With its pleasant climate, scenic views, and environmentally conscious culture, many in the San Francisco Bay Area ride their bikes instead of driving a car. And while cycling the city roads will reduce our collective carbon footprint, riding a bicycle makes you less visible and more vulnerable than drivers of cars and trucks. Biking accidents involving other vehicles can be damaging--recent statistics show that a bicyclist is fatally injured roughly every six hours. The Law Office of Scott Righthand will help you assess the damages of a bicycle accident and seek compensation for any injuries you might have.

There are many ways in which bicycle accidents occur, but sadly, many of them involve a distracted or negligent driver who fails to respect the cyclist's right to the road. Even with the California ban on hand-held cell phone use and text messaging, drivers still become sidetracked frequently, driving in a way that endangers themselves and whoever might be in their path. Some common scenarios in which bicycle accidents happen as a result of driver negligence include:

• A driver who pulls out of an alleyway or driveway in front of a bicyclist
• A driver who fails to stop at an intersection or runs a red light
• A driver who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol and hits a bicyclist
• A driver who is distracted when passing a bicyclist, not allowing enough room to pass
• A driver who turns or swerves unexpectedly into a bicyclist

There are also instances of accidents involving only one bicyclist and no other vehicles. Most of the time, police reports and other authorities place blame on the cyclist for these types of accidents, because they can't immediately point to any other human error that might have caused his or her crash. But sometimes roads can be poorly designed, ill-maintained, or incorrectly marked, and other times a bicycle defect (e.g., a front wheel quick release fails) is the responsibility of another party besides the victim of the accident. In reality, because bikers are smaller and more exposed than other vehicles, they may be more likely to get injured; but the majority of biking accidents are not actually the fault of the bicyclist.

Even when wearing a helmet and proper protective clothing, a bicyclist is still no match for other motor vehicles. A wide range of physical injuries can result from a bicycle accident, and although many injuries are minor, some can in fact be life altering. Some of the more serious potential injuries include limb fractures, joint dislocation, head trauma, severe "road rash" or skin abrasions which can cause infection, and spinal cord injuries that can cause long term paralysis. All of these injuries can require expensive surgeries and other medical care. They can severely impede the victim's way of life and in some cases, their ability to earn a living and provide for their families. These types of expenses should be recovered from those responsible for causing the accident.

The Righthand Law Office has handled a great many of these accidents including the recovery of $1.5 million dollars to an injured bicyclist from a truck turning right across a bike lane into a mini mall fracturing and degloving a foot and ankle, $300,000 for a tibial fracture at an intersection accident on San Francisco's Bay Street and many others.

If you have been in a bicycle accident, contact the Righthand Law Office now for a free consultation. We work with a team of experts in accident reconstruction and specialize in serious injury cases. We use our know-how to fight for the best possible result for our clients.