- Meet Our Experienced Bicycle Accident Attorneys
- Practical Steps to Take After a Biking Accident
- 2024 Biking Accident Statistics in San Francisco
- What Are the Leading Causes of San Francisco Bicycle Accidents?
- Most Common Injuries in San Francisco Bicycle Accidents
- Main Types of Damages You Can Recover After a Cycling Accident
- How Much Is a San Francisco Bike Accident Case Worth?
- Our Case Settlements
- How Do You Prove Negligence in a Bicycle Accident?
- Why Should You Choose a Bicycle Accident Lawyers Group to Win Your Accident Claim in San Francisco?
- Cycling Laws in San Francisco
- What Is the Statute of Limitations for a Cycling Accident Claim in California?
- Contact a San Francisco Bicycle Accident Lawyer Today!
- Get a FREE case evaluation today
- Frequently Asked Questions
Biking has become an inseparable part of life in San Francisco. Its thriving cycling community and sustainability efforts have made biking a preferred mode of transportation and recreation. However, despite the means and efforts put into road safety in the region, bicycle accidents happen more often than the locals would want them to.
A cycling incident is rarely just a mishap one can shake off quickly. Usually, it comes with physical, emotional, financial, and legal implications that only an expert can resolve. A committed bicycle accident attorney is someone you need to protect your rights and secure fair compensation for the losses inflicted by such a crash.
Meet Our Experienced Bicycle Accident Attorneys
Bicycle Accident Lawyers Group is a team of committed legal experts who understand all the existing cycling challenges in the city. We are active advocates for cyclists’ rights and traffic safety. Our legal representatives know local laws inside and out. We know about all potentially dangerous locations in the city and are well aware of insurance loopholes. Legal background and extensive experience in the field help our San Francisco bicycle accident lawyers build strong claims and design winning strategies in cases that others may flag as unwinnable. Our proven track record supports the dedication and expertise of our law firm.
Practical Steps to Take After a Biking Accident
A biking accident can leave even a professional rider shaken and unsure of what to do next after the collision. Follow these steps to be able to claim your legal rights to the full extent:
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Ensure your safety
Move to a safer location, but stay at the scene. In case your injuries are too severe, you should remain where you are but ask people to help you stay as visible on the road as possible.
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Contact the emergency services
Call 911 and ask for a police dispatch and medical experts at the scene. You may feel unharmed, but some conditions have a delayed effect, and only a trained expert can notice them. Besides, an official police report and medical records often serve as valuable evidence.
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Document the scene
Take pictures and videos of everything around you, starting with your injuries and property damage and ending with road and weather conditions. If there are any eyewitnesses, ask for their statements and contact information.
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Call a lawyer
Some drivers may try to resolve the matter at the scene, but that is not always the best solution since you can’t assess the full scope of your losses. Consult a trained attorney before you finalize any decision.
2024 Biking Accident Statistics in San Francisco
The state of California takes visible measures to improve cyclist safety in the region. Yet, while it is ranked the fourth bicyclist-friendly state for bike riding in the country, it remains among the most dangerous destinations for cyclists in the USA. San Francisco saw a 50% increase in overall traffic fatalities since 2023, with cyclist deaths rising by 300%.” There were three bicyclist casualties recorded in 2024.
Where do most accidents happen in San Francisco, and why? There are a few locations that a cyclist may want to avoid in the city:
- Market and Octavia Street: In five years, 20 bicycle accidents were recorded in this area. The intersection is known for its growing congestion, complicated layout, and multiple illegal turns that vehicle operators make.
- 7th Street and Market Street: Heavy public traffic, pedestrians, and aggressive drivers are among the most palpable threats in the vicinity. Limited visibility adds to the list of reasons that led to 16 incidents at the intersections in the past five years.
- 5th Street and Market Street: This intersection is the third most dangerous location in the city, with 14 serious collisions that took place from 2017 to 2022. Limited infrastructure, narrow lanes, and sudden lane changes are the underlying reasons for frequent collisions.
What Are the Leading Causes of San Francisco Bicycle Accidents?
