What Compensation Is Available After a Bicycle Accident in Los Angeles?

If you get injured in a bicycle accident in Los Angeles, you may suffer significant losses. While no amount of money can turn back time, achieving a fair and full settlement can make it easier to get back to the life you love after a traumatic bike accident. Learn what types of financial compensation may be available to you when filing a Los Angeles bike accident claim as an injured cyclist to seek the amount you deserve.

Types of Compensation Available for Los Angeles Bicycle Accident Victims

In California, injured cyclists can receive settlement payments from automobile insurance companies for their financial costs and intangible losses after a bike accident. These are known as economic and non-economic damages, respectively.

Economic Damages

Economic damages refer to the specific monetary losses suffered by the cyclist because of the accident. They can include:

• Past and future medical costs 
• X-rays and medical tests
• Surgeries and rehabilitation 
• Physical therapy
• Medications and medical devices 
• Ongoing care or treatments 
• Mental health care
• Disability accommodations
• Lost income and earning capacity 
• Bicycle repairs or replacement
• Personal property damage
• Out-of-pocket costs

After a harmful bicycle accident, keep track of your related expenses. Medical records, hospital bills, wage statements and related receipts can help you prove these economic damages.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages refer to financial compensation that can be awarded for the intangible or general ways the bicycle accident impacted you, such as your:

• Physical pain
• Emotional suffering
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Fear of biking
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Loss of consortium

It can be more difficult to gather evidence to prove a non-economic damage claim. Seeing a psychiatrist for your emotional distress and keeping an injury journal can help.

Punitive Damages

Economic and non-economic damages are classified as “compensatory damages.” They are designed to compensate a bicycle accident victim for his or her losses. Punitive damages, on the other hand, are awarded to punish a defendant and deter future acts of wrongdoing. Punitive damages may be available in a California bike accident case involving gross negligence or recklessness, such as driving under the influence.

Who Is Responsible for Paying for a Los Angeles Bicycle Accident?

California is an at-fault state for bicycle accident claims. This means that when a bicyclist gets injured in a traffic accident, the person or party at fault can be held liable or financially responsible for the cyclist’s losses. The injured accident victim must demonstrate fault using evidence of negligence.

Negligence means that a driver or another party failed to act with an ordinary degree of care. If a driver was speeding or ran a red light and struck a bicyclist in Los Angeles, for instance, evidence of the broken traffic law can prove negligence. This can result in a financial settlement from the at-fault driver’s insurance company.

How to Maximize Your Settlement as an LA Bicycle Accident Victim

If a serious bicycle accident in Los Angeles interferes with your life, you may be entitled to a greater amount of financial compensation than is initially offered to you by the driver’s car insurance company. Rather than quickly accepting the first offer, bring your case to a bicycle accident attorney for a review you can trust.

A personal injury attorney in LA can provide an accurate evaluation of how much your case is truly worth and pursue maximum compensation by taking over insurance settlement negotiations for you. If necessary, an attorney can litigate your bicycle accident case in court in Los Angeles County, as well.For personalized legal advice about your unique bicycle accident case, contact the Los Angeles bicycle accident lawyers at Rose, Klein & Marias, LLP, to request a free consultation.