Riding your bicycle is one of your favorite pastimes. However, one day, you are enjoying a bike ride when a negligent motorist crashes their car into you. At this point, consult with a Walnut Creek bicycle accident lawyer to examine your legal options.
Omega Law Group proudly represents clients in bicycle accident lawsuits. We have helped injury victims collect millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements. Speak with our Walnut Creek personal injury lawyers about your case.
How to Deal With a Bicycle Accident
Do everything you can to protect yourself in the moments following your accident. Otherwise, you risk making mistakes that will hurt your chances of getting damages from an at-fault party. Here are tips to help you deal with your accident:
- Go to a safe spot. If possible, move away from traffic to minimize the risk of suffering further injuries.
- Call 911. Provide the 911 operator with as much information as you can about your accident and location, and they will send medical personnel and police officers to the scene.
- Receive a medical evaluation and treatment. Let medical professionals assess and treat your injuries and bring you to an emergency room if warranted.
- Collect proof. Take videos and photos of damage to your bike, your injuries, and the scene to use as evidence in your case against an at-fault party.
- Speak with the police. Share your side of the story with police officers, and they will use this and other information to prepare a report detailing your accident.
- Get the driver’s information. Ask the driver for their insurance and driver’s license information so you can request damages from them.
Within a few days of your accident, contact a Walnut Creek bicycle accident attorney. At Omega Law Group, our lawyers will explain why you should see a doctor after your accident even if you do not feel pain and discuss other legal topics in detail. Schedule a consultation with our attorneys.
How Much Money Can You Get in a Walnut Creek Bicycle Accident Lawsuit?
Ask a bicycle accident lawyer serving Walnut Creek how much money you can get in your lawsuit. They can provide insights into how much a personal injury case is worth in California. Your attorney can build a case designed to compel a judge or jury to award economic and non-economic damages, including:
Medical Bills
Doctors and other medical specialists perform advanced treatments to help you recover from your injuries. Your insurance company may cover only a portion of the cost of these treatments, or you will have to pay for them on your own. In either of these scenarios, tell your lawyer, and they can pursue damages for your medical bills.
Lost Income
You have savings, which will help you if you have to miss work due to your injuries. Yet, your savings will run out eventually, and this can put a financial strain on you and your family. A bicycle accident attorney serving Walnut Creek considers your lost wages, and they will seek damages for your current and future lost income.
Loss of Enjoyment
In addition to riding your bike, traveling, playing sports, and spending time with family and friends were some of your favorite activities prior to your accident. Due to your injuries, you cannot do any of these things and many others for the foreseeable future. As such, your lawyer will account for your loss of enjoyment in your damages request.
Pain and Suffering
You want your pain and suffering to go away, but the emotional and physical trauma you experience remains a problem. In this situation, talk to your lawyer. They will use medical records and other proof to show a judge or jury that you should be awarded pain and suffering damages.
Along with these, you can recover punitive damages in California. A judge or jury will provide these to deter a liable party from committing negligent acts moving forward. If punitive damages are awarded, you will receive them in conjunction with economic or non-economic compensation.
How Much Time Do You Have to File a Bicycle Accident Lawsuit?
California has a statute of limitations of two years for a personal injury lawsuit. If you do not discover your injury right away after your bicycle accident, you have one year from the date you learn of it to sue. Once the statute of limitations expires, it may not be extended.
In many bike accident lawsuits, a motorist is at fault. Other parties that may be liable include bike manufacturers and government entities. If you are unsure of who is responsible for your accident, meet with a lawyer who will evaluate the incident.
Your lawyer can file your lawsuit and ask for damages on your behalf. The defendant in your case may be worried about the strength of your argument and offer a settlement. If this happens, review the offer with your attorney, and they can help you decide whether to accept, reject, or counter it.
Choose Walnut Creek Bicycle Accident Lawyers Who Have Decades of Combined Legal Experience
Give your bicycle accident your undivided attention. If you decide not to sue for damages, you let an at-fault party off the hook and will be 100% responsible for your accident-related losses. Alternatively, work with a Walnut Creek personal injury attorney, and you can pursue maximum damages.
With more than 40 years of combined legal experience on staff, Omega Law Group can help you with your bike accident lawsuit. Our lawyers will give your case their individualized attention and put you in a great position to secure the compensation you want. Request a consultation with our attorneys.