People use their bikes in a lot of different ways in Stockton. Some people hop on for some exercise on Calaveras River Bike Path or out at Dentoni Park. Some people just enjoy biking in the neighborhood they live in. Others use their bikes to commute to work or class or to pedal to a local store and back.
No matter when, where, or why, people on bicycles deserve a safe journey whether their travels take them out in traffic or not. The city of Stockton can always do more to present safe passage for cyclists, but the burden also falls to drivers.
Stockton motorists can get careless and force riders into devastating accidents. These accidents may cause a serious injury and take a bicyclist off a bike for months. At this point, the focus must be on securing every bit of compensation needed to help the cyclist in recovery.
Contact a Stockton Bike Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Martin Gasparian, the founder of Maison Law, is an advocate for cyclists and their right to safe rides in Stockton. He comes to the defense of injured riders and makes sure they have everything they need in recovery.
Contact Mr. Gasparian for a free, no-obligation consultation to find out if you should be receiving more money than a car insurance company is offering you.
If possible, reach out to Maison Law before talking to any insurance representatives. One thing you’ll learn in a free case evaluation is how to avoid signing away your rights to proper financial support when an insurance company makes you a lowball offer.
Bicycle Accident Injury Risks in Stockton
Cyclists in Stockton must often confront lanes of speeding and careless drivers to get to their destinations. Bicyclists have just as much right to the lanes as any driver, but those laws protecting riders aren’t a lot of help when drivers remain ignorant of their duties.
Many of those motorists aren’t aware that they owe anyone on a bicycle a legal duty of care. This duty compels drivers to slow down when they see a cyclist in the lane ahead. Drivers should use a speed that allows them to come to a full stop if need be to avoid a collision. This extra care is due to the extreme vulnerability of a cyclist when compared to someone in a car or SUV.
Unfortunately, drivers don’t pay much attention to these rules, especially at night when they need to show extra caution to spot cyclists. The California Transportation Injury System (TIMS) recorded 62 Stockton bicycle accidents in 2020. Those accidents led to 59 injuries and a heartbreaking four deaths.
What to Do After a Stockton Bicycle Accident
Careless motorists bear the blame for most Stockton bicycle accidents and yet many insurance companies still make cyclists prove their innocence after an impact.
With this in mind, it’s important to collect evidence in the moments after a collision, right there on the scene, if possible.
If you are well enough, you should set out to gather certain details after your accident:
- See to injuries first. Call 911. Let paramedics check out every pain. Go to the emergency room if necessary. Tell police officers everything you can remember about how your accident unfolded. Alert them if the driver was behaving recklessly before the crash.
- Pull out your cellphone and take pictures. Show the damage to your bike and any vehicle damage. Take pictures of any visible injuries, including road rash, and damage to your clothing. Show traffic signs and lane markings. Note the time and weather conditions.
- Talk with witnesses. Discuss what they observed and find out how to contact them.
- Exchange information with the driver, but don’t admit fault or talk about your injuries. You can state that you’re “okay” but may be dealing with serious injuries.
- Note the presence of any security cameras on houses or businesses around the scene. Tell your Stockton Bike Accident Lawyer about any potential footage so he or she can request access.
- Don’t dispose of your bicycle or your damaged clothing and shoes. It will all serve as powerful evidence of your collision.
- Schedule an appointment with your doctor. Document all injuries. Pay special attention to pain that arises after the shock of your incident wears off. Do everything your doctor recommends. Save all medical invoices.
Common Bicycle Accident Injuries
Bicycle collision victims will want to return to their bikes and return to their normal lives as soon as possible. Sadly, recovery can take weeks and sometimes months when considering the severity of injuries often stemming from impacts.
Riders can absorb a strike from a car or SUV and then suffer a hard impact with the ground or pavement. Likewise, more than one vehicle can strike a rider when there is traffic.
These are just a few examples of the most common bicycle accident injuries in Stockton emergency rooms:
- Traumatic Brain Injury – Cyclists often take a blow to the head once they fall from their bikes. A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can include mild to severe concussions. A TBI might also lead to confusion and memory loss as well as a loss of muscle function.
