Anaheim Street runs through the Harbor City and Wilmington neighborhoods in west Los Angeles and into Long Beach. It’s a road that cyclists can sometimes highlight for a ride. And those local riders will find one of the few protected bike lanes in all of Los Angeles along Anaheim Street.
There are a few other stretches of bike lanes, but for much of the way, cyclists must face the rush of traffic when traveling this busy route.
Careless drivers and narrow lanes on Anaheim Street combine to put riders in harm’s way far too often. A reckless motorist could cause a devastating accident and leave an injured cyclist unsure of how to seek help with medical bills and lost income at work.
If you or a loved one are in this situation, get the answers you need by scheduling a free consultation to talk to a real Los Angeles Bicycle Accident Attorney.
Los Angeles Bicycle Accident Dangers on Anaheim Street
Cyclists choosing to use Anaheim Street on a daily ride or commute will find at least one section that provides decent protection from rush hour traffic and reckless drivers.
A section along Harbor Regional Park provides protected bike lanes for a little over half a mile. The lanes are separated from vehicle traffic by plastic pylons. This protected zone extends from around Vermont Avenue and east, almost to the 110 Freeway. Additionally, traditional bike lanes are also available in stretches.
Of course, these lanes, when available, can’t provide absolute protection from the bad decisions of Los Angeles and Long Beach drivers. When the bike lanes run out, Anaheim Street becomes a narrow boulevard with tight curbs and sometimes no curb at all except mounds of dirt. Cyclists can be run off the road, cut off as cars try to make a right turn, and struck head-on by motorists in the oncoming lanes making a left in front of them.
Common Los Angeles Bicycle Accident Injuries
The potential traumatic injuries cyclists may suffer make it critical that a bicycle accident settlement offer accounts for the health issues cyclists may have in the years to come. An experienced Los Angeles bicycle accident lawyer warns you when you may be signing off on an offer that leaves you without the compensation you’ll need. Then your lawyer shows you how to demand more.
After you have been struck in an Anaheim Street bicycle collision, you could face days or weeks of expensive medical care. If you ever want to mount your bike again, months of physical therapy could be the only path back.
These are just a few of the most common and painful bicycle accident injuries that victims can suffer:
- Road Rash – The tearing and scraping of the skin while sliding along a rough surface, like the asphalt on Anaheim Street. These injuries typically heal on their own after a lot of pain, but tough-to-treat infections are possible.
- Facial and Mouth Injury – Cyclists may try to catch themselves with their hands as they fall, but failing that, the face may be next in line. The nose and the cheekbones can break. Teeth can dislodge or chip. Permanent disfigurement is possible.
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) – A brain injury can occur even with a helmet on, although a helmet usually keeps injuries from being as severe. A TBI can be as mild as a concussion or serious enough to cause memory loss and seizures.
- Fractured Bones – Cyclists thrown from their bikes often break hands, wrists, and arms as they try to arrest their fall. Bones in the chest, like the breastbone and collarbone, are vulnerable in a hard fall. Cyclists often spend days unable to move their upper bodies without extreme pain while these bones heal.
- Amputation – Limbs and digits can suffer bad breaks and be crushed under tires. A limb may need to be surgically removed if it can’t be saved.
- Paralysis – An accident may result in the loss of control over the arms or legs. A spine or brain injury can result in a permanent disability.
What Can I Receive Compensation for After a Bicycle Accident on Anaheim Street?
Every hardship you and your family face after a Los Angeles bicycle accident gets listed and included in your injury claim turned in to the at-fault driver’s insurer.
These items all factor into negotiations when your Anaheim Street Bicycle Accident Lawyer fights to earn a fair settlement from insurance adjusters:
- Past and future medical bills and rehabilitation costs.
- Estimated costs of medical care, home care, and loss of earning capacity related to a permanent disability.
- Pain and suffering. This factors the patient’s physical pain and emotional trauma suffered in the wreck and during a difficult recovery. The loss of enjoyment of life would also have to be considered. This may include the frustration of never being able to ride a bike again.
- Past and future lost earnings while the victim is out of work.
- Repairs to bicycle or replacement.
- Los Angeles Wrongful Death Bicycle Accident Claim. Families who have lost a loved one to a bicycle accident can seek support to pay for a burial and to help replace the income the deceased can no longer provide.
Contact an Anaheim Street Bike Accident Lawyer in Los Angeles and Long Beach
After a serious bicycle accident along Anaheim Street, talk over your case with a skilled Los Angeles Bicycle Accident Lawyer in a free consultation. It’s a critical step in determining what you’ll need to rebuild your life and get back on your bike again.
Maison Law is a strong advocate for ride safety for all cyclists. We are also proud sponsors of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition. We strive to see injured cyclists earn full support to get back on their bikes again.
