Best Bike Accident Lawyer in Lake Forest

Lake Forest is a beautiful, quiet city in Orange County with a population of 85,831. There are some scenic parks in Lake Forest such as Serrano Creek Community Park and Arden Helena Modjeska Historic House and Gardens.

Similar to other cities in the OC, residents in Lake Forest spend a lot of time outside walking and riding their bikes. Unfortunately, there are bicycle accidents that happen in Lake Forest. Of course, there are things you can do to take precautions, like wearing a helmet and bright clothing. However, accidents can still happen.

So many things can cause a bike accident. From a car backing into a bicyclist to a speeding Postmates driver, or even a moving truck making a delivery, bike riders are always at risk when they get on the road.

If you or a loved one were injured in a bike accident in Lake Forest, please contact The Law Offices of Daniel Kim for a free consultation.

Bike Accident Lawyer Lake Forest

Daniel Kim is a top-rated bike accident lawyer in Lake Forest, as well as all of Southern California. What really sets our law firm apart from others is our compassion towards our clients.

The Law Offices of Daniel Kim maintains a 99% success rate–which is unheard of in this industry. Daniel Kim and his legal team have years of experience helping injured bike riders obtain a settlement from the insurance companies. Other highlights to working with our law firm include:

• 99% success rate
• Recovered over $300 million in settlements and verdicts
• Absolutely free, no-risk consultation
• We can come to you if you are unable to make it into our office
• Access to the best medical care in your area
• Over 1,000 Positive reviews on Yelp and Google
• You can contact us 24-hours a day, seven days a week

Practice Areas We Specialize In

At The Law Offices of Daniel Kim, our accident lawyers exclusively handle motor vehicle accident cases. In fact, our outstanding attorneys focus on motor vehicle accidents, setting us apart from other firms.

Car Accidents – This can involve any type of crash from an Uber wreck, to maybe a teenage driver hitting you, or maybe an old lady ran a red light and rear-ended your car.

Motorcycle Accidents – As we all know riding a motorcycle is very dangerous. Also, almost all motorcycle accidents lead to severe injuries.

Truck Accidents – Accidents involving commercial trucks, big-rigs, tractor-trailers, or other oversized vehicles are complicated. However, our law firm has years of experience dealing with these types of cases.

Pedestrian Accidents – These are always bad accidents because a pedestrian has no chance against a 2,000 lb. car that runs them over.

Uber and Lyft Accidents – Uber and Lyft have unique commercial insurance policies. Therefore, all parties involved are eligible for compensation.

Catastrophic Injuries – In саtаѕtrорhіс іnjurіеѕ, the vісtіm іѕ еntіtlеd to rесеіvе muсh hіghеr compensation соmраrеd tо the ones whо ѕuffеr mіnоr іnjurіеѕ.

Wrongful Death – In California, the deceased’s spouse, child, partner, and other entitled individuals can file a claim and receive damages.

Common Causes of Bike Accidents in Lake Forest

Cycling has been becoming more and more popular throughout many cities and is a major focus point for city leaders and community planning.

There are a couple of main reasons for this upward trend. The bike rider enjoys the freedom of avoiding traffic congestion and many like the fact that they no longer are reliant on fossil fuels and are environmentally friendly.

When vehicles and bicyclists share the roads on the streets of Lake Forest there is still the chance that an accident can occur. The bike rider is much more vulnerable to injury than the motorist for obvious reasons.

In some accidents, bicyclists are at fault, but in the large majority of situations, the driver of the car or truck is to blame. No matter who is at fault, anytime a car hits a bike rider it can be a harmful situation. Below is a list of common reasons for a bike accident in Lake Forest:

• Getting Doored – When a bike rider is hit by a vehicle opening their door in the bike lane it can cause serious injury to the rider.
• Motorist Not Yielding – When a driver fails to give the right away to a cyclist and the bike rider is following the rules an accident can happen.
• Dangerous Roads – Treacherous road conditions like manhole covers, potholes, cracks, and crevices in the roads can all lead to accidents and serious injury to the bike rider.
• Speeding – A motorist speeding will have less time to react if confronted with a dangerous situation with a rider.
• Distracted Driving – Using GPS, texting, talking, eating, or drinking can lead to recklessness.

How Bicyclists Can Stay Safe on the Roads

No matter how many precautions a bicyclist takes, they will always be at risk while sharing the roads with all the automobiles in Lake Forest. But there are steps that bicycle riders can take to avoid an accident and serious injuries.

1. Be Prepared – Before you start your ride make sure the bike is the proper size for your height and weight and skill set.
2. Bike Check – Make sure the bike is in proper working condition and that the brakes, handlebars, lights, and reflectors are ready for the ride.
3. Make a Plan – Try and plan your route before you start your ride. Make sure you give yourself enough time to get where you need to be.
4. Wear a Helmet – A helmet is extremely important and can help to avoid serious injury or even save your life. Be smart and never ride without one.
5. Proper Clothing – Bright clothing with reflective material is always best when riding. Pads and protective gear can also help if an accident ever occurs.
6. Drive Defensively – Never assume the driver of the vehicle sees you. Make sure that you ride with caution at all times. Drive with the flow of the traffic and obey all the rules of the road.
7. Be Courteous – Don’t run red lights, don’t run stop signs, and don’t cut off cars intentionally or ride aggressively.

Lake Forest Bicycle Accident Statistics

The Lake Forest community, like a lot of other communities in Orange County, enjoys picture-perfect weather almost every single day of the year. Combine that with the highest urban area that the city is made up of and it’s easy to see why so many people choose to travel by bicycle when given the opportunity.

With all this bicycle traffic it would be reasonable to assume that bicycle accident rates are pretty high in Lake Forest. However, there were fewer than 0.76 bicycle accidents per thousand individuals living in Lake Forest reported during all of 2017. Slightly more than 90% of all cyclist accidents in Lake Forest had at least a single injury reported.

DUI Accidents

While those riding bicycles usually aren’t consuming drugs or alcohol beforehand and then getting into accidents, motorists who have been using these substances before operating a vehicle are one of the biggest dangers to cyclists throughout California–not just in Lake Forest.

DUI arrest rates have been growing by thirty percent across the last 5 years. Additionally, reports suggest that 11% of all automobile accidents are caused by motorists that have consumed drugs before getting behind the wheel.

Distracted Driving

The California Department of Transportation found that 80% of automobile accidents–including those involving cyclists–could be linked back to driver inattention in one form or another.

On top of that, 75% of California motorists admitted to using their cell phones while they are out and about on the roads even though they know it’s dangerous and illegal.

Dangerous Intersections for Bicycle Accidents in Lake Forest

The most accident-prone intersections in Lake Forest for cyclists typically occur in residential communities. They include the following:

• El Toro Rd. and Trabuco Rd.
• El Toro Rd. and Montcliff Dr.
• Lake Forest Dr. and Jeronimo Rd
• Irvine Blvd. and Bake Pkwy.
• Sunflower and Alton Pkwy.
• Orchard Rd. and Rancho Pkwy. S.
• Purpose Rd. and Portola Pkwy.
• Live Oak Canyon Rd. and Santiago Canyon Rd.
• Los Alisos Blvd. & Jeronimo Rd.
• State Route 133

The Law Offices of Daniel Kim – Costa Mesa Office
Address: 611 Anton Boulevard, Suite #1000, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Phone: (714) 790-3519