While bicycles are a great source of exercise and an efficient mode of transportation, the roads of Beverly Hills pose various hazards cyclists must contend with, from distracted drivers to passengers opening car doors to pedestrians not looking where they’re walking. If you were injured in a Beverly Hills bicycle accident, you need an experienced Beverly Hills personal injury attorney to help you seek compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other losses.
Contact Dordick Law Corporation at (310) 736-2866 for a free consultation about your case with a Beverly Hills bicycle accident lawyer. We’ll go over the accident that caused your injuries, help you identify the liable party or parties, and explain the process of seeking the compensation you need.
Bicycle Accident Cases We Handle in Beverly Hills
Dordick Law Corporation handles various types of bicycle accidents resulting in serious injuries, from broken bones to traumatic brain injuries. Some of the most common types of bicycle accidents seen in Beverly Hills include:
- Rear-End Collisions – When sharing the road with other vehicles, it’s important to make yourself as visible as possible. Some drivers will look past you toward the vehicle ahead of you, resulting in rear-end collisions when slowing down for stop signs and red lights.
- Failure to Yield Accidents – Vehicles must yield the right-of-way to oncoming traffic, including cyclists. When a vehicle fails to yield, such as by turning left in front of you at an intersection, it can lead to a serious collision.
- Right-Turn Collisions – After passing cyclists on the road, some drivers may forget that you’re still there and make right turns, colliding with you as you attempt to pass them. Always proceed with caution and try to make eye contact with drivers when possible.
- Dooring Accidents – Drivers and passengers sometimes open their vehicle doors without properly checking for cyclists. Colliding with a vehicle door can leave a cyclist with severe injuries.
- Pedestrian Collisions – Drivers aren’t the only ones who can be distracted by their phones. Sometimes, pedestrians step into the street without checking for traffic because they’re too busy looking at their phones. A cyclist colliding with a pedestrian can severely injure both parties involved.
Bicycle Accident Statistics
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), cyclists make up about 2 percent of motor vehicle collision fatalities, with a significant increase in deaths among male cyclists 20 and older in recent years. In a recent year, over 1,000 cyclists were killed in collisions with motor vehicles nationwide.
Wearing a helmet is one effective way to decrease your chances of serious injury or death in a bicycle accident. A helmet can protect you from severe head injuries, including those resulting in traumatic brain injury. While helmets aren’t 100 percent effective, they can reduce the severity of these injuries. A severe brain injury can result in permanent cognitive and physical disability, requiring lifetime treatment and care.
Examples of Bicycle Accident Cases
Distracted driving is a common cause of bicycle accidents. When looking at their phones, eating, or talking with passengers in the back seat, a driver’s attention is taken away from the road and their surroundings. This increases the likelihood of colliding with a cyclist from behind, merging into a cyclist, or turning in front of an oncoming cyclist.
Poor road conditions also pose a significant threat to cyclists. Large potholes, cracked pavement, and uneven lanes can cause cyclists to lose balance and strike the ground, breaking bones and causing other internal injuries.
In some cases, defective products can also contribute to injuries suffered in bicycle accidents. For example, your helmet may fail to protect your head to the extent advertised, either due to a manufacturing or marketing defect. In these cases, you may be able to hold the manufacturer liable under product liability laws.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below, we’ve answered some of the most frequently asked questions about bicycle accidents in Beverly Hills, CA. If you have additional questions, our lawyers will be happy to answer them for you during your initial consultation about your case.
Does California have a bicycle helmet law?
While some states have universal bicycle helmet laws that apply to all riders, California does not. Instead, California only requires cyclists under 18 to wear helmets. However, all cyclists should wear helmets to prevent sustaining some of the worst bicycle accident injuries.
Additionally, if you weren’t wearing a helmet, the at-fault party’s insurer will likely try to use that as evidence that you contributed to your injuries and should not be entitled to full financial recovery. However, a skilled attorney can gather evidence and build a case that can help maximize your compensation.
What is the time limit for filing a bicycle accident lawsuit in Beverly Hills?
California’s statute of limitations for personal injury cases gives bicycle accident victims two years to file lawsuits against the parties responsible for their injuries. Filing your lawsuit within this time limit is crucial, as the state’s courts will likely bar you from recovering compensation once the deadline has passed.
The two-year time limit also applies to wrongful death lawsuits. If your loved one died as a result of injuries sustained in a bicycle accident, you can file a wrongful death lawsuit against the at-fault parties to seek compensation for your loss.
What are common injuries sustained in bicycle accidents?
Some of the most common injuries sustained in Beverly Hills bicycle accidents include:
- Traumatic brain injuries that leave victims with permanent disabilities
- Spinal cord injuries that leave victims paralyzed
- Road rash injuries that lead to increased risk of infection and require skin grafts
- Fractured bones that require months of physical therapy
- Internal organ damage that requires immediate medical treatment to prevent the damage from spreading
Beyond seeking immediate treatment for injuries sustained in a bicycle accident, you should follow up on all treatments until you fully recover. Following up on your treatment makes it harder for the insurance company to claim you didn’t take your injuries seriously.
Who is liable for my Beverly Hills bicycle accident injuries?
Various parties could be liable for your damages after a bicycle accident. Motor vehicle drivers are commonly found liable for accidents involving cyclists. When a driver causes a bicycle accident, the injured cyclist can file an insurance claim against the driver’s liability coverage portion of their auto insurance policy.
Other parties that may be liable after a bicycle accident include pedestrians who stepped into the road without checking for traffic, government entities responsible for maintaining the roads, and bicycle or helmet manufacturers if a defective product contributed to your injuries.
What evidence is necessary for a successful Beverly Hills bicycle accident lawsuit?
To prove liability in a Beverly Hills bicycle accident case, your lawyer will investigate the incident and collect various types of evidence. Some of the most effective evidence includes:
- Accident scene photographs showing the road conditions and relevant traffic signs and signals
- Traffic camera footage that captured the accident
- Medical records detailing your injuries and the suggested treatments from your doctors
- Eyewitness statements that corroborate your claims or provide additional information about how the accident occurred
- Expert testimony, including that from medical professionals and crash reconstruction specialists
Contact Our Beverly Hills Bicycle Accident Lawyers
Were you injured in a bicycle accident in Beverly Hills, California? Contact Dordick Law Corporation at (310) 736-2866 for a free consultation with one of our knowledgeable bicycle accident lawyers. We’ll review your case, help you understand your options for seeking recovery, and walk you through the legal process so you know what to expect from your lawsuit.
