Did you or a family member sustain injuries while riding your bike in Escondido, CA? You may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and your pain and suffering. An experienced Escondido bicycle accident lawyer at Petrov Personal Injury Lawyers can help you fight to recover fair compensation for your losses.
Our lawyers have over 20 years of experience fighting for injured clients in Southern California. Since 2012, we’ve helped accident victims like you recover over $40 million in settlements and verdicts.
Get the legal advice you deserve today. Call our law offices in Escondido, California to schedule a free consultation at (619) 344-0360.
How Petrov Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Bicycle Accident in Escondido, CA
Insurance companies invest significant resources when fighting personal injury cases. They’ll use scare tactics and strategies to convince you to back down or accept less compensation than you deserve.
At Petrov Personal Injury Lawyers, our Escondido personal injury lawyers are passionate about protecting accident victims’ rights. Whether the insurance company is trying to downplay your injuries or blaming you for causing the accident, we’re here to help.
When you hire our legal team to protect you, you can count on us to:
- Handle all paperwork, insurance filings, and legal documents
- Make sure you understand all of your legal options after an accident
- Determine who was responsible for the crash
- Gather strong evidence to present to the insurance company
- Hire experts when needed to prove aspects of your case
- Negotiate with the insurance company for a fair settlement deal
Our Escondido personal injury attorneys are here to discuss your case when you’re ready. Contact our law firm for a free consultation to learn more.
How Common Are Bicycle Accidents in Escondido, CA?
Nearly 1,000 bicyclists die across the U.S. each year, according to Centers for Disease Control (CDC) data. About 64% of all cyclist deaths occur in areas away from intersections, where speeds are likely to be higher.
Unfortunately, California is one of the most dangerous states in the United States for bicyclists. About 41% of all cyclist fatalities in the U.S. occur in California, Florida, and Texas.
According to provisional data, 714 bicycle accidents were reported in San Diego County alone in 2021. At least 700 people were injured in those accidents. In other words, nearly every bicycle accident reported in 2021 resulted in at least one injury.
What Is My Escondido Bicycle Accident Case Worth?
The value of any personal injury case is based on the victim’s individual circumstances. The severity of your injuries tends to be the most relevant factor when assessing your case value.
Our bike accident lawyers will calculate your case value based on the following factors:
- The type of injuries involved
- The cost of your medical treatment and your prognosis
- The nature of any future medical care or rehabilitation you will need
- How the injury changes your life
- Your lost wages during recovery and lost future earning potential
- Your physical pain and damage to your emotional wellbeing
- Whether you contributed to the accident
- Whether liability can be clearly established
The insurance company might offer a fast settlement to make your case go away. It’s important to speak with a lawyer before deciding to accept. If you have questions about your case value or whether a settlement offer is fair, contact Petrov Personal Injury Lawyers for a free case review today.
What Types of Compensation Are Available To California Bicycle Accident Victims?
Victims are permitted to seek compensation for their full losses under California personal injury laws. Your damages award is supposed to make you “whole” again after an accident. A fair settlement deal should include compensation for both economic damages and non-economic damages.
Depending on your individual situation, you may be entitled to the following types of compensation:
- Medical expenses, including current medical bills and future expenses
- Lost wages during your recovery
- Lost future earning capacity
- In-home assistance
- Home and vehicle modifications
- Rehabilitation
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Permanent scarring, disfigurement, or loss of limbs
- Anxiety, depression, and PTSD
- Loss of consortium
- Damages for wrongful death if you lost a family member in a fatal crash
Our Escondido bicycle accident attorneys will help you pursue compensation for all of the damages you’ve suffered. We can start assessing your damages today, so give us a call for a free case evaluation.
Can I Recover Damages If I’m Partially To Blame for a Bicycle Accident in California?
Don’t panic if you’re blamed for an accident. Insurance companies often use shared fault laws to reduce the amount of compensation they’re required to pay.
However, California has a pure comparative negligence law. As long as another party was even partly responsible, you won’t lose your right to compensation entirely.
However, the amount of compensation you receive will depend on the amount of fault that is allocated to you. If the insurance company determines that your share of fault is 10%, your compensation will be reduced by 10%.
It’s important to remember that allocating blame isn’t an exact science. If the insurance company is blaming you, we can help you fight back. Just call to schedule your free initial consultation with our bike accident attorneys in Escondido today.
What Are Some Common Bicycle Accident Injuries?
At Petrov Personal Injury Lawyers, we know that your bicycle accident injuries can change your life forever. You may be facing a long and painful recovery. Some victims never fully recover from their injuries.
Our lawyers often represent clients who have sustained:
- Burns
- Road rash
- Broken bones
- Whiplash
- Soft tissue damage
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Concussions
- Back injuries
- Organ damage
- Severe bleeding
- Amputations
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
Even with a helmet, bicyclists often suffer multiple injuries in a crash. Our lawyers can help you translate your hard-to-value injuries into a dollar value.
What Causes Most Bicycle Accidents in Escondido, California?
Speeding and inattention are among the most common causes of bicycle accidents in Escondido and across the country. Drivers often don’t see cyclists who share the road until it’s too late to prevent an accident.
Some of the most common causes of car accidents involving bicyclists include:
- Distracted driving
- Texting while driving
- Excessive speeds and high speed limits
- Failure to yield the right-of-way to cyclists
- Lack of dedicated bike lanes and protective infrastructure
- Aggressive driving
- Dangerous left-hand turns
- Running a red light or stop sign
- Drunk driving
- Driving under the influence of drugs
- Dangerous road conditions, potholes, and damaged pavement
- Vehicle defects
- Poor weather and limited visibility
Anyone who contributed to your accident may be held liable for damages. Our lawyers can help you determine what caused your accident and who was responsible.
How Do I Prove Negligence After a Bicycle Accident in California?
Negligence is the cause of most bicycle accidents. In other words, bike accidents tend to occur because someone failed to exercise reasonable caution under the circumstances.
The basic elements of a negligence case are:
- The at-fault party owed you a legal duty of care
- A breach of duty occurred
- Causation, meaning that the breach directly caused your accident
- Damages, typically in the form of physical injuries and financial losses
It can be tough to prove your case if you’re struggling with injuries. Our local accident lawyers will interview witnesses, review your medical records, and locate all available evidence that can be used in your favor.
We’ll gather and evaluate:
- Police and accident reports
- Video surveillance footage
- Photos of the accident scene
- Evidence from the accident scene
- Damage to your bike
- Evidence regarding road conditions at the time of the accident
- Cell phone records
- Toxicology results
- And more
Our lawyers may also hire experts whose testimony can strengthen your case. It’s important to begin gathering evidence soon after an accident. Call our law firm in Escondido or send your contact information to learn more about how we can help.
How Long Do I Have To File a California Bicycle Accident Lawsuit?
The statute of limitations limits the amount of time you have to file a personal injury lawsuit after an accident. In California, the statute of limitations is two years in most personal injury cases. This is a strict deadline. If you miss the deadline, a judge will dismiss your case without considering the merits.
It’s also possible that you could have even less time to take legal action. That’s why it’s always a good idea to speak with an experienced attorney soon after an accident. The sooner we can start gathering evidence, the stronger your case will be.
Contact an Escondido Bicycle Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Were you injured in a bicycle accident involving a motor vehicle? Don’t expect the insurance company to make you a fair settlement offer. Make sure you’re protected by calling an experienced Escondido bicycle accident lawyer. At Petrov Personal Injury Lawyers, we offer free initial consultations, so don’t hesitate to reach out for legal advice today.
