Hurt in a Bicycle Accident in Kern County? Talk With Colvin Accident Lawyers

Colvin Accident Lawyers is a bicycle accident law firm in Bakersfield. It represents injured cyclists and the families of riders who die in crashes. If you were hurt on a bike in Kern County, you can talk with the firm before you decide what comes next. This guide explains how these crashes happen, what to do first, what a claim can cover, and how California deadlines work.

Who Colvin Accident Lawyers Represents After a Bicycle Crash

Colvin Accident Lawyers represents cyclists hurt in crashes and families who lose a loved one on a bike in Kern County. The practice handles cases from Bakersfield, Delano, Tehachapi and the rest of the county.

The types of cases the firm handles include:

• Riders hit by cars, trucks or buses while sharing the road
• Cyclists hurt when a driver opens a car door into a bike lane, called dooring
• Riders injured by road hazards on public or private property
• Families handling a wrongful death claim after a fatal crash

The firm also handles car, truck, motorcycle, pedestrian, bus, premises liability, catastrophic injury, dog bite and wrongful death matters. Many bicycle cases involve more than one party, such as a driver and a property owner. Sorting out who may be responsible is often the first real task. Readers in Fresno, Visalia, Lancaster and Palmdale can also contact the Bakersfield office about a bicycle crash.

How Bicycle Crashes Happen and What Injuries They Cause

Many bicycle claims involve a driver who did not see, yield to or give room to a rider. Common driver mistakes include failing to yield at intersections, turning left across a cyclist’s path, and rear-end impacts. Distracted driving and hit-and-run collisions also cause serious harm.

Road conditions cause some crashes. Potholes, debris, uneven pavement and poorly kept lanes can throw a rider off the bike. When a public agency controls the road, California law allows a claim for a dangerous condition only in limited cases. One key question is whether the agency knew, or should have known, about the hazard in time to fix it. Government Code § 835 sets out these conditions.

Riders often suffer road rash, broken bones, head and brain injuries, spinal injuries and internal injuries. Some need surgery or long rehabilitation. These injuries can change work, family life and daily routines for a long time.

What to Do in the First Days After a Bicycle Crash

Get medical care first, then protect the evidence that shows how the crash happened. Early steps make a claim easier to prove.

1. See a doctor the same day, even if injuries seem minor. Keep every visit record, bill and prescription receipt.
2. Call the police and get the report number and the officer’s name.
3. Write down the driver’s name, contact details and insurance information, plus any witness names.
4. Photograph the scene, the bicycle, your injuries, vehicle damage, lane markings and traffic signs.
5. Keep a daily log of pain, missed work and activities you cannot do.
6. Keep the bicycle and gear as they are instead of repairing or discarding them.

If the driver fled, note that California law requires a driver in an injury accident to immediately stop the vehicle at the scene under Vehicle Code § 20001.

An insurance adjuster may call early and ask for a recorded statement. You can talk with a lawyer before you give one.

What a Bicycle Injury Claim Can Include

A bicycle injury claim can seek economic losses and non-economic losses caused by the crash. In a personal injury, property damage, or wrongful death action based on principles of comparative fault, each defendant’s liability for non-economic damages is “several only” and not joint, so each defendant is liable only for the non-economic damages allocated “in direct proportion to that defendant’s percentage of fault.” The same section defines “economic damages” as “objectively verifiable monetary losses including medical expenses, loss of earnings, burial costs” and other listed losses (Civil Code § 1431.2).

Economic damages are objectively verifiable money losses. Examples include medical expenses, lost earnings, burial costs and the cost to repair or replace property. Non-economic damages are subjective losses, such as pain, suffering, emotional distress and loss of companionship.

Under Civil Code § 3333, damages for a breach of duty not based on contract generally cover the detriment the wrongful act proximately caused, except where otherwise expressly provided by this code.

When more than one defendant is at fault, each may owe non-economic damages only for its own percentage of fault.

Medical bills, liens and insurance limits also affect what a person keeps. Each claim depends on its own facts, so this page cannot predict a value.

How a Claim With Colvin Accident Lawyers Works, Step by Step

A claim moves from a first consultation to case review, investigation, a claim to the insurer and, if needed, a lawsuit.

• Step 1: First consultation. You describe the crash, your injuries and any papers you have.
• Step 2: Case review. The police report, medical records and insurance information are gathered and organized.
• Step 3: Investigation. The team requests witness statements, scene details, vehicle information and medical documentation.
• Step 4: Claim to the insurer. The claim goes to the at-fault party’s insurer, followed by negotiation.
• Step 5: Lawsuit if needed. A lawsuit may be filed before the deadline runs if a fair resolution is not reached.

California generally allows two years from the injury to file a personal injury lawsuit (California Courts Self-Help Guide). Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1 applies the same two-year period to injury or death caused by another’s wrongful act.

If a public agency may be responsible, a written claim generally must be presented within six months for death or personal injury. See Government Code § 911.2. Timelines vary with the injuries, the insurer’s response and whether the case goes to trial.

How Colvin Accident Lawyers Handles Bicycle Cases in Bakersfield

Donald Norman Colvin, a California attorney, handles these matters from the firm’s Bakersfield office. Our team of assistants and office staff helps with records, scheduling and communication during a case.

The firm handles bicycle, car, truck, motorcycle, pedestrian, bus, dog bite, premises liability, catastrophic injury and wrongful death claims. Each matter is reviewed on its own facts.

The first consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation to continue. To prepare, bring the police report number, medical papers and any letters from insurers.

Common Questions About Bicycle Accident Claims in Kern County

Common questions include fault, deadlines and talking to insurers. Short answers to those questions follow.

Colvin Accident Lawyers, Donald Norman Colvin, [street address], Bakersfield, California — responsible for this site.