The City of Merced can be liable for bicycle accidents on bad stretches of sidewalks in city-controlled areas. This would include in and around parks and along government buildings. But in much of the city, homeowners and business owners are responsible for sidewalk frontage near their property.
Figuring out who is responsible for a dangerous sidewalk that leaves you with an injury can be complicated. Maison Law of Merced can help you file a claim with the right party and earn support for your medical bills and lost income.
Contact Maison Law to set up an absolutely free case consultation. It’s a no-risk way to find out what your injury is worth and if an attorney could help you bring home more in compensation.
Frightening Bicycle Rides on Merced Sidewalks
Riders may choose to travel on local sidewalks to escape traffic on busy routes like Olive Avenue. Children may use sidewalks as a safe spot to develop their riding skills.
But when sidewalks are uneven and crumbling, they present their own risks to riders.
Any pothole or tree root can knock cyclists off their straight paths. A bigger crack or gap in the sidewalk can also hold fast to tires, stopping the bike hard, and sending riders to the concrete. Riders can get really hurt.
These are just a few of the dangers that bicyclists can run into along local streets:
- Crumbling concrete
- Uneven and buckled sidewalk segments
- Cracks in sidewalks
- Large gaps in sidewalks and between the curb
- Dangers near storm drains
- Tree roots growing through concrete
- Construction project damage to sidewalks
Who Is At Fault If I Crash Because of a Hole in a Sidewalk?
In most instances, property owners are responsible for the stretch of sidewalk outside their homes or businesses. Property owners are also responsible for sidewalk maintenance for sidewalks fully on their property, such as walkways leading up to grocery stores, and sidewalks running through apartment complexes.
Property owners are also liable for not blocking sidewalks and keeping them free of debris. When pedestrians or cyclists fall due to an obstacle a homeowner leaves on the sidewalk, the owner can be liable for recovery costs.
There are other stretches where the City of Merced may be liable. Public areas such as around Applegate Park, may be the city’s responsibility. Areas around government buildings in downtown Merced could be the city’s responsibility.
These are just a few of the parties that may bear blame in a bicycle crash on a sidewalk:
- City of Merced
- Merced 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
Are Bikes Allowed on Sidewalks in Merced?
Merced permits bicyclists to use sidewalks in most parts of the city. However, there are some areas marked by signs prohibiting riders on sidewalks. These sections are mostly in areas with a lot of businesses and foot traffic.
Merced Code of Ordinance goes over the sidewalk riding and the areas where cyclists should avoid taking to the sidewalks.
10.44.030 – Registration—Operation restricted.
When registered, bicycle registration shall entitle the owner to ride such bicycle for which the registration has been issued upon all the streets, public highways and designated bicycle trails of the city. Bicycles may also be ridden on all the sidewalks of the city except the following, when appropriate signs are displayed thereon: Main Street from G to V Street, 18th Street from Martin Luther King, Jr. Way to N Street, I Street from 16th to 18th Street, Martin Luther King, Jr. Way from 16th to 18th Street, K Street from 16th to 18th Street, Canal Street from 16th to 18th Street, M Street from 16th to 20th Street and N Street from 16th to 18th Street.
10.44.070 – Riding on sidewalks. adds to the cyclist’s responsibilities on a sidewalk. They must always yield to pedestrians using the same sidewalk and must give an audible signal when overtaking or passing a pedestrian.
What to Do After a Bicycle Accident on a Merced Sidewalk
Evidence will be key to proving that a sidewalk issue caused you to get hurt. If you are hurt, call for an ambulance immediately.
Then, if you are left strong enough, try to gather some of the powerful evidence on the scene. You’ll want to document the obstacle that caused your crash before it gets fixed or repaired, erasing the proof of what happened.
- Use your phone to take photos of the scene. If you must leave the scene to go to the emergency room, ask someone with you or a helpful witness to assist you. Show bicycle damage and the section of sidewalk that caused your tumble. Get pics of any injuries that are visible and any damage to clothing. If you have a helmet on, make sure your photos show that.
- Check for security cameras nearby. Businesses or homes might have captured how your accident occurred.
- Obtain contact information from witnesses so your Merced Bicycle Accident Attorney can reach out to them for testimony later.
- Schedule an appointment with your own doctor as soon as possible, even if you’ve been checked out by paramedics or gone to the hospital. Follow the doctor’s orders and see specialists if needed. Keep all invoices for your care.
- Keep any damaged clothing and personal items, including your damaged bicycle. Preserve all evidence.
- Afterward, if you are seriously injured, contact Maison Law. You’ll want to give your attorney a head start on collecting fresh evidence of what caused you to crash. Your lawyer will also want to start the process of figuring out who is to blame for the condition of the sidewalk.
Contact a Merced Bicycle Accident Lawyer Today…
If you must sue a homeowner or business owner, you can wait up to two years after your accident to seek compensation. However, if you must seek support from the City of Merced, you’ll have much less time to act. Lawsuits filed against a governmental department in California carry a statute of limitations of only a few months.
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.
If we handle your case, 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.
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 for you. Then our fee is covered out of the settlement check you received.
