Law Offices of Mickey Fine / Bakersfield Bicycle Accident Lawyer

Bakersfield Bicycle Accident Lawyer

Name: The Law Offices of Mickey Fine
Address: 930 Truxtun Ave, Suite 110, Bakersfield, CA, 93301, United States
Telephone: (661) 333-3333
Price range: Free Case Review
Rating: 4.9

Jump to Frequently Asked Questions

Bakersfield Bike Accident Lawyers You Can Count On

If someone else’s careless driving or negligent behavior caused a bicycle accident that injured you or someone you love, you may qualify to pursue compensation from those responsible under California personal injury law. Unfortunately, the at-fault parties and their insurance companies don’t always step up to do the right thing in these cases. You deserve to have an experienced Bakersfield bike accident lawyer standing by your side, looking out for your best interests at every turn.

Bakersfield personal injury accident lawyers at The Law Offices of Mickey Fine have decades of experience in helping bicycle accident victims get every penny they deserve. We’d like to fight for that in your case too. Please contact us online to request a free consultation with no obligation and learn more about how we can help at no up-front cost to you.

Bakersfield Bicycle Accident Statistics

According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), bike accidents are on the rise in California. An estimated 761 fatal bicycle accidents occurred between 2016 and 2020, with 26 taking place in Kern County. Many more bike accidents resulted in serious injury.

Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents

In the majority of vehicle-bicycle accidents, the biggest share of legal fault is ultimately assigned to the motorist. Too often, car and truck drivers put bike riders in real danger, and all because the motorist is impatient or callous toward the cyclist’s rights or safety.

An experienced bicycle accident lawyer in Bakersfield can help you hold careless drivers accountable for their negligence, holding them to the highest standards of California’s bicycle safety rules and personal injury laws.

At The Law Offices of Mickey Fine, we have seen bicycle accidents transpire in a wide range of scenarios, many of which boil down to a motorist who didn’t mean to hurt anyone but who was nevertheless dangerously careless.

Common causes of bicycle accidents in California include:

Drivers failing to look for bicycle riders
Distracted drivers drifting or swerving into a bike lane, sidewalk, or highway shoulder
Drivers opening a car door without checking for clearance
Impatient motorists driving aggressively near a cyclist
Reckless driving (e.g. following too closely / “tailgating” the bicycle rider)
Passing a cyclist (“going around a bicycle”)
Texting while driving (or other forms of distracted driving)
Unsafe turns
Drunk driving
Drowsy driving
Speeding
Failure to yield the right-of-way

Bicycle Accidents Where No Other Vehicle Is Involved

While this webpage is primarily focused on vehicle-bicycle collisions, it is also true that many bicycle accidents do not involve another vehicle. Even in these cases, the cyclist can suffer serious injuries for which they must seek medical attention. A bicyclist in this situation may still be entitled to financial compensation, depending on the circumstances.

As a bike accident lawyer in Bakersfield, Mickey Fine and his team of attorneys can assist with a wide range of bicycle accidents, regardless of whether a motor vehicle was involved.

Common Injuries in Bicycle Accidents

A human being on a bicycle is no match for a two-to-three-ton motor vehicle moving at dozens of miles per hour. In a collision of any kind, there is a significant risk of severe injury. Common injuries sustained in bicycle accidents in California include:

Broken or fractured bones
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) / concussion
Road rash
Knee injuries
Neck, back, or spinal cord injuries
Disfigurement or disability
Loss of limb
Loss of vision
Cognitive impairment
Internal bleeding / internal organ injury

These are only examples. Every accident is different, and the human body is complex. Bicycle accident victims may suffer any number of unique injuries. No matter what your injuries might look like, a bicycle accident lawyer in Bakersfield can help. Our experienced legal team will work to gather as much evidence as possible to ensure that your injuries are not undervalued and that you receive maximum compensation.

At The Law Offices of Mickey Fine, we often consult with medical specialists, accident reconstruction specialists, and various other experts, meaning that no injury is too major, minor, unusual, or complex for our team of attorneys to handle.

What Can I Be Compensated for After a Bicycle Accident?

