Bakersfield Bicycle Accident Lawyer

Even if they are personally as careful and responsible as possible, bicyclists have virtually no safety equipment other than a helmet protecting them from the full force generated by a traffic collision. Unfortunately, this means that bicycle crashes caused by negligent motorists often have disproportionately severe effects on the cyclist(s) involved, sometimes to the point of causing life-altering or life-threatening harm.

Bicyclists need to understand that they have the same rights as anyone else involved in a traffic accident to seek help from a personal injury attorney and file suit over injuries they sustain through someone else’s misconduct. If this sounds like the situation you have recently found yourself in, you should contact a Bakersfield bicycle accident lawyer from CD Law to discuss your recovery options.

What to Do Immediately After a Bicycle Wreck

Being involved in a bike wreck of any kind is a traumatic experience for both casual and experienced riders alike. That said, staying as calm as possible after an accident is vital, especially if it stemmed directly from someone else’s reckless or careless actions.

Taking the following actions as soon as possible after a bicycle crash is key to building the strongest possible lawsuit or settlement demand over that accident later on:

• Get contact and insurance information from everyone directly involved in the wreck.
• Get contact information from uninvolved witnesses who saw the wreck occur. Make sure to get their phone number, email, and if possible their home address.
• Note nearby traffic, surveillance, or dashboard cameras that might have captured the wreck as it happened.
• Take photos of the accident scene as well as all injuries and property damage. Taking video clips of the accidents also helps!

Anyone who needs emergency medical treatment should prioritize getting this care and let their Bakersfield bicycle accident attorney handle a possible civil claim on their behalf.

Seeking Compensation After a Bike Wreck

In addition to medical bills, a skilled Bakersfield attorney can help seek restitution for various other economic losses stemming from a bicycle accident; this includes:

• Lost work income
• Diminished earning capacity
• Expenses related to personal property damage

Additionally, legal counsel can help identify and assign a fair value to non-economic forms of harm like:

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional and psychological distress
• Loss of enjoyment of life

In some instances, an injured cyclist may be able to pursue punitive damages, although this is more rare. Punitive damages punish the defendant for particularly egregious or intentionally harmful actions.

Fighting Accusations of Comparative Fault

Representation from a Bakersfield lawyer is also crucial to proving that a bicycle crash victim was not partially at fault for causing their own injuries through irresponsible actions. Otherwise, a court could assign that bicyclist a percentage of comparative fault for their own accident, then reduce the total amount of compensation available to them by that same percentage. While California takes a pure contributory negligence approach to this concept and does not ever bar accident victims from seeking at least some compensation from another negligent party, this can still be a major roadblock that a capable lawyer can help navigate around.

Contact a Bakersfield Bicycle Accident Attorney for Assistance

Bicyclists have all the same rights and many of the same responsibilities on public roads as motor vehicle drivers do. Unfortunately, it is far from uncommon for drivers to violate the rights of bicycle riders around them, and to sometimes cause serious injury through their misconduct.

A Bakersfield bicycle accident lawyer can be the ally you need to take effective legal action after an incident like this. Call CD Law today for a confidential consultation.