Quirk Accident & Injury Attorneys represent bicycle accident victims in Santa Barbara. With many miles of bike trails, lanes, and coastal paths, Santa Barbara features some of the most exciting biking experiences for kids, beginners, and advanced bike riders. According to the Bike League Organization, Santa Barbara earned a silver-level Bicycle Friendly Community status, ranking as a highly desirable place for bicyclists.
Unfortunately, since Santa Barbara is such a popular bike-riding destination, there is a higher risk of injury, especially around careless drivers who do not exercise caution when sharing the road with cyclists. This, tragically, results in Santa Barbara residents being involved in serious bicycle accidents, leaving them with life-altering injuries and endless medical bills.
But with Quirk Accident & Injury Attorneys, that doesn’t have to be your situation. Our team of Bicycle Accident Attorneys has the legal resources to build a strong case on your behalf and ensure you receive maximum compensation for all the damage done to your life after a bicycle accident injury.
Don’t wait until it’s too late to take legal action. Contact us today for a no-cost, no-obligation consultation and protect your right to compensation.
Do I Need a Lawyer for a Bicycle Accident Injury?
Let’s say you were crossing State Street downtown, and a vehicle sped up to beat a traffic light and hit you. You’re seriously injured and have to go to the hospital. What are your options?
Your injury requires surgery, you can’t work, and you’re considering legal action, but your friends and family are worried you’ll be tied up in a legal battle for years. In some instances, they’re correct. The legal process is notorious for taking its time. More importantly, the time of injured victims like yourself.
But that’s where Quirk Accident & Injury Attorneys can help. We connect you with one of our attorneys, get you treatment, and get your case resolved by taking swift legal action and negotiating your claim to cover the following damages:
- Economic damages: financial damages you incurred due to the accident.
- Medical bills
- Lost Wages
- Loss of future potential earnings
- Loss of property
- Cost of property repair or replacement
- Job displacement
- Vocational training
- Non-economic damages: these are subjective, non-compensatory damages.
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Loss of consortium
- Punitive damages: these are damages awarded to serve as punishment to the at-fault party.
- Reckless behavior (DUI, street racing)
- Actions performed out of spite
When Should I Contact an Attorney for a Bicycle Accident?
Recent data shows that bicycle accident injuries are on the rise in Santa Barbara, mainly due to population increase and the growing popularity of e-bikes for everyday travel. According to the Santa Barbara Independent, cyclists in Santa Barbara were involved in a record high 28 serious injury accidents with vehicles in 2024.
So, if your involved in one of these accidents, when should you contact an attorney? After a bicycle accident, if you only suffered minor scrapes or bruises, you may not need a lawyer. However, you should contact an attorney after a bicycle accident if:
- There were serious injuries: You will need compensation to cover your current and future medical bills if you’ve suffered serious injuries. An attorney can ensure both.
- Wrongful death: If a loved one has passed away due to the accident you will need compensation for funeral expenses and damages related to the untimely loss.
- Fault: If you are blamed for the accident, but are not at fault, an attorney can protect and assign liability to the at-fault parties. Also, an attorney can reduce liability if you are liable to some extent.
- Multiple parties involved: Multiple parties make cases complex. An attorney can manage your case while protecting your best interests and right to compensation from all liable parties.
- False police report: If a police report places blame on you, and you disagree, an attorney will gather evidence to support your claim.
Quirk Legal Services for Santa Barbara Bicycle Injury Victims
Bicycle injuries can happen anywhere. They can happen while you’re riding on the sidewalk, crossing the street, or riding one of many outdoor Santa Barbara bike trails. And in a single second, an injury caused by another’s careless actions can alter the course of your life, subjecting you to extensive medical treatment, loss of income, or even permanent disability. These are costly life changes that most people are not prepared to face alone.
That’s why, at Quirk Accident & Injury Attorneys, we offer the following services for bicycle injury victims in Santa Barbara, to protect their physical and financial futures after suffering an injury:
- Investigate and determine wrongdoing or recklessness: personal injury accidents are complicated due to the number of victims and liable parties that may be involved. Typically, there will be several people to get statements from, and some parties may only be discussing their involvement through their attorneys. Quirk Accident & Injury Attorneys can help manage this quickly and efficiently.
- Collect and preserve key evidence: Street cameras, dash cams, security footage, ring cameras, and witness statements are all key points of evidence for your case. Our team of personal injury attorneys will take the proper legal steps to obtain crucial information and strengthen your personal injury case.
- Communicate with insurance companies and other attorneys: It is recommended to have an attorney speak to the insurance adjusters on your behalf. Oftentimes, insurance companies will attempt to trick you into taking part of the blame or get you to say something that hurts your claim. Our attorneys can protect you from liability and ensure your right to fair compensation.
