San Francisco Bicycle Accident Attorney

One of the most sensational ways to experience San Francisco is on a bicycle. Pedaling through Golden Gate Park, the Japanese Tea Garden, the Botanical Gardens, and the Marin Headlands is an experience like no other.

While the excitement of biking is undeniable, it also brings certain dangers. In San Francisco, these dangers are particularly prevalent due to the combination of urban and rural roads. 

At Wilshire Law Firm, we recognize the distinctive difficulties confronting cyclists and are dedicated to assisting individuals involved in accidents. Our skilled San Francisco bicycle accident attorneys are unwavering in pursuing justice and fair compensation for our clients.

Why Choose Our San Francisco Bicycle Accident Attorney Firm?

Wilshire Law Firm is the right choice for bicycle accident victims in San Francisco. We have 15 years of experience handling bicycle accident claims, and it’s given us a deep understanding of what it takes to win these types of cases. 

We know that bicycle accidents frequently result from the negligence of others and are committed to holding those people responsible. 

By choosing San Francisco personal injury lawyers at Wilshire Law Firm, you enlist the support of over 500 legal professionals tirelessly working to secure justice in your favor. Our track record includes recovering over $1 billion for our clients, including a recent triumph of $18.5 million in a trial verdict for a case involving spinal and groin injuries stemming from a motorcycle accident. 

These outcomes underscore our extensive experience and unwavering commitment to ensuring our clients receive the compensation they deserve.

We’ve strategically located our San Francisco office for easy client accessibility. Situated near the San Francisco Ferry Terminal Gate B, our office at 75 Broadway, Suite 202, provides a convenient and welcoming environment for clients to discuss their cases with our team of San Francisco bicycle accident lawyers.

San Francisco Bicycle Accident Compensation

Gaining a comprehensive understanding of the full spectrum of available compensation following a bicycle accident is an initial crucial phase in your legal process.

With Wilshire Law Firm’s team of bicycle accident attorneys in San Francisco, we meticulously examine every facet of your case to ensure full compensation.

Here is an explanation of the types of compensation available in bicycle accident cases and how we prove and recover them.

Medical bills

In bicycle accident claims, a big part of the money you might get is for your medical bills. This covers everything related to your accident treatment, like emergency care, time in the hospital, surgeries, medicine, physical therapy, and any ongoing medical help you’ll need.

We gather all your medical papers, bills, and professional opinions about future medical needs to show these costs are accurate. We team up with doctors to ensure we have a complete record of your injuries and treatment. This way, we know your claim covers all the money you need for your medical bills now and in the future.

Lost wages and earning capacity

If your injuries stop you from working, you could get money to compensate for your missed pay. This covers the money you couldn’t earn because of the accident and what you might not earn in the future if your injuries affect your ability to work for a long time.

We have professionals who figure out these losses correctly. They look at how much you used to earn, what jobs you could get, and how your injuries might affect how much money you make in the future.

Pain and suffering

This kind of compensation deals with the physical and emotional pain you went through because of the accident. Unlike medical bills or lost wages, it’s harder to determine how much this is worth.

Our lawyers are experienced in showing how much pain and suffering you’ve experienced. They do this by using your account of what you’ve been through, getting evaluations from professionals in psychology, and showing how your life has changed since the accident.

Punitive damages

Sometimes, if the person who caused the accident did something really bad, they might have to pay extra money as punishment to make sure they don’t do it again and discourage anyone who hears about it from doing the same to someone else.

We have 15 years of experience finding cases where we have asked for this extra punishment money making strong arguments to get it.

Property damage

Property damage compensation usually includes fixing or getting new stuff like your bicycle or other things broken in the accident. 

We help by collecting estimates for repairs, reports on how much your stuff was worth, and proof of what shape your things were in before the accident. This way, you’ll get the right amount to cover what you lost.

What Are the Most Common Bicycle Accidents in San Francisco?

The five most common types of bicycle accidents are:

• Vehicle collisions: When a car or a truck hits a bicycle, it’s usually at intersections or when a vehicle turns.
• Dooring accidents: In these accidents, a cyclist is hit by a car door opened suddenly.
• Rear-end collisions: When a vehicle hits a cyclist from behind, it typically happens at intersections, stoplights, or on the road when a driver fails to notice the cyclist.
• Intersection crashes: These accidents occur when a vehicle fails to yield the right-of-way to a cyclist.
• Unsafe road conditions: Poor road conditions, such as potholes, uneven pavement, or debris, can cause them to lose control and crash.

Everyone must take precautions, such as wearing helmets, obeying traffic laws, and staying visible, to reduce the risk of accidents and keep cyclists safe.

What are the Most Common Types of Bicycle Accident Injuries?

Cyclist vs a vehicle aren’t very good odds. More often than not, the cyclists get the worst of the situation.

These are the typical injuries:

• Head injuries: Head injuries, such as concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), are a big concern in bicycle accidents, even if you’re wearing a helmet.
• Fractures and broken bones: Cyclists often suffer fractures and broken bones, especially to the arms, legs, wrists, and collarbones, when they fall or are struck by a vehicle.
• Road rash and abrasions: When cyclists slide along the pavement, they can sustain road rash and abrasions, which are painful skin injuries that can lead to infections.
• Soft tissue injuries: These injuries involve muscles, ligaments, and tendons, resulting in sprains, strains, or tears.
• Internal injuries: Internal injuries, such as internal bleeding, organ damage, or punctured lungs, happen in more severe accidents.
• Spinal cord injuries: Serious bicycle accidents can cause spinal cord injuries, paralysis, or long-term disability.
• Facial injuries: Facial injuries, including cuts, fractures, and dental damage, can occur when a cyclist’s face contacts the ground or an object during an accident.
• Psychological trauma: Some individuals may experience psychological trauma, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or anxiety, following a traumatic bicycle accident.