Although it is hard to point out a single common denominator that leads to a bike accident, there are a few typical causes that an avid cyclist should keep an open eye to:
- Dooring accidents: As many as 10% of all bicycle accidents over the past ten years happened because of a car door. When a driver or passenger suddenly opens a car door without looking, they may initiate a serious collision, if not a deadly accident.
- Hit-and-runs: Another common reason why a bike rider can sustain significant traumas in the streets of San Francisco would be a hit-and-run accident. Although it is forbidden in California to leave the scene of the incident after the crash, many still neglect the law.
- Dangerous road conditions: The lack of protected bike lanes isn’t the only factor that adds up to unsafe road conditions in the area. Along the potholes and debris on the lane come wet or slippery surfaces. In fact, such riding conditions lead to around 70% of bike incidents in the country.
- Poor visibility: Many bicyclists ride across the city during the darker hours of the day. However, not all the streets in San Francisco are well adapted to that. Around 20% of accidents happen because of the lack of sufficient lighting in all areas of the city.
Most Common Injuries in San Francisco Bicycle Accidents
As opposed to other vehicle operators, cyclists are the least protected of all. That often leads to common traumas that riders aim to recover from in the majority of bicycle accident cases. For example:
- Head traumas: A traumatic brain injury, or TBI, such as a concussion or skull fracture, is a serious condition that can impact a person’s cognitive abilities on a temporary or permanent basis.
- Back traumas: Spinal cord injuries such as ruptured discs or nerve damage can have a lasting effect on a cyclist’s ability to move. The most severe of collisions can cause paralysis or loss of limb sensation.
- Fractures: Bicycle accident victims often suffer from complicated fractures that require complex surgeries and reconstructions. Not to mention that broken bones take time to heal and require professional rehabilitation to regain their full functions.
- Road rash: When a cyclist’s body slides across a harsh surface, it can lead to numerous scratches and cuts. Seemingly minor, these skin lacerations can cause serious infections and leave permanent scarring.
- Internal organ damage: The impact with a moving vehicle, with the ground, or with the handlebars can trigger internal bleeding or severe organ damage. Such conditions often have a delayed effect and can lead to a wrongful death if they remain undetected.
Main Types of Damages You Can Recover After a Cycling Accident
Although every bicycle accident claim is unique, an injured cyclist can usually obtain a few types of monetary and non-monetary damages:
Economic Damages
All the financial losses that can be measured and recovered in an exact monetary equivalent are classified as economic. They include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Medical care: All medical expenses, whether it is an emergency room visit, immediate hospitalization, or ongoing rehabilitation, must be reimbursed in full by the at-fault party or their insurance company. The same applies to future medical bills and condition-related costs.
- Loss of income: If your earning capacity has been temporarily limited or fully compromised by the accident, you can expect to recover the lost wages along with diminished future earnings.
- Property damage: The costs of repairs or replacement of any gear or the vehicle that sustained serious damage as a result of the collision can be settled in full.
Non-Economic Damages
Intangible losses are often harder to recover since you can hardly produce any receipts that confirm something we call the human cost. While an injured victim deserves maximum compensation for the pain and suffering, emotional distress, anxiety, and loss of enjoyment in life and depression, it takes a committed San Francisco bicycle accident lawyer to recover those.
How Much Is a San Francisco Bike Accident Case Worth?
There isn’t a fixed settlement amount you can recover after a cycling incident. It is possible to use an online bicycle accident settlement calculator to get a general idea of what your case is worth, but the algorithm can’t evaluate some of the major predetermining factors, such as:
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Injury severity
It is apparent that the more serious the medical condition, the higher the medical bills will be. So, a severe TBI will cost more in compensation than a minor sprain. However, some conditions may have a lifelong impact on the person’s life. Only a trained bicycle attorney can assess those costs on every existing level.
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Comparative negligence
California abides by a pure comparative negligence rule. This regulation allows the injured party to recover compensation for their injuries even if they are 99% to blame. However, the percentage of fault assigned to the victim will be deducted from the final settlement. The higher the degree of fault, the lower the reimbursement.
