Northridge Personal Injury Lawyer
This week a bicyclist was struck and killed while commuting in South Los Angeles. Unfortunately, the incident is one of many that have happened in Los Angeles County. While authorities have not released information about the cause of the accident, but police did say that the victim was possibly a minor.
The accident happened at the intersection of South Central and East Florence Avenues, and police and first responders were notified at about 8:00 at night. From the footage of the accident, a white tent and a bicycle can be seen behind police personnel.
This story is still developing, but according to initial reports, the bicyclist was involved in an accident with another vehicle.
This week’s incident is just another in a long stream of accidents involving motorists and bicycles in Los Angeles. According to BikeLA, there were 26 bike-related fatalities in Los Angeles in 2022 alone. 85% of LA’s fatal bike accidents happened on streets that didn’t have clearly marked bike lanes, and 54% of these crashes took place at night.
LA is a car city, and Northridge is no exception. It’s important to ride safely, and it’s important to know what to do after you’ve been involved in a bicycle accident.
Bike Accident? Get In Touch With An Injury Lawyer
If you’ve been involved in a bike accident, you need to contact emergency services as soon as possible. Read on to see your next steps, and learn how a Northridge, CA personal injury lawyer can help you get the compensation you deserve.
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Get To Safety
If you’ve been involved in a bicycle accident, it’s important to get to safety. If you’re able to move, get away from the flow of traffic, and make sure anyone else involved is in a safe space as well. Your accident is just the tip of the iceberg, and your next steps will be important for building a case.
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Report Your Injuries
Call 911 and report your accident. Aside from making sure everyone is safe, don’t speak to the other involved parties until first responders are present. Once the police arrive, explain what happened and try to get a copy of the incident report. If needed, communicate with paramedics about any kind of injuries you may have experienced.
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Document Everything
Just like a car accident, don’t forget to take photos (and videos) of the scene of the accident. You may need this documentation later, especially if you decide to pursue compensation with the help of a lawyer.
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Lawyer Up
Insurance can cover the cost of your medical bills, but it’s never an easy battle. Many insurance providers hold on to your money for as long as possible (they turn a profit off of interest), and when they finally pay up, it might not be enough.
Getting in touch with an injury lawyer is a great way to make sure you’re getting paid enough, and if you decide to pursue compensation from whoever caused your accident, your legal team can walk you through your next steps. Reach out to the professionals at Barry P. Goldberg to learn more.