If you or a loved one was injured in a bicycle accident in Bakersfield, you may be entitled to compensation for your damages. You can hold negligent motorists and companies accountable for the pain and suffering they caused you during that accident.Â
A Bakersfield bicycle accident lawyer from Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers can help you determine your legal options.
Cyclists Can Recover Damages for a Bakersfield Bicycle Accident
You may be able to file insurance claims with an at-fault driver’s or property owner’s insurance policy, or you can file a personal injury lawsuit against the liable party to recover a settlement that better reflects your injuries. Once a Bakersfield bicycle accident attorney from our firm reviews the facts of your case, we can advise you on all your legal options for recovering compensation.
Types of Recoverable Damages After a Bicycle Accident
Bicycle accidents can cause severe injuries and serious property damage, which can cost a lot of money. While your health insurance may pick up some medical costs, you’ll likely still have quite a bit to pay out of pocket. And unless you’ve insured your bicycle and equipment, you’ll have to pay for that to get fixed or replaced, too.
Here are the financial damages you can claim after a bicycle accident:
- Current and future medical bills
- Lost income and benefits during your recovery
- Reduced earning potential if the accident leaves you disabled and unable to work
- Costs of repair or replacement for your bike, helmet, and other damaged property
It’s not just your body and bike that can get damaged — bicycle accidents can also cause emotional and psychological pain, inconvenience your life, and other lifelong consequences. Here are the non-economic damages we can fight for:
- Pain and suffering
- Reduced quality of life
- Inability to participate in hobbies, like cycling
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Mental anguish
- PTSD
Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers
Bakersfield, CA 93301
661-371-3588
What If I Lost My Loved One in a Bicycle Accident?
As we previously discussed, bicycle accidents can take lives. But we can help you seek justice for your loved one’s death. Even though no amount of money can undo the pain you’re feeling after this loss, we can help you recover compensation that helps pay for:
- Funeral and burial costs
- Reduced household income
- Loss of spousal or parental support
- Leftover medical bills for your loved one’s accident-related treatment
How a Bakersfield Bicycle Accident Lawyer Can Help Your Case
At Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers, we’re proud to represent cyclists injured in bicycle accidents and families of cyclists whose lives were taken too soon. Our team has helped recover millions of dollars for our clients, including a cyclist who suffered injuries after an accident on a private bike trail.Â
We know that enduring a bike accident can cost you money, especially if you’re out of work. So, we offer your initial case consultation with a team member for free, and we don’t charge you any fees until we recover money for you and your family.
Here’s what we can do to help your Bakersfield bike accident case:
- Collect evidence that proves the other party’s negligence
- Calculate your economic and non-economic damages
- Communicate on your behalf with insurance companies
- File insurance claims, legal complaints, and personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits
- Negotiate a worthwhile settlement that meets your needs
- Represent you in court to recover the compensation you deserve
Bicycle Accidents in Bakersfield Can Be Dangerous
Cyclists don’t have the protection of a metal enclosure like an automobile, so bicycle accidents are more likely to cause serious injuries. The more serious your injuries, the more likely you will suffer life-long pain, undergo continuous treatment, and pay expensive medical bills.Â
Some of the most common injuries we’ve helped our clients recover compensation for include:
- Road rash
- Cuts and lacerations
- Sprains
- Broken bones and torn tendons
- Concussions
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Neck and back injuries
- Facial injuries
- Paralysis injuries
Health insurance companies may require you to meet a certain deductible before they start paying your medical expenses, so you could be left with thousands of dollars in medical bills. If you are uninsured, you would be responsible for all of it. We can help you fight for the compensation you deserve from the at-fault party’s insurance company.Â
Motorists Can Cause Bicycle Accidents
Traffic accidents are a common form of bike accidents in the Bakersfield area. Many motorists don’t want to share the road with cyclists, or they don’t realize the rules they must follow to protect cyclists. Here are some ways motorists cause bike accidents:
- Distracted driving
- Driving while intoxicated
- Speeding
- Keep too close of the following distance
- Not providing enough passing distance when overtaking a bike
- Not looking for bicycles
- Driving in the bike lane
Other Causes of Bicycle Accidents Around Bakersfield
But it’s not always another road user’s fault for a bike accident. Municipal agencies, construction companies, private property owners, and bike manufacturers can be at fault. These are some other situations that cause bike accidents:
- Poor road or bike lane conditions, like potholes and cracks
- Poor trail conditions, like debris, potholes, and cracks
- Defective or malfunctioning parts
What to Do if You’ve Been in a Bicycle Accident Around Bakersfield
If you’ve been in a bicycle accident in the Bakersfield area, follow these steps to ensure your safety and strengthen your accident claim:
- Seek medical attention, even if your injuries don’t look or feel severe. Doing so makes it easier for insurance companies and lawyers to link your injuries to the accident.
- Call the police and file an accident report. A police report can document the accident, which is important for filing insurance claims.
- Get the motorists’ contact and insurance information. Swap contact and insurance information with any driver involved in the accident, so you know which company to file a claim with.Â
- Write down what you remember about the accident. This is especially important if you’re involved in a hit and run. Note what the car and driver looked like, the license plate number, where the accident occurred, and how it happened.
- Get contact information from witnesses. If there was another passenger in the car, get their information. If you were riding with someone or there were other motorists, bicyclists, or pedestrians who saw what happened and stopped, get their information, too.
- Document the scene of the accident. Take photos or videos of your bike and equipment, the vehicle, and the surrounding area.Â
- Preserve evidence. Don’t get your bike fixed, don’t fix your helmet, and don’t wash the clothes you were wearing. All this evidence is key for filing an insurance claim and even fighting your claim in court.
- Don’t talk to the at-fault party’s insurance company or legal team. They may say they want to help, but you could accidentally say something that helps them place the blame on you or otherwise jeopardize your claim.
- Hire a lawyer. Contact Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers as soon as possible to get help filing the insurance claims, gathering evidence, talking to witnesses, and pursuing justice.
Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers Is Ready to Seek Justice for You
If you were injured in a bike accident or lost your loved one in a bicycle accident in Kern County, contact Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers today. We will fight to bring you justice and fair compensation for your damages.