Maison Law is here to represent cyclists injured in an accident involving other cyclists, motor vehicles, or road hazards encountered in Los Banos. If you were hurt as the result of a bike accident or a loved one sustained life-altering injuries in a bike accident, contact a Los Banos bike accident lawyer at Maison Law for a free consultation and case evaluation.
Do I Need a Bike Accident Lawyer
In California, bike accident victims do not need to have legal representation or a lawyer to prepare and file a lawsuit on their behalf. It is perfectly legal for you to pursue legal action on your own. However, after being involved in a Los Banos bike accident, you might decide that your time and energy are much better spent focusing on healing from your injuries than learning what you need to know to manage a bike accident claim or lawsuit successfully.
While you might initially think that you were not severely injured and the need for a claim or bike injury lawsuit is not in your future, that could change rapidly. What you thought was a strain or bruise could be a much more severe injury, or the bump on your head could actually be a traumatic brain injury that will worsen quickly without proper medical care. If you discover that you do not have the time or inclination to handle the legal ramifications of a Los Banos bike accident, all you need to do is reach out to Maison Law. Our team will handle all of the claim or lawsuit details so you can focus on your health and returning to the active and enjoyable life you had before this unfortunate incident. And in many cases, your lawyer will secure a higher settlement than if the victim handled the case on their own.
Schedule Your Free Consultation ASAP
At Maison Law, we believe that every Los Banos cyclist has the right to a free consultation to ensure they fully understand their options after being involved in a bike accident. While some of these incidents can be relatively straightforward, others are far more complex. If you were hit by a car while on the street, the liability is easy to define. But what should you do if a pothole in the road surface caused the bike accident? The team at Maison Law can explain your options and how we can help resolve the matter swiftly, with no added expenses or stress. We are here to help make sense of a challenging event so that you can get on with your life.
What Is My Los Banos Bike Accident Case Worth
Being involved in a bike accident is sure to be a stressful time. Because there is little protection for a bike rider, the injuries you sustain can be severe. Broken bones, dislocated joints, and damage to internal organs are all possible when you make that sudden impact with the pavement or the front of a vehicle. Even less violent bike accidents can cause severe lacerations and road rash that will be very painful and can take weeks to heal. All of these thoughts and the associated medical expenses can make you feel dizzy and weak all over again. And then there is the cost of repairing or replacing your bike, which could be your primary source of transportation.
If the losses and expenses created by your bike accident in Los Banos have you feeling overwhelmed, take a moment to realize that all of these items that are making you worry can be tallied to become the compensation you seek with a personal injury claim or lawsuit. Your Maison Law bike accident lawyer will help you inventory all your losses and expenses to ensure you are seeking complete compensation for your losses, which might include many items from the following categories:
- Your medical bills for emergency care or transportation, doctor and hospital bills, the cost of essential medical devices and medications, and counseling or therapy for emotional trauma
- The projected cost of future medical care required to continue treatment for your injuries or ongoing care needed because of the bike accident injuries
- Disability compensation if the accident caused life-altering injuries
- Lost income if you were unable to work while healing from your injuries
- Repair or replacement costs for your bike and other personal property that was damaged or destroyed in the bike accident
- Loss of consortium if you are unable to participate in the lives of your spouse and family in the same manner as you did before the accident
- Mental anguish or ongoing mental health issues such as uncontrollable fear and anxiety, inability to sleep, or depression as a result of the bike accident and your injuries
Your Maison Law bike accident lawyer will help you evaluate all of the economic and non-economic losses you have suffered as a result of the bike accident to ensure you get the full compensation owed to you for all you have endured.
Common Types of Bike Accidents in Los Banos
Bikes share the streets throughout the community of Los Banos. For general riding and crash-prevention information, see the CDC bicycle safety guide. Some cyclists ride for exercise and enjoyment, while others use a bike as their primary form of transportation. This means that bike accidents can happen almost anywhere. Some of the more common kinds of bike accidents you might encounter in the community include:
- Right hooks
- Left crosses
- Driveway pull-outs
- Parking space backouts
- T-Bones
- Door-related accidents
- Sideswipes
- Rear-end collisions
- Head-on collisions
- Accidents caused by road defects
- Hazards in the roadway
- Low-hanging or overgrown landscape
- Hit and run
- Bike versus pedestrian accidents
Who Can I Sue for My Los Banos Bike Accident
When you imagine a bike accident, you likely see the cyclist and other vehicles involved in an incident. These crashes are often as simple as other vehicle accidents where one vehicle hits another. But there are also more complex bike accidents that leave the victim wondering whom to hold accountable for their injuries and the losses they are facing. You could be shocked to learn that the list of liable parties for a bike accident can include:
- The driver of a car, bus, or truck
- Another bike rider
- The municipality that is responsible for road care if there is damage to the road surface or there are missing or damaged traffic signs and safety signage
- A property owner along the road who failed to maintain landscape which blocked the cyclist’s view of a safety hazard or signage
- The repair shop that recently fixed your bike if the work was done incorrectly
- The bike manufacturer if there was a defect in the bike that caused a failure and the accident
- The owner of a dog that was running loose or was on a leash but caused the accident
What is the Time Limit to File a Bike Accident Case
In California, most bike accident victims have two years from the date of the incident to file their case with the court. The time limit, called the Statute of Limitations, is strictly enforced, and once it expires, you lose the right to pursue legal action related to that accident. If the case is related strictly to damage to your bike and other personal property, the time limit is extended to three years. Finally, if the liable party in the case is a government entity, such as the City of Los Banos or Merced County, the time limit to take action is reduced to only six months from the date of the accident.
Frequently Asked Questions After a Los Banos Bike Accident
What should I document right after my bike accident?
As with any accident that involves vehicles and roadways, it is very helpful to take pictures to document the location of all the vehicles and bikes involved in the accident, the damage caused by the accident, and the surrounding area that could contribute to the cause of the accident.
As the victim of the bike accident, you will also want to document your injuries. It is best to have a complete evaluation by a medical professional to ensure the records are complete and the exam is thorough. You will also want to gather contact information from any witnesses who can help to answer questions and explain what they saw before, during, and after the accident should there be any discrepancies.
Can I take legal action for a bike accident on private property?
In California, you can sue for a bike accident on private property when the conditions of the property or another person’s negligence caused the accident.
Can I file a lawsuit if I was partially to blame for the bike accident?
California is a comparative negligence state. That means that even if you share liability for the bike accident, you can sue the other liable party for a portion of your losses and expenses equal to the share of liability assigned to them. For example, if you were deemed 40% responsible for the accident, you can sue the other party being held accountable for 60% of your losses and expenses caused by the bike accident.
Contact a Los Banos Bike Accident Lawyer
If you have sustained injuries because of a bike accident in Los Banos, contact Maison Law. Our team of Los Banos bike accident lawyers is here to provide you with a free consultation to evaluate your case and help you understand your options to recover damages for your losses and expenses caused by the incident.
If you decide that you are ready to move forward with a lawsuit and use the services of Maison Law, we will handle the matter for you without any fees or upfront expenses paid by you. Our firm is happy to work on contingency and only get paid after the matter is resolved and you have received your compensation, which includes funds to cover your legal expenses.
