How Long Do I Have to File a Bike Accident Claim in California?
Generally speaking you have two years from the date of the accident to file your California bike accident lawsuit before the statute of limitations expires. But there are…
Read MoreGJEL is a Northern California bicycle accident and serious injury law firm that specializes in helping bicycle riders & victims who have seriously been injured in bike accidents across the state.
Our bike lawyer is here to protect you on the road based on all valid bike laws.
If a loved one has been seriously injured or killed in a bike crash, don’t hesitate to reach out to our award-winning bicycle accident attorneys for a free no-obligation case evaluation.
At GJEL, our bicycle attorneys advocate for your bicycling rights and safety, whether you are riding for pleasure, sport, or transportation. We are armed with the state’s up-to-date bike laws to stand up for our clients. Our bicycle accident attorneys are standing by, ready to answer any questions you may have after your bike accident.
We have recovered over 950 million dollars with a 99% success rate for victims injured in bicycle accidents. Our firm is ranked among the top national injury firms and is proudly known by our clients to assist with not just their trials, but medical, rental, and vehicle repair bills, too.
GJEL Accident Attorneys was just rated a top California bike accident law firm by Best Lawyers for 2021 and 2022. You can trust that we’re equipped with the best tools and mastery of the bicycle laws in California to protect you and your rights. Our bicycle accident attorney stands up for client rights and makes sure your claims are heard.
Our team will fight the insurance companies and help you with the most experienced representation in California. Bike accident injuries such as brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, neck injuries, and fatalities are possible. Hiring the best personal injury lawyers who have extensive experiences helping bicycle accident victims will help you get the best outcome for your case.
Having a California bicycle accident lawyer handle your case offers you the best chance of getting the money you deserve after an accident.
Most cyclists are aware of the dangers of bike travel and take precautions to prevent accidents. Still, nobody expects to be involved in a serious bicycle accident.
An experienced bicycle accident attorney can help you navigate the road to recovery after a bike accident. An attorney can help negotiate a claim with the driver’s insurance company on your behalf. He or she can also evaluate your case based on California bike law to determine whether legal action may be necessary.
Reputable bicycle injury attorneys will offer you a free, confidential consultation to discuss your accident and the various legal options you have. We will give you all of the information you need to make a decision on whether or not you should pursue a claim.
After a bicycle accident, you should work with an experienced bicycle injury attorney with a proven record of obtaining successful outcomes for their clients. You should never hesitate to ask a personal injury attorney for recommendations or references from past clients.
Here are just a few of the awards GJEL Accident Attorneys have won
Cyclists face unique dangers on California’s busy roadways. Drivers of passenger vehicles, commercial trucks, and buses often fail to see cyclists when they are riding in a designated bike lane or sharing a traffic lane.
In fact, in Alameda County alone there were over 638 collisions involving bicycle accidents in 2016.
While motor vehicle occupants are well protected by seat belts, airbags, and thousands of pounds of metal, cyclists typically rely on little more than a helmet to protect themselves in the event of a bike accident.
It’s no surprise that bicycle-related injuries lead to nearly 500,000 emergency room visits per year and hundreds of bike accident deaths. Most of these are severe injuries or catastrophic injuries.
More than 120 cyclists died in California in 2014 alone.
A woman was hit while training for a triathlon on her bicycle in Martinez when she was cut off by a vehicle making a turn across her lane of travel. She and her bicycle collided with the motor vehicle and then collapsed onto the pavement. As a result of the bicycle-car accident, she suffered a compression fracture in her lumbar vertebra, as well as elbow, wrist, and knee injuries.
Due to these injuries, she was severely limited in continuing to work effectively in her position as a physical therapist. She suffered significant wage loss during her healing period. Additionally, her back pain became extremely uncomfortable during her subsequent pregnancy.
GJEL advocated for this woman using California bike laws to help her receive a $250,000 settlement to compensate for her wage losses and continuing medical expenses resulting from the bike accident. Because she hired a bicycle accident lawyer, she was able to offset the impacts of the accident on her personal and professional lives.
Bicycle riding isn’t a new way of getting around by any means. The new part of bike riding is that it is becoming increasingly popular as people search for eco-friendly, healthy transportation methods. Across the state of California, bike lanes are being built, and bike-share platforms are popping up, allowing riders to rent bicycles on a minute-to-minute basis. With the rise of accessibility has come a slight uptick in car accidents with bicycles.
