A bicycle is one of the most fun and efficient ways to get around, and more Fresno residents are choosing to bike for their commute and lifestyle. However, bike riders and cyclists face unique vulnerabilities on the road, and collisions with cars often result in anything from moderate to catastrophic and life-altering injuries. Given their speed and size, other vehicles on the road can cause serious damage to bikers when there is an accident.
If you have been involved in a bicycle wreck, your primary focus should be recovery above all else. Unfortunately, the longer you spend healing, the more medical costs you incur and the more work days you are forced to miss. Learn how an experienced Fresno bicycle accident lawyer can help you get through this stressful experience and work to secure the compensation you deserve. When you get injured, the personal injury attorneys at Dunnion Law are here to help.
All states, including California, have what are known as side-of-the-road rules. These rules mean that cyclists have to stay in the bike lane or on the far right side of the right lane if a bike lane is unavailable. While these laws have done quite a bit to protect bicyclists from serious accidents, they have directly led to some of the more common mishaps.
One of the most common types of bicycle accidents is when a bicyclist hits the open door of a parked car because the driver did not check first. This is often referred to as “dooring.” Sometimes, vehicles will also drive too close or too fast by a bike in the bike lane, causing them to be brushed off the road. Another common occurrence is a right hook collision, or when cars in the right lane turn right without checking, and a biker hits them as they turn. Not to be forgotten is when a driver who is texting or distracted drifts into the biker lane, hitting them and causing injury.
Regardless of how your Fresno bike wreck occurred, you deserve help from an experienced attorney. Our legal team has broken records in California by obtaining some of the highest legal settlements.
In many cases, the bicyclist will not be held liable for the accident, but that is not always the case. For example, if a driver opens their car door and hits a biker, the driver can typically be held responsible. However, if there were no other vehicles on the road, the driver may argue that the biker had enough space or time to avoid the door, which could reduce or shift liability.
It is common to see vehicles passing bicyclists on the road, but bicyclists are not actually required to make room for them. If no bike lane is present, the bicyclist has just as much right to be on the road as any other vehicle. If a vehicle passes you while on a bike before they have a safe way to do so, they are liable if you have to swerve off the road to avoid a collision.
Right of way is a primary factor in many bicycle accident cases. Motorists often only look to the traffic on their left when determining when it is safe to make a right turn. While this is generally enough, it can create a situation in which a bicyclist to their right collides with them as they make their right turn.
In these cases, the driver is almost always liable since basic road laws require a car not to turn right until it is safe to do so, even if their light is green. If they made the effort to pass you before making their right turn, you have an even better case since you know they were aware of your presence.
Our Fresno attorneys can carefully review the evidence to help you build a strong legal claim after a bike crash.
– Get the medical care you need.
– Talk to your doctor about all your symptoms.
– Don’t talk to insurance companies about your injuries. Tell them you are unsure and looking to discuss this with a lawyer.
Even though you may not be at fault for the accident, the at-fault driver’s insurance company will not pay for your medical bills, nor your property damage, until they complete their own liability and damage evaluation. Until then, you must make payment on medical costs associated with your accident or, have your health insurance pay them while your case is underway. It’s important to make sure that all of your medical providers bill your health insurance.
See MoreThat’s a difficult question, and ultimately depends on assessing the unique conditions of your claim, which cannot be done by an automated calculator. According to the All-Industry Research Advisory Council (ARAC), a typical personal injury case without an attorney settles for $3,262, while a case with an attorney will re-coup $11,939 – that’s over 3.5 times more money in your pocket.
See MoreIt’s advised that you not settle until meeting with our personal injury team. It is likely the insurance company’s offer is well below what you truly deserve. If you accept the settlement and you later need further medical treatment or are unable to work due to your injuries, your settlement and waiver agreement can prevent you from getting additional compensation.
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If you have been involved in a bicycle collision, the recovery process can be tough. You should focus on your health and not worry about navigating legal processes to get the compensation you deserve. Fortunately, a skilled Fresno bicycle accident lawyer at Dunnion Law can help.
Our firm has been operating since 1975, and we have a strong track record of winning catastrophic injury cases for California clients. At Dunnion Law, you get the personal attention, aggressive representation, and decades of experience your bicycle accident claim deserves. There are no hidden fees, no upfront costs, and you pay nothing unless we win. Contact us today for a free consultation.
