Accident on Elkhorn Boulevard Injures Teen on Her Way Home
A bicycle accident in Rio Linda caused serious injuries to a teenager when she was struck by a truck on April 20. The collision occurred near the intersection of Elkhorn and Rio Linda boulevards when a family friend said she stopped to ensure it was safe to cross the street from the bicycle lane. A truck exiting the parking lot at 7-Eleven kept coming and struck her. According to the family friend, the teen was dragged by the truck and was underneath her bike.
Teen Was in the Bike Lane When Struck
The teen was correctly riding along the right side of the street on her way home and commonly used a nearby crosswalk, which is located four to five houses down. The teen had crossed the street utilizing the crosswalk and was proceeding home in the bike lane when the accident happened. The driver of the vehicle that struck the teenager lives nearby and reportedly was not charged in the accident.
GoFundMe Site Established for Donations
The teen is now at home recovering from her injuries but uses a walker to help her get around and can’t climb the stairs. A GoFundMe site has been set up to help the family pay for her medical expenses.
Filing a Claim for a Personal Injury
In order for an injured person to file a personal injury claim against someone who caused harm to them, evidence has to be gathered to prove that the individual was at fault. Our investigators are highly experienced in gathering the evidence needed to support a client’s compensation claim. They begin by going to the bicycle accident site and:
- The site is examined for debris left at the accident scene as well as skid marks or other indications the driver was speeding.
- The location of a bicycle accident is important in supporting a compensation claim. If the driver violated California’s three-foot rule, it would make them liable for a bicycle accident injury.
- The police report is examined for mistakes since a client’s claim could be affected by it.
- They perform accident reconstruction, which shows how the vehicles were positioned and can demonstrate fault.
- Many intersections have surveillance cameras, which are placed there so motorists will be less likely to commit a traffic infraction. These are checked to see if the bicycle accident was captured on tape.
How Bicycle Accidents Occur With Motor Vehicles
Although a bicycle collision can occur because of negligence on the part of the rider, motor vehicle drivers are often the cause. Some of the types of negligence exhibited by a driver that can lead to a bicycle accident include:
- A driver enters the bike lane, even though they are required to stay at least three feet away from anyone on a bicycle.
- A drunk driver has problems staying in their lane and steering and strikes a bicyclist.
- A bicyclist crossing an intersection is struck by a driver making a turn.
- The driver runs a stop sign or red light while a bicycle rider is crossing.
- The driver is distracted by texting or some other activity and doesn’t spot the bicyclist until it is too late.
- Those inside a parked vehicle open a car door and strike an oncoming bicyclist. Dooring accidents often throw the rider from their bike and result in serious injuries.
Rio Linda Personal Injury Lawyer
My name is Ed Smith, and I am a Rio Linda personal injury lawyer. Call me if you would like my free, friendly advice at (916) 921-6400 about filing an injury claim and to have your questions answered. You can also reach me at (800) 404-5400 or through messaging me online.
I am honored to be a member of the following associations:
Find helpful information at the links that follow on how my law firm has helped others:
My law office has helped many Rio Linda residents obtain compensation for their bicycle crashes, traffic collisions, and wrongful deaths since 1982.
Photo attribution: https://pixabay.com/photos/woman-person-cyclist-bicycle-3704749/
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