Garden Grove Bicycle Accident Lawyer

Dealing with the aftermath of a bike accident can be overwhelming for an injured individual. Cyclists involved in accidents can face serious injuries, including broken bones, head, neck and spine trauma, and severe bruising. These can lead to expensive medical bills, lost time at work, and extra stress when you want to focus on healing.

Recovering after an accident may be especially frustrating if that accident was not your fault. Fortunately, if you were in a bike accident caused by another party’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. For help assessing your case, contact a Garden Grove bicycle accident lawyer today. Skilled injury attorneys could help you on your way to financial, mental, and physical recovery.

Common Causes of Bike Accidents

The National Highway Safety Traffic Administration reports that in 2015, there were 818 cyclist fatalities from traffic-related incidents. These accounted for 2.3 percent of all traffic fatalities in the United States. It is estimated that another 45,000 cyclists were injured in traffic-related incidents in 2015.

While bicycle accidents can occur for a variety of reasons, some of the most common causes of bike accidents include:

  • Distracted drivers
  • Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
  • Drivers failing to give bicyclists the right of way
  • Drivers going into bike lanes
  • Speeding
  • Low visibility
  • Unsafe road conditions

In the scenarios above, as well as in many other instances, bike accidents occur because of someone else’s negligence. If an accident victim’s injuries were caused by a negligent party, a Lake Forest bicycle accident attorney could help them seek compensation.

Liability for Bike Collisions

To prove negligence in a Garden Grove bike accident case, the party bringing the action must prove that:

  • They were owed a duty of care
  • Another party breached the duty of care
  • The breach in the duty was the direct cause of the sustained damages or injuries

Motorists in Garden Grove have a duty to operate their vehicle safely, obey traffic laws, and prevent harm to others. If they fail in this duty, such as by being distracted while driving or failing to observe traffic laws, they may be held liable for any harm they cause to another person.

Additionally, cities and counties have a duty to maintain safe roadways, which means a failure to do so may be considered legal negligence. While cities, counties, and government employees may assert sovereign immunity from lawsuits, this immunity can be stripped under certain circumstances, meaning they could be held liable if they were negligent.

Collecting Compensation for Injuries

In California, comparative negligence is the standard measure of fault in a personal injury action. This means that if an individual is found to be partially at fault for the accident that led to their injuries, the amount of monetary compensation available to them would be reduced by the percentage of liability they were found to hold. For example, if a driver was found to be mostly responsible for causing a bike accident but the bicyclist was found to be 15 percent at fault, the bicyclist’s final damage award would be reduced by 15 percent.

How a Garden Grove Bicycle Accident Attorney Could Help

Negligence law can be confusing, especially if a government entity is involved. Knowing your rights can be vital to obtaining compensation for your damages. If you were involved in a bike accident, contact an experienced Garden Grove bicycle accident attorney to help you determine fault, identify damages, and file your claim. Call today to discuss your situation.