Highland Bicycle Accident Lawyer

Bicycle Accident Attorney in Highland, CA

Biking has become an increasingly popular option for California residents for leisure, exercise, and transit. However, bicycle accidents can have devastating effects on victims. If you’ve been involved in such an accident, you deserve to pursue compensation for your pain. A Highland bicycle accident lawyer can help.

Hire a Bicycle Accident Lawyer in Highland From Duque & Price

The thought of starting a legal case can be intimidating for those involved in bicycle accidents. Since 2006, the team at Duque & Price has made it our mission to make the legal process as accessible as possible for our clients. During your confidential consultation, your attorney can explain which specific California laws apply to you and break them down in a way that is easy to understand.

Evidence You Need to Gather for Your Bicycle Accident Claim

In 2023, 145 bicyclists were killed in a traffic accident in California. San Bernardino County had the second-highest number of bicyclist fatalities that year, with 18 deaths. In 2023, 90% of bicycle crashes in California happened in urban areas.

Knowing what evidence you need after a bicycle accident can help you during your legal case. Your attorney can help in collecting and preserving:

• Testimony from witnesses of the accident. Your attorney often needs to collect this as early as possible, as witness memories of traumatic events tend to warp and fade quickly.
• Testimony from experts who can offer their opinion about what caused the crash and your injuries. These professionals, also called accident reconstructionists, work with the provided photos, testimony, and crash site to create a digital recreation of the crash through mathematical equations, helping provide clarity to the court about what likely occurred.
• Photos or videos taken of the crash. These include skid marks, damage caused by the crash, damage to your vehicle or bicycle, damage to any of your belongings, and photos of your visible injuries.
• Footage from dash cams, traffic cameras, and surveillance cameras that caught the incident on tape. This generally needs to be collected quickly, as security cameras tend to tape over their footage after a short period of time.
• Transcripts of the initial 911 call
• Copies of the incident report
• Copies of medical records. It’s good practice to keep your documents organized in chronological order.
• Copies of your medical bills, lost income, and any other proof of your financial losses
• Proof of your emotional losses, including a doctor’s note from your therapist or testimony from your loved ones about your mental state since the crash
• A detailed written timeline of events
• Any other evidence that can provide clarity to the court

Bicycle Accident Laws in California

In California, courts determine how much compensation to award the victim and who must pay it by assigning all parties involved a percentage of fault, even the victim filing the case.

They understand that even minor mistakes can contribute to accidents and believe that wrongdoers should only have to pay what they’re personally responsible for. Any compensation awarded to the victim is reduced by their percentage of fault. For example:

• If you were making an illegal turn at the time of the crash, you may be assigned 30% at fault.
• If the driver who hit you was texting while driving, they may be assigned 40% at fault.
• If your bike had faulty brakes, making you unable to brake before being hit, the bike’s manufacturer may be assigned 30% at fault.

If you were awarded $100,000, it would be reduced by 30%, and you would only take home $70,000. That final amount would be paid by the driver and the bike’s manufacturer, based on their individual percentages of fault.

FAQs

How Much Compensation Can You Get for a Bicycle Accident in Highland?

The amount of compensation you can get for a bicycle accident in Highland depends on who was at fault, the severity of your injuries, and the extent of your financial losses.

You can request compensation for your medical bills, lost income from work, damage to your vehicle and other personal belongings, pain and suffering, disfigurement, disability, and loss of enjoyment of life. These damages are meant to help victims recover their financial losses and compensate them for their emotional pain.

What Should I Do After Being in a Bicycle Accident?

After being in a bicycle accident, you want to request medical assistance, even if you feel okay. While waiting for paramedics and the police to arrive, collect the contact and insurance information of the other party involved, as well as the contact information of anyone nearby who witnessed the accident. Then, take photos and videos to use later on in your case. This includes photos of the crash site, your visible injuries, and damage to your vehicle.

What Should I Avoid Doing After Being in a Bicycle Accident?

After being in a bicycle accident, you want to avoid arguing with the other party involved in the crash. Emotions are likely high, and arguing with them may make them reluctant to cooperate with you later on during your personal injury case. Don’t admit fault or apologize for the crash. If you do, it may be used against you later on in your case. Instead, stay calm and quiet until you can hire a bicycle accident lawyer.

How Long Do I Have to File My Bicycle Accident Claim in California?

Victims of bicycle accidents generally have two years from the date of the incident to file their case. This can be done at the Civil Division of the San Bernardino District, located at 247 West Third Street in San Bernardino. After filing, you can work closely with your lawyer to collect the necessary evidence to help prove what happened. Then, you start legal proceedings, starting with settlement meetings with insurance companies and potentially moving towards trial.

Choose a Trusted Highland Bicycle Accident Attorney Today

Duque & Price are here to discuss the details of your case in a confidential consultation. Contact one of our offices today to learn what we can do to help during this challenging time in life. Our firm takes on cases throughout Orange County, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and surrounding Southern California towns.