Northern California Speeding Driver Bicycle Accident Lawyers

The privilege of driving on the roads of Northern California and the surrounding areas comes with responsibilities. Unfortunately, many automobile drivers across the state of California do not uphold their responsibilities when it comes to allowing bicycle riders to enjoy their rights to use the roads. One of the most important things a driver can do to keep their fellow road users safe from harm is to obey the speed limit. When someone behind the wheel of a motor vehicle drives at excessive speeds and collides with a bicycle, the result for a bike rider can be catastrophic or even deadly.

If you have recently been injured in a bicycle accident that was caused by a speeding driver, you have the right to file a claim for compensation for the losses you have suffered as a result. The experienced Northern California bicycle accident lawyers of Tiemann Law Firm are committed to protecting the rights of injured cyclists and ensuring that they get the justice they deserve.

To find out more about how our skilled personal injury team can help, call us today at (916) 999-9000 or contact us online. The initial consultation is always free, so you have nothing to lose.

Bicycle Accident and Speeding Statistics

In a recent study by the California Office of Traffic Safety, 65 percent of drivers believed that it was safe to drive ten miles per hour over the speed limit on freeways. This behavior is not only illegal, but it also puts lives at risk. In a recent year, 1,056 fatalities occurred in vehicle collisions involving speeding, and thousands more people were injured. Northern California County was one of the counties that saw the most speed-related collision fatalities and serious injuries.

Bicyclists are perhaps the most vulnerable group of road users when it comes to accidents that involve excessive speed. Because they are largely unprotected, bike riders often end up in far worse conditions in these accidents when compared to drivers of motor vehicles. According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there is a clear correlation between a driver’s speed in an accident and the likelihood of a serious or fatal injury to a bicycle rider.

Common Injuries in Bicycle Accident Victims

If a bicycle accident victim survives the initial impact of a speed-related collision, they are likely to suffer serious injuries that can still be life-threatening. They may endure catastrophic injuries that leave them with a lifetime of medical challenges. Some of the injuries that speed-related bicycle accident victims may suffer include:

• Concussion. A concussion happens when the brain is jostled within the skull, which can easily happen when a speeding automobile strikes a bicyclist. The victim may experience symptoms such as dizziness, confusion, nausea and vomiting, slurred speech, or even loss of consciousness.
• Traumatic Brain Injury. A TBI might result from a particularly severe concussion. If a person suffers a fractured skull, they could also have permanent brain damage, depending on the injury directly to the brain. A serious TBI may happen to a bicycle accident victim even if they are wearing a helmet.
• Paralysis. If the accident damages the cyclist’s spinal cord, they may experience paraplegia (paralysis from the waist down), quadriplegia (paralysis from the neck down), or another type of paralysis. Paralysis victims could require assistance and special care for the rest of their lives.
• Internal Bleeding. Because a cyclist’s body is not protected, an accident with a speeding car or truck can easily cause blunt force trauma to the torso. This can lead to internal bleeding and organ damage.
• Broken Bones and Joint Dislocation. The average weight of a passenger car is around 4,000 pounds. The momentum of one of these vehicles moving at an excessive speed can cause any bone in the cyclist’s body to fracture. If the rider attempts to break their fall when they have been thrown from the bike, the resistance when they land can cause joints to dislocate as well.
• Road Rash. When a cyclist slides along a rough road surface, the friction can remove several layers of skin, even if the rider is wearing protective gear. In particularly serious instances of road rash, skin grafts will be necessary.
• Amputation. Sudden amputation can occur during an accident if the impact of the collision leads to blunt force trauma to one of the cyclist’s limbs. Alternatively, the limb may need to be surgically amputated as a result of irreparable damage sustained in the accident.
• Facial and Dental Injury. If a collision causes a cyclist to hit the road face first, they may chip or lose teeth or may fracture facial bones.

Compensation for Bicycle Accident Injuries

All these injuries have the potential to be incredibly serious and might require immediate and ongoing medical attention. This can lead to a mountain of medical bills and could require that the injured person take time off work while they heal. Some accident victims’ injuries prevent them from returning to work at all, creating a considerable financial strain on their lives. Economic stress is often coupled with feelings of emotional suffering related to being unable to enjoy favored activities due to the injury and even post-traumatic stress disorder caused by the accident itself.

People injured in bicycle accidents that weren’t their fault deserve to be compensated for their losses. While the money you recover will never make up for what you have experienced, it can at least pay for your medical bills, reimburse you for your missed time at work, and offer you a way of building a new way forward in life.

Contact a Northern California Bicycle Accident Attorney

If you have been injured in a bicycle accident that was caused by a driver who was exceeding the speed limit, you do not have to feel that you are alone. The experienced Northern California bicycle attorneys of Tiemann Law Firm are here to help you. We will stand up for your rights and will fight every step of the way to recover the compensation you deserve. Contact us today by calling (916) 999-9000 or filling out our online form for a free, same-day consultation with a member of our legal team. We look forward to getting to work for you.