Representing Bicycle Accident Victims in Citrus Heights, CA

Whenever a motor vehicle hits a bicycle, the bicyclist is likely to suffer severe injuries, even if they are wearing an appropriate helmet. Some of the most commonly reported bicycle accident injuries in California include:

• Broken bones. Bone fractures are extremely painful, and some of them may require extensive recovery time. Minor bone fractures may only require a few months of healing, while more severe compound fractures could entail multiple surgeries, nerve damage, and permanently impaired range of motion.
• Head injuries. A brain injury requires immediate medical attention, and some brain injuries are life changing. Unfortunately, it often takes several months before the full effects of a brain injury are discernable. Some brain injuries like concussions may heal entirely but leave the victim susceptible to more brain injuries in the future, and other brain injuries cause permanent disabilities.
• Spinal injuries. The spinal cord cannot repair itself from injury. If a bicyclist sustains a spinal cord injury, they could face full or partial paralysis, loss of sensation, and neurological effects. Any spinal injury a bicyclist suffers is permanent and will affect them in many ways for the rest of their life.
• Soft tissue damage. Tendons, muscles, and ligaments can sustain damage in an accident, and the victim may have reduced mobility or require surgery to repair the damage. Most soft tissue injuries can heal completely, but they are typically very painful and debilitating in the early stages of recovery.
• Internal organ injuries. Bicycle accidents can easily cause severe damage to the victim’s internal organs. Some internal injuries do not cause immediately noticeable symptoms, so it’s vital to seek prompt medical care after an accident, even if you believe you only suffered minor injuries.
• Secondary impact injuries. A bicycle accident typically causes two significant impacts that can injure the bicyclist: the primary impact of the vehicle hitting the bicyclist and the secondary impact of the bicyclist hitting the ground. Both impacts can cause tremendous damage, but the secondary impact of hitting the ground poses the risk of causing friction burns from sliding on asphalt or striking a curb or other solid object.
• Facial injuries. Most bicycle helmets do not include full-face shields. As a result, when a vehicle hits a bicyclist, the bicyclist could suffer facial injuries that cause permanent scarring or dental injuries that require extensive restorative treatments.
• Fatal injuries. Unfortunately, not every bicycle accident victim survives their accidents. When a fatal bicycle accident occurs, the victim’s family can pursue a wrongful death claim instead of a personal injury claim.

It is common for bicycle accident victims to sustain more than one of these injuries, leading to expensive medical bills and long recovery times. These initial expenses can quickly evolve into worse financial problems, making it difficult for the victim to manage their everyday household expenses and bills, eventually leading to economic ruin unless they secure fair compensation for the results of the at-fault driver’s negligence.