Riding a bicycle can be a great way to save money on transportation costs. Also, it is a healthy alternative to driving a car as it requires you to stay active and fit. Many people even choose to ride bicycles to avoid the stress of driving cars, especially in the Los Angeles area. However, with bicycles, there still are some potential risks that may occur. Especially with bikers who share the road with other cars and pedestrians, the potential for injury can be significant. When it comes to riding a bicycle, there are certain precautions you should take. For instance, you should always make sure to wear protective gear and to be aware of your surroundings. There may be a multiplicity of situations in which you may be in a bicycle accident which may lead to serious injury. Depending on the circumstances of the accident, your injuries may be minor or they can be quite serious.
If you have recently been involved in a bicycle accident and have sustained major or minor injuries as a result, you can receive legal help. Our team Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorney is experienced with handling personal injury cases related to bicycle accidents. For some people, they may find themselves in an accident that was in no way their fault. When this happens, they should be able to receive proper financial compensation for what they need. We aim to provide the Los Angeles area with personal injury attorneys who are knowledgeable about personal injury laws and have the experience to fight for their client’s rights.
Bicycle Accidents
Bicycle accidents are quite common even in the state of California. According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were just about 467,000 bicycle accident-related injuries in 2015. Almost, over 1,000 bicyclists had died that year due to an accident across the nation. Bicycle accidents can have serious consequences on both your health and on your finances. Injuries stemming from accidents can lead to large medical bills for treatment which can put a strain on anyone.
Every bicycle accident is different and can lead to different outcomes. There are many factors at play when you do ride a bicycle that can determine the outcomes of the accident. These can include road conditions, weather, whether or not you are wearing protective gear, your ability to handle the bicycle, the state of the bicycle, when you are bicycling, and more. Just like with a car accident, a bicycle cycle accident can occur out of nowhere. Bicyclists are at high risk of being in an accident. Not only do they have to stay aware at all times when they are bicycling, but they must always be aware of others around them who may not notice them at all. Depending on the factors involved, you may be left with serious injuries or with none at all.
If you have been in a bicycle accident that was a result of another individual's negligence, then you might be able to take your case to court with the assistance of a personal injury attorney.
Below is a list of just some of the common types of injuries that may occur if you get into a bicycle accident. Of course, there are many factors at play when it comes to an accident of any type. If you have been in an accident, your injuries may be unique and vary in degree.
Minor Acute Injuries
For bicycle riders who have been in an accident, their injuries are often located in the upper and lower extremities. This can include your arms, legs, and your head. These are often the parts of your body that will make contact with the ground or other objects first. Also, these are body parts that often wear protective gear such as a helmet, knee guards, and elbow guards.
Some of the most common injuries a bicyclist may sustain are minor ones. Often these may occur in cases where you have fallen off of your bicycle, hit a curb, or hit another object. Besides scrapes and cuts, these may result in different injuries depending on the circumstances.
Contusions and Abrasions
A contusion is an area of your skin or tissue that has become bruised. These are quite common and may be a result of many different types of situations. For example, if you have simply fallen from your bicycle and onto the asphalt, you may develop some contusions along your legs or your arms. Usually, these will heal on their own.
An abrasion is a scrape across your skin. Again, this type of injury is very common, especially for bicyclists. An abrasion may occur in a variety of situations. For example, if you have fallen off your bicycle and you have skidded across the asphalt, you may have some scrapes along any open skin that was impacted. Contusions may also appear alongside an abrasion. Again, this type of injury will usually heal on its own.
Lacerations
Another common type of minor injury is a laceration. This may also be referred to as a cut. This common for anyone on a bicycle. If on a bicycle, you may sometimes contact with another object that may cause a cut on your flesh.
Strains
A strain is yet another common minor injury that bicyclists may face regularly. Strains develop when you have overextended your muscles or if you have twisted your muscle. These can cause significant pain, but they are still minor in nature. Often, these injuries can heal itself over time.
Fractures & Broken Bones
Other common types of bicycle accident related injury may be bone fractures and broken bones. Bicyclists are especially susceptible to these types of injuries since there is no real barrier between their body and everything else on the road. These injuries may range in severity from thin cracks in your bones or a major break. Whatever the case may be, these can be quite painful and severe types of injuries for anyone.
Example:
- Lana was riding her bicycle down a major roadway. As she was going past the parked cars along the street, a car door opens right in front of her. Since she had no time to move out of the way, Lana crashes into the door and is flung onto the road. Upon impact with the asphalt, she awkwardly lands on her arm and breaks the bone.
The above situation describes just one of the many different types of situations that may result in broken bones or fractures for bicyclist. This injury may occur from a simple fall from the bicycle or from a more severe collision with another vehicle. Being knocked off your bicycle can lead to broken bones or fractures if you land awkwardly or If you land with significant force. These injuries can affect just about any bone in your body including legs, arms, shoulders, ribs, hands, feet, and even, your skull is more severe cases.
Fractures and broken bones can be very painful. Also, if you have sustained this type of injury then you should seek the proper medical treats. These injuries can heal but they will require time and certain types of treatments.
Head & Neck Injuries
Head and neck injuries may also be common types of injuries for bicyclists. These types of injuries are significant since this region of your body is important since it contains your brain and a part of your spine. Severe injuries in this region can have a major and lasting impact on your health and your ability to function properly. Once again, injuries in this area can vary on their severity, and they may be a result of accidents major or minor. However, not wearing the proper protective gear, such as a helmet, can only increase the chances of sustaining a serious injury in this area.
