Los Angeles is one of the most popular cities in the world, and is growing in population by the day. What a lot of people don’t know is that California is ranked as the third most bike-friendly state in the country. Riding a bicycle is a great form of exercise and is good for the environment, as there are less negative environmental impacts than when using a traditional car. Even though California is bike-friendly, there are still tons of risks bicycle riders go through by riding their bikes through the streets.
If you’ve been involved in a bicycle accident, it’s important to get in touch with a Los Angeles bicycle accident personal injury attorney right away. Being hit while riding a bicycle can cause long term injuries and health conditions. If you’ve been in a bicycle accident, contact our office for a free case evaluation. There’s no consultation fee and we only get paid when we win your case.
What To Do After A Bicycle Accident In Los Angeles?
If you’ve been involved in a bicycle accident in Los Angeles, the steps you take following the accident can impact how much compensation you receive. If you’re ever the victim of a bicycle accident, here are some steps you can follow:
- Get off the street and into a safe location.
- Check yourself for any injuries.
- Call 911 if you are seriously hurt.
- Get any witness contact information.
- Take photos of the scene.
- Get the other party's insurance information.
- Receive medical attention.
- Contact a bicycle accident attorney.
How Long Do I Have To Report My Bicycle Accident?
You can file a lawsuit against the party who hit you for up to two years. However, it’s usually best to get in touch with a bicycle accident personal injury attorney right away if you want to get the best settlement possible. If the other party has insurance, you can go through the insurance company to get paid rather than filing a lawsuit. It’s even possible that your own insurance would cover the accident. If there’s no insurance company to go after, or if the insurance company doesn't want to pay out the appropriate amount, an attorney could file a lawsuit against the other party on your behalf.
What Type Of Compensation Can A Los Angeles Bicycle Accident Attorney Get Me?
A Los Angeles personal injury attorney will be able to get you compensation for your injuries & suffering that arose as a result of your bicycle accident. A personal injury attorney will be able to go after the responsible party for:
- Lost wages
- Emotional trauma
- Medical bills
- Property Damage
- Pain & Suffering
You won’t always be eligible for all of the forms of compensation, but your attorney will be able to tell you what you’ll likely be eligible for. If you’ve been in a bicycle accident, it’s important to get in touch with an experienced bicycle personal injury attorney to ensure you get the best settlement possible.
How Do Most Bicycle Accidents Happen?
Most bicycle accidents happen as a result of the other driver’s negligence. The most common ways bicycle accidents happen are through:
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Unsafe lane changes
- Turning without looking
- Failure to yield
- Running a red light
- Driving under the influence
The way that the bicycle accident occurred can make a difference in the length of the claim process. Bicycle accidents can happen in a lot more ways than listed above, but those are just some of the most common causes of bicycle accidents in the Los Angeles area.
Should I Hire A Bicycle Accident Attorney?
Dealing with insurance companies is no easy task. The other party’s insurance company will fight to make sure their client is not liable for the accident. Without an attorney handling your case, it may not be easy to get the insurance company to take liability for their client.
Having an attorney representing you is a major plus when the insurance company is offering lowball settlements, as your attorney will be able to file a lawsuit against the person who hit you.
How Can Sogomonyan Law Group Help Me With My Bicycle Accident?
An attorney is your partner in the fight against the insurance companies. Having an experienced attorney on your side is a major plus, as we already know how to deal with the insurance companies. When handling your case, our team at Sogomonyan Law Group will take care of all correspondence with the other involved parties. That means you no longer have to communicate with anyone except us. We’ll be:
- Contacting the insurance company on your behalf. You no longer have to communicate with anyone regarding the accident.
- Investigating what happened during your accident to help determine cause and liability.
- Determining the compensation that you’re entitled to.
- Negotiating your settlement.
- Filing a lawsuit if the insurance company doesn’t offer an acceptable settlement.
At Sogomonyan Law Group, we work on a contingency fee basis. That means that we don’t charge you a penny until we get your case settled.