Thousands of people are killed as a result of bicycle accidents, and much more are injured every year. In Stockton, bicycle accidents continue to be a major issue. Bicyclists no longer feel safe on the road because of the substantial risks of being involved in a bicycle accident. Those involved in bicycle accidents must take action against the driver liable.
Normandie Law Firm is a Stockton law firm dedicated to helping those that have suffered injuries in bicycle accidents. If you were injured in a bike accident, you must seek legal assistance as soon as possible. You have rights as a bicyclist, and our experienced Stockton bicycle attorneys can help you exercise your rights. Our attorneys will fight for you and will not rest until you recover the compensation to which you are entitled. Our attorneys are here for you, and they are ready to give you all the information you need to take action against the driver who caused your injuries. You must immediately contact our firm to schedule an appointment to speak to our attorneys.
Safety Tips for Bicyclists
Bicycles are a convenient method of transportation for those who do not have vehicles. Bicycles also provide bicyclists with a fun and healthy alternative to other methods of transportation. Although riding a bicycle is convenient for many people, it can be dangerous; bicyclists often run the risk of suffering injuries if they are hit by a car. Because of this, it is essential that all bicyclists practice safe bicycling. Below, you will find some bicycle safety tips for Stockton residents:
- Always adjust your bicycle to your size and ensure that you can ride comfortably and efficiently.
- Always be observant of hazards and be aware of your surroundings.
- Always check your tires and brakes before you ride your bicycle.
- Always follow all traffic signals and traffic laws.
- Always keep at least one hand controlling the handlebar to prevent a loss of control.
- Always ride in a straight line and avoid swerving in and out of traffic.
- Always ride with traffic, never against it.
- Always try to avoid bicycling at night; when necessary, ensure that you are visible.
- Always wear a helmet while riding a bicycle.
- Always wear reflective clothing or bright colors while you are riding your bicycle.
- Always yield to vehicles and pedestrians when necessary, and ensure to signal before you make any turns.
If you follow the safety tips listed above, you should reduce your risk of being involved in an accident. However, bicycling is never risk-free. If you are injured because a negligent driver crashed into you on your bicycle, you must take legal action. Contact our attorneys as soon as possible.
Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents
Why do bicycle accidents occur? What are common causes of bicycle accidents? Bicycle accidents occur for a variety of reasons—negligence on the part of both drivers and bicyclists. Bicycle accidents might occur for the following reasons:
- Speeding
- Failing to yield
- Failing to pay attention to surroundings
- Failing to follow traffic signals and traffic laws
- Being under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or prescription medication
- Being distracted by mobile devices
As previously stated, the causes listed above apply to drivers and bicyclists equally. If you were injured in a bicycle accident, you might have some liability for the accident and your injuries. However, you should speak to an attorney for information regarding whether you are eligible to file a lawsuit.
Common Injuries Sustained in Bike Accidents
What injuries would you likely sustain if you were injured in a bike accident? The injuries sustained in bike accidents can be critical especially when bicyclists do not wear the proper protective gear. Bicyclists are vulnerable to the size and speed of the vehicles that strike them. A few of the injuries that victims of bicycle accidents might suffer are listed below:
- Head and traumatic brain injuries
- Neck and back injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Hip and shoulder injuries
- Knee injuries
- Scrapes, lacerations, and bruises
- Internal bleeding
- Fractures, broken bones, sprains, and strains
- Muscle and nerve damage
In some cases, the injuries can be so severe that they can cause death. In other cases, the severity of the injuries results in permanent damage. Without a doubt, victims are left with a mountain of medical bills that they cannot pay. If you were injured in a bike accident, you must immediately speak to our attorneys.
Steps to Take After an Accident
The steps you take after a bicycle accident are essential to the success of your claim. What are the correct steps to take after a bike accident? The most important thing you must do after experiencing a bicycle accident is to seek medical attention. You must receive treatment for your injuries—even if you believe they are mild injuries and do not warrant treatment. Seeking medical care can reveal injuries that were not apparent to plain view. Seeking medical attention also links your injuries to the accident. You must also file a police report. Before you leave the scene of the incident, you must contact the police to file an accident report. The accident report will be a record of the incident and will serve as evidence for your claim. You must also gather information about the parties involved in the incident, including witnesses. You should have the drivers name, license number, license plate number, insurance policy information. You should have the names and contact information of any witnesses to the incident. It would also be beneficial to take pictures of the scene of the accident, including damage shown in the vehicle and bicycle involved. You should also take photographs of your injuries—before treatment, after treatment, and after they heal. If you efficiently gather everything mentioned above, you should be ready to speak to a Stockton lawyer and discuss your claim.
Compensation
Is there any compensation for bicycle accident victims? If you were injured in a bicycle accident, are you eligible to receive compensation? If you had partial liability for the accident and your injuries, are you eligible to recover damages? The short answer is yes; you could receive compensation. The different types of compensation that you might be eligible to receive are listed below:
- Property damage
- Medical costs
- Pain and suffering
- Lost income
- Loss of consortium
- Funeral and burial costs
If you are the family member of a fatal victim of a bicycle accident, you can also sue to recover compensation. If you were injured in a bicycle accident, filing a claim with the help of a bicycle accident lawyer in Stockton will make you eligible to receive some of the forms of compensation mentioned above. Although many different types of compensation might apply to your claim, you should not assume that you will be eligible to receive every category listed above. You must meet with an attorney in Stockton to discuss the type and amount of compensation you might be eligible to recover.
Our Stockton Attorneys Can Help
The Stockton bicycle accident attorneys at Normandie Law Firm have spent many years handling bicycle accident claims. Instead of the instances of bicycle accidents decreasing with advancements in roads and bike lanes, bicycle accidents have continued to cause a significant amount of injuries and deaths in Stockton. Our experienced Stockton lawyers have the expertise to handle your claim and help you recover the compensation to which you are entitled for the injuries you sustained. If you are interested in filing a bike accident lawsuit, you must immediately contact our law firm and speak to our experienced lawyers.
If you are interested in filing a lawsuit with our Stockton law firm, you must contact our firm to schedule an appointment to speak with our attorneys. Our law firm offers free consultations and free second opinions. These free legal services allow our clients and all victims of bicycle accidents to speak to California bike accident attorneys without ever having to worry about the expenses associated with taking legal action against the driver liable for your injuries. What should you expect from our free legal services? Even though our legal services are free, you can always expect the highest quality legal assistance. During our free consultations, a bike accident attorney in Stockton will be available to answer all your questions and address all your concerns. Our attorneys will give you all the information you need to start your claim against the driver that caused your injuries. We guarantee that you will have the confidence necessary to file a claim after speaking to our attorneys. During our free second opinions, our attorneys will be available to mend the problems left by the incompetent attorney who was previously handling your claim. Unfortunately, many incompetent attorneys do not prioritize their clients and their claims; they often rush through claims while neglecting and overlooking key elements that can affect lawsuit outcomes. When you get a free second opinion from a Stockton attorney with experience in bicycle accidents, you can be certain that you will have all the information you need to get your claim back on the right track. Do not hesitate to contact our law firm; our attorneys are ready to help you.
The free legal services provided by our firm are made available through a Zero-Fee guarantee. Our firm’s Zero-Fee guarantee ensures that our clients never have to worry about paying any upfront fees for any of our legal services. Our law firm is also strictly based on contingency. This means that our clients with bicycle accident claims will not be required to pay anything until our lawyers win their lawsuit. If you do not win your claim, you will not have to pay any legal fees.
