Bicyclist Injuries

The bicycle accident attorneys at Miller Wilmers APC understand that representing bicycle accident victims requires a particular type of Lawyer with the skills, knowledge, and ability to understand the rights of bicyclists, which others often take for granted.

Our Southern California bicycle accident attorney fights to recover compensation for the many types of damages to which our clients are entitled, including medical expenses, hospital bills, rehabilitation expenses, lost earnings, future wage losses, lost earnings capacity, physical disabilities, scars, losses of limbs, brain and head injuries, emotional distress, depression, anxiety, grief, and pain and suffering. We understand the issues that bicycle accident victims often face, so we work with our clients, their friends and family, as well as their doctors, psychologists, long-term care planners, and others, to ensure that our clients receive not only the finest legal representation but also the finest support and medical care. We know Southern California. Our attorneys have spent their lives in the southern California area and when you describe the locations, turns, traffic stops and landmarks, we know what you are talking about. We have been there. 

COMMON BICYCLE ACCIDENT INJURIES

Riding a bike can be a great form of exercise, a way to enjoy a beautiful day, and an inexpensive and environmentally friendly mode of transportation. Unfortunately, it can also become deadly when drivers of motor vehicles do not pay attention to the bicyclists with whom they are supposed to share the road. According to the Federal Highway Administration, an average of about 129 people per year died in bicycle accidents in California. From 2016-2018, California's cyclist Fatality Rating was 3.9 meaning 3.9 cyclist deaths per million people. Most of those accidents (69 percent) occurred in busy urban areas. 

Unlike people riding in cars or trucks, bicyclists are completely exposed to the world around them. Consequently, they are extremely vulnerable to serious injuries when they are involved in accidents with motor vehicles. These injuries can come from the impact of the motor vehicle itself or when an accident throws a bicyclist onto to the ground, into traffic, or against another object. Cyclists can sustain the following serious injuries in accidents:

• Traumatic Brain Injuries TBIs can occur anytime a cyclist's head hits something during the course of an accident—including when the cyclist is wearing a helmet. Even mild TBIs, like concussions, can result in serious symptoms that damage victims' lives in profound ways for days, weeks, or even months. When bicyclists sustain severe TBIs that involve skull fractures or objects penetrating into their brains, they often develop cognitive or physical disabilities that can hurt them for the rest of their lives.

• Spinal Cord Injuries – A bicycle accident that damages or penetrates any part of the spinal column, including ligaments, discs, nerves, or vertebrae, can result in spinal cord injuries. Spinal cord injuries can result in significant complications, including chronic pain, muscle weakness, numbness, and even paralysis below the site of the injuries.

• Fractures – The forces involved in bicycle accidents can easily break a person's bones. Cyclists who are involved in accidents often break arms, legs, hips, hands, fingers, and bones in the face. In many cases, these injuries require emergency medical treatments, from immobilization and traction to emergency and reconstructive surgeries. People can sustain these and other injuries in bicycle accidents, not only resulting in enormous pain and suffering, but also secondary issues such as substantial and unexpected medical expenses, lost income from the inability to work, and a significant and ongoing loss of quality of life. Fortunately, victims can seek compensation for these and other accident-related losses under both Pennsylvania and New Jersey law. For this reason, those injured in bicycle accidents should retain legal counsel as soon as possible to fully protect their legal rights.

WHAT ARE THE COMMON CAUSES OF BICYCLE INJURIES?

Though motorists are expected to “share the road” with bicyclists, many drivers do not pay proper attention or use enough caution. Other reasons may also contribute to serious accidents for bicycle riders. Some common reasons for bicycle accidents include the following:

These are only a few examples of how other parties may act in a negligent fashion to cause a bicycle accident. If a driver or other party's negligence caused you injury, that party should be held responsible for their actions and you deserve to receive a fair settlement.