Maison Law Accident and Injury Lawyers of Fremont helps people that have been injured in bicycle accidents. Unfortunately, riding a bike makes you particularly vulnerable to head injuries, even with a helmet on. What’s worse, more so than other types of injuries, head injuries usually significantly upend your life. If you find yourself in this situation, contact us today for a free consultation to explore your options.
Should You Get a Lawyer?
You don’t have to hire a lawyer after a bicycle accident, but if you’ve sustained a head injury, it’s often a good idea to seek professional help. While minor accidents might not require legal assistance, head injuries are usually more serious and can benefit from extra legal support that our team can provide. In these types of cases, our team will help you by:
- Figuring out who’s at fault
- Gathering medical records
- Reconstructing the accident
- Working with brain injury experts
- Negotiating with insurance companies
- Guiding you through the legal process
We’re here to make things easier for you and provide the support you and your family need during your recovery. But the first step in the legal process is figuring out who all is responsible for the accident–and your injuries.
Who Pays For Your Losses After a Bicycle Accident?
While a head injury is serious, it doesn’t alter the legal process that follows a bicycle accident. Just like any other type of accident, there will be people or groups that will be legally responsible for covering your damages, known as “liability.” Depending on the specific circumstances of your bicycle accident, this liability may fall on several different people:
- Drivers – Those who drive recklessly, such as speeding or driving under the influence.
- Bicycle makers – Companies that make defective bikes or faulty equipment.
- Government agencies – Local or state authorities that do not maintain safe roads or provide proper signage.
- Other riders – Riders who behave irresponsibly and cause accidents.
While you can’t eliminate the risk of bicycle accidents, you can take steps to lower your chances of head injuries. Always wear a helmet, follow traffic rules, stay visible, avoid distractions, ride defensively, regularly check your bike, and be mindful of road conditions. Even still, head injuries from an accident can be serious, so it’s important to know your recovery options and legal rights.
What Are Your Legal Options Following a Bicycle Accident and Head Injury?
Dealing with a head injury after a bicycle is extremely difficult. Usually at minimum, it impacts your body, mind, and emotions, and the medical bills and other losses quickly add up.
The law understands these difficulties and lets you ask for financial help, called “damages.” To get this support, you’ll need to show how much you’ve lost. Whether you file an insurance claim or take legal action, you may be able to recover:
- Medical expenses – This covers all bills related to your medical care, including hospital stays, surgeries, therapies, and necessary equipment.
- Lost income – This covers income you’ve missed out on due to the injury, including potential future earnings and benefits.
- Emotional distress – This covers costs related to any anxiety, sadness, and other emotional struggles resulting from your injury.
- Property damage – This covers costs for repairing or replacing any damaged personal property, like your bike or gear.
- Pain and suffering – This covers any physical pain and mental anguish caused by the injury.
- Reduced quality of life – This covers financial support for being unable to take part in things you enjoyed before the injury. It also covers costs associated with the strain on personal relationships due to your injury.
- Wrongful death expenses – This covers any costs related to funerals and burials if the injury results in death.
These damages are crucial for your recovery and help address the many challenges you and your family face. But even though these are pretty extensive, you still have to file your claim within two years of the date of the accident. This means it’s crucial to act quickly, but it’s equally as important to take steps to strengthen your claim.
What Can You Do To Strengthen Your Bicycle Accident Claim?
With head injuries, everything is made more difficult. Simply just trying to make your way through your everyday life is challenging, let alone thinking about your potential legal options. But at the same time, to make your case stronger, it’s important to show how the accident has affected you. Here’s what you can do to strengthen your accident claim:
- Get medical help first – Your top priority is getting medical care. If possible, get paramedics to help you at the scene. Then, make sure to visit a doctor or urgent care for more treatment.
- Report the accident – Call the police or sheriff to report the accident. Not only is this often required, but it also helps clear the scene and creates an official report with key details about what happened.
- Collect evidence – If you’re able, gather evidence at the scene. Take pictures, record videos, and note down important details about the accident so you can provide a clear account later.
- Stick to your treatment plan – Follow the plan your doctor gives you to recover properly.
- Keep records of everything – Hold onto documents related to your injury, like medical bills, treatment plans, and any communication with insurance companies.
These steps are essential for all types of head injuries. Since these situations can be tough to handle, our team is here to support you and gather all the necessary details to strengthen your case.
What Types of Head Injuries Can Happen To You in a Bicycle Accident?
One of the toughest parts about head injuries after a bicycle accident is that they can vary a lot, each with its own symptoms and effects. Even a minor bike accident can cause serious head injuries. Another challenge is that head injuries are hard to diagnose. It often takes detailed medical tests and specialists to fully understand how severe the injury is.
Usually, though, head injuries in bicycle accidents include things like:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Concussions
- Skull fractures
- Brain bruising
- Hemorrhages
- Nerve damage
Because these injuries are so serious, it’s important to take steps to protect both your health and your legal claim. Your recovery will largely depend on the legal process and the damages you’re able to get, and our team will be there to shepherd your claim throughout the process.
Legal Support for Head Injury Victims in Fremont Bicycle Accidents
Dealing with life after a bicycle accident, especially with a head injury, can be overwhelming. At Maison Law Accident and Injury Lawyers of Fremont, we’re here to support not just your legal claim, but your entire recovery. We want to make sure you have what you need for a successful claim. For legal support after a bicycle accident in Fremont, contact us today for a free consultation.