While we work to settle every case before trial, because we know victims like you just want to get on with their lives, sometimes a settlement just is not possible. In many instances, the insurance company representing the at-fault driver will simply refuse to settle for a fair and reasonable amount. When that happens, we can be fully prepared to take your case to trial, presenting evidence to a jury to show them that you deserve compensation.

Other times, injuries are so severe that it is difficult for the parties to agree on how much money is fair compensation. That is when you need a trial attorney who has medical experts at the ready to help show the jury that your injuries warrant a large verdict.

No matter what, as soon as we meet with you and are retained, we begin preparing for trial. If your case does need to go to trial, we do not want any delay. By preparing from day one, we can help decrease the time you have to wait to collect your compensation.

WHY BICYCLE ACCIDENTS HAPPEN

California recently hit a terrible statistic. Bicycle accident deaths have hit a 25-year high here. The worst part about these deaths is that they are often preventable.

Most bicycle collisions with a vehicle result from human error; and often, that error is on the part of the driver of the car.

This can include:

• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Inexperienced driver
• Speeding
• Failure to yield
• Running a red light or stop sign
• Driving too fast for the road conditions
• Texting while driving

There are countless reasons why a driver might cause an accident with a bicyclist. In any situation, however, the result for the bicyclist can be tragic.

Even if the bicycle rider is wearing a helmet, gloves, and other protective gear, their body takes the full force of the impact with the vehicle. Riders are often thrown off their bicycle, landing on pavement. Even at slow speeds, an impact with a vehicle can easily cause the rider to fall, breaking bones and causing other serious injuries.

Suffering injuries in a bicycle accident can be a traumatic and overwhelming experience. You may be jolted from the impact, not expecting to collide with a car. Even if you remain conscious, you may experience severe pain. To give yourself the best chance of making a full recovery, you should consider speaking with a Bakersfield bicycle accident injury lawyer as soon as possible after your accident. Contact Gomez Trial Attorneys today.

COMMON INJURIES

Injuries suffered by bicycle riders are often fatal. Collisions between a bike and a car often occur later in the day because of reduced visibility. This does not mean that you, the bicycle rider, are necessarily to blame.

Common bicycle accident injuries include:

• Burns
• Cuts and bruises
• Broken bones
• Neck injuries
• Back injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Head trauma
• Sprains
• Dislocated joints
• Eye injuries
• Paralysis
• Amputation

Depending on the severity of your injuries, you could face a life that is forever altered. You may be out of work for a long time and may never return. If you can, it might be in a reduced capacity. This can severely limit your ability to earn a living, pay your bills, and provide for your family.

If you are in this unfortunate situation, your family may feel extra pressure to cover your lost income. They may take on more work or even get additional jobs. It is important to remember that this is not their burden to bear. Covering your medical expenses and financial losses should be the responsibility of the negligent driver. Get help holding that person accountable by speaking with Gomez Trial Attorneys today.

TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES

Some of the most debilitating injuries are those that affect the brain. The injuries, called traumatic brain injuries or TBI, often require a lifetime of medical care and attention.

TBIs include:

• Concussion. The most well-known TBI is a concussion, partly because of the news surrounding concussion injuries in contact sports. A concussion occurs when your head is impacted or your body suffers a serious blow with such force that your brain moves around inside your skull, impacting one side. This causes damage to the brain that is not frequently deadly but must receive prompt medical attention. The hardest part for most concussion victims is what their doctor prescribes—ample rest and inactivity.
• Contusion. A contusion happens when you suffer a forceful blow to the head. This causes bruising or bleeding in the brain. In minor cases, you will need ample rest. In more severe cases, you may need surgery to release the pressure on your skull.
• Coup-contrecoup. A coup-contrecoup TBI is when your brain suffers a contusion on each side. Usually caused by serious bicycle accidents where the car that hit you was traveling at high speeds, your brain hits one side of your skull with such force that it bounces off and impacts the other side of your skull. You may lose consciousness when you suffer from this TBI and you will require immediate medical attention.
• Diffuse axonal. A diffuse axonal injury occurs when your brain lags behind the movement of the rest of your body. This happens with great force and often results from shaking or twisting of the head and neck. This movement tears parts of your brain, causing an immediate lack of consciousness and often death.
• Penetration. A penetration TBI happens when an object enters your brain. In a severe or high-speed bicycle accident, an object may get flung at you and penetrate your head. This often causes immediate death.

