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Granite Bay Bicycle Accident Lawyer
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Granite Bay bicycle accident attorney
Bicycles are environmentally friendly, cheap to purchase and maintain, healthy, and fun to use. Many people living in the Granite Bay area enjoy riding bikes for pleasure, for exercise, and some use their bikes to commute to work. However, despite the many positive aspects of bicycling and the fact that California typically has some of the best year-round weather for enjoying bike rides, all riders face a few significant risks any time they take their bikes on the roads.
Helping Injured Bicyclists Recover From Accidents in Granite Bay, CA
State law permits bicyclists to use most roads and move with the flow of motor vehicle traffic around them. While bicycles are not permitted on highways, and some other roads and bicyclists should use bike lanes wherever they are available, bicyclists have most of the same rights and responsibilities as motor vehicle drivers in Granite Bay. Therefore, when a bicycle accident happens, it is vital for the victim to know their rights and what type of legal recourse would best help them recover from their damages.
The Kreeger Law Firm can provide the compassionate personal injury representation you need after experiencing a bicycle accident. Our firm has handled all types of personal injury cases in Granite Bay, and we have decades of professional experience we can leverage on your behalf as you seek recovery from the damages inflicted on you.
Commonly Reported Causes of Bicycle Accidents in Granite Bay
Bicycle accidents happen for many of the same reasons that all other vehicle accidents happen, but bicyclists are more vulnerable to crash impact forces and likely to sustain severe injuries when larger motor vehicles crash into them. A few of the most common causes of bicycle crashes in the Granite Bay area include:
- Distracted driving. This is the leading cause of all vehicle crashes in the United States each year, and distracted drivers are dangerous to themselves and all others around them. Bicyclists are even more susceptible to inattentive drivers since they are smaller and harder to see than larger enclosed passenger vehicles.
- Drunk driving. It is illegal for any driver to operate a vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. If a bicycle accident happens because another party was driving under the influence (DUI), the at-fault driver faces criminal penalties alongside a civil suit from the victim. It is important to note that the state’s DUI laws apply to bicyclists as well as motor vehicle drivers, and it is illegal to ride a bicycle while intoxicated by drugs or alcohol.
- Speeding. Whenever a motor vehicle driver exceeds the speed limit, they dramatically reduce the time and space they have to react to changes in road conditions. As a result, accidents that happen at high speeds are most likely to result in catastrophic or fatal injuries.
- Moving violations. Many bicycle accidents happen in intersections when drivers fail to navigate the traffic flow correctly or when they commit intentional or negligent moving violations. For example, running a stop sign or performing an illegal turn can easily cause a bicycle accident.
- Poor visibility. Driving at night, during bad weather, or through any conditions that restrict visibility is dangerous for any driver, but bicyclists are especially vulnerable in poor visibility conditions. Bicyclists can make themselves easier to notice by attaching reflectors to their bikes, wearing reflective clothing at night, and wearing bright colors during the day, but inattentive or negligent drivers can still cause devastating accidents despite bicyclists’ best efforts to ride safely.
How to Recover From a Bicycle Accident
If another party is responsible for causing your bicycle accident, proving fault is an essential first step in recovering from your damages. Once you have identified the driver who hurt you, you can proceed with a claim against their auto insurance policy in much the same way as you would after a standard motor vehicle accident. Every driver must have auto insurance with appropriate coverage for bodily injury and property damage, but even a robust insurance policy may not cover all the losses you suffered from your accident.
Your Granite Bay bicycle accident attorney will be a critical asset for handling a complex insurance claim, and once you exhaust your recovery options through insurance, you can proceed with a personal injury claim with their guidance. Under California law, a personal injury plaintiff can seek compensation for:
- Any and all medical treatment costs they face for recovering from their injuries. The defendant is liable for both immediate and future medical expenses the victim incurs until they reach maximum medical recovery.
- Lost income, including lost wages during the victim’s initial recovery and long-term loss of earning power if they are permanently disabled from their injuries. A Granite Bay bicycle accident attorney is crucial for helping you prove the amount of future income you would have reasonably expected to earn if your accident had not occurred.
- Property damage, such as the cost of replacing your bicycle and any other personal belongings lost in the accident.
- Pain and suffering. This may sound like it would be impossible to translate into monetary terms, but an experienced attorney will help their client determine a suitable amount to claim from a defendant based on the unique details of their case.
A defendant found responsible for a serious bicycle accident is likely to face liability for substantial losses, but depending on how they caused the accident, they could also face criminal prosecution. For example, if the defendant in your case caused your accident through any type of illegal activity, such as drunk driving, reckless driving, or attempted vehicular manslaughter, the state will likely file criminal charges against them. Your Granite Bay bicycle accident attorney will explain how a criminal case from the state could impact your civil court proceedings.
FAQs About GRANITE BAY, CA BICYCLE ACCIDENT LAW
How Can I Prove the Fault for a Bicycle Accident in Granite Bay?
The first step in your recovery efforts after a bicycle accident must be confirming how the accident happened and who is responsible for it. If you were severely injured, you might not remember how the accident happened, and an experienced Granite Bay bicycle accident attorney is a vital resource in this scenario. It’s possible for a bicycle accident to occur from an act of negligence or misconduct, and your attorney will be invaluable through every step of your legal proceedings.
What Are the Most Commonly Reported Injuries From Bicycle Accidents?
Even if bicyclists wear high-quality helmets and protective gear, they can still suffer life-threatening injuries in a bicycle accident. Head injuries are the most commonly cited injuries in bicycle accidents, and it is also possible for a victim to suffer broken bones, spinal injury, internal organ damage, and a host of cuts, scrapes, and soft tissue injuries from a bicycle accident, even at low or moderate speed.
Can a Bicyclist Be Partially Responsible for Causing Their Accident?
California enforces a pure comparative negligence law, meaning all parties responsible for a personal injury will share liability for the resulting damages. This includes a plaintiff who partially contributed to causing their bicycle accident. Therefore, if you are assigned a fault percentage, you will lose this percentage of your case award to reflect your comparative negligence. Working with a seasoned Granite Bay bicycle accident lawyer offers the best chance of minimizing any comparative fault you might absorb.
How Much Is My Bicycle Accident Claim Worth?
The total compensation you could secure from a successful bicycle accident claim in Granite Bay depends on the total amount of economic losses the defendant caused and the severity of your injuries. You have the right to claim full repayment of all economic damages as well as compensation for the pain and suffering you’ve endured because of the defendant’s negligence or misconduct. Hiring an experienced Granite Bay bicycle accident attorney as soon as possible after your accident significantly improves your chances of maximizing the total compensation you secure from the defendant.
Is It Worth Hiring a Granite Bay Bicycle Accident Attorney?
The best thing you can do to increase your chances of securing the fullest recovery possible, holding the defendant accountable for their actions, and streamlining your receipt of compensation is hiring a Granite Bay bicycle accident attorney. When you choose the Kreeger Law Firm to handle your case, we will work diligently to streamline your recovery efforts as much as possible, and we are often able to identify avenues of recovery our clients initially overlooked.
Contact Us Today
The Kreeger Law Firm offers decades of experience in personal injury law, and our team has successfully represented many past clients in the Granite Bay area. We know the challenges you are likely to face in your efforts to recover from the effects of the accident you experienced and can help you maximize the results of your recovery efforts. Contact us today and schedule a case evaluation with a compassionate and trustworthy Granite Bay bicycle accident attorney.
