Bicycle Accident Lawyer in Palo Alto, CA

Palo Alto established the first bicycle boulevard in the United States and has a robust cycling culture. In addition to adults commuting on bikes and traversing the Stanford campus, the city estimates that half of its public high school students ride bikes to class. Yet despite this progressive cycling infrastructure, bike and e-bike accidents can still happen in Palo Alto and nearby communities on the Peninsula.

Even if a cyclist is wearing a helmet, a bad fall can cause severe head trauma, brain damage, broken bones, and far worse injuries. These kinds of injuries can have a lasting effect on your quality of life and ability to work. Danko Meredith is here to help bike accident survivors and their families seek compensation.

For a free consultation with our bicycle and e-bike accident lawyers near Palo Alto, CA, contact our Bay Area law firm today. You can also call the attorneys of Danko Meredith at (650) 453-3600.

Where Bike and E-Bike Accidents Happen in Palo Alto

Bike and e-bike accidents can happen anywhere in Palo Alto, though these are a few particularly dangerous areas of the city where cycling crashes could happen.

• El Camino Real: While bikes may be technically allowed on El Camino Real, its multi-lane design, inconsistent biking infrastructure, and high speeds make it extremely dangerous for cyclists, even if they are simply crossing the road at a crosswalk.
• Junipero Serra Boulevard: Cyclists may ride on Junipero Serra Boulevard to get to Stanford’s campus or to reach the Dish Trail for a walk. High-speed vehicles and the lack of a bike lane could result in major accidents and injuries.
• Embarcadero Road: Cyclists who wind up on Embarcadero Road or cross this busy, multi-lane street have to deal with heavy traffic, high speeds, and many commuters trying to get to Highway 101.
• Downtown Palo Alto: Even though Palo Alto is a bike-friendly city, downtown traffic means lots of busy intersections, frequent stops and starts, and a high risk of getting doored.

In addition to the above roads, there’s also the Loop around Palo Alto and Stanford University. While it’s a popular path for cyclists with great views, there are dangers along the Loop when traffic is heavy, especially near Sand Hill Road and Foothill Expressway.

Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in Palo Alto

At Danko Meredith, our bicycle and e-bike accident attorneys will investigate your crash to understand what went wrong and who is liable. Below are just a few common causes of bike accidents in Palo Alto.

Dooring

Dooring is when a passenger or driver opens their door into a bike lane while a cyclist is nearby. These kinds of accidents can be especially common on narrow streets or when vehicles are double-parked.

Unsafe Turns and Passing

Drivers may be too aggressive while overtaking a cyclist for a right turn or while turning into a driveway. Some drivers might even refuse to yield the right of way or lose sight of a cyclist in their blind spot.

Speeding and Reckless Driving

Whenever drivers in Palo Alto ignore the speed limit, blow through an intersection, refuse to use their turn signals, or just drive aggressively, it puts cyclists as well as pedestrians at risk for serious injuries.

Distracted Driving

Distractions can take many forms, including texting behind the wheel, eating while driving, looking up directions, or making a call without a hands-free kit. Some drivers can also be distracted if they rely too heavily on their car’s self-driving mode.

Intoxicated Driving

Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol puts countless people at risk. When an impaired driver causes a bike or e-bike crash on the Peninsula, our lawyers can hold them accountable. The DUI accident lawsuit is separate from any criminal charges the intoxicated driver will face.

Bike/E-Bike Defects

Different types of mechanical failures or design flaws could result in a major bicycle collision. In the case of e-bikes, there may be issues with the top speed or other features that result in cyclists losing control.

Hazards in the Road or with Road Design

Bicyclists face many safety hazards when roads are not properly maintained. Potential dangers include potholes, uneven pavement, broken streetlights, malfunctioning traffic signals, and obstructed views at intersections.

Potential Injuries in a Bike Accident

Even if a cyclist or e-bike rider is wearing a helmet, they can experience major injuries that can have lasting consequences.

• Broken Bones and Joints: Cyclists may suffer broken wrists, cracked ribs, broken arms, or other kinds of serious fractures.
• Head Trauma and Brain Injuries: While a helmet protects riders, there’s still a danger of major head trauma, including severe concussions and other types of traumatic brain injuries (TBI).
• Face and Dental Injuries: Cyclists may suffer from broken noses, damaged or missing teeth, facial fractures, and other serious facial and oral injuries.
• Road Rash and Other Soft Tissue Injuries: This includes major lacerations, road rash, ligament and tendon injuries, and muscle tears.
• Damage to Internal Organs: This includes injuries to the spleen, liver, kidneys, lungs, and other organs from a hard impact or fall.
• Neck, Back, and Spine Injuries: A hard fall can cause vertebral fractures, ruptured discs, partial paralysis, paraplegia, and quadriplegia.

