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Cycling as a regular mode of transportation can be a healthy alternative to driving daily. San Diego’s Oceanside neighborhood in California offers optimal bicycling conditions for nine months out of the year. Unfortunately, inattentive and careless motorists cause thousands of bicycle accidents annually in California. Hundreds of those accidents result in fatal injuries.
If you suffered injuries in a bicycle accident in San Diego’s Oceanside neighborhood, an Oceanside bicycle accident lawyer with the Sargent Law Firm can help you pursue fair compensation from the at-fault party and their insurance company. Let our legal team guide you through the claim process while you focus on your recovery.
You Could Seek Compensation After a Bicycle Accident in Oceanside
If your bicycle accident injuries occurred because of a negligent driver, you should not have to pay the consequences. A skilled Oceanside bicycle accident attorney from Sargent Law Firm can help you pursue fair compensation from the at-fault party.
Compensatory damages we could seek on your behalf include:
Medical Expenses
You can pursue compensation for all medical costs associated with your bike accident injuries, including:
- Hospitalization, surgical treatment, and physical therapy
- Transportation to medical appointments and treatments
- Medication, medical devices, prosthetics, and medical equipment
- In-home nursing care
- Assisted living facility fees
Our personal injury attorneys specialize in bicycle accidents in Oceanside, San Diego, and the surrounding areas. We can help you gather documentation for your medical costs while you focus on your health.
Loss of Income
When you suffer serious injuries in a bicycle accident, you may miss work while you are hospitalized or receiving critical care. You could lose hours if you must attend doctor’s appointments and physical therapy treatments. In addition, your injuries could cause impairments that prevent you from returning to your previous employment.
You can seek compensation for any income loss you suffered because of your bike accident injuries. Missed income may include current and future wages, reduced salary, lost business, and diminished career potential. Our bike accident lawyers in Oceanside can help you document these losses so you can secure the compensation you deserve.
Property Damage
If your bicycle, helmet, or other belongings were damaged by a negligent driver, you could include the cost of repairing or replacing those items in your personal injury claim.
Our Oceanside bicycle accident attorneys can review the full scope of your losses and help you estimate how much your property damage is worth. We aim to secure the maximum compensation you deserve so you do not have to pay for someone else’s negligence out of your own pocket.
Pain and Suffering
Noneconomic damages, often categorized generally as pain and suffering, include subjective damages that cannot be easily quantified using documentation. Physical, mental, and emotional suffering can have a significant effect on your quality of life, and you deserve monetary compensation for these losses as well.
Noneconomic damages we may incorporate into your bicycle accident claim include:
- Loss of enjoyment
- Emotional distress
- Mental anguish
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of consortium
Our Oceanside bicycle accident lawyers are well-versed in San Diego and California personal injury claims. We can review the details of your case and advocate for your legal right to a fair settlement for your economic and noneconomic losses.
Injuries You Could Suffer in an Oceanside Bicycle Accident
Cyclists can suffer catastrophic injuries in a bicycle-vehicle crash. Without the protection of a vehicle frame, a bicyclist experiences the full impact of a motor vehicle collision. The resulting injuries can result in severe long-term impairment, disability, and disfigurement.
Common injuries we see in Oceanside bicycle accidents include:
- Head injuries
- Traumatic brain injury
- Neck injuries
- Shoulder injuries
- Whiplash
- Spinal cord injuries
- Road rash
- Loss of limb
- Internal organ damage
If you or a loved one sustained serious bike accident injuries after being struck by a negligent motorist, you do not have to face these challenges alone. Our compassionate Oceanside bike accident attorneys can provide the legal support you need to defend your legal rights during this difficult time.
Wrongful Death Following an Oceanside Bicycle Accident
After losing someone you love in a bicycle accident, you may feel understandably overwhelmed. Our legal team has extensive experience working with the families of individuals who suffered fatal bicycle injuries. We can help you pursue justice and fair compensation from the negligent party through a wrongful death claim.
Losses you may seek after the death of a loved one include:
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Lost income and financial support
- Loss of love and guidance
- Loss of companionship
- Mental and emotional distress
- Pain and suffering your loved one suffered
- Medical bills your loved one incurred prior to their demise
The aftermath of a severe bicycle accident is never easy to navigate. Allow our dedicated personal injury attorneys to help you secure the compensation you deserve for your losses.
Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in Oceanside
Even the most attentive driver can overlook a bicycle on the road, especially when there are no marked bike lanes. However, drivers still have a duty of care to take reasonable precautions to avoid striking bicyclists, pedestrians, and other cars on the road.
Sadly, many motorists fail in their duty to take reasonable care when sharing the road with bicyclists. In fact, many of the most common causes of bicycle accidents are preventable. They include:
Distracted Driving
Drivers should always be vigilant, with eyes on the road and hands on the steering wheel. When a motorist drives while texting, talking on the phone, fiddling with the radio, or adjusting their navigation system, they remove their attention from the road. A bicycle can easily be overlooked by a distracted or careless driver, with disastrous results.
Aggressive Driving
Drivers who speed or aggressively approach other motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians may cause serious accidents. Aggressive drivers may fail to yield the right of way, tailgate a biker, or pass too closely. A bicyclist struck by a reckless driver can suffer severe life-altering injuries.
An Oceanside bike accident lawyer from the Sargent Law Firm can provide supportive legal representation after a bicycle accident due to an aggressive driver.
Failure to Obey Traffic Laws
Bicycle riders and motor vehicle operators are all required to obey traffic laws. A motorist who fails to obey traffic laws around bicycle riders can be liable for the severe injuries they cause.
The Sargent Law Firm’s bicycle accident lawyers in Oceanside can help you file an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit against the negligent party.
Drunk Driving
Driving under the influence (DUI) of drugs and alcohol can seriously impair a driver’s ability to see and react to bicyclists on the road. If your bicycle accident occurred due to a drunk driver, you could pursue justice and financial compensation from the at-fault driver and their auto insurance.
The drunk driving accident lawyers at the Sargent Law Firm can help you navigate the legal process while you recover from your losses.
Steps to Take Following An Oceanside Bicycle Accident
It is normal to feel frustrated and overwhelmed after a bicycle accident caused by a negligent or reckless driver. While pursuing a personal injury claim may seem daunting, there are steps you can take to protect your right to financial compensation after a bicycle accident in Oceanside.
Contact Emergency Services
If you are struck by a motor vehicle while biking, contact the authorities as soon as possible and remain at the scene. Once an officer arrives, provide the officer with an accurate account of the accident.
Exchange Contact Information
The responding officer should collect information from all parties present and include it in the accident report. If they do not facilitate an exchange of information, obtain the contact information and insurance details of the other people involved.
Gather Evidence at the Accident Scene
Photograph the bicycle, any injuries, and damaged property at the scene of the accident. Take contact information for any witnesses present at the scene. Your attorney can obtain witness statements from them later.
Document the Accident Details
As soon as possible after the accident, complete a written statement while the details of the incident are still clear. Write down dates, times, locations, descriptions, and any details that could affect the outcome of your case. Maintain a log of your injuries and the ways they affect your daily life.
Seek Medical Attention
Medical attention is crucial for ensuring your health and documenting your injuries. Your attorney will use medical records to support both economic and noneconomic damage claims, so be sure to follow your doctor’s orders for medical treatments, physical therapy, and follow-up appointments.
Hire a Personal Injury Attorney
An Oceanside bicycle accident attorney is a critical ally in the fight for a fair settlement. While you may be tempted to handle the case on your own, you may not have the knowledge and resources to adequately defend yourself. An insurance adjuster may take advantage of your injured and bewildered state to offer a settlement that only covers a portion of your losses, leaving you to foot the bill for an accident that wasn’t your fault.
Do not risk your health and happiness by handling a bicycle accident claim on your own. Sargent Law Firm’s legal team excels at negotiating fair settlements for injured cyclists. Let us leverage our extensive experience and negotiating skills to secure compensation for you.
Critical Legal Support From Skilled Oceanside Bicycle Accident Lawyers
The Sargent Law Firm’s personal injury attorneys in Oceanside take bicycle accident cases personally. As avid cyclists and sponsors of the SDPD bike team, we firmly believe that bikers have a right to share the road with motorists. We have little sympathy for motorists who fail to share the road safely with bicycle riders, and we will pursue every avenue to secure compensation from negligent drivers.
When you work with our team, you can expect assistance with the following legal tasks:
Evidence Gathering
Our legal team compiles all documentation pertaining to your case, including medical bills, medical records, financial statements, pay stubs, expert opinions, police reports, and witness statements. Our bicycle accident lawyers in Oceanside use this evidence to build a solid case against the party responsible for your bicycle injuries.
Responding to Phone Calls and Correspondence
Upon signing a contract to represent you, we immediately begin handling phone calls, emails, voicemails, and written correspondence from the responsible party and their insurance company. While we field communications, you can take the time you need to rest and recover your health.
Negotiations With Insurance Carriers
We bring expert negotiating skills to the table when discussing your settlement with insurance companies and opposing counsel. Our Oceanside bike accident attorneys will aggressively defend your right to compensation for the full scope of your losses.
Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit
Many personal injury cases settle out of court, but our team prepares your case for trial from the beginning. We can file a lawsuit against the at-fault party and their insurance carrier to strengthen our negotiating power and seek a better settlement. If your case does proceed to trial, our trial attorneys can actively pursue justice and fair financial compensation before a judge and jury.
Time Limits for Filing a Bicycle Accident Claim in Oceanside
California’s statute of limitations for a bicycle accident injury claim is usually two years, but filing deadlines can differ depending on your case. To avoid missing important legal time limits, speak with a personal injury lawyer in Oceanside as soon as possible.
Seek Legal Guidance From an Oceanside Bicycle Accident Attorney Today
If you or a loved one suffered serious injuries in a bicycle-vehicle accident, contact an Oceanside bicycle accident lawyer at the Sargent Law Firm today. We offer free case reviews for bicycle accident injury clients. During your free initial consultation, a member of our team will review your case details and advise of your legal options.
If we decide to take your bicycle accident case, we will handle your claim on a contingency basis. Instead of holding a retainer or charging hourly fees, we keep an agreed percentage of your final settlement or verdict as payment for our legal assistance. If we do not win, you do not pay.