- Broken Bones – Clavicles, arms, hands, legs, ankles, and hips can all sustain fractures in a collision. These fractures can resist healing and keep cyclists off their bikes for months at a time.
- Amputation – The loss of a limb is a higher probability for bicycle accident victims. Just consider the force of impact. A limb getting run over by a vehicle tire could also lead to an amputation. The limb may require removal once at the hospital if doctors determine it can’t be saved.
- Paralysis – An accident may result in the loss of the ability to move, a portion, or all of the body in the short or long term.
- Facial and Dental Injury – Cyclists’ faces often take the brunt of the blow after being sent over the handlebars. Facial bones get broken and teeth can be cracked or lost.
- Joint Dislocation – These often occur when bicyclists try to break their fall with their arms when sent off their bikes. This dislocation can lead to long-term muscle weakness.
- Road Rash – Pavement doesn’t offer any soft landings. Skin can be badly damaged as it comes in contact with the ground. Infections are common and skin grafts can be prescribed in the worst cases.
Compensation Available After a Bicycle Accident
It’s a Stockton Bicycle Accident Lawyer’s duty to make sure cyclists and their families have everything they need to make a full recovery. This includes support for the best care available and money to sustain the household as finances get strained waiting on an insurance company to do the right thing.
In a claim for damages, your attorney will be listing every hardship you and your family have faced since the accident. A skilled attorney will list some factors you may not have thought of in order to make sure you get the support you need now and down the road.
These are just a few of the things you might receive compensation for.
- All present medical bills and those expected in the future.
- Past and future lost earnings at a job.
- Costs of continued care for permanent disfigurement or permanent disability.
- Pain and suffering. Including the emotional toll a bicycle accident can take on a victim.
- Costs of counseling and psychological services. Help with coping while not being able to ride.
- Repairs to Bicycle or Replacement.
Wrongful Death Benefits for Families After a Tragic Bicycle Accident in Stockton
With every bicycle collision having the potential to end with a severe injury, the risk of the loss of life is always high. Cyclists die every day by the careless or reckless moves by motorists.
The families left behind after such a terrible accident face the financial consequences that follow. They’ll often see the bills for a funeral service and ambulance fees arrive just days after a fatal accident.
Through a wrongful death claim, close family members may seek financial support for these and other hardships. A wrongful death claim also seeks to set the family on strong financial footing in the future, when they’ll be without the guidance and financial support the deceased can no longer provide.
A spouse or domestic partner of a victim, or the children of a victim, can file a wrongful death claim. A Stockton Wrongful Death Lawyer can also file this claim on behalf of the entire family.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I am found partially at fault in my accident?
You can still earn injury support, even if you are assigned some blame for your bicycle accident. You and the driver can share a percentage of the blame. The driver’s insurance would still owe you support, but your final award would be reduced by your percentage of liability.
What if I wasn’t wearing a helmet when I was struck in a Stockton bicycle accident?
Drivers would still likely owe you injury support. You might be assigned a percentage of fault for the severity of your injury if it’s found that a helmet would have reduced your damages. However, drivers would still owe you compensation based on their percentage of fault.
How long do I have to file a Stockton bicycle accident claim?
Two years. You have two years from the date of your accident to file an accident claim. It’s important not to wait to contact a personal injury lawyer. Your lawyer will have an easier time collecting fresh evidence the sooner you take action.
Contact a Stockton Bicycle Accident Lawyer
Mounting a difficult recovery after a bicycle accident can leave victims feeling completely alone and vulnerable. Martin Gasparian, the founder of Maison Law, wants to make sure victims simply trying to earn what’s fair from a car insurance company never face these battles alone.
Mr. Gasparian works to remove the stress and worry insurance claims can bring while giving victims the peace and quiet they need to focus on healing. Furthermore, he wants to see cyclists get back on their bikes after a full physical and financial recovery.
Contact Maison Law for a free Bicycle Accident Case Consultation. Find out what your injury is worth and talk over your best path to receiving the support you need to rebuild your life.