E-Bike Crashes Can Cause Fatal and Catastrophic Injuries

The increasing popularity of e-bikes over the years has led to many serious injuries in the Palo Alto area. These e-bikes can reach speeds of 20 mph and greater.

Higher speeds mean more serious impacts during crashes, a greater risk of cyclists losing control of their e-bike, and the potential for catastrophic injuries and fatalities.

Compensation After a Bicycle or E-Bike Accident

Our bicycle and e-bike accident attorneys near Palo Alto will fight to recover the full spectrum of damages available under California law, which includes economic and non-economic damages.

Economic Damages

Economic damages are the financial losses tied to the accident and your injuries. This includes:

• Past, Current, and Future Medical Bills: Hospitalization, stabilizing care, physical rehabilitation, occupational therapy, and ongoing visits with specialists.
• Damage to Property: Repair or replacement costs for the bicycle or e-bike, as well as any expenses for damaged personal belongings and other property.
• Lost Wages and Future Earnings: Lost income due to time off from work and loss of future earnings if an injury affects career growth.
• Accommodations for Disability: Changes to your home, transportation, or lifestyle if a catastrophic bike injury results in long-term or permanent disability.
• Funeral Expenses: Costs of burial, cremation, and remembrance services if you lose a loved one in a fatal bicycle or e-bike accident.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages cover the deeply personal and emotional consequences of your injuries.

• Pain and Suffering: Chronic pain after a bike or e-bike crash, in addition to mental anguish and emotional distress.
• Reduced Quality of Life: Loss of enjoyment in hobbies and other daily activities, as well as decreased feelings of contentment, happiness, and overall well-being.
• Loss of Consortium: When a bike injury impairs a person’s ability to share affection, intimacy, and love with a spouse or partner.
• Loss of Companionship: The loss of a loved one’s help around the home, society, or parenting after a fatal bicycle or e-bike accident.

Punitive Damages

In rare cases of gross negligence, it’s possible to receive punitive damages after a bike or e-bike accident. Also known as exemplary damages, punitive damages punish the negligent party rather than compensating accident victims or their families for their losses.

Our bicycle and e-bike accident attorneys near Palo Alto will let you know if punitive damages are possible in your lawsuit.

California’s Pure Comparative Negligence Rule

Under the pure comparative negligence rule, you can recover damages if you were partly or mostly to blame for an accident. Your share of liability reduces your share of compensation.

For example, say that you were in a bicycle crash on Page Mill Road and were awarded $100,000, but you were 20% at fault. Because of pure comparative negligence, you would still receive $80,000.

Insurance companies will try to shift as much blame onto cyclists as possible in order to reduce payouts. At Danko Meredith, we will call out those tactics and use hard evidence to get as much compensation for you as possible.

Who Can Be Held Liable for a Bicycle Accident in Palo Alto?

Bike and e-bike accident liability depends on how and where the collision occurred. The lawyer at Danko Meredith will make sure the right party is held responsible for what happened. Potentially liable parties include:

• Negligent Drivers: This includes impaired, reckless, and distracted motorists and commercial drivers.
• Employers of Negligent Drivers: This includes trucking companies, parcel delivery services, and rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft.
• Bike/E-Bike Manufacturers: This includes the maker of the bicycle or e-bike, as well as manufacturers of any parts.
• Palo Alto or California Road Authorities: This includes the city of Palo Alto and agencies like the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA).

Real Bicycle Accident Case Results from Danko Meredith

These are two of our past verdicts and settlements that involved cyclists and bike accidents. In both of these cases, we took on state road authorities for issues with road design and road maintenance.

$9.5 Million Verdict: Fatal Accident Involving a Cyclist

A 62-year-old Redwood City man named Chris Chandler was killed while crossing El Camino Real. The police claimed that Chris rode his bicycle into traffic, treating his death as a possible suicide. That was not what happened. Eyewitnesses confirmed to us that Chris was in a marked and designated crosswalk, walking his bicycle at the time of the fatal accident.

