In 2008, two bicyclists who were riding on a two-lane road in Brentwood were injured when Christopher Thomas supposedly pulled out in front of them in his car.  This resulted in one of the riders going through Thompson’s windshield, and the other being slammed into the ground after being tossed several feet into the air.  The cyclists claim that Thompson yelled at them, then proceeded to pull out in their path and slam on his brakes.  Thompson’s attorney alleges that the accident was caused because the bicyclists yelled profanities at the doctor, who faces four felony charges.

With an increase in the number of bicyclists over the last several years, it seems that conflicts between motorists and those who ride bikes is increasing.  More people are riding bicycles all over the United States, including California.  Between 2000 and 2008, according to statistics, bicycling across the country has risen by 43 percent.  The increased awareness of the environment has also contributed to this rise, as more people view bicycling as a “green” method to travel.  Not only that, bicycling is cheap, and is a very effective activity for better fitness.

Many cities in California have experienced an increase in those who ride bicycles, but have not seen a rise in accidents that involve bicyclists.  This is thought to be due to the fact that because so many people are riding, motorists have become more aware of them and drive safely.  In fact, bicycling increased by 66% in Marin County between 1998 and 2008, but accidents between motorists and bicyclists in this county decreased by 34%.

Although many people are using bicycles as a mode of transportation, the accident rates still haven’t risen nearly at the rate that fatal motorcycle accidents have.  In 2008, the NHTSA showed that 716 fatal bicycle accidents occurred, which was a drop of 6% when compared to 1998.  While this is good news, Los Angeles personal injury lawyers are still concerned about bicycle accidents, and the rising number of severe injuries that result when a crash occurs.

The Reeves Law Group has offices across California, and is dedicated to representing Los Angeles bicycle accident victims, including victims of bicycle accidents.  Please contact us for a free consultation at (800) 644-8000.

The young woman, a mere 21 years old, was riding her bike along the street one day when she was hit by an oncoming trolley car. There was no way for the woman to get out of the way of the trolley as there were buses blocking her exit route. The woman incurred serious injuries that have led to brain damage. Doctors are still unsure of the long term prognosis, but they have said the brain damage may be permanent. The woman was attending school with the hopes of becoming a successful graphic designer.

There are several details to the woman’s accident that must be taken into account in a court of law. It’s true that the woman was driving against traffic on the left side of the street. Bicyclists are traditionally advised to ride on the ride side of the street with traffic, not against it. The woman was forced to go against the grain, however, because of large amount of college students making their way to class on foot. There was no room for her to ride her bike on the right side of the street because there was no bike lane. The sidewalk was also obviously crowded with fellow college students. Therefore, the woman rode on the left as not to be late to her upcoming class. On the left side of the road as well, however, the school and the city of Azusa neglected to mark a proper bike lane in which the woman could ride. In fact, there was not even a sidewalk to speak of on the left hand side of the street. The woman was forced to ride on the left side of the street, close to oncoming traffic. In this type of scenario, it was virtually inevitable that an accident would occur.

The woman is now in the process of filing a personal injury claim against both Azusa Pacific University and the city of Azusa. Having remained for seven months in a hospital following her accident (two of which were spent in a coma), the young woman has accrued over one million dollars worth of medical expenses as a result of her injuries. Although many of her injuries have healed nicely thus far, she may never fully recover all of her previous brain function, making her dreams of becoming a graphic designer less achievable. Personal injury lawyers are working to help her receive compensation for her medical expenses, as well as lost income that she may stand to lose if the brain damage remains.