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Insurance limit
Some at-fault parties have low insurance policy limits that can barely cover the losses they’ve inflicted. In such cases, the injured cyclist will have to seek alternative sources of fair compensation or pay for the damages on their own.
Our Case Settlements
How Do You Prove Negligence in a Bicycle Accident?
In some bicycle accident cases, even the most obvious at-fault party refuses to admit their fault or at least tries to shift some of it to an injured cyclist. In such instances, the victim must prove the involved entity’s liability. Usually, it takes four aspects to prove the other party’s negligence:
- Duty of care: The first step is to prove that the responsible party owes you a duty of care. Such a legal duty implies that every road user or entity has to abide by established rules to ensure overall safety. For example, a motorist has to drive by the rules not to put others at risk.
- Breach of duty: The next step is to establish that the party in question violated their lawful responsibility. If a driver operates under the influence, runs at a red light, or fails to yield, they breach their duty of care.
- Causation: You also have to provide evidence that the entity’s negligent actions caused your losses and damages. You can use digital evidence, witness statements, surveillance footage, and other proof to succeed in the task.
- Damages: Finally, you must also provide palpable evidence of sustained, measurable, and unmeasurable losses. You can use medical records, bills, receipts, expert opinions, and other available documents.
Why Should You Choose a Bicycle Accident Lawyers Group to Win Your Accident Claim in San Francisco?
It is easy to underestimate the value of a skilled bicycle accident attorney unless you know about the advantages they can bring to the case. For instance:
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Legal background
Our San Francisco bicycle accident lawyers have represented clients for many years. We know all the intricacies of the local legal system, which helps us build solid cases aimed at maximum settlements.
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Case evaluation
The chances that an insurance provider will try to trick you into accepting compensation that suits them are high. Our team will assess the claim on every level and arrive at the maximum calculation you deserve.
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Cooperation on trust
Our law firm works on a contingency basis, which means that we don’t charge injured bicyclists any fees until the case is successfully finalized. The no-win, no-fee approach relies on a previously discussed percentage of the obtained reimbursement so that there are no hidden costs to worry about.
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Further litigation
In case an insurance company rejects your initial claim, our California bicycle accident attorneys will help you take the case to trial. We’ll handle all the paperwork to meet deadlines and preserve important evidence.
Cycling Laws in San Francisco
For the most part, cyclists in San Francisco have the same rules and must abide by the same laws as the rest of the motorists. However, there are a few specific regulations aimed at the bike riders in the city. They are the following:
- A cyclist must follow in the direction of traffic.
- In a bicycle vs pedestrian interaction, the former owes the right of way to the latter.
- Riders over 13 are prohibited from using sidewalks.
- Bicyclists can use an entire lane if it is too small or if they feel uneasy riding at the side of it.
- Cyclists under the age of 18 must wear a protective helmet. Adult riders are advised to wear protective gear, but it is not mandatory.
- Bicyclists are allowed in other lanes except for the designated ones.
- Every vehicle must be equipped with functional lighting and reflective equipment.
- If necessary, a cyclist can pass another vehicle on the left.
- Bike riders must use hand signals to notify other road users about the stops, turns, and shifts they are about to make.
What Is the Statute of Limitations for a Cycling Accident Claim in California?
A state-governed statute of limitations establishes a specific deadline within which injured bicyclists can file a personal injury claim and recover rightful compensation for their losses. In the State of California, generally, the timeframe is two years from the day of the accident. However, there may be exceptions to the rule, depending on the underlying conditions of the collision. So, it is best to consult a trained San Francisco bicycle accident lawyer to be 100% sure that you don’t miss the deadline. Otherwise, you will lose your right to reimbursement for the sustained damages.
Contact a San Francisco Bicycle Accident Lawyer Today!
A cycling incident often comes with serious challenges in the form of physical suffering, mental anguish, and mounting bills. However, you don’t have to deal with those implications on your own. An experienced San Francisco bicycle accident lawyer is a reliable partner, fierce defender, and compassionate friend who will act in your best interests while you recover and recuperate. All it takes is to contact our team, and we’ll take over the investigation, negotiations, and litigation in no time. Call us today for a free consultation, and our bike accident attorney team will get you back on track before you know it!
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