Oroville is a great place to go for a bike ride. The city is surrounded by beautiful scenery. Trails like the Freeman Trail and those in the Oroville State Wildlife Area attract many cyclists from local and other parts of California. An increasing number of people choose to ride their bikes as a form of transportation across the U.S. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of people who bike to work has risen by over 60 percent in the last decade alone. However, riding a bicycle has serious risks, especially when sharing the roadway with motor vehicles. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 1,000 cyclists die, and around 470,000 are injured annually in U.S. accidents. Furthermore, the CDC estimates that over $10 billion in monetary losses are suffered from U.S. bicycle accidents annually.

Because bicycle accidents can mean severe damages, injured cyclists can usually claim compensation for their injuries from negligent parties. Under California law, at-fault motorists must accept responsibility for the damages they have caused and reimburse injured cyclists for their losses.

However, cyclists severely injured in an accident have a lot on their hands. Injured cyclists often try to recover and return to their daily lives after their injury. On top of physical and emotional stress, pursuing a personal injury claim can be difficult without help. If you have been injured in a bicycle accident in Oroville, our injury attorneys are available to give you advice about your legal options and help you move forward with getting the payments you deserve. Call us at (530) 392-9400 for a free consultation.

Bicycle accidents frequently happen in Oroville. A UC Berkeley research data shows that over 90 traumatic bicycle accidents occurred in Oroville over the past ten years. These accidents accounted for almost 10 percent of all traumatic auto accidents in Oroville and caused numerous serious injuries.

Almost all of these accidents were the fault of negligent drivers. Driver negligence is a legal term used to describe reckless driving behaviors. A driver is considered negligent when violating a traffic law or neglecting to pay attention to the road. Careless driving behaviors include the following:

• Improper turning
• Failure to yield
• Driving in bike lanes
• Speeding
• Cutting off a cyclist
• Tailgating
• Driving under the influence
• Failure to apply brakes in time to avoid a crash
• Driving while distracted

In other cases, accidents can be caused by a city or state government’s failure to ensure their roads are safe. Governments in charge of maintaining roadways and bicycle lanes ensure that roads are not hazardous and can often be liable for negligence when they fail to keep roadways safe. Some common examples of roadway hazards include:

• Insufficient signage
• Potholes
• Lack of bicycle lanes
• Inadequate lighting during the night
• Severe bumps or cracks in the road
• Poorly designed intersections

The following video provides essential bicycle safety tips for adults.

Another common cause of bicycle accidents is defective parts. Cyclists rely on their bikes to work correctly, and issues like faulty brakes, pedals, etc., can easily lead to severe collisions. When a bicycle part causes an accident, the makers, retailers, and sellers can typically be considered negligent and responsible for damages. These cases are referred to as “product liability claims.”

If you suspect you were involved in a collision because of a poorly made bicycle, our law firm can investigate the accident and pursue a claim against the parties responsible for selling you a dangerous product.

Because bicyclists do not have the same protection as passengers in a vehicle, they suffer severe injuries at a high rate. While cyclists can make sure they wear protective, bright clothing and helmets, cars are much larger and move at much higher speeds, meaning that cyclists are liable to suffer a wide range of injuries in the event of a crash. Many of our past clients have sustained the following types of trauma during a bicycle crash:

• Traumatic Brain Injuries
• Chest trauma, including lung damage
• Internal bleeding
• Bone fractures
• The spinal cord, back, and neck injuries
• Nerve damage

Recovering after an accident takes time and, most often, money. Injured cyclists are frequently left with steep medical care bills and need expensive therapy to fully recover. In addition to these costs, recovering from an injury often means taking time off of work. An injured cyclist may not continue their career in severe cases due to chronic injury symptoms.

These financial stresses can be a significant burden on individuals and their families. For this reason, injured cyclists can seek payments for various losses. Some of the damages that cyclists can recover include:

• Medical expenses
• Lost income
• Loss of income potential
• Emotional distress
• Punitive damages
• Pain and suffering

If you or someone you care about was injured during a bicycle accident, call our experienced Oroville bicycle accident lawyers at (530) 392-9400 or (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly advice.

^{Editor’s Note: updated [cha 11.29.23] Photo: “bicycle” by snapwire through pexelscco ms cha [cs 871]}