After a bicycle accident, you may be dealing with injuries, medical bills, bicycle damage, lost income, and an insurance claim at the same time. You may also be unsure whether you actually need an attorney.
Hiring a lawyer is not mandatory after every bicycle accident. However, legal guidance can be particularly useful when you have serious injuries, disputed liability, significant financial losses, or an insurance company is challenging your claim.
A bicycle accident lawyer can help you understand your rights, investigate how the accident happened, communicate with insurance companies, and pursue compensation that may be available under the circumstances.
If you were injured in a bicycle accident in Sherman Oaks or the San Fernando Valley, Lionsgate Law Group APC represents cyclists injured in bicycle collisions and works with clients from the initial call through resolution of the claim.
Why You May Need a Bicycle Accident Attorney
Bicycle accidents can result in serious injuries because cyclists have considerably less physical protection than people inside motor vehicles.
Not every accident requires an attorney. However, speaking with a lawyer may be worth considering when the circumstances of the accident or the resulting injuries make the claim more complicated.
For example, an attorney may help when:
- The driver disputes responsibility for the accident
- The insurance company disputes your claim
- You suffered significant injuries
- You need ongoing medical treatment
- You have missed work because of your injuries
- Your bicycle or other property was damaged
- Multiple parties may be responsible
- The accident involved a bike lane or roadway collision
- A vehicle door was opened into your path
- You believe the driver was distracted
- The accident involved an electric bicycle or electric scooter
Lionsgate Law Group’s Sherman Oaks bicycle accident practice specifically includes bike-lane and roadway collisions, dooring accidents, distracted-driver collisions, and electric bike and electric scooter accidents.
Dealing With the Insurance Company
After a bicycle accident, you may have to communicate with an insurance company about the collision and your injuries.
Insurance claims can involve questions about what happened, who was responsible, the extent of your injuries, medical treatment, lost income, and other losses. Statements made during the claims process may become relevant to the evaluation of the claim.
For that reason, it is important to be careful when discussing the accident or your injuries with an insurance adjuster.
An attorney can communicate with the insurer on your behalf and help you understand what information may be relevant to your claim.
Legal representation can also be useful when an insurance company disputes liability or the amount of compensation being sought.
What Can a Bicycle Accident Lawyer Help With?
A bicycle accident attorney can investigate the circumstances surrounding the collision and help identify potentially responsible parties.
Depending on the facts, a bicycle accident may involve more than one potentially responsible party. Lionsgate Law Group explains that its investigations may consider a driver, property owner, employer, or insurance carrier depending on the circumstances of the accident.
For example, an investigation may involve:
- Reviewing photographs and accident-scene evidence
- Examining bike-lane or roadway conditions
- Gathering witness information
- Reviewing available evidence concerning driver conduct
- Investigating distracted driving
- Examining a dooring accident
- Identifying potentially responsible parties
- Reviewing medical documentation
- Communicating with insurance companies
In distracted-driver cases, Lionsgate Law Group states that it obtains phone records and other evidence when appropriate to establish driver distraction.
What Compensation May Be Available?
The losses following a bicycle accident can extend beyond the initial medical bill.
Depending on the circumstances of the claim, compensation may include losses associated with medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering.
Lionsgate Law Group states that it pursues compensation for medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering for bicycle accident clients, with the claim tailored to the specific facts of the case.
The amount and types of compensation available can depend on factors such as the nature of the accident, the severity of the injuries, available evidence, and applicable California law.
An attorney can review the facts of your accident and explain what types of damages may be relevant to your particular situation.
When Should You Get a Lawyer?
There is no requirement that you wait until your injuries become severe before speaking with an attorney.
In fact, contacting a lawyer early can give you an opportunity to understand your legal options before making important decisions about your claim.
If you were involved in a bicycle accident, consider getting legal advice sooner rather than later if:
- You suffered a serious injury
- Your medical treatment is ongoing
- The other party denies responsibility
- The insurance company disputes your claim
- You are being asked to provide a recorded statement
- You are unable to work because of the accident
- Several parties may be responsible
- You are unsure how to value your losses
- The accident involved a commercial vehicle, rental company, or another potentially responsible party
California personal injury claims are also subject to deadlines. Lionsgate Law Group’s current bicycle accident page states that California’s statute of limitations for most personal injury claims, including bicycle accident cases, is generally two years from the date of the incident under California Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1. Specific circumstances can affect applicable deadlines, so you should not assume that the general period applies to every case.
Bicycle Accidents in Sherman Oaks
Bicycle accidents can happen in bike lanes, shared roadways, intersections, and areas with parked vehicles.
Some collisions occur when a driver fails to safely share the road with a cyclist. Others involve a vehicle opening a door into a cyclist’s path, a distracted driver, or a collision involving an electric bicycle or scooter.
Lionsgate Law Group APC is a personal injury law firm based in Sherman Oaks and represents cyclists injured in accidents throughout Sherman Oaks and the San Fernando Valley. The firm states that it works directly with clients from the first phone call through resolution of the claim.
The firm’s Sherman Oaks office is located at 15303 Ventura Blvd, Suite 1050, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403, and its listed phone number is 818-574-5494.
Get a California Bicycle Accident Lawyer
You do not have to hire an attorney simply because you were involved in a bicycle accident. However, getting legal guidance can help you understand your options when injuries, insurance disputes, or questions about responsibility make your claim more complicated.
If you were injured in a bicycle accident in Sherman Oaks or the San Fernando Valley, Lionsgate Law Group APC offers a free case review for bicycle accident claims. The firm handles bicycle cases involving bike lanes and roadways, dooring accidents, distracted drivers, and electric bikes and scooters.
To discuss your accident with the firm, call 818-574-5494 for a free consultation.
This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Every bicycle accident case is different, and applicable laws and deadlines can depend on the specific circumstances.
