Paramount Bicycle Accidents
Paramount Bicycle Accident Lawyer
Bicycles and e-bikes provide Paramount residents with an affordable way to commute, exercise, visit local businesses, and connect with nearby recreational trails. However, traveling by bicycle also leaves riders vulnerable when drivers fail to share the road safely.
A bicyclist struck by a car, truck, or delivery vehicle may be thrown onto the pavement or pushed into another vehicle. If a careless driver injured you or someone in your family, a Paramount bicycle accident lawyer at the Law Offices of Robin D. Perry & Associates can help you pursue compensation for your medical expenses, lost income, pain, and other losses. Our office at 100 Oceangate, Suite 525, Long Beach, CA 90802 is conveniently accessible from Paramount via the I-710 corridor. Call us at 562-216-2944 or complete our contact form to take the first step toward your legal solution.
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Bicycle Accident Attorneys Serving Paramount, California
Paramount’s compact size can make bicycling a practical option for short trips. Riders may travel through residential neighborhoods, commute to work, bike to school, or visit businesses along Paramount Boulevard, Alondra Boulevard, Rosecrans Avenue, Somerset Boulevard, Downey Avenue, and Garfield Avenue.
These corridors also carry commuters, buses, rideshare vehicles, delivery vans, and commercial trucks traveling between Paramount and surrounding communities such as Long Beach, Bellflower, Downey, Compton, South Gate, and Lakewood. Cyclists may encounter fast-moving traffic, vehicles entering commercial driveways, cars parked along the street, and drivers turning across their path.
Paramount also has access to valuable recreational and regional bicycle resources. The Los Angeles River Trail passes through the area and can be accessed near Ralph C. Dills Park. The city has also participated in planning efforts intended to improve connections between the Los Angeles River Bicycle Path and the San Gabriel River Trail. These pathways give cyclists alternatives to riding entirely in mixed traffic. However, bicycle riders may still need to use city streets to reach a trail, travel between disconnected routes, or complete the final portion of a commute.
California Office of Traffic Safety data recorded 18 bicyclists killed or injured in Paramount collisions in 2022. Six of those victims were younger than 15. Paramount ranked ninth among 104 similarly sized California cities for bicyclist victims under age 15. The city also ranked eighth for hit-and-run collisions and ninth for nighttime crashes. These risks can be particularly serious for bicyclists, who are more difficult for inattentive drivers to see and have little protection from an impact.
Common Causes of Paramount Bicycle Accidents
Drivers are responsible for watching for bicycles and operating their vehicles safely. Bicycle accidents frequently happen because a motorist:
- Texts or uses a phone while driving
- Speeds
- Follows a bicycle too closely
- Passes without leaving sufficient space
- Turns right across a cyclist’s path
- Makes a left turn in front of a bicycle
- Runs a red light or stop sign
- Fails to yield at an intersection
Children riding near schools, parks, or residential streets may be especially vulnerable because they can be more difficult for drivers to see. Motorists should exercise appropriate caution in areas where young riders are likely to be present.
Commercial traffic can present additional dangers. Trucks and delivery vehicles have larger blind spots and may need extra room to turn. A cyclist traveling beside a truck can become hidden from the driver’s view, particularly when the truck turns right or changes lanes.
Types of Bicycle Accident Claims We Handle
The Law Offices of Robin D. Perry & Associates represents cyclists injured in accidents involving passenger vehicles, commercial trucks, delivery vans, buses, Uber and Lyft vehicles, distracted or drunk drivers, and hit-and-run motorists. We also handle claims arising from unsafe passing, right-turn and left-turn collisions, dooring accidents, dangerous road conditions, defective bicycle components, and fatal bicycle accidents.
Our firm also represents people injured while riding e-bikes when another party’s negligence causes the crash. As e-bikes become more common on Paramount streets and trails, drivers must remain alert for riders traveling at different speeds and approaching intersections or driveways.
Common Bicycle Accident Injuries
A bicycle collision can cause two separate impacts: the initial impact with the vehicle and a second impact with the roadway, curb, or another object. Common injuries include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Neck and back injuries
- Spinal cord damage
- Broken arms, legs, ribs, or collarbones
- Facial and dental injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Road rash
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Paralysis
- Emotional trauma
A helmet may reduce the risk of certain head injuries, but it cannot protect a cyclist from every form of trauma. Even a properly equipped rider can suffer catastrophic injuries when struck by a speeding vehicle or commercial truck.
How Is Fault Determined in a Bicycle Accident?
Recovering compensation generally requires evidence showing that another party acted negligently and caused the collision. A bicycle accident investigation may include reviewing the traffic collision report, photographs of the scene, surveillance or other video recordings, witness statements, dashboard camera footage, vehicle and bicycle damage, skid marks, debris, traffic signal timing, road and lighting conditions, cellphone records, medical documentation, and accident reconstruction evidence.
Insurance companies sometimes blame the cyclist by alleging the rider was difficult to see, was not using a designated bike lane, or entered the intersection unexpectedly. These allegations should be evaluated against the complete evidence rather than accepted as fact.
California follows a comparative negligence system. An injured cyclist may still recover compensation if the cyclist was partly responsible, although the award may be reduced based on the assigned percentage of fault. A Paramount bicycle accident attorney can challenge efforts to place an unfair share of responsibility on the rider.
What If a Road Hazard Caused the Crash?
Bicycle accidents are not always caused by a moving vehicle. Potholes, broken pavement, debris, unsafe construction zones, defective traffic signals, poor lighting, or inadequate warnings may contribute to a crash.
The party responsible for the property or roadway could include a private business, contractor, property owner, or government entity. Claims involving a public entity follow special procedures and may require an administrative claim to be presented within six months.
Compensation for Injured Bicycle Riders
A bicycle accident claim may seek compensatory relief for:
- Ambulance transportation
- Emergency room care
- Hospitalization
- Surgery
- Doctor and specialist appointments
- Diagnostic testing
- Physical and occupational therapy
- Prescription medication
- Future medical treatment
- Lost wages
- Reduced future earning capacity
- Bicycle repair or replacement
- Damage to a helmet, phone, clothing, or other property
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Permanent disability or disfigurement
Severe injuries may affect a cyclist’s ability to work, care for family members, live independently, or participate in favorite activities. A claim should account for the complete effect of the accident—not only the medical bills already received.
When a bicycle collision results in death, eligible family members may be able to pursue a wrongful death claim for funeral expenses, lost financial support, and the loss of their loved one’s companionship and care.
Contact a Paramount Bicycle Accident Lawyer Today
If you or your child was injured while riding a bicycle or e-bike in Paramount, the Law Offices of Robin D. Perry & Associates is ready to help.
Call (562) 216-2944 or complete our online contact form to schedule a free consultation with a Paramount bicycle accident lawyer. You pay no upfront attorney fees, and we collect a fee only if we successfully recover compensation for you.
Learn more about our Paramount personal injury services.
