Fatal Napa Bike Accident
I’m Ed Smith, a Napa bike accident lawyer. On Tuesday, February 14, 2017, a Napa man suffered a fatal head injury after being involved in a collision while riding his bicycle.
Accident Details
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) received a call at about 4:15 p.m. CHP spokesperson Marc Renspurger indicated that the caller reported that they had seen a downed cyclist on the shoulder of the roadway on southbound Highway 29 near the intersection of Whitehall Lane where the highway is intersected by train tracks.
When CHP arrived at the scene of the accident, they found the cyclist, a 52-year-old male and resident of Napa, with a major head injury. The man was immediately transported by ambulance to the nearest emergency trauma center for treatment. Emergency medical officials treated the man’s wounds until he passed away early Wednesday morning.
Investigation
Renspurger noted that CHP is currently acting as if the incident was a solo bicycle crash, but that they have suspicions that there may be “more to it.” CHP is currently looking for people who may have witnessed the collision in order to see if the accident was, perhaps, a hit-and-run. Additionally, CHP was not able to confirm whether or not the cyclist had been wearing a helmet at the time of the incident.
Finding a Hit and Run Driver
It is important when you have lost a loved one in a tragedy like this to contact an experienced bicycle accident lawyer who can go out and investigate the scene and the sequence of events leading up to the collision. Oftentimes, an experienced attorney can find a hit-and-run driver with specific investigative techniques and help loved ones recover compensation for the loss of life and other damages. Call an experienced lawyer for more information.
Bike Accidents
About 20 percent of adult Americans regularly travel by bicycle and in 2010 alone, 726 cyclists died and 49,000 were injured in bicycle accidents. While there are many causes of bicycle collisions, and solo crashes are certainly common, many collisions occur because of the negligence of drivers, manufacturing defects in the bicycle itself, or defective design of roadways.
Common Bike-Motor Vehicle Accidents
The most common accidents that occur between bicycles and cars have to do with the driver of a vehicle not allowing enough space for the cyclist to properly navigate the roadway. Motorists often turn in front of cyclists, forcing them to either collide with the curb or the vehicle. Cars also often stop in front of bicyclists without allowing the cyclist ample time to avoid a rear-end collision.
Hit-and-Run accidents
Although this accident is not confirmed to be a hit-and-run, it is a possibility. The frequency of hit-and-run collisions in the United states has been increasing since 2003 and California has been shown to be the state in which drivers most often flee from the scene of a fatal accident. If you or somebody you love is involved in a hit-and-run accident, it is important to report the accident to the authorities as soon as possible. Reporting as soon as possible significantly increases the likelihood that the criminal driver will be found and held responsible for the damages that they have caused.
We extend our condolences to the loved ones of the man who passed away in this tragic bicycle accident.
Napa Wrongful Death and Bike Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Napa bike accident lawyer. If you, or someone close to you has been seriously injured or died in an accident, call me at (707) 564-1900 for free, friendly advice. Or, contact me toll-free at (800) 404-5400.
I have been practicing law for over 35 years, exclusively handling cases involving wrongful death and personal injury.
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See the results I’ve obtained for some of my clients on our Past Verdicts and Settlements page.
Visit my website: AutoAccident.com.
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