When a vehicle collides with a California bicycle rider and causes injury, the cyclist is often entitled to significant compensation. A negligent driver may owe for your medical bills, lost days of work, emotional suffering, and other damages related to your bike accident injuries.
Injured cyclists begin to wonder how much compensation they might be able to claim and whether starting legal action is worthwhile. This article addresses the average value of California bicycle accident claims including how much you might win in a settlement with the help of a bike accident injury lawyer.
What is a Bike Injury Claim?
Bike injury claims arise when people are hurt in bicycle accidents due to the negligence of others on the road. These claims are a subset of personal injury accident claims, which help make people whole after losses from unexpected accidents.
Ideally, the other person has ample vehicle insurance to cover such a situation and you’ll be able to leverage the value of their policy to arrange a settlement that completely covers your losses and more. The U.S. Department of Justice reports that almost 95% of all personal injury cases end in settlements, with only about 5% going to trial.
In a small number of cases, the other party refuses to come to an arrangement for various reasons like believing they’re in the right or just being stubborn. An experienced bike accident injury lawyer can help you build a strong case to pursue a successful outcome in court.
What is the Average Bicycle Accident Settlement in California?
According to Thomson Reuters research on jury verdicts and settlements, the average monetary award for all California personal injury cases is about $1.8 million and the median verdict is about $114,000. Bicycle accident settlement values can vary widely due to unique circumstances, including where a defendant has extreme injuries and astronomical medical costs, for example.
Most case values are built on a foundation of the injured person’s medical bills, continuing medical costs, lost wages, lost earning capacity, reduced quality of life, and pain and suffering damages. Many other factors in a bicycle accident claim can also add to your case value or detract from it, including your share of fault, witness testimony, the police report, and other evidence.
To understand the potential value of your case, it’s most helpful to look at other California cases that are similar to your situation. Here are several examples to shed light on your potential case value.
$500,000 After Uber Driver Hits Cyclist in Bike Lane
A 28-year-old San Francisco cyclist was using a designated bike lane when an Uber driver in a large SUV tried to make a right turn into her path. After the SUV struck her, she landed on her face and received deep, severe lacerations to her face and arms. During her recovery, she chose to work with the team at Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers to reject an offer of $350,000 and ultimately secure a much higher settlement of $500,000.
$500,000 When Driver Fails to Yield to Cyclist
A robotics software engineer was making his daily commute when a driver failed to yield to him in a marked bike lane and knocked him into the road. He had severe injuries to his face and teeth, plus a brain injury that needed emergency surgery. Not only did Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers fight for maximum compensation, but the team also negotiated the healthcare bills down with medical providers, resulting in a total $500,000 settlement value.
$215,000 for Injured Cyclist Grandfather
A driver hit a 69-year-old avid cyclist and grandfather in Saratoga. He suffered a fractured neck, nose, and ankle, and was very concerned about his long-term health outlook. Our team at Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers negotiated with the insurance and medical providers to cover his medical bills, reassure him about his recovery, and leave him with more than $130,000 in his pocket.
As you can see, case values for injured cyclists can be significantly higher than the California median verdict if you work with an assertive lawyer who stands up for what you deserve. Browse Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers’ case results for more stories about real California cases where we’ve helped injured people secure valuable awards.
Contact Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers for California Bicycle Accident Claims
When you need a settlement to assist with your recovery from a cycling accident, contact Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers. We have decades of combined experience securing high-value bike injury claims. Many of us are avid cyclists right here in California, just like you.
We’re a caring, compassionate, and experienced team of California bike accident injury lawyers. We’ll help you pursue the settlement you need to cover your medical bills, lost wages, and much more. Call 877-380-8852 today and request a free case evaluation.