Example:
- Dylan was riding his bicycle down a hill. As his speed was increasing, he began to lose control of the bicycle. Suddenly, his bike awkwardly jerks and he falls to the ground. Due to the downward slope, Dylan tumbles down the hill and slams his head against the road. This causes significant bruising on his head and neck pain.
There are cases in which even while wearing a helmet you can still sustain a head or neck injury; however, the severity of which may be lessened. Most of the time, these types of injuries arise from an accident in which you have collided or fallen from your bicycle. Again, these injuries can have a significant impact on your body. The proper medical attention will be required in order to make sure that injuries have not caused major damage to the brain or to the neck.
Traumatic Injuries
Traumatic injuries are some of the most serious types of injuries that bicyclists may sustain if they have been involved in an accident. A traumatic injury is one in which sudden damage to the brain has occurred due to a serious blow or impact to the head. These injuries may occur when bicyclists have been in a serious accident while on the road. Below are a couple of common traumatic injuries that may occur to bicyclists who have been in an accident.
Skull Fracture
A skull fracture is a significant injury that may occur from a bicycle accident—especially if you are not wearing to proper protective gear such as a helmet. This includes any type of break in the cranial bone or your skull. Usually, this type of injury is the result of a significant impact or blow to the head with enough force to break the bone. If there is enough force, a skull fracture may even occur despite wearing a helmet. If the injury is serious enough, it may even cause a brain injury. Common symptoms of a skull fracture include facial bruising, swelling, and tenderness around the injury, and bleeding from your ears or nostrils.
Example:
- Tim was riding his bicycle to work. While traveling along a major roadway, he was crossing an intersection on a green light. However, out of nowhere, an SUV hits him while running a red light. The impact had enough force to cause a skull fracture even though Tim was wearing a helmet.
Skull fracture injuries can vary in type and severity depending on the force of the injury and what caused it. This can include open or closed fractures, depressed fractures, and basal fractures (a fracture around the floor of the skull). Also, a fracture may vary in severity. Some injuries may heal easily while some may be more severe and cause significant brain injury. Either way, this type of injury will require proper medical attention.
Cranial Hemorrhage
Cranial hemorrhages are extremely serious injuries that require medical attention right away for they can be life-threatening. This refers to acute bleeding within your skull or your brain. A cranial hemorrhage may be related to other serious traumatic injuries depending on the situation. Cranial hemorrhages can lead to serious conditions and they can be potentially deadly in some cases if they are not properly attended to by a medical professional.
Example:
- After Tim had sustained a skull fracture from his bicycle collision with an SUV, the doctors notice that there was significant bleeding within the impacted portion of the skull.
The above example a cranial hemorrhage along with a skull fracture. There a couple of different types of cranial hemorrhages that may result from a bicycle injury. These include an epidural hematoma, a subdural hematoma, and a subarachnoid hemorrhage. Most of the time, these injuries may be a result of serious traumatic injuries that may have occurred in a bicycle accident. Common symptoms of a cranial hemorrhage include severe headaches stemming from traumatic injuries, headaches accompanied by stiffness in your neck, dizziness, confusion, vomiting, seizures, and more serious conditions.
Concussions
One of the most common types of traumatic injuries for bicycle riders is a concussion. This is also one of the mildest of traumatic conditions that may occur. Once again, this sort of injury may be caused by a simple blow or impact to the head. Even though wearing a helmet can limit the severity and the chances of this type of injury, they can still occur. With a concussion, there may be no actual, visible damage to your head as the injury is internal. However, in some cases, you may have a bruise depending on what caused the injury.
Example:
- Janet was riding a bicycle with her friend. While riding down the street, she hits the curb which makes her lose her balance and fall onto the sidewalk. When she falls, Janet’s head hits the ground. She feels dizzy afterward and develops a headache.
Even though concussions may be a mild form of traumatic injury, they may still impact your health. Common symptoms include dizziness, reduced concentration, blurred vision, nausea or vomiting, sensitivity to noise and light, a lack of balance, headaches, and more depending on the severity of the concussion. When it comes to concussions, there are three types: Grade I, Grade II, and Grade III. A Grade I concussion will result in symptoms that last up to 15 minutes but no loss of consciousness. A Grade II concussion will result in symptoms that will last more than 15 minutes but no loss of consciousness. Finally, a Grade III concussion will lead to unconsciousness.
Concussions will usually last for a short time. If the symptoms last for longer then it may be a sign of a more significant traumatic injury and you should seek medical attention right away.
Finding a Qualified Personal Injury Attorney Near Me
Even the most experienced and well-prepared bicyclists may find themselves in an accident due to factors that are beyond their control. There are many factors at play when you bicycle anywhere that may increase the chances of being in an accident. These include road conditions, whether or not you are wearing proper safety gear, the weather conditions, the presence of other vehicles, and more. Bicycle accidents can occur to any bicyclist. When an accident does occur, it may cause minor or serious injuries. As a bicyclist, you are more susceptible to sustaining serious injuries while on the road. Injuries can vary and may include minor scratches and bruises to serious injuries such as fractured bones and concussions.
Have you recently been involved in a bicycle accident that resulted in serious injury? If so, you can find help. With a personal injury lawyer, you may take up a legal case for your injuries if they have been caused by another individual’s negligence. From this, you might be able to get the proper compensation for the damages you have sustained as a result of your injuries. Our team at Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorney can assist you with your case. We have attorneys who are highly skilled, qualified and specialize in California’s personal injury laws. You should not have to suffer more than you already have due to your injuries. Contact our Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorney today at 424-231-2013. Our attorneys are standing by to hear from you, and to begin reviewing your case as soon as possible.
