{"id":1538,"date":"2026-10-23T04:28:49","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T04:28:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/34-138-224-95.nip.io\/accidental-death-claims-california-family-guide\/bicycle-accident-death-claim-kern-county\/"},"modified":"2026-10-24T08:13:52","modified_gmt":"2026-10-24T08:13:52","slug":"bicycle-accident-death-claim-kern-county","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/colvinaccidentlawyers.com\/resources\/accidental-death-claims-california-family-guide\/bicycle-accident-death-claim-kern-county\/","title":{"rendered":"Bicycle Accident Death Lawyer Kern County | Colvin"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
<\/span>\"An
\n

Bicycle Accident & Wrongful Death | Kern County<\/p>

Bicycle Accident and Wrongful Death Cases in Kern County<\/h1>

Colvin Accident Lawyers, based in Bakersfield, represents cyclists injured in crashes and families who have lost a loved one. Your first consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation to continue.<\/p>

Get a Free Case Consultation<\/a><\/div>
Get a Free Case Consultation<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

By Donald Norman Colvin \u00b7 Published October 23, 2026<\/p>\n\n

\n\n\n

If someone you love died in a bicycle crash in California, your family may have a wrongful death claim. A bicycle accident death lawyer in Kern County can explain who may sue, what the claim can cover, and which deadlines apply. Colvin Accident Lawyers is based in Bakersfield. This page explains the basics in plain language.<\/p>\n

What a Bicycle Accident Death Claim Is and Who Can Bring It<\/h2>\n

A bicycle accident death claim is a lawsuit that eligible family members bring after a cyclist dies because of someone else’s wrongful act or negligence. The claim is not the same as the cyclist’s own injury claim, and it belongs to the people the law allows to sue.<\/p>\n

California Code of Civil Procedure \u00a7 377.60<\/a> lists who may sue. That includes a surviving spouse, domestic partner, and children. If there is no surviving issue, persons who would inherit the decedent’s property may sue.<\/p>\n

Dependents may also have standing. Dependent parents, stepchildren, and certain putative spouses can sue in some cases. A minor who lived in the cyclist’s household for the previous 180 days and relied on the cyclist for half or more of their support may also sue.<\/p>\n

Two kinds of claims can come from one crash. A wrongful death claim covers losses the survivors suffer. A survival action covers losses the cyclist suffered before death, but not damages for pain, suffering, or disfigurement, except as Code of Civil Procedure \u00a7 377.34(b)<\/a> provides for actions granted a preference before January 1, 2022, or filed on or after January 1, 2022, and before January 1, 2026. Under Code of Civil Procedure \u00a7 377.30<\/a>, a surviving cause of action passes to the decedent’s successor in interest, subject to the Probate Code, and an action may be commenced by the decedent’s personal representative or, if none, by the decedent’s successor in interest.<\/p>\n

Paperwork matters, too. See Code of Civil Procedure \u00a7 377.32<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

\n

If your family is facing a wrongful death claim after a cyclist's death, you don't have to sort out the facts alone; our team can talk with you about the crash. Talk it through with our team — the first consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation.<\/p>

Get a free consultation<\/a><\/div>
Get a free consultation<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
\"A<\/figure>\n

Common Ways Fatal Bicycle Crashes Happen<\/h2>\n

Bicycle crashes<\/a>, including fatal ones, can involve a driver who turned across a cyclist’s path, failed to yield, followed too closely, or drove too fast for conditions. Each pattern depends on the facts of the crash.<\/p>\n