Maison Law is an advocate for safe bicycle rides for all Fresno bicyclists and we represent riders when they are injured by the carelessness of local drivers.
Our bicycle accident attorneys are committed to helping victims secure the support they need to fully recover and get back on their bikes.
To find out what you should demand from an at-fault driver’s car insurance schedule a free, no-obligation case consultation with a real lawyer.
Fresno Bike Accident Injury Claims Process
STEP 1
Call Us For A Free Consulation
Call us 24/7 with No Obligations
STEP 2
Describe Your Accident Details
We will then discuss your legal options and decide whether to move your case forward.
STEP 3
Retain Maison Law w/ No Upfront Fees
We work on contingency. No attorney fees unless you win your case.
STEP 4
Receive Your Compensation
We will fight for you to earn the highest possible payout for your damages.
Do I need a Lawyer after a Bicycle Crash?
If your accident results in a serious injury and a reckless driver is to blame, you should talk over your case with a skilled Fresno bicycle accident lawyer. Insurance companies will look for ways to blame you for what happened. They’ll also try to limit the support you receive by downplaying how badly you are hurt.
Your lawyer is your protection against this type of treatment. Your lawyer collects evidence and files your injury claim for you. Your lawyer also protects you during settlement negotiations to make sure you and your family receive everything required to pay hospital and physical therapy bills. Having a lawyer represent your case can mean you take home much more in compensation. And there are no upfront costs to hire a lawyer. Your Maison Law representative isn’t paid unless you win your case. Then our fee comes out of the insurance settlement you receive.
Fresno Bicycle Accident Dangers
A bicycle ride in Fresno may be the best part of someone’s day. Riders may utilize the bike paths along Kings Canyon Road or up West Avenue. However, at some point, whether at an intersection or along a street without a bike path, a rider may have to venture alongside the rush of traffic.
These encounters in traffic would be much less dangerous if drivers stayed focused on the roads and didn’t allow themselves to become distracted or reckless.
The California Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS) tracks bicycle accidents every year. Their heartbreaking report shows there were 91 bicycle collisions involving serious injury in 2023 across Fresno. Those accidents tragically cost 2 people their lives.
The numbers in 2022 there were fewer bicycle impacts, but more deadly consequences for riders. The city recorded 87 serious bicycle accidents in 2022. Sadly, there were 7 tragic fatalities involved.
What to Do After a Fresno Bicycle Accident
Bicycle accidents often involve defenseless riders being hit by large vehicles going at unreasonable speeds. The fault of the driver can be very apparent in some cases, and yet insurance companies can quibble over details and try to shift some of the blame back to the person on the bike.
This is a terrible way to treat victims, and a personal injury lawyer on your side will be securing evidence and building your case to make sure insurance companies don’t have the chance to skip out on supporting you through recovery.
You can also help strengthen your own case by securing your own evidence in the moments after a collision. These are just a few of the goals you should have on-scene:
- See to injuries first. Don’t try to do anything but call 911 if you are injured. Give the police and paramedics every detail about your injuries and about what led to your crash. If you don’t feel up to gathering evidence ask someone with you or a helpful bystander to grab a few items for you.
- Take out your cellphone and snap pictures. Document the damage to your bike and the vehicle involved. Show street signs, bike lanes, and traffic lights leading up to the collision site. Get pics of any injuries that are visible including any road rash. If you are wearing a helmet make sure your photos show that. Note the time of day and the weather on the scene.
- Talk with witnesses, find out what they saw. Ask them about the driver and if they saw him or her driving while using a phone or being otherwise distracted. If witnesses want to write out their testimony make sure they sign and date it. They may also allow you to record them making a statement.
- Exchange information with the driver but don’t make any statements about the circumstances of the accident. Don’t say you’re uninjured because at that point you may not know if you’re injured. Insurance agents can use these statements against you later.
- Schedule an appointment with your own doctor. Get injuries documented that appeared the next day after the shock of your traumatic accident wore off.
- Keep your damaged bicycle and any damaged clothing or personal items.
Common Bicycle Accident Injuries Treated at Fresno’s Community Regional Medical Center
Securing full compensation after a bicycle accident is critical to a victim’s physical and financial recovery. The injuries routinely suffered in bicycle collisions involving vehicles are often traumatic and long-term.
An insurance company may happily pay for one night in an emergency room. Yet, that may only be a small fraction of your actual recovery costs. You’ll need support for physical therapy, potential surgeries necessary in the future, and perhaps a lifetime of support when a permanent physical disability is involved.
These are all likely scenarios after a serious Fresno bicycle crash. A list of the most common injuries suffered by riders makes it clear why full support must be provided in a settlement check:
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) – Cyclists can take multiple blows to the head in a car collision. A TBI can cause many different symptoms. Patients can forget how to speak or lose the ability to understand language. Light sensitivity is also possible. Seizures are another potential side effect.
