Riding a bicycle can be an efficient and enjoyable way to travel through Los Angeles, but cyclists face significant risks when sharing the road with motor vehicles. A collision between a bicycle and a car, truck, motorcycle, or other vehicle can result in devastating injuries. If you or someone you love has been injured in a bicycle accident, you may be facing medical treatment, lost income, property damage, physical pain, and uncertainty about your future.
At Shegerian Conniff, we represent individuals who have suffered injuries and losses and need experienced legal guidance. If you are looking for bicycle accident lawyers in Los Angeles, our team can evaluate the circumstances of your accident, investigate what happened, and explain your potential legal options.
Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents
Bicycle accidents can happen for many different reasons. Some collisions result from driver negligence, while others may involve roadway conditions, vehicle defects, bicycle defects, or several contributing factors.
Drivers Who Fail to See Cyclists
A driver may fail to notice a bicyclist while turning, changing lanes, entering an intersection, merging, or pulling out of a driveway. Because bicycles are smaller than passenger vehicles, drivers must pay close attention to cyclists sharing the roadway. Bicycle accident lawyers in Los Angeles can examine photographs, video footage, witness statements, vehicle damage, and other available evidence when determining how a crash occurred.
Failure to Yield
Failure to yield can be particularly dangerous for cyclists. A driver may turn across a cyclist’s path, enter an intersection without properly yielding, or fail to recognize a bicycle traveling through an intersection.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving can take many forms. A driver may use a phone, interact with navigation equipment, eat, adjust vehicle controls, or otherwise divert attention from the road. A moment of inattention can have devastating consequences when a vehicle encounters a cyclist. Bicycle accident lawyers in Los Angeles can investigate whether distracted driving may have contributed to a collision.
Unsafe Lane Changes
A vehicle that moves into a bicycle’s path without properly checking surrounding traffic can cause a serious collision. Lane-change accidents can result in a cyclist being struck directly or forced into another vehicle, a curb, parked cars, or the roadway. A bicycle accident attorney in Los Angeles can investigate witness accounts, vehicle positioning, photographs, and other evidence that may help establish what happened.
Dooring Accidents
A cyclist can be seriously injured when a person opens a parked vehicle’s door directly into the cyclist’s path. Dooring accidents can throw a cyclist onto the pavement or force the cyclist into moving traffic.
Unsafe Turns
Turning vehicles can create significant risks for cyclists. A driver may fail to see a bicycle traveling alongside the vehicle or may turn across the cyclist’s path. A bicycle accident attorney in Los Angeles can examine the intersection, traffic signals, vehicle positions, witness accounts, and other evidence when investigating an accident involving a turning vehicle.
