Protect Yourself
When the insurance company calls, do NOT speak to them! It can only hurt your case. If you have been in an automobile accident, request a free consultation now!
Your Santa Cruz Injury Attorneys for Bicycle and Pedestrian Accidents
Most cyclists are knowledgeable about biking laws and are conscientious about watching out for their own safety. Many motorists are not so careful. Motorists often do not look out for cyclists while driving and their actions put cyclists at risk. Police officers often take the motorists word for how the accident occurred and blame cyclists for accidents without adequately investigating all the facts. We have represented cyclists injured because of motorists who:
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Drove too close or into a bike lane
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Opened a car door before looking for oncoming cyclists
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Make right or illegal turns into the path of a cyclists
At Cartwright, Scruggs, Fulton & Walther we regularly represent cyclists and their families after serious accidents. We retain experts in the field of accident reconstruction who specialize in bicycle accidents. These experts understand the unique issues posed in vehicle vs. bicycle accidents and are strong advocates for cyclists.
Success Stories:
$2.8 million – Settlement for a woman injured by a newspaper delivery person when struck while crossing a street in a crosswalk. The newspaper company conceded the delivery person was an employee and not an independent contractor at the time of the accident.
$200,000 – Settlement for a bicyclist injured on the U.C. Santa Cruz meadow trail. A bicyclist travelling uphill popped a “wheelie” and lost control of his bicycle causing him to go into the downhill lane of travel. The plaintiff was coming downhill and was unable to avoid a collision. Plaintiff suffered severe injuries and had to be airlifted from the scene.
$70,000 – Settlement for a bicyclist injured when a U.C. Santa Cruz work truck made an illegal u-turn striking plaintiff as she was travelling down Natural Bridges St. in a bike lane.
Accidents involving pedestrians pose many of the same issues as those involving cyclists. Motorists often are negligent when they fail to yield the right of way to pedestrians. California law gives pedestrians many rights which are often violated by motorists. Motorists will try to avoid responsibility by claiming not to see them. Our firm will retain a team of experts who can recreate an accident and present evidence of the clear line of vision the at fault motorists had approaching the pedestrian.
