Riverside Bicycle Accident Lawyer

Bicycles are environmentally friendly, accessible, and relatively cheap to maintain. Many people in Riverside ride bikes for pleasure, for exercise, or for healthy alternative local transportation. Whether you ride your bike to stay in shape or to get to and from work every day, it is important to acknowledge the risks you face whenever you ride your bike near motor vehicles in the Riverside area.

When a bicycle accident happens in Riverside, CA, the injured victim will likely suffer extreme injuries, even if the accident occurs at a moderate speed. If a motor vehicle hits a bicyclist, the bicyclist not only faces a risk of injury from the initial impact with the vehicle, but also secondary injuries from hitting the ground. Catastrophic injuries are common in bicycle accidents, and if you or a loved one has recently experienced a bicycle accident due to a driver’s negligence or misconduct behind the wheel, you must know how to hold them accountable for the damages they caused.

Easton & Easton provides comprehensive personal injury representation in Riverside for all types of cases, including bicycle accident claims. We know the various legal issues you might encounter as you seek accountability and compensation for any losses you suffered in your recent accident. We know how to maximize your case award as fully as California law allows, and we know how to resolve disputes that might arise with an at-fault driver’s auto insurance carrier. Whatever your case may entail, our firm is ready to provide ongoing legal representation through all stages of the legal proceedings to follow.

The first legal challenge you will face in the aftermath of a bicycle accident is proving fault for the accident. You must identify the driver who caused the accident and then prove their actions directly caused your claimed damages. An experienced Riverside bicycle accident attorney can be invaluable for this effort. You may need physical evidence from the scene of the crash, recordings from nearby traffic cameras, and testimony from any witnesses who saw the accident happen firsthand to successfully prove fault for the incident.

Bicycle accidents can happen for many of the same reasons that other vehicle accidents occur in Riverside. For example, distracted driving is the leading cause of motor vehicle crashes, and it is possible for an inattentive driver to cause a bicycle accident as well. Speeding, moving violations, and failure to yield the right-of-way are other common causes of bicycle accidents in Riverside.

It is also possible for a driver to cause a bicycle accident through illegal misconduct. For example, driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs is responsible for many accidents each year, including bicycle accidents. When a defendant has caused a personal injury through any illegal action, they face criminal prosecution from the state along with increased penalties. For example, the standard penalty for a DUI conviction can include a fine, driver’s license suspension, and even jail time. However, if the defendant injured or killed anyone while driving under the influence, their penalties increase significantly.

Easton & Easton can work closely with you to help you prove fault for your bicycle accident. We have extensive experience handling complex cases, and we know the various legal challenges you may face as you seek accountability for the losses you suffered. Once we have helped you prove liability for your bicycle accident, the next step of your case is proving the extent of the losses you suffered.

The state’s personal injury laws enable the plaintiff in a civil suit to claim full repayment of any economic damages they suffered because of a defendant’s negligence or misconduct. After you have identified the party responsible for causing your bicycle accident, you have the right to seek repayment of all the economic losses they inflicted with their negligence or misconduct. You may be entitled to claim more than you initially expected, and working with an experienced Riverside bicycle accident attorney can significantly increase your chances of maximizing your final case award. Under the state’s personal injury statutes, the plaintiff in a personal injury claim can seek compensation for:

• Property damage. The defendant likely damaged or destroyed your bicycle in the accident, and they are responsible for your repair or replacement costs. You also have the right to claim compensation for other property damage suffered in the accident, such as lost personal effects and damaged clothing.
• Medical expenses. Whenever a motor vehicle hits a bicycle, there is a high chance for the bicyclist to suffer severe physical injuries, including broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, and internal trauma. You can hold the defendant accountable for all medical expenses you incur to fully recover from your injury. This includes future medical care if you suffer a severe injury that will require ongoing rehabilitative treatment.
• Lost income. Many people injured in bicycle accidents are unable to work while they recover from their injuries. If this applies to your situation, your Riverside bicycle accident attorney can help you hold the defendant accountable for the income you are unable to earn during your recovery period. This includes paid time off or vacation time you were forced to use in the aftermath of your accident.
• Lost earning power. Unfortunately, many bicycle accident victims are left with permanent disabilities and cannot resume working, even after recovering from their injuries as much as is medically possible. If your ability to work and earn income was diminished in any way from your bicycle accident, your attorney could help you secure compensation for future wages you would have been able to earn if the accident had not occurred.

An experienced Riverside bicycle accident attorney is the most valuable asset you have when you intend to recover full compensation for all the economic losses you suffered. However, your recovery does not end with just financial compensation for direct losses. You also have the right to seek compensation for any pain and suffering you experience.

