Bike Accident Lawyer in Moreno Valley

Car and truck drivers collide with bicyclists every day in California. If you suffer an injury in a bicycle collision in the Moreno Valley area because a car or truck driver was negligent, schedule a consultation at once with a Moreno Valley bicycle accident attorney at The Paris Firm.

California usually leads the United States each year in the total number of bicycle accidents, injuries, and fatalities. While Florida sometimes surpasses California in per-capita fatality rates, California reports the highest absolute number of bicycle accidents and injuries in the nation.

With more than 26 years of personal injury experience, Moreno Valley bike accident lawyer Eric Paris can help you fight for the compensation you need after a serious bicycle accident. At your first consultation, he can discuss your legal options and review the details of your case.

How Does the Law Protect Bike Riders?

Under California law, a bicyclist has the same rights and responsibilities as the driver of a vehicle. Car and truck drivers who injure bicyclists may or may not face criminal charges, such as reckless driving or driving under the influence.

But even when the authorities do not file criminal charges after a bicycle accident, California’s bicyclists are protected by the state’s personal injury laws and entitled to pursue compensation when they become the injured victims of negligent motorists.

What Injuries Do Bicyclists Sustain?

California does not require adults to wear bicycle helmets, except when riding a Class 3 electric bike, but a helmeted bicyclist still has far less protection than a person inside the “protective cage” of a car or truck.

When cars or trucks collide with bicycles, catastrophic injuries are likely. Head and brain injuries, back and spinal cord injuries, internal injuries, fractures, broken bones, and road rash are common injuries sustained by bicycle riders.

Bicycle helmets save lives, and smart bike riders wear them, but helmets can’t prevent all brain and head injuries. In a bike collision, almost any jolt or blow to the head may cause a traumatic brain injury.

What Safety Precautions Can You Take?

Every bike rider should know the basic safety rules for bicycling and adhere to them. You must obey the traffic laws as if you were driving a car. Keep both hands on the handlebars as much as possible. If you must carry something, use a backpack or a basket.

Wear a bicycle helmet that is snug, comfortable, and secure. Adjust the seat and handlebars until you feel both in control and comfortable. Check your tire pressure and brakes at least once a week.

Avoid bicycling after dark, but if you must, wear reflective gear and use plenty of lights. Bright clothes also increase your visibility. Do not drink before bicycling. A substantial percentage of the fatalities in bicycle accidents are bicyclists who were riding while intoxicated.

When a Bicycling Accident Happens

If a car or truck driver crashes into your bicycle and injures you while you’re riding, there will be no attorney to advise you. Take the following steps to put yourself in the best possible legal position.

Summon medical assistance. This is the top, paramount priority. Summon the police and get the other vehicle’s license plate number and description. Exchange personal contact details with the driver and get as many details as you can about that driver’s car insurance company and policy.

Take photographs of your injuries, damages to the vehicle and bike, and the general accident location. If there are witnesses, ask for their names and contact information. Photographs and witness statements can be persuasive evidence in support of a personal injury claim.

Take These Steps Next

If you were not taken to an emergency room or treated at the scene, and even if you don’t “feel” injured, undergo a medical examination promptly, within 24 hours if possible. If you don’t, an insurance company may claim you weren’t seriously injured or were injured in some other way.

It’s the smart thing to do. If your injury in a bike accident is latent or hard to detect, a medical exam should discover it, and it will create the medical records you need to pursue legal action. If you haven’t been injured, a medical exam can give you peace of mind.

When a doctor confirms you’ve been injured, schedule a consultation with Moreno Valley bike accident lawyer Eric Paris at The Paris Firm. Contacting a lawyer immediately allows your lawyer to examine the evidence while it’s fresh and question witnesses before memories fade.

What Compensation Can Injured Bicyclists Recover?

In some cases, it doesn’t matter how much experience you have or what safety measures you take. You can’t control others on the road. If a car or truck driver injures you in a bicycle collision, California law entitles you to take legal action to recover your:

1. current and future medical costs
2. lost wages and lost earning capacity
3. pain and suffering damages
4. related losses and damages

If you pursue a personal injury lawsuit after a car or truck vs. bike accident, you and your Moreno Valley bicycle accident attorney may have to prove to a jury that the car or truck driver was reckless or negligent.

How is Liability for Bicycle Accidents Determined?

Fault and liability for bicycle accidents are determined after a detailed investigation of the accident. If a bike rider violates a traffic light or a stop sign and a collision happens, the bicyclist may have partial or full liability.

Witness statements and the written police report are also considered, and if there’s video of the collision, investigators study it closely. If you pursue compensation for your injuries arising from a bicycle accident, these questions will be asked:

1. If the collision happened at night, were you using lights and reflectors?
2. Are you unable to work because of your injury? When can you return to work?
3. Is there evidence that the car or truck driver was reckless or negligent?
4. Do you have any share of the fault?
5. Were you wearing a helmet when the bike accident happened?

At The Paris Firm, Moreno Valley attorney Eric Paris can find the answers you need and can also ask expert witnesses to submit statements or offer testimony in support of your injury claim.

What is Pure Comparative Negligence?

If you are injured in a bike accident in Moreno Valley and you are partially at fault, you can still recover some damages for your injury. California is a pure comparative negligence state. This means you can be up to 99% at fault and still collect a percentage of compensation.

The damages you may be able to recover reflect your percentage of fault. Let’s say a jury determines you were 35% at fault for the accident. The maximum compensation you can recover in this case is 65% of your total damages.

How Long Do You Have to Take Legal Action?

If a negligent motorist injures you in a bicycle crash in the Moreno Valley area, after you’ve been examined and treated by a medical provider, promptly call The Paris Firm at 909-325-6185. If you delay, the evidence in your case can deteriorate, become contaminated, or be altered or lost.

Personal injury claims are more likely to prevail when a bike accident attorney can inspect fresh evidence and question the witnesses before their recollections fade.

This state’s statute of limitations for bicycle accident claims is two years from the date of the accident in almost all cases, and it’s strictly enforced, so don’t wait. Schedule a consultation with The Paris Firm immediately after you’ve been examined and treated for your injury.

Let The Paris Firm Speak on Your Behalf

After a bike accident, you may be contacted by the car or truck driver’s insurance company. That’s another reason to retain a lawyer’s services promptly. Direct any insurance company inquiries to your bike accident lawyer.

Don’t even speak with the at-fault driver’s insurance company. Sign no documents, make no statements, and do not accept a first settlement offer, which is almost always a “low-ball” offer. Your lawyer can negotiate for a more generous settlement.

When you take an insurance company’s settlement offer, it’s the end of the case. You can’t take any additional legal action or seek more compensation. Let The Paris Firm fight for your rights and the maximum available compensation.

The Paris Firm Can Fight for Your Rights

Your first consultation with Moreno Valley attorney Eric Paris at The Paris Firm is free. You’ll owe our firm no attorney’s fee until we can recover your compensation and win justice on your behalf.

With more than 26 years of experience fighting for the rights of the injured, attorney Eric Paris knows what steps to take. He understands how to deliver the results you need, and he can take your case to trial if necessary.

In Moreno Valley, contact The Paris Firm at 909-325-6185. At your free first legal consultation, attorney Eric Paris can review the facts in your bike accident case and help you determine the best way to take effective legal action.