Getting Involved in a Hit-and-run: Knowing Your Rights as an Injured Bicyclist

Bicycling is one of the most convenient forms of transportation, most especially in California. In fact, bicyclists are required to comply with the traffic laws of the state, as they also share the road with other motorists. However, bicyclists are vulnerable to hit-and-run accidents, especially if automobile drivers are not aware of their presence on the road.

For some, such horrible incidents are caused by sloppy enforcement of traffic laws. Some would say these are the fault of unlicensed and uninsured drivers. Reasons for such accidents are too complicated and involve a lot of factors that are linked with each other; nonetheless, it is the victims who suffer a lot from these unfortunate instances that should not have happened had the other parties involved acted reasonably with care.

Basically, hit-and-run accidents involving bicycles in California involve criminal charges, which are classified as either misdemeanors or felonies. A misdemeanor charge is filed against the driver d if the bicyclist was hit and caused only property damage, whereas a felony charge is likewise charged if the bicyclist was injured or killed.

While these criminal charges are imperative in punishing lackadaisical and wayward motorists, they don’t actually help in paying the damages to the bicyclists, especially for those who were injured or killed in hit-and-run accidents. For the most part, involved drivers are never located, or, if they had been found, the statute of limitations had already expired.

Accidents Classified Under Wrongful Death

It could be utterly unimaginable for some people to lose a loved one to an accident. Others may feel anger or hatred towards the person, organization, company or entity that they think is responsible for the event. On the other hand, such feeling is perfectly justifiable, and the surviving relatives of the decedent could even file for a complaint under the wrongful death category in court. 

Wrongful death is legally defined as the act of taking the life of a person brought by the negligence of another. Relatives can ask people to assist them during the different processes involved in litigation. Most probably, the case occurred in highly populated areas with a lot of road activities. If the case happened in California, the decedent’s relatives may hire the services of a brilliant Los Angeles wrongful death lawyer who possesses in-depth knowledge regarding such premises. 

When Injury Hinders Daily Life Activities

It is normal for California residents to experience injury occasionally. Nonetheless, if the injury prevents the victim from doing his or her daily activities prior to the accident, then it would be categorized as a disability. This disability may even affect that individual physically and emotionally. Most of the time, such injuries come from traumatic crashes such as traffic accidents in California.

If this were the case, then it would be wise for the victim to file a complaint against the liable person through the assistance of a Los Angeles accident attorney. This legal professional would help the victim in claiming damages awards that may be used to pay for the rehabilitation or medication to heal the injury. In addition, a lawyer is an effective ally who would settle disputes or problems regarding paying for the medical bills.

In line with the discussion on debilitating injuries from vehicle crashes, an example is the Spinal Cord Injury or SCI. An SCI is considered as a traitor ailment since it shows symptoms when it is already on its late stages, unlike other injuries where early prognosis or diagnosis is possible. This leads to a lot of victims who suffer from paralysis since their physicians could no longer cure the ailment in its advance state.

An SCI is formally described as the severing of the nerve roots within the spine due to the crushing of the bones or dislocation. Moreover, the impact of the crash may leave bone fragments, which in turn punctures the nerves of the spine. As the nerves bleed, the transmission of the signals from the brain is disrupted.

Accordingly, to guide the victims of crashes who suspect that they may have SCI, here are some of its early symptoms: