Long Beach Bicycle Accident Attorney
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Long Beach bicyclists are often at risk of getting involved in an accident since they are riding in a densely populated area. Bicyclists are left vulnerable when sharing the road with other vehicles, especially since they have no protection that will prevent them from suffering severe injuries. Below, we have listed common scenarios that have contributed to the cause of a bicycle accident.- The driver misjudged the bicyclist’s speed and made an attempt to pass. However, it was not successful and both parties crashed into each other.
- The driver does not make any careful observations of the road prior to entering the bike lane and collides into a bicyclist they did not notice.
- The driver is under the influence of alcohol and is visually and mentally impaired. The driver fails to make cautious turns and lane changes, which causes an accident with a bicyclist who was in a bike lane nearby.
- A bicyclist is riding on the sidewalk and bumps into a pedestrian.
- Any business district
- Sidewalks on bridges
- Pedestrian underpasses or overpasses
- Sidewalks placed on the property of schools, churches, recreation centers, and playgrounds
- South of Ocean Boulevard located between west of the Long Beach Museum of Art and east of Bluff Park
- North side of Downtown Marina Mole located between Gangway A and Gangway P
Common Bicycle Accident Injuries
California is one of the most popular states with the highest bicyclist deaths caused by car accidents. This is alarming information and proves that bicyclists are always at a high risk of getting involved in an accident caused by a driver. Once a bicyclist gets involved in an accident, they could suffer from a physical or mental injury. Below, we will discuss more in detail about each type of injury. Brain injury. A brain injury occurs when your head experiences forceful impact. This can be extremely dangerous since the brain is arguably the most important organ in the body and has control over your body functions. If any damage is done to the brain, it could be difficult for you to properly function a day-to-day lifestyle. Bicyclists have fallen victim to a brain injury, especially due to the fact that many of them do not wear a helmet when they are out for a ride. It is always essential for a bicyclist to have on a fitted helmet to protect them from enduring any serious brain injury that can leave them partially or fully paralyzed. A bike helmet can not only protect your head from forceful impact, but it may also cover your face from any bruises or scratches. Each bike helmet offers a different form of protection as some come with face coverings while others do not. Unfortunately, many bicyclists choose not to wear a helmet. This can be detrimental to their safety as they have absolutely no protection against other vehicles on the road. Many researchers have conducted studies to convince bicyclists that a helmet does play a major factor in helping a bicyclist sustain less serious injuries. This includes the following:- A study was released in 2019 using statistics found from the National Trauma Data Bank. Out of 76,032 bicyclists who endured a head or neck injury, about 22 percent had on a helmet, while 78 percent did not. This finding just goes to show that a helmet does, in fact, have a significant amount of efficiency when it comes to reducing serious injuries. It is not always a 100 percent guarantee that a bicyclist will leave an accident in one piece when wearing a helmet, but it does offer enough protection to make it possible to avoid being diagnosed with a brain injury.
- In another study conducted by the American Journal of Surgery, it found that out of 6,267 patients, 25.1 percent were wearing a helmet. Those who had on a helmet had a 51 percent reduced odds of suffering from a TBI, 44 percent reduced odds of dying, and 31 percent reduced odds of enduring facial fractures. The conclusions in this study determined that a bicycle helmet was effective in saving lives.
- Driving while under the influence. A driver was intoxicated and experienced vision impairments that made it nearly impossible to properly navigate their vehicle while on the road. This driver did not notice a bicyclist nearby and crashed into them, which instantly killed the bicyclist.
- Not inspecting the area carefully prior to making a lane change or turn. A driver of a vehicle did not scan the area properly prior to making a lane change into the bike lane. This resulted in a wrongful death case since the driver crashed into and killed the bicyclist who was occupying the bike lane.
- Getting distracted. A driver was texting and driving while on the road and swerved into the bike zone where a bicyclist was riding in. The bicyclist was unable to overcome their injuries and passed away at the scene of the accident.
Contact Us
If you have sustained injuries as a result of a bicycle accident, you have the right to hold the guilty party responsible. At West Coast Trial Lawyers, our Long Beach bicycle accident attorneys will help you get the justice you deserve. To schedule a free consultation at our Long Beach personal injury law firm, please contact our 24/7 legal team by calling (562) 396-9874 or emailing [email protected].Free Case Evaluation