In response, the State of California has passed a series of regulations altering biking laws in California to handle where biking is permitted and how cars should interact with bikers. These laws dictate the responsibilities of bikers and drivers to protect bicycle riders in cases of accidents. You can find these laws under California’s Vehicle Code.
Bicycle injury lawyers can assist people dealing with the aftermath of bike accidents. Having a breadth of knowledge of California bike laws allows us to protect and serve the bicycle community.
Section 21200 of the California Vehicle Code provides that bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as drivers of motor vehicles. This means that anyone riding a bicycle is subject to laws on driving under the influence, giving pedestrians the right-of-way, and traffic signals just as if they were driving a car.
There are a few special rules that apply to motorists’ interactions with cyclists on the road in bike law. Since 2014, California has required that all drivers give cyclists at least three feet of space when driving alongside or passing them. In addition, no one may obstruct a designated bicycle path by stopping in the path or parking a car or bicycle in it.
One of the cycling laws in California that many drivers don’t understand is that cyclists have the right to “Take the Lane” even if they are moving slower than traffic in the following circumstances:
According to bicycle laws in California, cyclists also be familiar with a few other “rules of the road.” California law requires that all cyclists ride with the flow of vehicle traffic unless passing, making a legal left turn, riding on a one-way street, riding on a road that is too narrow, or when the right side of the road is closed due to road construction.
Also, on any California road with a designated bike lane, cyclists traveling slower than the flow of vehicle traffic must use the bike lane unless they are making a left turn, passing, avoiding hazards, or approaching a place where a right turn is authorized.
Hit and runs are when a driver hits a cyclist or a pedestrian and flees the scene. This is illegal, but unfortunately, it happens frequently because motorists feel they can get away quickly without getting caught.
There are ways to locate hit-and-run drivers even if you didn’t catch their license plate numbers, and bike accident lawyers can help. Nearby witnesses, such as other drivers, pedestrians, or shop owners, sometimes notice helpful details. Security camera footage from nearby posts or along the driver’s route can pick up license plate numbers or even catch the entire collision on camera.
If you were seriously injured in a bicycle accident, you probably want to know who is legally responsible (or “liable”) for your injuries. Sometimes, drivers in California are cited with only a minor infraction after a bicycle accident.
In more serious bicycle accidents, drivers can be charged with a misdemeanor or felony offense such as reckless driving, failure to properly stop at a stop sign or crosswalk, hit and run, or driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Although it serves the interest of justice for drivers who injure cyclists to face criminal charges as a result of their conduct, criminal charges do little to help cyclists who are left with medical bills or cannot work after an accident. This is where civil courts come into play.
If you were hurt after a bicycle accident as a result of a driver’s carelessness, California law allows you to sue the driver in court to recover monetary damages for your injuries. This type of bicycle accident lawsuit is frequently referred to as a “personal injury lawsuit”.
Most personal injury lawsuits include a legal claim for negligence. Negligence is defined as the failure by someone to act with the level of care that a reasonable person would have exercised under the same or similar circumstances.
If you can establish that a driver’s negligence caused your injuries and other losses, such as time away from work, you can secure a court order that requires the driver to pay you an appropriate amount of money to compensate you for the financial and personal harm you have suffered. An experienced bike crash lawyer who has a good command of the law can help you go through this process easier.
Negligence is defined as the failure by someone to act with the level of care that a reasonable person would have exercised under the same or similar circumstances.
If the driver who hurt you in a bicycle accident was issued a traffic ticket or charged with a criminal offense in connection with the accident, this can be critical evidence of negligence. Under a legal theory called “negligence per se,” you do not need to prove that the driver should have acted differently under the circumstances.
California courts view a violation of any law meant to protect public safety, including the majority of traffic laws, as automatically negligent. This makes it much easier for injured people to establish legal fault for their injuries. Read more about how fault is determined in a bicycle vs car accident here.
San Jose Bicycle Accident Law Firm
San Francisco Bicycle Accident Law Firm
On the roads, some things are out of our personal control. However, bicycle riders can take precautions to protect themselves and their rights.
Understanding cycling rules and regulations before taking to the roads are essential. If you find yourself in a bike accident, we recommend calling the police at the scene immediately. Many bicycle accidents result in doctor visits, physical therapy, or surgery. Some injuries take weeks or months to become noticeable – get checked out after the accident, even if you feel okay.
