Salinas Bicycle Accident Lawyers

In bustling cities, suburban communities, and even rural towns, riding a bicycle is a form of transportation, exercise, and leisure activity. However, car and truck drivers sometimes do not pay attention or agree to share the road, leading to dangerous and even fatal bicycle accidents.

If you suffered injuries as a cyclist, the driver or party that caused your accident should also cover all of your losses. Seeking compensation from insurance companies is never easy, however, and cyclists can experience significant pushback and obstacles despite their severe injuries.

If you want to know where to turn following your bicycle accident, Silva Injury Law is here to help. Never delay in protecting your rights; seek a free case evaluation with one of our Salinas bicycle accident attorneys as soon as possible.

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Trusted Salinas Bicycle Accident Lawyers

The bicycle accident attorneys at Silva Injury Law know that cyclists have the right to be on the roads. Still, we also understand that other drivers ignore these rights and often put bicyclists in dangerous situations. As a result, our Salinas bicycle accident attorneys fight to help you acquire compensation for the damages you have experienced.

We know the issues bicycle accident victims face, and we do not think you should go through them alone. Therefore, we do our best to ensure our clients feel supported and understand every step of the legal process as we advance. Call Silva Injury Law today to consult with a member of our legal team.

Cycling In Salinas

Salinas, California, is on the verge of becoming a bike-friendly city with 137 cycle routes, which make up over 4,000 kilometers of paths for bicyclists. Several bicycle projects and safety programs are put in place as this city believes in the safety of bicyclists. However, Salinas also knows that bicycle accidents continue to happen throughout the city despite its positive efforts.

Even though bicycles are becoming very popular throughout California, drivers do not always pay attention to or cooperate with bicyclists on the roads. Instead, cyclists face increased risks of crashes even though the law fully permits them to ride on the roads.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that around 1,000 bicyclists die every year from accidents, and 130,000 suffer injuries and visit emergency rooms across the United States.

Increased risks occur when drivers either become impatient and annoyed or drive aggressively and carelessly when bicyclists are around.

Here are a few ways that driver negligence can occur around bicyclists:

• Pulling out onto the roadways without looking in every direction: Bicycles can be harder to see than motor vehicles. Therefore, it is common for people to pull out in front of bicycles. Looking in every direction can help prevent this.
• Making a right turn without checking their shoulder area: Bicyclists can often hide in a person’s blind spot. So, checking the shoulder area before making a right turn is important.
• Changing lanes without checking around the vehicle: Bikes are much smaller than cars or trucks. Therefore, when a driver thinks the lane next to them is clear, it may not be. Motor vehicle drivers should always check their surroundings before changing lanes.
• Driving too close to bicyclists: When bicyclists have no bike lanes, they may need to ride on the main roads. This tactic can lead to motor vehicle drivers becoming impatient and driving too close to bicyclists. However, driving too close to the bicyclist can cause a dangerous accident when bicyclists need to slow down or stop.
• Opening car doors that block the bike path: When a driver stops their vehicle and opens the car door, they should ensure that the door does not block the bicycle path. If it does, this can cause many problems as the bicyclists may be going too fast and hit the vehicle door, or they may need to go around the vehicle to clear the door.
• Driving while impaired: If a motor vehicle driver decides to get behind the wheel after drinking alcohol or taking drugs, this can lead to an accident with bicyclists and other vehicles. The driver may see the bicyclist, but they most likely will not stop in time because their reaction times have become delayed.
• Running a stop sign or stop light: Bicyclists trust other drivers on the road. Therefore, when it is their time to go, they trust that other drivers will stop and allow them to go. However, if a motor vehicle driver runs a stop sign or stop light, they may collide with the bicycle rider.

Individuals who choose to ride a bicycle may face many preventable risks and dangers. If a driver acts inappropriately and causes you injuries, our team can help you hold that driver liable for your losses.

Head trauma and traumatic brain injuries

Trauma to your head can cause traumatic brain injuries, skull fractures, and other severe injuries. A traumatic brain injury (TBI) usually occurs when an individual hits their head during a bicycle accident. A TBI can be severe or mild, but even mild TBIs can lead to serious issues that permanently change the victim’s life. TBIs can happen if the individual’s head hits the pavement, bicycle, vehicle, or object near the crash site.

Bicyclists should always wear helmets to protect their heads and skull, though helmets cannot protect from all head trauma. Many cyclists suffer serious brain damage even with a helmet. Further, never assume that you cannot recover compensation for a head injury if you forgot your helmet. Instead, allow Silva Injury Law to evaluate your options for compensation under these circumstances.

Facial injuries

When bicycle accidents occur, bicyclists can often experience damage to their faces. A few of the most common types of facial injuries that a bicyclist can suffer are a fractured jaw, eye or vision issues, broken nose, dental damage, and permanent scarring.

