As a bicycle accident attorney team in San Francisco, we pride ourselves on being a valuable resource for survivors of bike accidents and sometimes for the families of bicycle riders who have suffered fatal injuries in bicycle accidents. We are also proud members of the Santa Clara, San Mateo, and San Francisco and California Bicycle Coalitions. We know, understand, and will fight for the rights of bicyclists in San Francisco and throughout California.
Our San Francisco bicycle accident lawyers represented a 40-year-old man who was struck by a car while riding his bicycle on the bike path in Lafayette, California. The elderly man who was driving the automobile also struck a telephone pole and died from severe trauma to his chest. Our client, a husband and father of two daughters, sustained a major head injury, including coma, and permanent brain damage. His past medical bills were more than $500,000. Because of his severe brain damage, our client needed to live in a rehabilitation facility or institution. Experts forecasted that he would never return home or to work again. A doctor from Stanford University, hired by the defense attorney for the driver’s estate, claimed that the offending driver had suffered a sudden heart attack before the crash, which would mean that he was not negligent, and therefore not at fault for striking the bicyclist. Our attorney were able to show, through our own experts retained at U. C. San Francisco, who microscopically examined slides of the decedent’s heart tissue, that the heart attack occurred after the crash, when the driver hit the pole. Our bicycle accident attorney achieved a settlement of $3,500,000 against the estate of the driver, after this case was filed in the Contra Costa Superior Court. As a part of our settlement, our attorney negotiated $1,000,000 for the bicycle rider’s wife, for damages for loss of consortium, or loss of the care and comfort and affection of her husband. Also, as a part of the settlement, our attorney negotiated an 80% reduction of the workers compensation lien.
George’s unwavering determination, profound understanding, and sincere approach are unmistakable when he engages with clients and offers advice to those seeking assistance. George values all relationships equally, whether with clients, potential clients, individuals seeking guidance, or fellow lawyers. He provides direct and personalized service to his clients, ensuring they receive the attention they rightly deserve.
“The best thing about them is that they really care.” – Karen F.
If you have sustained an injury in a bicycle accident, you need help from an attorney with vast experience handling these types of cases. At Choulos, Choulos & Wyle, we are ready to help today.
Bicycle Accident Resources:
A large part of our San Francisco bicycle accident law firm is devoted to representing people injured while engaged in traveling other than in cars, including cyclists, pedestrians, and MUNI passengers. We support alternative ways to commute, because of the many benefits to the environment, as well as to the health of the traveler, and also because one less car decreases traffic and parking congestion. We also advocate changes to legal regulations to make the roads safer for all users, not just trucks and buses and cars.
Because both CCW partners are avid cyclists, we attract many clients who have the same hobbies and interests, and we have handled hundreds of bicycle collision cases, many all the way through trial. We find people are much more comfortable consulting with an attorney who understands where they’re coming from, and who also have a passion for bicycling. Our lifelong joy of cycling also gives us a better understanding of the dynamics of bicycle collisions and a clear advantage over the opposition, who usually does not ride or understand how bikes work.
Our California bicycle accident attorneys know how to handle any claim for a bike accident injury to the benefit of the cyclist who has suffered:
As experienced bicycle accident attorneys in San Francisco, we have witnessed the tragic results, including cyclist fatality, when automobile drivers or truck drivers or bus drivers have failed to respect the bicyclists’ right to Share the Road. We are prepared to advocate vigorously through bicycle accident lawsuits for the right to compensation for bicyclists who have been harmed by the unreasonable conduct of others.
Many of our clients have recovered substantial settlements and verdicts after suffering a catastrophic injury such as brain damage or spinal cord injury. We also represent mountain bike riders whose bicycles have failed due to a defective part, and we represent families of riders who have been killed in hit and run cyclist/car collisions due to driver negligence and we represent bicycle riders who have suffered serious injuries because of dangerous roadways.
At Choulos, Choulos & Wyle, we know that victims of bicycle accidents are often in precarious financial situations due to the incident. That is why we are proud to take San Francisco bicycle crash cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that our clients face no upfront or out-of-pocket costs for their case. Clients only pay legal fees after we secure the compensation they deserve through a favorable settlement or verdict.
There are various types of compensation available to bicycle crash victims who have been injured due to another person’s negligence. While the specifics of each case will vary, the San Francisco personal injury attorneys at Choulos, Choulos & Wyle regularly help clients recover the following:
After you contact the police and file an official report, contact the San Francisco bicycle accident lawyers at Choulos, Choulos & Wyle. We know how to properly preserve evidence after a bicycle accident in San Francisco so that it will be admissible and helpful in court if you ever need it. Often times, the driver of the motor vehicle is at fault, and it’s crucial to take the following steps immediately after the bicycle accident to retain important pieces of information:
If your injuries are severe, have a family member or good friend help you to preserve the evidence, particularly the roadway evidence which is likely to disappear very quickly. By remaining calm and following these steps, you can help us to preserve the evidence needed to help ensure you receive the fullest compensation available. If you retain our firm, we also will send investigators to the scene to document all of the important evidence and to get copies of any pertinent video evidence and to get statements from any and all witnesses.
There are actually many factors that can cause a San Francisco bicycle accident and police reports often oversimplify the cause of a bicycle crash. Our team will conduct a thorough investigation to get all factors that have caused or contributed to a bike accident by looking beyond the police report.
Our investigations include looking at other drivers who may have triggered the incident, dangerous road conditions, and defective components and products. In our years of experience, we’ve seen bad pavement maintenance, inadequate signs and warnings along roadsides, ineffective guardrails and even defective traffic lights create a trap for even the most careful of riders.
According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, we know that there were 155 bicyclist fatalities during the latest reporting year and that more than 11,000 bicyclists sustained injuries in crashes. Despite the Vision Zero initiative in San Francisco, bicycle accidents still regularly occur.
In many cases, a bicycle accident is caused by dangerous roadway conditions. Various government agencies (state, county, city) are responsible for maintaining roadways and ensuring the hazards are cleared or repaired. However, we know that bicycle accidents regularly happen due to:
In California, the statute of limitations for filing a personal injury claim is generally two years from the day an incident occurs. This means that bicycle accident victims will have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit against an alleged at-fault party.
Please note that the statute of limitations is lowered to six months for cases involving the negligence of a governmental agency (i.e. poor roadway conditions or if a bicyclist is struck by a city vehicle).
Due to the varying statutes of limitation for these cases, you should speak to a qualified San Francisco bicycle accident lawyer as soon as possible to ensure you receive maximum compensation for your claim.
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We take pride in our track record as attorneys who expose driver negligence and dangerous road conditions and the defective products that endanger bikers. Our efforts in insurance negotiations and courtrooms have enforced accountability for reckless driving behavior and led to roadway improvements as well as enabling injured cyclists to recover badly needed compensation for medical care, lost wages and pain and suffering, and other damages. Call us or fill out our convenient online consultation request form.
If you are involved in a bicycle collision… Read more about protecting your legal rights
