Bicyclist Crashes into Tanker Truck Near Merced
I’m Ed Smith, a Merced personal injury lawyer. A collision with a tanker truck in Merced left a bicyclist with road rash and head injuries on June 28, 2018. At approximately 5:40 in the evening, a woman was riding her bicycle eastbound along the bridge for East Childs Avenue over Highway 99 when she reportedly lost control of her bike and ran a stop sign at the intersection. The bicyclist continued and struck a tanker truck that was turning left from the north off-ramp of Highway 99. The trucker pulled over and found the woman pinned under the rear axles of the vehicle. Emergency personnel was dispatched to the scene to transport the woman via air ambulance to a hospital in Modesto for treatment of lacerations to the head and road rash. An update on her condition following the bicycle accident has not yet been released by officials.
Cause of Accident
Local authorities have not yet decided an exact cause of the accident due to a pending investigation. However, preliminary reports suggested that the bicyclist may have lost control of the brakes prior to the collision with the tanker truck.
Bicycle Accident Statistics
- Approximately 835 cyclists were killed in collisions with motor vehicles in 2016, accounting for an overall increase of one percent from the year prior. Eighty-seven percent of these deaths were ages twenty and older (according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety);
- Bicyclist fatalities occurred most often in urban areas with seventy-one percent and between the hours of 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. with twenty percent (according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration);
- Bicyclists face a high risk of injury and death when compared to motor vehicle occupants due to their lack of physical protection. In 2015, there were nearly 467,000 injuries caused by bicycle accidents in the United States (according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention);
- Each year, the total damages associated with bicycle injury and death is over $4 billion (according to the National Safety Council).
Common Bicycle Accident Injuries
When an accident between a bike and a motor vehicle occurs, the bicyclist is the one who is most likely to suffer injuries as a result. Some injuries may include:
- Broken bones may cause joint problems and nerve damage;
- Dental injuries such as broken or chipped teeth often require extensive repairs;
- Facial injuries may leave unsightly marks or even permanent scarring. Bicyclists may be entitled to recover from the embarrassment and humiliation related to the disfigurement as well as cosmetic surgery costs;
- Internal injuries may be caused by penetration or blunt trauma, causing damage to the organs and massive bleeding;
- Traumatic brain injuries may result from a violent blow to the head or penetrating trauma.
How to Avoid Bicycle Accidents
Following the rules of the road can ensure your safety as a bicyclist. These rules include:
- Coming to a stop and looking both ways prior to proceeding through an intersection or street;
- Obeying all traffic signals and signs just as if you were behind the wheel of a motor vehicle;
- Riding with the flow of traffic along the right side of the roadway;
- Stopping at all red lights and stop signs;
- Using correct hand signals.
Comparative Fault
Even if a bicyclist shares fault in an accident, they may still have a case under California’s comparative fault law. This means that fault may be assigned to each party based on the actions of the individuals involved in the accident. For instance, if a bicyclist ran a stop sign and a driver was speeding, the fault may be allocated from forty to sixty percent. If forty percent was assigned to the bicyclist, then they may be able to recover sixty percent of the compensation offered for losses incurred like time lost at work, medical costs and related expenses, and pain and suffering caused by the accident. Contact an attorney for more details.
Defective Bicycle Equipment
Many serious bicycle accidents may be caused by a defect in the manufacturing process of a bike. Some of these defects may include faulty brakes, pedal clips, gear changers or improper frame welding. When this happens, an injured bicyclist should contact an experienced bicycle accident attorney in Merced to determine whether a claim for products liability can be brought against a negligent manufacturer. A skilled attorney can explain what rights you have, review the facts and evidence in your case and communicate effectively with insurance companies to reach a favorable outcome on your behalf.
Merced Personal Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Merced personal injury lawyer. Bicyclists who have been injured by a negligent driver or entity may be entitled to compensation to help pay for expenses incurred due to the accident. If this has happened to you or a loved one, I can provide you with free, friendly advice. Please feel free to call me any time at (209) 227-1931 or toll-free at (800) 404-5400.
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I am a California member of the Million Dollar Advocates, a prestigious group comprised of trial attorneys with million dollar client verdicts and settlements.
For information about some of my past cases and their outcomes, go to my Verdicts and Settlements page.
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