The severity of injuries can vary widely, from minor cuts and bruises to life-changing or fatal injuries. 

Where Can Bicycle Accidents Happen in San Francisco?

In San Francisco, California, bicycle accidents can happen anywhere. Some potential hotspots are based on our social cycling trends and infrastructure. 

Here are some San Fran locations where bicycle accidents could be more likely to happen:

• School and University Areas: Roads and intersections near the University of San Francisco and other educational institutions are popular for cyclists and hotspots for accidents.
• Shopping Districts: Areas in San Francisco with a high density of shops, restaurants, and businesses, such as Sacramento Street, the Tenderloin, and the SoMa area, enjoy a mix of pedestrian, vehicular, and bicycle traffic, frequently leading to accidents, especially during peak hours.
• Busy Urban Intersections: Intersections, such as those connecting to Market Street and other densely populated roadways, are typical sites of bicycle accidents. These areas have heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic, increasing the risk of bicycle collisions.

Contributing Factors in These Areas

According to the NHTSA report, some of the most common bicycle accidents include:

• Visibility Challenges: Bicyclists face reduced visibility to motorists, especially within bustling traffic zones or dimly lit streets.
• Road Hazards: Cyclists are exposed to significant danger from potholes, uneven road surfaces, and debris, all of which can result in accidents.
• Driver Conduct: Bicycle accidents in urban environments often stem from inattentive driving, speeding, and neglecting the right-of-way by motor vehicle operators.
• Insufficient Infrastructure: Accident risks rise in regions lacking proper cycling infrastructure or where motorists poorly marked and disregarded bike lanes.

Recognizing these potential high-risk areas and contributing factors benefits both cyclists and us at Wilshire Law Firm as legal professionals handling bicycle accident cases. 

This knowledge empowers cyclists to exercise caution in San Francisco’s specific areas and guides our legal approach when investigating and pursuing bicycle accident claims within the city.

Battling the Insurance Company After a Bicycle Accident

Dealing with insurance companies following a bicycle accident in San Francisco is incredibly frustrating.

They love to use avoidance tactics like downplaying injuries, disputing liability, and making lowball settlement offers to short you on your money. Our San Francisco bicycle accident attorneys at Wilshire Law Firm have years of experience in countering these tactics, using our training and deep knowledge of personal injury law to negotiate and advocate on your behalf and help you receive your due compensation.

Downplaying Injuries

Insurers frequently try to downplay the extent of your injuries to decrease the value of your claim. We work with healthcare professionals to compile thorough records of your injuries, guaranteeing they receive complete acknowledgment and compensation.

Questioning Liability

Insurance companies often seek to contest liability, endeavoring to assign partial or full responsibility to the cyclist. Our defense strategy revolves around meticulous evidence collection to establish the opposing party’s culpability.

Lowball Offers

Insurance companies offer settlements below your claim’s actual value soon after the accident in the hope that you will take it before speaking with an attorney and learning the actual value of your claim. 

We offer counsel on your claim’s fair value and negotiate assertively for a proper settlement.

Social Media Monitoring

Certain insurance companies monitor social media profiles to search for evidence contradicting your injury claims. Our approach involves counseling clients on managing their public and online presence and contesting the insurance company’s deceptive surveillance discoveries.

Paperwork and Legal Jargon

Insurance companies might employ intricate legal terminology and extensive paperwork to exploit the claimant’s limited legal understanding. We assist our clients in navigating this documentation, guaranteeing the safeguarding of their rights.

Delay Tactics

Insurance companies use delays in claims processing to coerce claimants into accepting reduced settlements. We proactively monitor claim progress and, when necessary, take legal actions to prevent unjustified delays.

How Wilshire Law Firm Proves and Recovers Compensation

Our approach to establishing and recovering bicycle accident compensation includes:

• Gathering evidence: We collect all necessary evidence, including medical records, employment records, and witness statements, to build a strong foundation for your claim.
• Collaborating with professionals: We work with medical professionals, accident reconstruction teams, and financial analysts to provide testimony and insights that substantiate your claims.
• Skillful negotiations: Our attorneys utilize their negotiation abilities to ensure insurance companies offer fair settlements that reflect the true extent of your losses.
• Litigation ability: If negotiations do not yield a fair settlement, we are fully prepared to take your case to trial, where our experienced trial attorneys will advocate vigorously on your behalf.

We understand what it takes to win a bicycle accident case at Wilshire Law Firm. 

Our San Francisco bicycle accident lawyers ensure every aspect of your compensation is thoroughly addressed, giving you the support and peace of mind you need to heal. 

Do not hesitate to contact us for legal assistance for your bicycle accident claim. Allow us to alleviate the legal burdens so you can concentrate on what matters most – your recovery and well-being.

Count on us to be your advocate and guide as you pursue the justice and compensation you rightfully deserve. Call us at (213) 712-4459.

Our San Francisco Location

Wilshire Law Firm

75 Broadway, Suite 202
San Francisco, CA 94111
Tel: (415) 968-4279