It may sound difficult to assign a monetary value to something like physical pain or emotional distress, but a good attorney can help you come up with a suitable amount to reflect the serious nature of the experience using two possible methods:

1. The multiplier method is typically reserved for plaintiffs who have suffered permanent harm from their accident and face a diminished quality of life, disability, or inability to live independently due to the severity of their injuries. The attorney multiplies their total economic losses by a factor of one to five to reflect the severity of their condition.
2. The per diem method aims to compensate a plaintiff expected to make a full recovery based on the time it takes them to fully recover. The attorney sets a daily amount of compensation they deem suitable for the plaintiff’s condition and then multiplies this by the number of days it takes the plaintiff to fully recover.

Using either method, the plaintiff may be able to secure substantial pain and suffering compensation, likely more than the total of their economic damages. When you choose Easton & Easton to represent your personal injury claim for a bicycle accident, our goal is to help you maximize your compensation and secure your case award as swiftly as possible.

When you have the right Riverside bicycle accident lawyer handling your case, it may not take as long as you may expect to reach a satisfying conclusion to your recovery efforts. If the defendant is clearly at fault for the accident and you have seasoned legal counsel handling your case, it may only take a few weeks to reach a settlement with the defendant. The private settlement negotiation process enables you to avoid the stress and time commitment of litigation, and both parties have more influence over the final outcome of a case when they choose settlement.

Litigation is unavoidable in some bicycle accident cases. If the defendant caused the accident through illegal action or if they refuse to engage in settlement negotiations for any reason, the case will need to be resolved at trial. If your case proceeds to court, the judge overseeing the case has the final say on the defendant’s liability and the plaintiff’s compensation. The attorneys at Easton & Easton typically aim to settle our client’s case as quickly as possible, but if settlement is not an option, you can rely on us to represent you in the courtroom.

Q: Who Is Usually at Fault if a Bicycle Is Involved in an Accident?

A: Determining fault is an essential first step in any bicycle accident claim. Generally, most people would assume that if a motor vehicle and a bicycle collide, the driver of the vehicle is likely at fault. This is often true for many bicycle accident cases, but not in every case. Bicyclists have many of the same rights and responsibilities as motor vehicle drivers in Riverside, so it is possible for a bicyclist to share fault or bear full fault for an accident, depending on how the accident occurred.

Q: How Much Compensation Can I Claim for a Bicycle Accident in Riverside?

A: If you are able to prove that another party is directly responsible for causing the bicycle accident you recently experienced, you have the right to hold them accountable for any damages you suffered in the incident. These damages may include hospital bills and other medical treatment costs, lost wages during recovery from your injuries, the cost of repairing or replacing your bike, and your pain and suffering. A Riverside bicycle accident attorney can estimate your total potential case award.

Q: What Should You Do First After a Bicycle Accident?

A: Your health and safety should be your main concern after any bicycle accident in Riverside. You should seek medical care immediately and consult an attorney once you are stable enough to do so. Recovery from a bicycle accident will likely start with an auto insurance claim, followed by a personal injury claim. You will need trustworthy legal counsel to maximize the results of both of these recovery efforts.

Q: Why Do I Need a Bicycle Accident Attorney?

A: You have the right to try to handle your case on your own, but you would face several significant challenges in doing so. First, you would be forced to contend with strict filing requirements while recovering from potentially serious injuries. Missing a court filing deadline or overlooking a key piece of evidence can easily have disastrous effects on your case. When it comes to recovering your losses, an attorney will likely reveal avenues of compensation you would have overlooked on your own.

Q: How Much Does a Bicycle Accident Attorney Charge?

A: If you are worried about the potentially high cost of legal representation for your bicycle accident claim, there is no cause for concern when it comes to attorneys’ fees if you choose Easton & Easton to handle your case. We accept personal injury clients on a contingency fee basis. This means you only pay a percentage of your final case award as our fee, but you only owe this fee when we win the case. If our firm is unable to secure compensation on your behalf for any reason, you pay nothing, so there is no economic risk to choosing our team to represent you in a bicycle accident claim.

Whatever your case may entail, you will have the greatest chance of success with your recovery when you have trustworthy legal counsel advising you. The team at Easton & Easton has cultivated a strong professional reputation as a leading choice for personal injury representation in Riverside and throughout surrounding communities, thanks to our commitment to client-focused legal counsel. You can rely on our firm to guide you to the compensation you deserve, so contact us today and schedule your consultation with a Riverside bicycle accident lawyer to start working toward your recovery.