Chico was once named the Most Bicycle Friendly City (Bicycling Magazine, 1997) in the country. However, the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) ranked cities by size and compared Chico to cities with similar populations. Chico was close to number one in the number of bicycle accidents, including collisions with motor vehicles.
Despite the fact that most bicyclists obey traffic laws, and most riders emphasize bicycle safety including bicycle training, following cycle safety signs, wearing helmets, and equipping their bikes with headlights and tail lights, statistics show that there were 618 bicycle deaths resulting from bicycle/motor vehicle accident crashes, and 52,000 reported injuries in the US in 2010.
Because of the minimal safety protection of a bicyclist compared to a car occupant, serious injuries included fractured bones; torn or ruptured ligaments or disks; paralysis including Paraplegia and Quadriplegia; and traumatic brain injury ranging from minor, moderate, to severe. A substantial number of bicycle accidents involved a motorist who was driving under the influence or alcohol or drugs.
If you are a bike rider and you were involved in an accident that resulted in an injury, Chico Personal Injury Attorney Ralph Slater, who knows traffic laws for bicyclists and has over 33 years of experience, can help you decide whether you need a Lawyer to assist you with recovering compensation for your injuries or other losses.
He can help you decide whether to retain an accident reconstruction expert with riding experience to prove you were not speeding or riding recklessly; that you did not have time to avoid the collision; or that the motorist was at fault and not you. Even if you are partially at fault, or you were knocked down by a hit-and-run driver, Mr. Slater may be able to recover a settlement for you.
Call us at (530) 898-1111 and schedule a Free Consultation with Mr. Slater to see if you have a case and what it may be worth. Mr. Slater has successfully tried dozens of personal injury cases and he works on a “contingency fee” basis – if he does not win a recovery for you, you owe him nothing. If you or someone you know has been injured in a bicycle or pedicab accident call us today.