Through uncovered state documents, we found that this particular crosswalk was deemed unsafe. Yielding vehicles at the intersection can block a person’s view of oncoming traffic. The state of California refused to change this unsafe crosswalk because not enough pedestrians or cyclists were injured to justify the expenditure.

The state’s best settlement offer before trial was just $100,000. The jury agreed with us that the crosswalk was dangerous, Chris could not have avoided the fatal accident, and Chris was not liable in any way.

In a unanimous verdict, the jury awarded Chris’ family $9.5 million.

$2.2 Million Judgement: Cyclist Brain Injury

In another past case, a 41-year-old cyclist suffered a serious brain injury while training for a triathlon an hour before dawn. He lost control of his bike on Kalanianaole Highway and landed on his head.

There were no witnesses to the accident itself, but we were able to reconstruct what happened by examining fibers left in the pavement and two punctures in the bike’s front tire.

The cyclist landed near the shoulder of the road by some white reflector poles. One reflector pole was missing, leaving just the black base mount. The cyclist could not see this black base mount, ran over it (puncturing his tire), and lost control.

Our team also tracked down multiple witnesses who attested that the white reflector pole had been missing for months. Through further research into road design, we found that the poles should not have been placed in the path of cyclists to begin with.

While the state of Hawaii refused to accept responsibility for what happened, the judge agreed with our team, awarding our client $2.2 million.

Deadline to File a Bicycle Accident Lawsuit in California

In the state of California, you will usually have two years from the date of the bicycle or e-bike accident to file a personal injury claim or wrongful death lawsuit. Once the two-year statute of limitations expires, you will not be able to file a legal claim.

Exceptions to the Two-Year Statute of Limitations

There are some exceptions to the two-year time limit. For example, you have just six months to act if your accident involved a local, state, or federal government agency or employee.

Why It’s Best to Speak with a Bike Accident Attorney ASAP

It’s best to speak with our bicycle and e-bike accident lawyers near Palo Alto as soon as possible. The attorneys at Danko Meredith can begin collecting evidence, building your case, negotiating a fair settlement, and meeting all key deadlines.

How a Palo Alto Bicycle Accident Lawyer Can Help with Your Claim

Don’t go it alone after a major bike or e-bike accident. Here’s how the attorneys at Danko Meredith can help your case.

• Learn How Much Your Claim Is Really Worth: The bike accident lawyers at Danko Meredith can identify your current losses as well as long-term impacts a bike accident has on your future health and quality of life.
• Gather Evidence and Secure Witness Testimony: Our attorneys can investigate the accident site and compile testimony from witnesses about the crash and/or where the crash happened.
• Access to Expert Witnesses and Other Resources: Our law firm has access to some of the leading expert witnesses in the country. They can help us build a compelling case for you.
• Communication and Negotiation with Insurance Companies: We don’t back down with insurance companies. We will fight so that injured cyclists and their families receive as much compensation as possible.
• Representation If Your Case Goes to Trial: Our attorneys are prepared to go to trial if it’s best for you. We can also leverage this during settlement negotiations.
• Peace of Mind During a Difficult Process: Let our law firm focus on the paperwork, deadlines, and investigation. You can focus on planning for the future and healing from your injuries.

Why Choose Danko Meredith for Your Bike Accident Case in Palo Alto

The team at Danko Meredith is proud to represent accident victims throughout the Bay Area. We know how serious bike and e-bike accidents can be, which is why our lawyers look out for families in Palo Alto and other communities along the Peninsula.

• A Record of Handling Complex Accident Cases: Danko Meredith was founded in 2009 to represent working Californians harmed by powerful entities. We have a track record of success in high-stakes litigation and standing up to giants.
• We’re Ready to Go to Trial If It’s Best for You: Our law firm won’t let corporations, insurance companies, or the state push you around. Our lawyers are ready to push back and even go to trial if it’s best for you.
• If Our Lawyers Don’t Win, You Don’t Pay: Danko Meredith offers free consultations, and our lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. That means you only pay if our attorneys secure a settlement or win a verdict in court.

Contact Our Bike Accident Attorneys Near Palo Alto, CA

Whether your bicycle crash happened near Stanford or out by Baylands Nature Preserve, you need attorneys who will fight for you. Danko Meredith has taken on insurance companies as well as local and state governments for our clients. We’re ready to advocate for you. For a free case review with our bike and e-bike accident lawyers near Palo Alto, CA, contact our Bay Area law firm today. You can also reach our law office by calling (650) 453-3600.