Don’t hesitate to seek advice from a California bicycle accident attorney. With extensive experience representing injured cyclists in personal injury cases, the attorneys at GJEL understand how devastating a bicycle accident can be.
If you are a cyclist in the Bay Area, our bike accident lawyers strongly encourage you to take the following steps to prevent accidents.
If you are in a bike accident you should call the police and call an ambulance right away if you’re injured. Bicycle accidents may require a doctor visit, surgery, rehabilitation, and therapy before you are back to normal.
Bicycle Accident Case Result from GJEL
A woman was hit while training for a triathlon on her bicycle in Martinez when she was cut off by a vehicle making a turn across her lane of travel.She and her bicycle collided with the motor vehicle and then collapsed onto the pavement. She suffered a compression fracture in her lumbar vertebra, as well as elbow, wrist, and knee injuries.Due to these injuries, she was severely limited in continuing to work effectively in her position as a physical therapist. She suffered significant wage loss during her healing period. Additionally, her back pain became extremely uncomfortable during her subsequent pregnancy.GJEL helped the woman receive a $250,000 settlement to compensate for her wage losses as well as continuing medical expenses resulting from the bike accident.
Here you will find a series of articles that will teach you what to do in the event of a California Bicycle Accident.
A bicycle accident can be a frustrating and painful experience, especially if it was caused by a negligent driver. If you’ve been hit by a vehicle while on your bike, please contact us now.
When a large vehicle collides with a bicyclist and causes injuries, it is often assumed that the bicyclist is the victim and the driver is the one at fault.
However, this is not always the case and, in some instances, the bicyclist may be the one who was negligent and caused the accident. For this reason, careful investigation should be conducted and evidence should be gathered by an experienced bike crash attorney to support your claims that the driver was at fault in the accident.
If you determine the driver was at fault in the accident, you may wonder how you should go about seeking compensation from the driver. The good news is that bicyclists can make third-party claims with the driver’s insurance company, just as other drivers can file claims after accidents between two cars. Bicycle accident insurance claims can be complicated, however, so you should always discuss your situation with an experienced bicycle accident attorney before filing a claim.
When many people think of cases in court, they think of criminal cases. However, criminal cases are brought by a prosecutor for unlawful behavior and do not include personal injury claims. Instead, your claim will be filed as a separate case in civil court by a bicycle attorney. If there is a coinciding criminal case for a violation of law–such as a DUI–evidence in the criminal case may be helpful in your civil case, as well.
As mentioned above, one way to seek financial recovery for your medical bills, lost wages, and other bicycle accident-related losses are to file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company. However, an insurance company will not always be willing to offer enough to cover all of your various losses and you may need to seek compensation another way.
A bike lawyer can help you do so by filing a personal injury claim in court. Cycling laws in California only give you two years to prepare and file a claim, however, if you miss that deadline, you lose your right to recovery.
The value of a bicycle accident claim can vary significantly from case to case. The following factors will help determine the value of your case:
Experienced bicycle injury lawyers can review the circumstances of your individual case to determine what your claim may be worth.
Just because you filed a claim in court does not mean you will go to trial. In fact, the majority of accident cases are settled through negotiations that happen before trial and out of court. An experienced bicycle accident lawyer should seek out the most efficient way to resolve your case in the most favorable way possible.
Generally speaking you have two years from the date of the accident to file your California bike accident lawsuit before the statute of limitations expires. But there are…
Read MoreAs a personal injury attorney in California, I know how devastating a bicycle accident can be. Even a seemingly minor crash can result in serious injuries that require…
Read MoreAccident Overview On July 20, 2013, at 11:52 a.m., our client was riding his Schwinn bicycle eastbound on Balfour Road 168 feet west of Logan Way in the…
Read MoreAccident Overview On October 17, 2015, at 1:50 p.m., our client was riding his bicycle down Union City Blvd. at its intersection with Alvarado Blvd. in Union City,…
Read MoreAccident Overview This bicycle accident versus vehicle accident happened in unincorporated Contra Costa County. Our client was lawfully riding her bicycle when the automobile driver made a left…
Read MoreAccident Overview On October 24, 2014, at 12:24 p.m., our client was riding his bicycle eastbound on Scott Blvd. at its intersection with San Tomas Express Way. Our…
Read MoreAccident Overview On July 23, 2015, on First Street at its intersection with Laurel Street in the city of Napa, county of Napa, in the State of California,…
Read MoreAccident Overview On August 10, 2013, at 5:00 PM, at Alhambra Avenue and its intersection with Alhambra Way in Martinez, California, our client was obeying the rules of…
Read More$135,000.00 Recovered for Bicyclist hit by Van in a Designated Bike Lane. About the Case Our client was commuting on his bicycle to his home in Albany, California,…
Read MoreYou don’t need money to hire a personal injury attorney like GJEL Accident Attorneys because we work on a contingency fee basis. this means you don’t pay unless…
Read MoreWelcome to May, which marks the first full month of Spring, and the League of American Bicyclists’ National Bike Month. The group will celebrate the month with a variety of programs and events, including Bike-to-Work Week May 16-20, and Bike-to-Work Day on Friday May 20. Here on the GJEL blog, we will be posting a series of in depth blog posts on bicycle safety and bike accident statistics here in California and nationwide. To start off the month, we’ve collected data on the states that have pushed ahead of the pack with strict bicycle safety laws: Oregon, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, California, and Maryland.
