Bicycle Accident Attorney Serving Tehachapi Riders

A bicycle crash claim in California usually turns on who was at fault, which deadline applies, and what losses you can pursue. This guide explains each point in plain words so you can take your next step with clear facts.

Bicycle Accident Attorney Tehachapi: Serving Kern County

Colvin Accident Lawyers represents cyclists and families hurt in bicycle crashes across Kern County, including Tehachapi. The practice is based in Bakersfield, and Donald Norman Colvin is the attorney responsible for it. Our team includes assistants and office staff who help keep each matter organized.

This page is for three kinds of readers. The first is a rider struck by a car, truck, or bus. The second is a cyclist hurt on a rural road or steep grade, where shoulders can be narrow. The third is a family facing a fatal bicycle crash.

A claim can cover the crash itself, injuries from minor to catastrophic, and wrongful death when a cyclist dies. Because a private driver and a public agency follow different rules, the first question is always who may be responsible.

Common Tehachapi Bicycle Crash Scenarios

Bicycle crashes often follow a few patterns, and each one points to different California rules.

• Turning or pulling out. A driver who turns across a rider’s path or pulls out without yielding can cause a crash at an intersection or driveway.
• Speed for conditions. Under Vehicle Code § 22350, no one may drive faster than is reasonable or prudent for weather, visibility, traffic, and the road.
• Doors and sideswipes. A car door opened into a rider’s path, or a vehicle drifting into a bike lane, can throw a cyclist off the road.
• Trucks and buses. Commercial vehicles can add more parties and insurance. Federal rules may require drug and alcohol testing of certain commercial drivers after crashes (FMCSA testing rules).
• Unsafe roads. A dangerous condition on public property, such as a deep pothole, may support a claim against a public agency when Government Code § 835 conditions are met.
• Driver leaves the scene. A driver in an injury crash must immediately stop at the scene under Vehicle Code § 20001. Hit-and-run crashes can also raise questions about your own uninsured motorist coverage.

Rural roads leave less room between riders and vehicles, so a small error can cause a serious crash.

Who Can Be Held Responsible and the California Rules That Apply

Responsibility can fall on the driver, the vehicle owner, or a public agency, depending on what caused the crash.

• The driver. The driver whose careless act caused the crash can be held responsible.
• The vehicle owner. Under Vehicle Code § 17150, an owner is liable for injury caused by someone driving with the owner’s express or implied permission. This can apply when a teen drives a parent’s car.
• A public agency. Under Government Code § 835, a public entity may be liable for a dangerous condition of its property. Either an employee’s negligence created the condition, or the agency had notice of it in time to act.
• Shared fault. Questions about how responsibility is divided after a crash are common, and they can be discussed during a free, confidential initial consultation with no obligation to continue. If you are unsure how your own actions might affect your claim, you can talk through those concerns with our team during a free, confidential consultation.
• Non-economic damages. Under Civil Code § 1431.2, each defendant pays non-economic damages only in proportion to its own percentage of fault.
• Two years to sue. Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1 says an injury action must be brought within two years. The California Courts Self-Help Guide notes that exceptions and tolling can apply.
• Six months for a public agency. Government Code § 911.2 requires a claim for personal injury against a public entity within six months. A late application may be possible under Government Code § 911.4, made within one year and stating the reason for delay.

Evidence fades quickly. Police reports, witness names, and the damaged bicycle can be lost or changed.

What a Bicycle Injury Claim Can Include

A bicycle injury claim can seek economic losses like medical bills and lost pay, and non-economic losses like pain and emotional distress.

• Economic losses. Civil Code § 1431.2 defines these as objectively verifiable monetary losses, such as medical expenses, loss of earnings, and repair or replacement costs.
• Non-economic losses. The same statute covers subjective losses such as pain, suffering, inconvenience, emotional distress, and loss of companionship.
• Future medical care. Ongoing treatment after an accident is a topic many clients ask about, and it can be discussed with the firm.
• Gear and property. A damaged bicycle, helmet, and other gear can fall under repair or replacement costs.
• Catastrophic injuries. Brain injury, spinal cord injury, and amputation often need long-term care planning. Early medical records matter.
• Wrongful death. Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60 lists who may bring a death claim, including a surviving spouse, domestic partner, children, and certain dependents.
• Uninsured drivers. Under Insurance Code § 11580.2, an auto liability policy must include uninsured motorist coverage unless the named insured agrees in writing to delete or reduce it.

Keep pay stubs and records of missed work to support lost earnings. No lawyer can know how a claim will end. Each claim turns on its own facts, documented injuries, and available insurance.

How a Bicycle Accident Claim Works With Colvin Accident Lawyers

A claim usually moves from a first consultation to evidence gathering, a liability review, a claim to the insurer, and then negotiation or a lawsuit.

1. Free first consultation. The first consultation is free, confidential, and comes with no obligation to continue.
2. Evidence gathering. We collect the police report, photos of the scene and bicycle, medical records, witness contacts, and any video.
3. Liability review. We compare the crash facts with California traffic law to see who may be responsible.
4. Claim presentation. The claim goes to the responsible party’s insurer. A claim against a public agency must follow the notice rules above.
5. Negotiation or lawsuit. Some claims resolve through negotiation. Others need a lawsuit to protect rights and deadlines.

How long each stage takes depends on the facts, including how long treatment lasts and how the insurer responds. Keep notes of medical visits and missed work, since those records support the losses described above.

Why Work With Colvin Accident Lawyers in Bakersfield

Colvin Accident Lawyers is a bicycle accident attorney Tehachapi families can reach from Bakersfield, led by Donald Norman Colvin.

• The attorney. Donald Norman Colvin is the lawyer responsible for the practice.
• Our team. Our team includes assistants and office staff who handle the day-to-day work around each claim.
• Practice areas. The firm handles car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, pedestrian, bus, dog bite, premises liability, catastrophic injury, and wrongful death matters.
• Bicycle focus with a broader view. Bicycle claims often overlap with car, truck, and bus claims, so the practice’s wider work applies here.
• Where we work. The practice serves riders in Tehachapi, Kern County, and nearby communities.

Frequently Asked Questions About Bicycle Accident Claims in Tehachapi

Short answers to common questions follow.