Oakland, CA Bicycle Accident Attorney

Oakland Bicycle Accident Lawyers

It's sad, but cyclists today often need to consult a bicycle accident lawyer. While the busy streets of Oakland, CA, offer some bike lanes, it's all too easy to become a bicycle accident victim. You might ride safely, follow all the safety tips, and still suffer severe injuries because of a negligent driver or pedestrian.

Additionally, the consequences can be significant if you or a family member suffer serious injuries while riding bicycles.

Bicycle Accidents —

Dealing with police reports and the accident itself is stressful. Worrying about medical bills, lost wages, and insurance coverage after the event is even worse. However, the long-term implications and what damage you may claim for your future medical expenses are most challenging to understand without legal support.

What is fair compensation for injured cyclists under state law? How do California laws define serious injury? How does a police officer identify negligent drivers?

These questions have significant long-term implications and things you're unlikely to consider in the moment. Unscrupulous insurers and motorists may try to take advantage of you or claim that you are the at-fault party.

You need a professional Oakland bicycle accident attorney to protect your interests and help you pursue a fair settlement. Burneikis Law firm is here to assist you with bicycle accident claims from start to finish.

We understand your rights and responsibilities and can advise you in pedestrian or driver-involved incidents.

Personal Injury Case

Why a Bike Accident Case Is Often Complex

You may believe everyone will do the right thing when given a chance. However, as Oakland bicycle accident lawyers, we're more cynical. We've seen first-hand how ruthless the opposing counsel can be after a bike accident.

The law firm crafts convincing arguments to defend against personal injury suits that may even have you doubting your memory. Their primary goal is to act in their client's best interests, which is unlikely to end well for you.

Unfortunately, your insurance company may also try to reduce your financial compensation. It makes good business sense from their side. Collecting premiums from bicycle riders is profitable; paying out large claims after bike accidents is not.

That's why you need impartial advice from Oakland bicycle accident attorneys who are on your side. If someone else's negligence causes you harm or takes a loved one from you, you need a team that understands your needs.

Burneikis Law can provide an experienced bicycle accident lawyer representing your best interests.

Personal Injury Case
Bicycle Hit by a Car

Bicycle Hit by a Car

What to Do After Oakland Bicycle Accidents

What do you do if you or a loved one are in a bike accident? Here is what to keep in mind:

  • Call 911 for the police and medical assistance from your cell phone.
  • Try not to disturb the scene of the bike accident unless you're in immediate danger from traffic.
  • Obtain the details of the other parties and witnesses without admitting responsibility or apologizing for the accident.
  • Document the scene by taking videos and pictures. Include shots of the damage to your bike and the vehicle, the automobile's license plate, any skid marks, and anything that pertains to the incident.
  • Document your injuries.
  • Write down the events as you remember them as soon as possible, preferably without discussing them.
  • Get a copy of the police report to attach to your bicycle accident claim.
  • Contact bicycle accident attorneys as quickly as possible.

Bike Injury Compensation

How Much Could You Potentially Claim?

Your potential for compensation depends on the strength of your case. As a responsible bicycle accident attorney, we cannot comment on the amount without examining your case. However, we do offer a free evaluation to assist you.

You might be able to sue for the following, depending on your role in the incident and the extent of your injuries:

  • Your medical bills
  • The loss of earning capacity and wages
  • The ongoing cost of care
  • Disfigurement
  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional distress
  • Losing the capacity to enjoy your life
  • Mental anguish
  • Losing the company of a loved one
  • Punitive damages where there was malicious intent or where the driver was drunk

In theory, the settlement depends on the merits of the case. For example, if both parties are to blame, they must share the responsibility for the costs. However, in practice, the party at fault may try to evade responsibility or force you to settle through bullying.

In bicycle accident cases, compensation depends upon:

  • Evidence of negligence and who was at fault
  • Your uninsured motorist coverage
  • Any insurance you have covering bicycle accidents.

Interestingly enough, whom to sue is not always cut-and-dried. For example, you might:

  • Sue the driver directly.
  • Direct your claim toward the driver's employer.
  • Consider suing the City of Oakland if there were potholes or other maintenance issues.

Bike Injury Compensation
Commercial Truck Accident Attorneys
Commercial Truck Accident Attorneys

Get Legal Advice from Oakland Bicycle Accident Lawyers

Speaking to an attorney is not a matter of assigning blame. In today's environment, you must protect your interests. You cannot trust that the insurance company or drivers of motor vehicles will act honorably.

We act as your advocate and work in your best interests. We'll fight just as hard for you as the opposing counsel will against you. We are here for you so that you can rest and recover without the threat of a frivolous lawsuit hanging over your head.

At Burneikis Law, we take our responsibility as your Oakland bicycle accident lawyer seriously. We work towards reducing your stress by negotiating for a reasonable settlement within a fair amount of time.

If the other side tries to drag the matter out, we have an experienced team to fight for you every step of the way. We try to keep personal injury settlements for bicycle accidents out of court, but we are willing to go the distance when necessary.

Oakland Bike Injury Attorenys

As Oakland bicycle injury lawyers, we invite you to a 100% free consultation to discuss your potential case. We know that choosing a lawyer is very personal, so we're pleased to have a meet and greet first. It's an excellent opportunity to explain the legal process and establish a positive attorney-client relationship.

Contact Burneikis Law at (510) 328-3238 today and schedule your appointment to speak to a bicycle accident lawyer.

Oakland Bike Injury Attorenys

Frequently Asked Questions

Tractor trailers, often known as 18-wheelers, big rigs, or semi-trucks, are responsible for around one fatality or serious injury every fifteen minutes? In fact, there are around 500,000 transportation accidents per year in the US, and roughly 5,000 of those result in fatalities.

Human error or driving. The majority of semi-truck collisions are caused by driver mistake, making it the most frequent reason for truck accidents. Eighty-eight percent of accidents involving trucks, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), are the result of driver mistake.
 

In 2018, 4.4% of all motor vehicle incidents featured heavy trucks, according to the NHTSA's data on the vehicles involved in crashes. 9.4% of those accidents resulted in fatalities, and 3.2% in injuries. Large truck accidents only caused property damage in 4.9% of cases.

FedEx Ground experienced the highest number of fatal vehicle accidents in the country—80—from April 2020 to April 2022. 

Between April 2020 and April 2022, UPS experienced 1,053 injury accidents and 67 fatal accidents, ranking second in the nation overall.


One of the worst things you can do if a truck is tailgating you is completely refuse to move over. Never attempt an unsafe pass or hang out in a blind spot.