Managing Partner
Have you recently been injured in a West Covina bicycle accident? While any unexpected accident can be devastating, bicycle crashes tend to be particularly serious. As a bicyclist, you are relatively unprotected in the event of an accident, which increases the likelihood of suffering a serious injury or death. Bicycle injuries often require extensive medical treatment and can force you to miss time at work. As a result, the financial consequences of your accident can be overwhelming.
At Glotzer & Leib, LLP, our experienced West Covina bicycle accident attorneys can help you get the money you need and deserve after an unexpected accident. Call us today to schedule a free case evaluation with our skilled legal team. Our personal injury lawyers in West Covina will review the details of your accident, determine the best legal strategy for your cause, and explain your legal rights. Your first consultation is free, so do not hesitate to call now.
More Americans are choosing to bike as an alternative means of transportation. Biking has several benefits, including:
While biking can be a great alternative to driving, it can also be dangerous. While biking has gained popularity in recent years, many cities have not kept up with the demand for safe biking infrastructure. As a result, roads are not necessarily built for to accommodate bicyclists and motorists. Since bicyclists have little in the way of protection, they are more likely to suffer a serious injury in a crash.
As more bicyclists hit the road, the number of bike accidents also increases. In West Covina, the number of injury-causing and fatal bike accidents has fluctuated in recent years:
As you can see, the number of bike accidents in West Covina jumped significantly in 2012. However, by 2014, the number of accidents had actually decreased by a fairly significant amount. Why? In 2011, West Covina began to take affirmative steps to make its roads safer for cyclists and pedestrians. The city released an Active Transportation Plan that outlined its intent “to identify and prioritize existing pedestrian, bicycle, and other non-automobile transportation issues affecting West Covina.”
Today, West Covina is considering changing its infrastructure to include dedicated paved bike lanes, increased signage for all travelers, and other measures to continue the reduction of bike accidents in the city.
Accidents involving cyclists can be devastating. While California bicycle law requires all minors to wear a helmet while riding a bike, adults are not subject to the same rule. As a result, many adults forego the safety of a helmet and suffer significant head injuries in a crash. Even when cyclists do wear a helmet, the chances of suffering an injury to another part of the body are quite high.
At Glotzer & Leib, LLP, our West Covina bicycle accident attorneys are prepared to help you recover compensation for your crash-related injuries. Over the past two decades, we have successfully helped injured bike accident victims recover meaningful compensation for a wide range of injuries, including:
Call us today to schedule your free case evaluation. We can help you get the money you deserve after your West Covina bike accident.
If you’ve been injured in a West Covina bicycle accident, you may be entitled to compensation. In California, accident victims have the right to recover monetary damages from the person (or people) responsible for an injury. At Glotzer & Leib, LLP, we will fight to make sure that you are able to recover all damages to which you are entitled. In most cases, you’ll be able to collect both economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are awarded to compensate for the verifiable financial costs of an accident. These damages can be used to reimburse you for out-of-pocket expenses you’ve already had or cover the bills you anticipate having. Examples of economic damages include those for:
In California, economic damages cannot exceed your actual (and projected) financial costs.
What if you suffer an injury that doesn’t necessarily have a direct nor quantifiable financial cost? Non-economic damages can be awarded to compensate for those injuries that (a) vary from case to case and (b) are difficult to value. Examples of non-economic damages include those for:
In most cases, there will not be a limit to the award of non-economic damages that can be awarded. Juries generally have the discretion to determine how much these injuries are worth in your specific case. This is why monetary awards can vary significantly from one case to another.
It’s important to know that while you have the right to file a personal injury lawsuit, California law limits the amount of time you have to pursue a claim. The state imposes a strict statute of limitations in personal injury cases. If you don’t file your claim within two years of your accident, your ability to recover the money you need will be compromised.
There may be certain circumstances beyond your control that prevent you from filing a lawsuit within this two-year period. If this happens, you may be able to toll (or pause) the statute of limitations for a period of time. Once the “tolling factor” is no longer an issue, the statute of limitations will continue to run. This gives you additional time to file a claim without penalty.
Tolling factors may include:
Sometimes bike accidents will happen because the government has not properly maintained its roads. If the government is to blame for your accident and injury, you have the right to file a claim for damages against it. However, claims against the government are subject to a special set of rules. Your claim must be filed (a) with the government agency itself, and (b) within 180 days of your accident.
Contacting an experienced West Covina personal injury attorney immediately after your bicycle accident can help to ensure that your claim is filed on time. Call Glotzer & Leib, LLP today to learn more about how we can help you after your bike accident.
Have you or someone you love recently been injured in a West Covina bicycle accident? If so, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact Glotzer & Leib, LLP to find out how we can help you maximize the settlement or award you receive. We know that an unexpected injury can be devastating and will fight to protect your legal rights.
Our West Covina personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, which means that you don’t have to worry about legal fees until we win your case. We don’t get paid until we recover compensation on your behalf. Call us today to schedule your free case evaluation and learn more.