Have you or someone you love been in a bicycle accident in Bakersfield? Was this accident caused by another’s negligence, and were you seriously injured? If so, you may be able to obtain compensation through a personal injury claim or lawsuit. Contact the Bakersfield personal injury attorneys of OnderLaw today for a free consultation, and let us review your case to see if you have a valid claim. Don’t let a bicycle accident affect your financial future. Call us today and let us help you get on the road to recovery.
Hiring an attorney isn’t absolutely necessary to file a claim for compensation, but doing so can give you an advantage in ways you may not realize.
Our knowledge and experience will make the process far easier and smoother for you and your family. We are intimately familiar with the ins and outs of the claims process, and we know the best ways to make it work to your benefit. We will handle the heavy logistical work so you can concentrate on recovering from your injuries. We will investigate your accident, gather evidence, speak to witnesses and build your case from the ground up so you can get back to your life.
Hiring an attorney for your bicycle accident means that we become the point person for any and all business relating to your injury. Insurance adjusters will sometimes try to take advantage of accident victims by offering a low settlement or trying to convince you that you don’t need an attorney for this type of injury. We know how to counter these tactics to make sure you get the full and fair compensation you deserve.
Filing a claim without an attorney can sometimes mean leaving money that you’re owed on the table. We can help you understand how losses and damages are calculated and ensure that you’re demanding compensation to cover all your losses, material or immaterial.
Although the vast majority of claims are concluded with a settlement before the case goes to trial, if the insurance company decides your claim is without merit, they can deny payment and leave you in the lurch. Hiring an attorney means that you have the option to file a lawsuit against the responsible party. This changes the equation for the insurance company, as very often, the costs of litigation and going to court are higher than paying out a fair settlement for your injuries.
There are several reasons why OnderLaw is the best choice to represent you in your bicycle accident case.
We’ve been doing this for almost twenty years, and we’ve seen all kinds of claims, from whiplash injuries to wrongful death cases. This means that we know you’re more than a statistic. We fully understand and appreciate the problems a bicycle accident can create for you and your family, especially one that ended in serious injury.
We treat all of our clients with the respect and compassion you deserve, from the first consultation to the day you get a check for your compensation. We pride ourselves on providing a level of service that is a cut above the rest because we know that your legal counsel is more than your official representative. We are your guide and your confidant. We’re helping you through a difficult time in your life, and we take that responsibility seriously.
We also understand that not everyone can afford a lawyer after an accident, which is why we work on a contingency fee basis. This means that there are no up-front costs for our services. We only take payment if we are successful in getting you the compensation you need. If we aren’t successful in getting you either a settlement or award, you pay nothing.
Our high level of service combined with our extensive knowledge base has yielded impressive results. We’ve been able to obtain over $3 billion in settlements and awards for our clients. We can’t win every case we take on, but we will work tirelessly to get you the compensation you deserve.
For the most part, cyclists in California have to follow the same laws as other vehicles when using public roads. This means that the following rules apply:
There are many causes for bicycle accidents in California, including the following:
Accidents involving cyclists tend to cause more severe injuries than accidents involving only motorists simply because bicycles have no safety protection. When they share the road with vehicles that weigh 100 times more than a bicycle carrying a rider, accidents can result in serious injuries. Even though bicycles are more maneuverable than cars and can dart out of the way of traffic quickly, their comparatively slow speed, small size, and lack of safety equipment make them a more dangerous option for travel, especially in heavy traffic conditions.
Some injuries common to cycling accidents include:
In personal injury claims, the amount of compensation you should demand for your injuries is determined by examining several factors, such as the circumstances of the accident and the severity of the injuries sustained. In general, the more serious the accident and injury, the more you could demand in compensation.
The exact amount you might obtain is nearly impossible to determine without fully reviewing your case, as each accident, injury, and set of circumstances is unique.
Compensation is broken down according to the losses, or damages, you suffer as a result of the accident. Some of these losses are easy to understand, such as property damage, while others require the help of an attorney to accurately estimate, such as pain and suffering.
Economic damages are any losses with a definite monetary value. Some examples include:
Non-economic damages, or general damages, are any losses that do not have a definable monetary value. These losses relate to the injury itself and not the financial burden of treating or living with it. There are many types of general damages, such as:
California law also allows some accident victims to pursue punitive damages as well as compensatory damages if your case goes to trial. Punitive damages, called exemplary damages in California, are not intended to compensate you for any loss or injury but rather to punish the responsible party and deter them from ever acting in the same manner again. They carry a much higher burden of proof than compensatory damages and are only allowed if you can show that the defendant acted with malice, oppression, or fraud. There is no cap on the amount of exemplary damages you can obtain in California.
Bakersfield has about 260 miles of bikeways, including shared-use paths, bicycle lanes, and bicycle routes. Here are some additional statistics about bicycling in Bakersfield and California:
If you’ve been injured in a bicycle accident in Bakersfield, you have a limited time to pursue compensation through a lawsuit. The statute of limitations on personal injury claims is two years, so time is a factor.
Call the attorneys at OnderLaw today for a free consultation. You have nothing to lose. Let us help you get the compensation you deserve after a bicycle accident. Call today.