Back and spinal cord injuries

When bicyclists get hit with a lot of force, they may fall off the bike and land on their backs. This landing can cause damage to the spinal cord, which can lead to herniated discs and other issues. When an individual has a spinal cord injury, they typically experience life-long complications, such as chronic pain, numbness, weakness, or even complete paralysis.

Broken bones and fractures

Bicyclists often experience broken bones and fractures. They commonly have broken arms, fingers, legs, hips, hands, and more from hitting the pavement or other trauma. Fractures might require weeks or months of rest, or they might need surgery to repair properly.

Amputations

When a serious bicycle accident happens, victims may need amputation of a body part. Amputation usually occurs when a body part has such severe damage that it can no longer function. The most common amputations are arms, legs, fingers, and toes. Sometimes, if a car clips a cyclist at a high enough speed, a traumatic amputation can occur right then and there.

Neck injuries

Bicyclists thrown from their bikes or experiencing extreme force may have whiplash or neck injuries. Whiplash is a neck injury resulting from sudden and forceful neck movement. Other neck injuries occur within the nerves, muscles, joints, tendons, and throat.

Road rash

Roads and pavement are very tough against the skin. So, when a bicycle accident victim lands on the pavement or road, they will most likely experience some road rash. This injury comes from friction and can look like burns, scrapes, or scratches.

No matter what type of injuries you have, Silva Injury Law can help. We regularly represent clients with catastrophic injuries and seek full compensation for their past and future losses.

Life-Changing Losses From Bicycle Injuries

Bicycle accidents can lead to several life-changing losses, which are both economic and non-economic losses. Losses from bicycle injuries can include the following.

Economic losses

• Medical bills and expenses
• Lost income and wages
• Damage to bicycle/property
• Home modifications
• Hired services, such as a housekeeper, home care worker, child care assistant, and more
• Physical therapy, occupational therapy, psychological therapy

Non-economic losses

• Physical pain
• Mental suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Loss of companionship
• Wrongful death

Seeking Compensation From Liable Parties

If you are interested in filing a claim for your injuries and losses in a bicycle accident, you will need to first determine liability for the crash. Our Silva Injury Law attorneys will review your claim and determine who is liable for your accident. We will also collect evidence such as medical records, photographs from the scene, video footage, witness statements, doctor testimonies, and more. Evidence is critical in a bicycle accident case.

The defendant’s attorney may look for other factors that might have caused your accident, such as potholes, inclement weather, biking in the wrong direction, failure to yield, no reflectors or lights on the bike, and more. We can stand up to any liability challenges and present evidence to support your claim.

Every bicycle accident is unique. Therefore, our bicycle accident lawyers cannot provide a specific amount of compensation that you should expect to receive without reviewing your situation. The compensation amount will depend on the facts of your case, such as who was liable, their insurance coverage, the injuries suffered, how the injuries affected you, and more.

We will be glad to meet with you if you want an estimate of how much compensation you may receive. In the meeting, we will listen to your experience of what happened the day of your bicycle accident, look over your claim to make sure it is viable, and give our legal advice on what we think you should do. If we think your claim is viable, our lawyers will begin preparing a strong case against the defendant.

Never Wait To Consult Our Trusted Bicycle Accident Lawyers

Victims of bicycle accidents should never wait to consult with a trusted bicycle accident lawyer. We do not recommend waiting because individuals who have experienced any type of personal injury in California have a two-year time limit from the date of injury to file a claim. After two years, you will no longer be eligible to file a claim for your bicycle accident injuries.

We know that two years may seem like a long time. However, if you choose to put it off, time may pass you by during the recovery process. Then, you can no longer get the compensation you deserve to pay for your accumulated expenses.

Silva Injury Law offers free consultations to individuals who have suffered an injury in a bicycle accident. After you have received medical treatment and are on the road to recovery, we recommend reaching out to our firm at your earliest convenience. The legal process can be long and difficult. However, the sooner you schedule your meeting, the quicker we can get started on your claim and fight for the compensation you deserve.

Speak With Our Experienced Salinas Bicycle Accident Attorney Today

Standing up for bicycle victims requires a team of skilled and experienced lawyers. At Silva Injury Law, our Salinas bicycle accident attorneys listen to every client’s story, investigate every claim thoroughly, and do everything we can to obtain the best results possible.

If you have suffered an injury after a bicycle accident, please get in touch with a bicycle accident lawyer from our firm as soon as possible by calling (209) 308-8924  or filling out our contact form. After you do so, a staff member will reach out to you to begin the process. We look forward to speaking with you soon and helping you navigate the complex legal system. You deserve compensation for the losses you’ve incurred because of someone else’s negligence. Reach out to a Salinas personal injury lawyer.