As if the outlook for TBIs was not bad enough, you may face astronomical costs. The lifetime medical costs of a TBI can quickly reach millions of dollars. Without financial help, these bills could bankrupt even the most financially well-off families.

There is a common misconception that you need to suffer a direct blow to the head to receive a TBI. This is not true. The force placed on your body by an impact with a car can be enough to jolt your brain inside your skull, causing enough damage to result in a TBI. For example, even when a person suffers whiplash, a TBI can result.

FIVE STEPS TO TAKE AFTER A BICYCLE ACCIDENT

When you are in a bicycle accident, you may lose consciousness and cannot take certain actions. Your family may need to step in on your behalf.

Following these five steps can help to preserve evidence that may increase the amount of money you can recover from the negligent driver.

1. Call 911. Even if you think you are fine, call 911. Your adrenaline might be running and masking your pain. Let the emergency medical personnel evaluate you and determine if you need further care at the hospital. Calling 911 will also send the police to the accident scene. They will interview witnesses and create an accident report detailing their findings. While they may not assign fault, their report will help your legal team make the case that the vehicle driver is responsible for your accident and injuries.
2. Take pictures and videos. Have your family take pictures and videos of the entire accident scene. Get images of the car, your bicycle, your injuries, and any other items that may be relevant to the accident.
3. See your doctor. Even if your injuries are minor, see your doctor as soon as possible. They know your physical health better than anyone, and they may detail exactly how your body has changed since your bicycle accident. These records can be valuable when showing that your life has been altered, even temporarily, by the accident and you require compensation to get back to your regular life.
4. Keep a journal. Every day, detail your pain level, what progress you have made on your recovery, and what you were limited in doing because of your injuries. Over time, you will not recall every hurdle you overcame during your recovery. These details are important to show how your life has been altered by the bicycle accident. Detailing your pain and suffering are key to showing that the at-fault driver needs to compensate you for your medical expenses and financial losses.
5. Contact Gomez Trial Attorneys. The lawyer you choose can make a difference in your ability to recover maximum compensation for your bicycle accident injuries. Over the decades, we have helped many bike accident injury victims recover compensation for their injuries. The legal team at Gomez Trial Attorneys is prepared to fight to protect your rights and help you collect every dollar you deserve.

FILING A BAKERSFIELD BICYCLE ACCIDENT CLAIM

Working toward the goal of making sure you do not pay a penny out of your own pocket for your injuries, your lawyer will file a claim for damages on your behalf. Taking this important step begins your recovery process.

Proving that someone else caused your injuries, however, requires showing key elements:

1. The vehicle driver owed you a duty of care to drive safely.
2. The driver breached that duty of care by driving in an unsafe manner.
3. By driving in an unsafe manner, the driver caused a collision with you and your bicycle.
4. Because of the collision, you suffered injuries.

This might seem simple and straightforward at a glance, but proving this will require evidence that may require an intense investigation into your accident. When you have suffered injuries in a bicycle accident, your sole focus should be on your health and wellbeing. You should not be worried about how you pay for your medical recovery. That is the job of your legal team.

When you partner with a bicycle accident injury attorney in Bakersfield, you should get the legal attention you deserve. Your lawyer will investigate your accident, leaving no detail undiscovered. Working alongside medical experts, your lawyer will also determine an estimate for how much time it will take you to recover. This important exercise gives your legal team the ability to determine how long you will be out of work and an estimate of how much your medical expenses may cost. All told, your lawyer will work tirelessly to help you recover maximum compensation.

Gomez Trial Attorneys have been helping bicycle accident injury victims recover compensation for their injuries for decades. Contact us today to find out how we can help you get back to your regular life.

BAKERSFIELD BICYCLE ACCIDENT FAQS

Some bicycle enthusiasts do everything on their bikes. They ride to work, school, and even ride to the store. Maybe that is you. Or maybe you are a more casual rider—someone who gets on their bicycle occasionally for exercise or to enjoy the wonderful California weather.

Bicycles provide a cost-effective means of transportation and exercise. But they provide little protection when you are hit by a car.

