Los Angeles Pedestrian and Bicycle Accident Lawyers

Trusted advocacy for those injured in pedestrian or bicycle crashes throughout California

Where pedestrians and cars coexist, there is an increased risk of pedestrians being injured or killed by drivers.  Even small cars can cause pedestrians and bicycle riders to suffer catastrophic injuries or deaths. If a truck strikes a pedestrian or bicyclist, the walkers and riders will be lucky to survive. Pedestrian and bicycle accidents are almost always preventable – and often the fault of the vehicle driver.

The experienced Los Angeles pedestrian and bicycle accident lawyers at McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP are dedicated to fighting for the rights of those injured because of another driver’s negligence, and those who have lost loved ones in a pedestrian or bicycle accident. We work with investigators, question everyone involved, and use the discovery process to show how the accident happened and who is responsible. We seek compensation for all your economic and personal damages. Schedule a free consultation to discuss your case with our legal team, and know that you will never pay attorney fees until we have recovered compensation for you.

How dangerous are pedestrian and bicycle accidents in California?

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a pedestrian died every 81 seconds in the US in 2020, and 55,000 pedestrians were killed nationwide.

The NHTSA also reported that in 2019, bicycle accidents made up 2.3 percent of all traffic fatalities include a cyclist, killing 846 riders. Male bicyclists were six times as likely to be killed in traffic accidents as a female. Seventy-eight percent of the fatal bicycle accidents happened in urban areas, like Los Angeles. Alcohol was a factor in more than one-third of these fatal accidents.

What are some of the common causes of bicycle accidents in Los Angeles?

Bicyclists who ride in urban areas are constantly on the lookout for other vehicles to make sure that they can make it to their destination in one piece. Drivers of motor vehicles are often not keeping an eye out for bicyclists with an equal degree of vigilance, which can lead to disaster.

The following are a few examples of common factors that cause bicycle accidents and pedestrian accidents:

• Driver intoxication
• Distracted drivers
• Failure to yield right of way
• Failure to check the rearview mirror or camera before backing up
• Speeding
• Failure to stop before entering a crosswalk
• Defective road design
• Dangerous conditions

There are other causes of pedestrian and bicycle accidents aside from distracted motorists, including:

• Uncontrolled or unleashed dogs
• Bicyclists on the sidewalk
• Opening car doors
• Skateboarders on the sidewalk
• People running on the sidewalk
• Children being left unsupervised near moving traffic, in parking lots, or by driveways
• Large truck or bus drivers
• Speeding emergency vehicles

What types of injuries occur in Los Angeles pedestrian and bicycle accidents?

When it comes to traffic accidents, pedestrians and bicycle riders are at a clear disadvantage because they are not protected by the hood, roof, front, back, or sides of a vehicle during a collision. A motor vehicle versus pedestrian crash is sometimes called a "knockdown," because the person is physically knocked down when hit by a moving vehicle. Many bicycle riders may also fall even if the car doesn’t physically strike the bicycle. If the car does strike the cyclist, the rider suffers two impacts – the force of the car and then the fall to the ground.

In a crash involving a vehicle and a pedestrian or a bicyclist, serious injuries can occur, including:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) disrupt the normal function of the brain, and the effects of the injury can be mild (concussion) or severe, with ongoing health problems, physical and mental disability.
• Back and neck injuries in a bicycle accident might include slipped, herniated or ruptured discs, and neck injuries, which cause pain and disability.
• Spinal cord injury can result in total paralysis leaving the injured person relegated to a wheelchair, or partial paralysis with the loss of sensation and function below the site of the injury on the spine. A SCI can also cause ongoing health challenges such as infection and respiratory problems.
• Bone fractures such as skull fracture, broken collar bone or ribs, broken pelvis, hip, knee, ankle, foot, arm or wrist can occur in a pedestrian or bicycle accident.
• Limb loss or amputation is a devastating injury that can happen because the pedestrian or bicyclist have no protection from vehicles on the road.
• Cuts and lacerations from hitting the pavement if you are thrown from your bicycle, from debris on the road, or broken glass scattered around the accident scene.
• Internal injuries such as kidney damage, ruptured liver or spleen, punctured lung, internal bleeding and other injuries that can occur from the impact trauma of a pedestrian accident.

Some pedestrian and bicycle accidents are so serious that you will not be able to work while the injury heals. Our attorneys work tirelessly to represent your personal injury claim and obtain the largest possible settlement with the insurance company, or in a civil trial, if necessary.

We also file wrongful death claims if a loved one died in a pedestrian or a bicycle accident in the Los Angeles area.