As bikers in Orange County already know, some of the area’s roads are friendlier than other when it comes to riding a bike. Compared to some other parts of the country, bicyclists in Orange County are spoiled. Not only can they ride in nice weather throughout the year, they can also enjoy the roughly 1,000 miles of bikeways in the area.
But, not all of the area’s bikeways are solely for bicycles. Orange County has three different classes of bikeways. Class I bikeways are paved and are separate from roadways for motor vehicles. By contrast, class II bikeways are specially designated bicycle lanes that are next to lanes for cars and trucks. Finally, the class III bikeways are those that bikers must share with motor vehicles.
Regardless of where a bicyclist is riding, they should always be paying attention to their surroundings and doing everything that they can to prevent accidents and injuries. That said, a bike accident on one of Orange County’s class III bikeways could have much more severe consequences than an accident on a bikeway that is not shared with motor vehicles.
At East and Easton, we have decades of experience in handling legal claims for all kinds of accident victims, including bikers who were hit by negligent drivers. In some cases, it is obvious that the victim was not at fault and deserves compensation for the damages that they suffer. In other cases, the defendant attempts to show that the accident was the biker’s fault.
In either situation, our firm does everything it can to help victims of bicycle accidents recover every possible dollar for their claims. No matter the kind of bikeway or roadway where a bicycle accident occurs, or whether the cause and liability are easily identifiable, we know how to fight for our clients and help them get the results that they need.