Yes. In some cases. But other parties could be responsible for the upkeep of sidewalks and liable if someone gets hurt. Homeowners and business owners can also be liable for damages if a crack or gap in a sidewalk takes down a cyclist and causes an injury.
Maison Law can help you when you’re injured in an accident on a sidewalk in Madera. A crash caused by a broken sidewalk that should have been repaired can make riders eligible for substantial compensation and long-term support.
Any bicycle crash will bring up questions about your injuries, who’s responsible, and what the path forward is going to look like. Our team can answer your questions and help you through the process. Set up a free consultation as soon as possible.
Do I Need a Lawyer After a Bicycle Crash on a Madera Sidewalk?
If your injuries are serious, it’s a good idea to go over your case with a Madera Bicycle Accident Lawyer.
A higher price tag on your recovery means lawyers for city departments or homeowners insurance providers will fight even harder to avoid having to pay you what you’ll really need to fully rebound.
Figuring out just who is responsible for a broken concrete or tree roots growing through a sidewalk can be very tricky. Our skilled legal representatives can help you determine where to direct your lawsuit.
Your Maison Law attorney would fully investigate what happened to you and collect all evidence, including photographic proof and witness testimony. Your lawyer would fight back when insurers tried to blame your accident on clumsiness. Then, your attorney gets aggressive and seeks to earn you the maximum in compensation available to help you heal and get back on a bike. This is often much more than you could win on your own.
Sidewalk Gap Bicycle Accident Dangers
Cyclists traveling on sidewalks along residential streets around Madera, like Cleveland Avenue, can face more dangers than just those presented by drivers. They are at risk of crashes caused by road and sidewalk surfaces that are cracked and crumbling.
A gap between sidewalk segments can be wide enough to catch a rider’s tire and hold the bike in place. The problem is that the rider’s body can keep moving, tossing the victim to the ground to suffer injuries.
These are just a few of the sidewalk hazards that can harm cyclists in Madera:
- Cracks in sidewalks
- Large gaps in sidewalks and the curb
- Crumbling concrete
- Uneven surfaces
- Roots growing through concrete
- Construction project damage to sidewalks
The injuries riders endure can be serious, and the challenge to figure out who’s responsible for a bad stretch of walkway can be enormous. A skilled Madera bicycle sidewalk accident lawyer can figure out where blame lies and file a claim while you are allowed to focus on getting better.
Common Injuries in Sidewalk Bicycle Accidents
Bicyclists can end up at Madera Community Hospital or even be rushed to a Level I Trauma Center in Fresno. The injuries might be traumatic, and that’s why it’s important that victims have the money to cover current medical bills and to cover any care they may need down the road.
These are just a few of the common injuries diagnosed after a crash to the sidewalk or to the road below:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs), even when the bicyclist is wearing a helmet.
- Spinal cord injuries are likely to result in some degree of paraplegia or full quadriplegia.
- Multiple fractures in arms, legs, hip, chest, etc.
- Damage to vital organs.
- Facial fractures and serious dental injuries.
- Joint and ligament damage to the spine and extremities.
- Deep cuts and road rash.
Who Can I Sue After a Bicycle Accident on a Sidewalk?
In many spots around the city, property owners are responsible for the span of sidewalk outside their homes or businesses. There are other stretches where Madera would need to accept blame. Madera County and the State of California can also be liable for public sidewalk maintenance.
These are just a few of the parties that may bear blame in a bicycle crash on a sidewalk:
- Local city government
- County or state governmental departments
- Homeowners
- Business owners
- Property owners
- Contractors and construction crews who damage sidewalks as they work on roads or property renovations
Shifting liability can make cases involving a sidewalk issue very complex. There’s also added difficulty when you must demand support from a government agency or department.
Local governments enjoy some legal protection from lawsuits and injury claims. Victims must often fill out complicated paperwork and submit it to the city to simply get permission to proceed with their claim.
A shorter statute of limitations also gives governments the advantage after you get hurt. In most personal injury cases, California victims have up to two years to file a claim over their damages. But when a government department is involved, the deadline changes to just months, often 6 months, for victims to file. Miss this deadline, and victims usually have no other chance to seek help with recovery.
A skilled Maison Law attorney can help bicycle accident victims complete tricky paperwork and meet all sneaky deadlines so they can hold the City of Madera fully responsible.
Contact a Madera Bicycle Accident Lawyer Today…
Your lawyer immediately begins investigating your case. Maison Law files your claim on your behalf so you can focus on recovery, allowing you to return to your bike rides as soon as possible.
We’d demand full compensation for your current medical bills and any that may arise in the future. We’d ask for support to pay for bike repairs or replacement. The hours you lost at your place of work must be reimbursed. Our lawyers would also ask for additional compensation for the pain you’ve had to endure and the emotional trauma you must cope with during a difficult recovery.
To get started, Maison Law offers a free case consultation to all California accident victims. It’s a confidential meeting, and there’s never any obligation.
It’s important to note that you don’t have to have a lot of money to afford legal protection. Maison Law doesn’t get paid unless you get paid. That means we only get paid if we win your case. Then, our fee comes out of the settlement check that an insurance company must write for you.
