Rancho Cordova Bicycle Accident Lawyer

There are many people who enjoy the outdoors by getting out on a bicycle, and you can find bikes anywhere here just like anywhere else in California. Some bikers mostly use the City of Rancho Cordova’s bicycle network. The network includes class I bike paths, class II bike lanes, and class III bike routes. The bike lanes connect various parks and recreational areas and also connect to the American River Bike Trail.

The bike lanes are alongside roads such as Folsom Blvd, Douglas Rd, Coloma Rd, Routier Rd, Old Placerville Rd, International Drive, and more. 

Most drivers are aware of sharing roads and lanes with cyclists, but when they are negligent or reckless and it leads to a collision with a person on a bike, the resulting injuries can be severe.

A person on a bicycle does not have the protection of a steel cage. In most cases, they also are wearing lightweight clothing, so there is not even that layer of protection. This leads to serious injuries, and in far-too-many cases, fatalities. Some of the most common types of injuries include:

• Concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
• Fractures or broken bones, including painful and slow-healing breaks to arm and leg bones
• Severe spinal injuries, leading to paraplegia or quadriplegia
• Severe abrasions from contact with the road or sidewalk surface often referred to as “road rash”
• Injuries to internal organs

These injuries frequently require months, if not years, of continuing treatment and rehabilitation. Many bicycle accident victims are no longer able to work in the career they pursued before the accident.  This means that there are bills that they cannot pay, without even factoring in the medical and other costs associated with the accident. Further, a person no longer may be able to enjoy the life that he or she led before the accident. There must be some recognition of this pain and suffering. At the Edward A Smith Law Offices, our Rancho Cordova bicycle accident attorneys are committed to getting the results that our clients need to move forward with their lives. We also are passionate about holding responsible parties accountable for the harm that they caused.

There are many different types of bicycle accidents, but some of the ones that we encounter most often include:

• A driver who negligently opens a door into the path of an oncoming bicyclist.
• A vehicle turns left in front of a bicyclist proceeding straight through the intersection. In many of these cases, the driver was not paying sufficient and simply did not see the bicyclist or thought that he or she could complete the turn before the bike got through the intersection.
• Backing into the roadway. As with any time a vehicle backs up, the driver must take care to ensure that the path is clear. This is particularly important with a bicyclist who might be hard to see.
• Merging into the path of a bicyclist. Bicyclists often are less visible and a driver may not see the bike until he or she has moved into another lane and impacted the bike and rider.
• Unsafe passing. A driver of a motorized vehicle must provide ample space when passing a bicyclist, but people often are reckless in these situations, traveling too close and at high rates of speed. These types of collisions regularly lead to devastating injuries and fatalities on the roads throughout Rancho Cordova and the surrounding areas.
• Unsafe road conditions. When a municipality does not maintain the roads and allows hazards such as potholes, debris, and protrusions to make the roadway a dangerous place, it can lead to serious bicycle accidents.

Bicycle accidents can cause extensive physical and emotional trauma. It is important to take care of yourself or a family member.  

The video below provides safety tips on how bicyclists can share the road safely with other vehicles.

I’m Ed Smith, a Rancho Cordova bicycle accident lawyer. If you or a loved one has suffered an injury in a bicycle accident caused by the negligence of another, call me now at 916.921.6400 or 800.404.5400 for free, friendly advice. 

We are members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the National Association of Distinguished Counsel.

See a list of our past cases on our verdicts and settlements page and our client reviews on Avvo, Yelp, Google.

Photo by StockSnap_RG2VUMP21B

Editor’s Note: This page has been updated for accuracy and relevancy [cha 1.9.20]