- Bone Fractures – Broken bones in the chest are commonly suffered. Clavicles, the sternum, and ribs often break. Arms, wrists, hands, legs, knees, ankles, and hips can shatter in a collision.
- Amputation – Amputation can be necessary when a bone is crushed by the weight of a car. A bad bone break could also result in a surgical amputation.
- Paralysis – A spine injury or a brain injury can leave a victim without the ability to control body parts. For bike riders, a serious injury could keep them off their bikes temporarily, or in the worst cases, permanently.
- Facial and Dental Injury – Cyclists are often sent over their handlebars in a powerful collision. The facial bones and the teeth could be the first thing to absorb damage. Permanent disfigurement is possible.
- Joint Dislocation – These often occur when bicyclists try to break their fall when sent off their bikes. The wrists or shoulders may be dislocated upon impact.
- Skin Abrasion – Hard Road surfaces can deeply damage the skin. This damage is known as “road rash.” Skin may have to be taken from other parts of the patient’s body for skin grafts.
What Our Clients Say
Earning Compensation for Bicycle Accident Victims
Bicycle accident victims don’t have to have been wearing a helmet when they got hit to expect help with their recovery. Only bicycle riders under 18 must wear a helmet according to California law. Even if you aren’t wearing a helmet, drivers can still be held accountable for their mistakes that target bicycle riders.
Bicycle accident victims can require expensive and long-term medical care after an accident. These are a few of the hardships that can be demanded from an at-fault driver’s insurance company:
- Current and future medical bills.
- Current and future lost earnings.
- Any permanent disfigurement or disability.
- Physical and emotional anguish.
- Cost of counseling and psychological services.
- Replacing or repairing the bicycle.
- Loss of the ability to do the things you enjoy.
- Wrongful death benefits. Support for the family of a rider taken in a tragic bicycle accident.
As any bicycling fan will tell you, the loss of time on your bike will be a very difficult mental challenge to overcome. This loss of enjoyment of life can lead to depression and anxiety. It’s vital that cyclists receive everything they need to recover physically, emotionally, and financially so they can one day hop back on a bike again.
Our Clients Frequently Ask...
Yes. California does not require that riders 18 years old and older wear a helmet. If a helmet may have lessened some of your injuries, a judge may reduce the compensation you receive, but a driver could still owe you support.
Accident settlements can happen quickly when insurance companies know their policyholder was fully to blame. But if there’s even a little bit of doubt, insurance adjusters will drag their feet and look for any chance to question your innocence.
These are a few factors that can extend personal injury case resolution beyond a few months:
- There are questions over fault.
- Multiple parties are involved.
- Serious injuries and/or permanent disabilities are involved. Disputes over how badly you are hurt.
- Your injuries haven’t fully healed.
- Cases involving potentially enormous settlement amounts.
When insurance companies stall and delay and won’t make a fair settlement offer, it can sometimes be necessary to file a lawsuit and take them to court.
When cases must be proven in court, it can take up to a year simply to get a court date. This will extend the length you may be waiting to earn justice. Luckily the overwhelming majority of personal injury cases are settled out of court.
Two years. You have two years from the date of your bike crash to file a claim against an at-fault driver. Taking action as soon as possible is best. This gives your attorney time to collect fresh evidence and keep track of witnesses.
After a bike accident involving a serious injury, you’ll probably benefit from having an attorney negotiate your settlement. An attorney guards against the tactics insurance companies use to limit the support cyclists receive.
Contact a Fresno Bicycle Accident Lawyer
After a bicycle accident involving a serious injury or the loss of a loved one, contact an experienced Fresno bicycle accident lawyer at Maison Law for a free case evaluation. It’s a way to find out what your injury should be worth and how to hold car insurance companies fully responsible.
Bicyclists don’t need to worry about finding the money to hire Maison Law while they are down with injury. Our bicycle accident attorneys don’t accept any payment unless they win your case for you. Then our fee comes out of the settlement money a car insurance company must pay you.
California law protects the victims of careless drivers and allows them to seek help for what can be a long and expensive recovery. Riders should know all of their rights before speaking with unhelpful car insurance adjusters.
Additional Resources:
- Fatal Bicycle Accidents in Fresno
- Dooring Bicycle Accidents in Fresno
- Bicycle Versus Bicycle Accidents in Fresno
- Hit and Run Bicycle Accidents in Fresno
- Caltrans Bicycle Accidents in Fresno
- Left Turn Bicycle Accidents in Fresno
- Dog Chase Bicycle Accidents in Fresno
- No Helmet Bicycle Accidents in Fresno
- Pothole Bicycle Accidents in Fresno
- Sideswipe Bicycle Accidents in Fresno
- E-Bike Accidents in Fresno
- Can You Walk Your Bike Across the Street in Fresno?
- Right Hook Bicycle Accidents in Fresno
- Bicycle Laws in Fresno
- UM/UIM Claims in Fresno Bicycle Accidents
- Bicycle Riding Clubs in Fresno