- Prove liability: With several parties potentially being involved in a personal injury accident, any number of them could have caused or contributed to the incident. This makes determining and proving liability challenging. The attorneys at Quirk Accident & Injury Attorneys will assign a team of investigators and accident reconstruction specialists to determine the cause of your injuries, identify all liable parties, and hold those responsible for compensating you for your damages.
How to Strengthen Your Bicycle Accident Injury Claim
If you suffer a bicycle crash injury, seek medical attention immediately. Nothing is more important than your health. Call out to another cyclist or pedestrian to help you get immediate medical attention. After you get medical care, it is recommended to:
- Report the injury to police: It is recommended to always call the police after an accident. A police report will serve as evidence, as well as assign liability to one party or the other.
- Take your own photos of the scene and get witness statements. Any evidence you can gather to support your claim will come in handy later, especially if you decide to take legal action to pursue compensation.
- Follow up on your injuries with a doctor. Any injuries you’ve sustained from your accident will become a part of your case, and you will need a doctor to corroborate your injuries. Insurance companies will not consider compensating your injuries without verifiable medical documentation.
- Contact Quirk Accident & Injury Attorneys to protect your rights to compensation. Most accident victims find themselves overwhelmed by the incident and fail to realize the enormous impact a serious bicycle injury can have on their lives. Our experienced attorneys can help you understand your options and get you the compensation you need to make a full recovery.
California Right-of-Way Laws for Bicyclists
California Vehicle Code 21200 awards cyclists the same rights and responsibilities as drivers. This entitles bicyclists to the right-of-way just like all the other drivers on the road. However, for your own safety, it is important to remain aware of motorists as not all drivers recognize this law or respect the rights of bicyclists on the road. Other laws outlining the rights of bicyclists on the road include:
- California Vehicle Code 21209: this law prohibits other drivers from driving in the bike lane except to park in permitted areas, or when leaving or entering the roadway.
- California Vehicle Code 22517: this statute covers dooring. Dooring is when a driver opens their vehicle door into the path of an oncoming rider. Under this law, no driver shall open the door of their vehicle on the side that is available to moving traffic unless it can be done in a reasonably safe manner and without interfering with moving traffic.
- Bicyclists in traffic: cyclists are required to ride as close to the right side of the road as possible except when they’re trying to avoid a hazard, turn left, or when passing. They are also required to signal their movements when turning or preparing to change lanes.
- Riding on sidewalks and crosswalks: California allows cyclists to ride legally in crosswalks. Some cities permit cyclists to ride on sidewalks, but some cities have banned cyclists from using the sidewalks.
If a driver violates one of these laws and injures you while you’re on your bike, then you will strong case against them. To know if you have a case against someone who has caused you to suffer an injury, it’s important to speak with Quirk Accident & Injury Attorneys to see what legal options work best for your situation.
Types of Bikeways in Santa Barbara
Whether you’re looking for an easy bike path or a quick bike route to get to work, Santa Barbara offers numerous bikeways throughout the city. The four types of bikeways in Modesto are defined as follows:
- Class 1: standard bike path that provides bicycle travel on a paved right-of-way completely separated from any street or highway. Examples include the Cabrillo Bike Path.
- Class 2: referred to as a “bike lane,” a Class II bikeway provides a striped and line-drawn for one-way travel on the street or highway. Examples include Buffered bike lanes and combined bike/right turn lanes on Cliff Drive, Shoreline Drive, Micheltorena Street, Modoc Road, and sections of State Street.
- Class 3: this is generally referred to as a “bike route,” this bikeway is for shared use with pedestrians or motor vehicle traffic, which is identified by signage. These are typically used on quieter residential or neighborhood roads, like parts of Gillespie Street or other designated routes.
- Class 4: cycle tracks or separated bikeways provide a right-of-way for exclusive bicycle travel, typically adjacent to a roadway and protected from vehicular traffic. These are on-street facilities reserved for bicyclists with physical separation from vehicle traffic, such as curbs, bollards, or landscaping.
Contact a Santa Barbara Bicycle Accident Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured in a bicycle accident in Santa Barbara, the Quirk Accident & Injury Attorneys can help. We understand how traumatic a bike accident can be, especially when you have to fight with the insurance company to get what you’re owed. But you’re not alone in this fight.
Our law firm is here to help restore your life and protect your right to the maximum amount of compensation you’re entitled to. Our firm has years of experience taking on the insurance company to protect the rights of injured bicyclists.
If you’re concerned about the financial, physical, and mental impact a bicycle accident has had on your life, contact Quirk Accident & Injury Attorneys today. We offer all injured victims a free consultation and case evaluation. There are no hidden fees for our services and you will only be charged once we win your case.