Your body takes the full force of the impact with a car and, even at slow speeds, that impact can cause a lifetime of physical problems. Gomez Trial Attorneys have helped victims recover maximum compensation for their injuries. As Bakersfield bicycle accident lawyers, we know the path forward in these cases.

You may have many questions about what comes next. Below are some of the most common questions we get from bicycle accident injury victims. Please contact us with any additional questions you might have and to learn how you can recover compensation from the person who has caused your pain and suffering.

WHAT ARE THE COMMON CAUSES OF BAKERSFIELD BICYCLE ACCIDENTS?

The most common reason for a bicycle accident to occur is human error. Vehicle drivers often fail to pay attention to bicyclists and pedestrians. Drivers often do not see bicyclists after sunset, a time that most bicycle accident deaths occur. This can lead to dire consequences.

Other common causes of bicycle accidents with a car include:

• Speeding
• Failure to yield
• Running a red light or stop sign
• Distracted driving
• Reckless driving
• Inexperienced driver
• Poor weather conditions
• Poor road conditions

If you or a loved one suffered injuries after a collision with a car, you may be confused about what comes next, you may be worried about how you recover, and you may be concerned about how expensive your medical bills might become. Each of your concerns is justified, but it can take away from your ability to focus on your physical health, recovery, and well-being.

Your Bakersfield bicycle accident injury lawyer can take on the responsibility of working to hold the negligent driver accountable for your accident and your injuries. This frees up your time to focus on your recovery. Contact Gomez Trial Attorneys to get started.

HOW MUCH IS MY BAKERSFIELD BICYCLE ACCIDENT CASE WORTH?

The question that every bicycle accident injury victim wants to know the answer to and, unfortunately, there is no straight answer. Every bicycle accident is unique and the injuries you suffer will not be the same as any other bicycle accident in Bakersfield.

Your lawyer may attempt to collect compensation for:

• Medical expenses
• Future medical expenses
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Lost wages
• Lost earning potential
• Loss of companionship
• Loss of the enjoyment of life
• Present and future medical expenses
• Rehabilitation costs

Depending on the severity of your injuries, the majority of your medical expenses may come in the future. That means the bills you have already received represent only a fraction of the total cost of your recovery.

Many bike accident injury victims do not realize the sheer amount of medical attention even seemingly minor injuries require. It can be incredibly helpful for your well-being to focus on your physical recovery while your attorney focuses on how to help ensure you can get compensation for the bills that pile up from the accident. The best way to do this is to retain an aggressive Bakersfield bicycle accident lawyer who can work toward collecting every dollar you deserve.

The last thing you want is to pay out of pocket for all of your medical expenses after an accident. On top of everything else you face, that would add insult to injury. Gomez Trial Attorneys can be the legal advocate you need, working diligently to help you recover maximum compensation.

HOW MUCH TIME DO I HAVE TO FILE A BAKERSFIELD BICYCLE ACCIDENT CLAIM?

Not only is filing a Bakersfield bicycle accident claim a complex legal process, you also have limited time to file your initial claim due to the statute of limitations. In California, the statute of limitations is just two years after the date of your injuries, which means you only have two years from the date of your injuries to file a lawsuit against the liable party.

This might seem like a long time. You may want to wait until you start feeling better before you decide to file a bicycle accident injury claim. However, your delay could reduce your chances of collecting maximum compensation.

Over time, witnesses will forget what they saw and other evidence may get misplaced. By speaking with a lawyer right away, you give your legal team the best chance of uncovering all of the evidence necessary to show the vehicle driver caused your bicycle accident and subsequent injuries.

If you do not file your claim in time, your case could be barred and you could miss out on your chance to recover any compensation. This could leave you paying out of pocket for your medical expenses and financial losses.

By speaking with a lawyer as soon as possible after your accident, you give your legal team ample time to investigate your bicycle accident. They can then speak with witnesses, review police and medical records, and uncover evidence required to prove that someone else has caused your suffering. All of this can be vital to your ability to recover every dollar you deserve so you do not have to worry about how you pay your bills.

HOW LONG BEFORE I GET MY MONEY FOR MY BAKERSFIELD BICYCLE ACCIDENT CLAIM?

This is another answer that will depend greatly on the exact circumstances of your bike accident. If you have minor injuries and you will not incur future costs related to your accident, your lawyer may settle your claim more quickly.