If you were injured in a bicycle accident caused by someone else’s negligence (careless driving, for example), you may be entitled to a greater financial recovery than you realize. In California, compensation after a bicycle accident may include:

Current and future medical expenses, including hospital and surgery bills
Lost income or wages
Loss of future earnings
Pain and suffering (mental anguish, emotional distress, PTSD, etc.)
Disability compensation
Disfigurement compensation
Property damage
Other losses caused by the accident

If your loved one has died in a California bicycle accident, you and your family may be entitled to wrongful death damages. An experienced bicycle accident lawyer in Bakersfield can help.

The specific damages available in any injury or wrongful death claim will depend on the facts and circumstances surrounding the accident. While it is impossible to promise or predict a particular outcome, at The Law Offices of Mickey Fine, we pledge to do everything we can to position your claim for the largest possible recovery.

Our Bakersfield bicycle accident lawyers have a long track record of getting personal injury victims the robust financial justice they deserve.

Does My Insurance Cover a Bicycle Accident?

If a vehicle driver is at fault for your bicycle accident, you are entitled to make a claim under that person’s auto insurance policy. In that sense, a bicycle accident injury claim proceeds much like a personal injury claim for any two-car collision would.

That said, bicycle accident cases do tend to be more complex than typical car crash cases.

Insurance companies defend themselves vigorously against bicycle accident claims. The injuries in these cases tend to be substantial, so the insurance company knows that there could be a lot of money on the line. They also know that an accident victim is less likely to take aggressive legal action if they aren’t represented by an attorney.

Hiring the right bicycle accident lawyer could make all the difference in your case. At The Law Offices of Mickey Fine, our Bakersfield bicycle accident attorneys have a great deal of experience in facing off against large and powerful insurance corporations, demanding that our clients get the full and fair compensation they deserve.

What if the Bicycle Rider Is Partly at Fault?

The defendants in these cases will often claim that the bicycle rider violated one of California’s bicycle laws or was otherwise at fault for their own accident.

Even if that is true, being partly at fault for your bicycle accident won’t stop you from being able to recover financial compensation.

California follows a rule called pure comparative fault, which means that even if the cyclist was negligent and, therefore, partly at fault for their own accident, the cyclist can still recover from the defendant. In this case, the cyclist’s damages will simply be reduced by their percentage of the fault.

Your experienced attorney can fight back against arguments that you were partially at fault or, alternatively, fight for the smallest possible percentage of fault in your case, with the goal of recovering the largest possible amount of money for you.

Talk to a Bicycle Accident Lawyer in Bakersfield About Your Options. The Law Offices of Mickey Fine Will Fight to Get You the Money You Deserve.

Don’t face the insurance companies on your own. A Bakersfield bicycle accident lawyer at The Law Offices of Mickey Fine can protect you throughout the claims process and will fight to maximize your financial compensation.

To learn more about your rights and options, please contact our office and schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. Time limits do apply to bike accident claims in California, so please don’t delay.

Call (661) 333-3333 to talk with an experienced bicycle accident attorney today, or contact us online right away.

We will never charge a fee for our services unless we get you money first. The initial consultation is absolutely free.

Law Offices of Mickey Fine – Bakersfield Office
930 Truxtun Ave, Suite 110
Bakersfield, CA 93301
(661) 333-3333

Jump to Frequently Asked Questions

Commonly Asked Questions About Bike Accident Claims in California

Does California Law Require Me to Wear a Helmet When Bicycling?

Bicycle helmet laws vary from state to state — and sometimes even from one county to the next.

In California, children age 17 and younger are required to wear an approved helmet at all times while on a bicycle. This applies regardless of whether the child is the sole occupant of the bicycle or is riding as a passenger. The same rule applies to motorized scooters, roller skates, and skateboards.

While California state law does not require adult cyclists (ages 18 and up) to wear a helmet while bicycling, some local communities do have such a requirement.

In fact, several California communities actively issue tickets to adults who bike without a helmet — even to nonresidents who are simply visiting or passing through.

Whether the law requires it or not, you should always wear a helmet when riding a bicycle. Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are among the most common bicycle injuries, and studies have consistently shown that wearing an approved helmet can significantly reduce the risks of catastrophic injury and death.

