San Francisco Injury Lawyer Blog
Not every accident on the road involves a car or truck. Some collisions are between pedestrians and cyclists, particularly in cities where biking to and from work is common. San Francisco sees its fair share of pedestrian-cyclist collisions, which can lead to significant injuries for everyone involved. In September, a 24-year-old man on a bike collided with a teenage girl on Market Street. The girl was knocked unconscious and taken to a local hospital. The full extent of her injuries is unknown.
When individuals are injured in vehicle accidents, most know what to do next. Get a copy of the police report and file an insurance claim. If the accident is complex, the person calls an attorney. But what happens after a pedestrian-cyclist accident? If you were injured in this type of collision and you believe the other person was at fault, the best thing for you to do is contact our experienced San Francisco personal injury lawyers at Brod Law Firm. We will determine whether an insurance policy applies to your situation or whether you should move forward with a personal injury suit.
Possible Insurance Coverage
When a cyclist and a pedestrian collide, no matter who is at fault, an auto insurance will not apply to the situation. An individual’s auto insurance policy may only apply if one of the parties involved was in a car. However, there is still a small chance for insurance coverage. If the cyclist caused the accident and was an employee working at the time of the accident, then his or her employer likely has a business insurance policy that covers bodily injury.
There is also another option. The at-fault person’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy may cover the situation. Most homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policies cover bodily injuries up to a certain amount, which depends on the policy. Some policies are limited to incidents that happen on the covered property. However, other policies extend beyond the property and cover the homeowner or renter’s actions.
If you were hurt in a pedestrian-cyclist accident, one of the first steps you should take is determine whether there is any relevant insurance policy in place. This can help you recover the compensation you need to cover your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering without going through a lengthy legal battle.
A Personal Injury Claim
Unfortunately, in many pedestrian-cyclist accidents, there is not an appropriate insurance policy to cover the victim’s injuries or an available policy has a limit far below the value of the victim’s injuries. If you were injured as a pedestrian because of a cyclist’s carelessness, recklessness, or unlawful conduct, or vice versa, then you may need to file a personal injury lawsuit to recover compensation. During a personal injury suit, you must prove the other person’s negligence. You may use direct and circumstantial evidence to prove the other person did not behave as he or she should have. For instance, you may have a police report that says the cyclist ran the red light and hit you. Or, if you were the cyclist, you may have eye witness testimony that the pedestrian walked out in front of you when you had the right of way. Whatever the situation, at Brod Law Firm, we will conduct a thorough investigation into the accident and gather as much evidence as possible on your behalf.
Once you are able to prove the other party’s negligence, you can pursue compensation for:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Disfigurement
- Disability
- Reduced earning capacity due to a long-term or permanent limitation
- Physical pain
- Mental anguish
Let Our Personal Injury Lawyers Help Today
To learn more about how an attorney can help you recover compensation after being hurt in a pedestrian-cyclist accident, contact Brod Law Firm today at (800) 427-7020.
(image courtesy of Chrsi Becker)