Read MoreGetting hit by a car while walking or riding your bicycle is an awful thought. So the image of a pack of cyclists being run over by a SUV is nothing short of terrifying. Last year, four cyclists were injured in San Francisco’s Mission District after a man in an SUV allegedly ran them down in what the San Francisco Chronicle calls a “six-minute rampage.” The driver, David Mark Clark, now faces four counts of attempted murder, and his attorney has unofficially said Clark will seek an insanity plea. Click through for five more important California bike accident lawsuits.
Read MoreIf you do not regularly ride a bike in urban areas, it may sound odd, but a car door can be a lethal weapon. A driver or vehicle passenger suddenly opening a car door as you ride by can lead to a truly devastating injury. This type of accident is often referred to ‘getting doored’. Car door-related bike accidents are far more common than many people realize. Indeed, according to data collected and published by the League of American Bicyclists, approximately eight percent of all bike accidents occur as a result of a biker ‘getting doored’. This leads to an important question: If someone opens a door while you’re riding by on your bicycle, the question becomes, “who is at fault.”
Read MoreCase Details: Our client, an experienced bicyclist, was riding westbound on Lone Tree Way in Antioch, California. He was in the #3 lane approaching the on-ramp for northbound…
Read MoreThis comes up a lot. Theoretically, you’re not supposed to ride your bike on the sidewalk. However, that’s not the end of the story. A lot of times,…
Read MoreAs dockless bike share startups expand across the Bay Area, a new mode of shared mobility has emerged: electric scooters.
Read MoreThere is a surprising amount of confusion about the laws surrounding bicyclists, even questions as basic as “where can cyclists ride”? The State of California has passed laws…
Read MoreIf you are riding your bicycle and suddenly get hit by a car, the next few seconds and minutes can often be chaotic. You may be seriously injured…
Read MoreWhen a car collides with a bicycle, often both parties will immediately try to assign blame to the other person. A bicyclist may believe the driver was not…
Read MoreAfter a car accident, injured victims can file a claim with the insurance company of the at-fault driver. This is referred to as a “third party claim,” as…
Read MoreEveryone who rides a bike on roadways in the Bay area and throughout the United States should be aware of the risks of accidents and injuries. However, many…
Read MoreWhile it is always a wise idea to consult with a skilled attorney after any type of bicycle accident, the following are some signs that you should contact…
Read MoreMany times if someone is in a bike accident and they aren’t wearing a helmet, the insurance company takes the position that the injury was the fault of…
Read More$100,000 for injured cyclist
Read More$110,000 for cyclist who collided with low hanging tree branch
Read More$180,000 for cyclist struck while riding on the shoulder
Read More$195,000 for cyclist ‘doored’ by exiting motorist
Read More$225,000 for woman injured in car vs. bicycle accident
Read More$300,000 for cyclist struck by car while riding at night
Read More$325,000 to victim of ‘right hook’ bicycle accident
Read MoreCars seem destined for distracted driving. Though it’s essential to pay attention to the road and traffic signs, most cars come equipped with a navigation screen, complicated control panel, or at the very least, a radio. So driver safety technology has a lot to compete with. But the matter is different for bicyclists, who aren’t protected by a metal and glass shield and must always be aware of their surroundings. But that doesn’t mean technology can’t help reduce bicycle accident injuries. In honor of National Bike Month we’ve compiled a list of five of the most interesting technologies designed to improve bicycle safety. Take a look, and let us know of others in the comments section or on our Facebook page.
Read More