While it is illegal to sell unapproved or noncompliant helmets in California, some older or deficient helmets do make their way into the second-hand market. Always confirm that your helmet meets state-issued safety standards and fits securely on the cyclist’s head.

Can I Still Recover Compensation with a Bike Accident Claim If I Wasn’t Wearing a Helmet?

Failure to wear a helmet — even by children (or by adults in areas where helmets are required) — will not necessarily prevent you from recovering financial compensation for your injuries in California.

Talk to a Bakersfield bicycle accident lawyer at The Law Offices of Mickey Fine to learn more about your rights and options under the law.

The Police Report States That Someone Else Was at Fault for My Bicycle Accident. Why Do I Need an Attorney?

In any accident claim, the police report is only part of the story. While these reports provide important and persuasive evidence, they are not necessarily determinative, and they can be challenged. Indeed, insurance companies will sometimes deny liability even in the face of a police officer’s finding to the contrary.

But even if the police report is accepted without challenge and the issue of fault is clear, the insurance company is unlikely to offer you full and fair compensation without a fight. Remember: the insurance adjuster’s job is to pay you as little money as he or she can get away with.

An experienced Bakersfield bicycle accident lawyer can fight for your financial rights at every turn.

The right attorney will work to defend the police report, establish the insurance company’s liability, demonstrate the financial value of your damages, and persuade the insurance company that giving you the compensation you deserve is the best way for the insurer to avoid a risky, costly trial. And if a settlement still isn’t possible, your lawyer can represent your best interests in court.

Should I Talk to the Insurance Adjuster Before Consulting an Attorney?

No. The insurance adjuster is not on your side. He or she will make every effort to use your statements and actions against you. Adjusters are carefully trained to sound friendly while asking leading questions, attempting to “trap” you into a statement against your own interest or an admission of fault.

Adjusters are also known to pressure bicycle accident victims into hasty settlement offers, which may represent far less than the dollar amount you’re truly owed.

The less you say to the insurance company, the better. Instead, tell them to talk to your lawyer. A Bakersfield bicycle accident lawyer in our office can help.

Never accept an offer or sign any paperwork from the insurance company without consulting a Bakersfield bicycle accident lawyer first.

What Should I Do If I Was Struck by a Hit-and-Run Driver?

Unfortunately, hit-and-run accidents involving cyclists are not at all uncommon in California. Hitting and running is a crime in our state, and it can leave victims with limited recourse. However, there is hope. You may have more options than you realize. Begin by taking these steps:

Call law enforcement. Report the hit-and-run. Stay put until an officer arrives. If anyone needs emergency medical attention, call 911.

Get as much evidence as possible. Photographs, video surveillance, written observations, and eyewitness contact information can all be useful. Be sure you know where and when the accident happened. It may be possible to identify the hit-and-run driver after the fact. If you aren’t able to gather evidence yourself, ask a friend or someone else at the scene to help.

Seek medical attention. Even if you aren’t critically injured, see a doctor (M.D.) as soon as possible. It’s important for your health and for your personal injury claim.

Talk to a Bakersfield bicycle accident lawyer ASAP. You may have a number of options for recovering compensation after a hit-and-run bicycle accident. We’re here to help.

How Soon Should I Contact an Experienced Bicycle Lawyer in Bakersfield, CA?

The sooner you talk to an attorney, the better. Personal injury claims take time to prepare. By talking to a lawyer soon after the accident, you are putting time on your side.

A Bakersfield bicycle accident lawyer can work to guard your interests throughout the entire claims process.

Is There a Statute of Limitations for Bicycle Injury Claims in California?

The statute of limitations for bicycle injury claims in California is two years from the date of the accident. Generally speaking, victims must file a claim within this time period or will forever lose the right to do so. However, a number of exceptions apply. Calculating the statute of limitations is not always as simple as it might seem.

Please don’t assume that you do (or do not) have ample time left for filing a claim. The timeline for your particular claim may be different than you expect. To find out how much time you have, contact our office and set up a free consultation with a Bakersfield bicycle accident lawyer as soon as possible.