If your injuries are more severe, and you may have future expenses or require medical attention and care for the rest of your life, it may take more time for your lawyer to collect every dollar you deserve. If your injuries require medical experts to testify about the severity and how your injuries impact your ability to live your life, that can add time, too. All told, the more complex your injuries, the more time it may take to obtain fair compensation.

In no way, however, should this discourage you from filing a claim. In fact, the sooner you speak with a lawyer who can file your claim, the sooner your case will resolve, and the sooner you could receive the compensation you deserve.

Collecting compensation is vital to your physical recovery. When you are worried about paying your bills or do not undergo medical treatment because you are concerned about how expensive it is, that limits your ability to get back to your regular life. Working with a bike accident attorney in Bakersfield can give you the support you need. Your lawyer takes on the legal responsibility of working to collect compensation from the negligent driver while you focus on your physical recovery.

WILL I HAVE TO GO TO COURT IN MY BAKERSFIELD BICYCLE ACCIDENT CASE?

We know not everyone wants to set foot in a courtroom. People get nervous and anxious even thinking about it. We also know that you need money to cover your expenses. That is why we work hard to settle your case for a fair and reasonable amount and do so quickly.

Most Bakersfield bicycle accident claims settle out of court. But that does not always happen. When your bicycle accident injuries are severe or the driver is contesting their liability, that may require going to court to recover maximum compensation.

That is why you need a lawyer at your side with trial experience in helping bike accident injury victims recover compensation for their injuries. You do not want your lawyer’s first trial to be yours.

Gomez Trial Attorneys have helped accident victims prove that someone else caused their injuries and have helped them recover compensation from the at-fault party. We are not afraid of going to trial. We want to get you money as quickly as possible, but also do not want to see you get less money than what your case is worth. And sometimes, that requires going to trial.

CAN I JUST SETTLE MY BAKERSFIELD BICYCLE ACCIDENT CASE AND MOVE ON?

At every stage in the legal process, you have the right to accept a settlement offer. With a lawyer at your side, you can help make sure your settlement covers all of your needs. Without a lawyer, however, you could expose yourself to victimhood.

Days or weeks after your bike accident, you may receive a call from the insurance company representing the at-fault driver. The insurance company may try to settle your case for as little money as possible. Bicycle accident injury victims often get excited at the opportunity to settle their case and move on with their lives. Unfortunately for some, the initial settlement offer from the insurance company might not cover all your existing medical bills, let alone your future medical bills and other financial losses.

The insurance company may try to convince you that you should take this settlement right away, that it is their best offer, that it is only good today, and that you do not really need a lawyer who will just cut into your settlement anyway. Ultimately, what the insurance company will not tell you is that you could get a larger settlement with a lawyer than without.

That is because your lawyer will review the settlement offer, taking into account your medical prognosis, how much time you may be out of work, and if you can return to work at all. Looking at all of these factors, your lawyer can determine whether the initial settlement offer from the insurance company is enough to cover all of your present and future financial needs.

A word of caution if you decide to take a settlement offer without first consulting a trusted Bakersfield bike accident attorney: when you sign a settlement, you will likely waive your right to bring any future claims against the insurance company for your bike accident. So you need to be absolutely certain that your settlement offer covers all of your existing and future financial needs. Medical expenses commonly bankrupt people. Do not let this happen to you. Call us for a full case evaluation.

WHY DO I NEED A BAKERSFIELD BICYCLE ACCIDENT LAWYER FROM GOMEZ TRIAL ATTORNEYS?

Your lawyer’s job is to protect your rights. They do that by investigating your bicycle accident, working with medical experts to determine your future medical needs, and relying on their experience helping bike accident victims recover. Most importantly, your lawyer can be the aggressive legal advocate you deserve, fighting tooth and nail with the insurance company to help you collect maximum compensation for your injuries.

The last thing you want right now is to worry about covering your medical expenses or getting into a financial rut because of someone else’s bad actions. Speak with Gomez Trial Attorneys today at 866-TRIAL LAW (866-874-2552) to learn how we can help you get back on your feet.

INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT? GET A REAL TRIAL LAWYER. GET GOMEZ

Gomez Trial Attorneys
1825, 18th Street
Bakersfield, CA 93301
(619) 237-3490