclists can also cause fellow bike riders to have an accident. In some cases, premises liability can factor into a bicycle accident claim. For example, if a cyclist is using a city bike path and huts a massive pot hole resulting in a crash and injury, the city may be held liable for failure to post the necessary signage, or for repairing the path. The best Los Angeles bicycle accident lawyers at The Ryan Law Group are standing by to learn all about your accident and we are dedicated to getting you full compensation while focusing on your medical care and recovery.
Defending the Rights of Cyclists with Serious Injuries is Something Our Los Angeles Bicycle Accident Lawyers Do Best
Even though bicycles don’t travel nearly as fast as cars do, a bicycle accident often leads to catastrophic injuries and other serious types of injuries that can have an impact on the victim for the rest of their life. Remember that the only line of defense you have from sustaining any impact on a bicycle is a helmet, but even with a helmet, head injuries are possible. In addition, unlike cars, a bicycle doesn’t have any surrounding matter to absorb an impact, This means the cyclist’s body absorbs the full impact and is therefore vulnerable to a wide range of injury types. Any injury that has a permanent or lengthy impact on your ability to work in your career to support your family, participate in activities and hobbies that enrich the quality of your life, or injuries that impact your physical or cognitive abilities to maintain your quality of life demand significantly greater compensation and medical care. The problem is, insurance companies are notorious for undervaluing bicycle accidents, and they have a number of tactics they use to get victims to surrender their full legal rights and accept a lowball offer for minimal compensation. The bicycle accident lawyers of The Ryan Law Group stand up to insurance companies, their underwriters, and their legal team to guarantee that our clients get the full compensation and medical care they are entitled to.
What are the California Bicycle Laws?
Broken traffic laws are one of the most common causes of bike accidents. Then consider that Los Angeles is one of the most congested cities in America for traffic. Before you ride your bike around Los Angeles, learn city and state bicycle laws. The following are three of California’s bicycle laws under Vehicle Code Section 21201:
- It is against the law to operate a bicycle that is not equipped with a suitable brake. The brake must allow the wheel to skid on dry, level, clean pavement.
- The handlebars of a bicycle must not be so high as to force the operator’s hands to reach above the level of the shoulder.
- If used at night, a bicycle must be equipped with a white front light visible from at least 300 feet, a rear red reflector or red light visible from 500 feet, a white or yellow reflector on each side, and a white or yellow reflector on each pedal or shoe.
Following the rules can help you avoid a collision, as it will make your actions more predictable for surrounding drivers. It can also help you avoid liability if you do get into a bike accident, as you will have fulfilled your responsibility to bike safely. If you have further questions about the bicycle laws in California and how they may impact your case, speak with a Los Angeles personal injury attorney experienced in bike accidents.
What are the Most Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in Los Angeles?
The most common causes of bicycle accidents in Los Angeles result from automobile drivers that fail to be aware of their surroundings, or that make poor decisions rooted in negligence. Under California’s fault-based auto insurance law, it is necessary to determine the cause of your bicycle accident before filing an insurance claim. This is because you will file your claim with the insurance company of the person or party who caused the crash. Some of the most common causes of bicycle accidents in Los Angeles, according to the law firm and insurance data, are the following:
- Distracted driving
- Driver inattention
- Failure to yield
- Speeding
- Left-hand turn accidents
- Road rage or reckless driving
- Dooring
- Operating under the influence
If you need assistance determining the cause of your bicycle accident, a bicycle accident attorney from Los Angeles within The Ryan Law Group can help. We have connections to investigators and crash reconstruction experts who can analyze evidence to determine causation. Then, our bike accident lawyers can help you bring a claim against the negligent person, driver, or party.
How Our Bicycle Accident Attorneys Prove Negligence
Before you can recover financial compensation from a bicycle accident, your Los Angeles bicycle accident lawyer will need to prove your case. Your bicycle accident attorney must show that the defendant’s negligence caused your bike accident. Negligence in personal injury law describes any careless action or omission that a reasonable party would not have committed in the same circumstances, resulting in injury to another person. Negligence consists of four components:
- The defendant owed the plaintiff a duty to act in a reasonable manner.
- The defendant violated his or her duty of care.
- The defendant’s action or omission caused the bicycle accident.
- The plaintiff suffered compensable damages.
Your bicycle accident attorney can help you prove negligence in a cycling accident by gathering clear and convincing evidence against the defendant. Evidence available in a bike accident claim may include a police report, photographs, medical records, eyewitness statements and expert testimonies. If your lawyer can prove the defendant’s negligence, you will be entitled to compensation, and the defendant will be financially responsible for your injuries and losses. The bicycle accident lawyers of The Ryan Law Group work around the clock to hold the driver accountable for a bicycle accident, and we make sure every last detail of your case is properly presented to guarantee that you will obtain the financial compensation you need to move forward.
How Much is My Bicycle Accident Worth?
A successful bicycle accident claim in California could reimburse you for medical costs, losses of income, physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, lost quality of life, bicycle damage, punitive damages, and more. The exact damages available, and the value of your claim, will depend on the details of your case. In general, your case is worth more if you have serious or catastrophic injuries, as this means greater damages suffered by you and your family. When you call The Ryan Law Group, we will pair you with the best bicycle accident lawyer in Los Angeles; a personal injury attorney who has defended victimized cyclists across the state of California with a winning record testifying to the millions that have been recovered for those who suffered an injury.
What Should I do After a Bicycle Accident?
If you were injured while riding your bicycle due to another person or party’s negligence, the first thing you will want to focus on is getting to a doctor. Your health is the most important thing, so call 911 for an ambulance. If you are able to safely do so, try to collect information from anyone who may have witnessed the accident while medical care is on the way. You should also take a strong mental note of what the conditions were like during the crash, and recall the actions that led up to it. You should take a photo of the car that hit you, and make sure the plate is visible. Also, ask the driver to present his driver’s license and insurance card, and take a photo of them for your records. Finally, call the police. In the state of California, the police can be called to the scene of an accident if anyone was hurt.
What is the Bicycle Accident Statute of Limitations in California?
California has a statute of limitations, or a legal deadline, on filing personal injury claims, including bicycle accidents. In general, you have no more than two years from the date of your bike accident to bring a claim. A special exception to the rule, however, may lengthen or shorten your deadline, depending on the case. (This generally includes wrongful death claims too, though the timeline may be different.) If you miss your deadline, the courts will most likely refuse to hear the case. You need to contact our Los Angeles bicycle accident lawyers immediately after your accident (and after you have been treated by a doctor), and make sure you don’t talk to the insurance companies or the party that struck you until first speaking with our bicycle accident lawyers.
Call for a Free Consultation with our Los Angeles Bicycle Accident Lawyers
If you or a loved one was recently injured in a bicycle accident in Los Angeles, CA, our bicycle accident lawyers can help you understand and protect your rights. A personal injury attorney specializing in bicycle accidents can take care of difficult legal tasks for you while you focus on healing, such as collecting evidence and hiring qualified experts. Call The Ryan Law Group for the best bicycle accident lawyer in Los Angeles today, and get free legal advice, case-specific information, and learn what your accident might be worth. Then, we will go over our process and show you what the next steps would look like when you partner with our firm to get the compensation you deserve for your bicycle accident.