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Many people think bicycle accidents are less dangerous than motorcycle or car accidents, but you can still lose a lot of money and get several injuries. This issue worsens when the liable party for the accident or the victim is riding an electric bike.
If we don’t win, you don’t pay.
Pedal Assist and Powerful Batteries Can Spell E-Bike Crash
Ultimate Guide to Compensation for E-Bike Accidents in Los Angeles County, CA.
Although electric bikes don’t go as fast as motorbikes, with pedal assist and a powerful motor, they still go faster than a regular bicycle. So you must be careful when riding or walking close to e-bike riders. Nonetheless, since electric bikes are not yet standard, few know how they work with their powerful throttle on-demand features.
Facing an oncoming bicyclist when your e-bike reaches harrowing speeds could spell doom and death.
People also get confused regarding the laws that apply to electric bikes in Los Angeles and how they differ from bicycles or motorcycles. Our most experienced attorney is here to help you with that. So read this page to learn more about what to do after getting into an e-bike accident with a negligent driver in Los Angeles!
As we mentioned before, a bicycle accident can cost you a lot of money, and the least the liable party can do is give you the compensation you deserve. You can’t win a case without a decent lawyer, so contact Ehline Law for us to get you the compensation you need to cover economic and non-economic damage in Los Angeles.
We will handle everything on a contingency fee basis, so leave us a valid phone number on our online contact us form, or call us before time passes and proving negligence becomes harder.
Is a Bicycle Accident the Same as When People Ride Electric Bikes?
While this depends on the state where the bicycle accident happens, e-bike accidents are addressed as standard bicycle accidents in Los Angeles, California. E-bike accidents or those involving other electric scooters around Downtown Los Angeles are here to stay.
Why do so many electric bike accident cases occur in L.A.? You first need to know how e-bikes work to answer that question. We will explain more during our complimentary, free case evaluation. Suffice it to say here; electric bicycles have an electric motor that makes it easier to ride faster without getting exhausted after pedaling. Riders still need to pedal to make the electric motor work, but you don’t need to make that much effort when pedaling.
Motorbikes can go faster depending on the model and type of e-bike you get, and while a max-speed electric bike is not as fast as a motor vehicle, it’s still twice as fast as a regular bicycle. Now imagine a fast-moving e-bike rider getting knocked off by an open car door at 25 miles per hour.
Some people modify their e-bike motors, so it happens in Southern California more often than likely being reported. Our Los Angeles bicycle attorney handles cases against negligent riders, as well as negligent motorists.
What Injuries Can I Get After an E-Bike Accident?
As in motor vehicle accidents, electric bicycle accidents can cause several injuries, and you could even face permanent physical damage if the driver were driving at high speed. If the victim, for example, weren’t wearing a helmet, they would most likely get concussions or a traumatic brain injury.
Spinal cord injuries are also common after a bicycle accident. Those injuries could lead to body paralysis and other skull fractures, too. Some people have even died after a bicycle accident with a hit, run driver, etc. So it’s best to keep an eye on the road when riding an electric bike to avoid life-threatening injuries. Remember, this isn’t a traditional bicycle, folks. You can end up dying or suffering permanent injuries like broken bones that require pins and screws.
Damages?
In a nutshell, you are entitled to seek tangible and intangible damages. Naturally, medical expenses are not the only thing you may need to pay for after getting into a bicycle accident in Los Angeles. You may need your compensation to cover economic damage and property losses, which only adds up to pain and suffering compensation, permanent or semi-permanent disability, and even a reduction in the plaintiff’s earning capacity.
Make a Catastrophic Injuries Claim?
The best way to cover all these expenses is to file a personal injury claim with an e-bike accident lawyer. You can always count on Ehline Law to take your case and guide you through all the legal processes needed to get compensation for accident victims in Los Angeles.
Why Do E-Bike Accidents Happen?
It’s easier to get into an e-bike accident than a bicycle accident, and that’s due to the speed that bicycle riders can reach when riding an electric bike. The thing is that e-bikes are fast, and people don’t expect them to be that fast.
Therefore, bicycle riders often get e-bikes and try to ride them like regular bikes. Since they are not used to riding that fast, riders have trouble braking and crash with other bikes, motor vehicles, or bystanders.
Fatalities
Riding an e-bike is a different experience than riding a regular bike, and not understanding that it leads to fatal accidents. Even if you know how e-bikes work, not all e-bike riders take time to practice braking at high speeds, so they are not ready to hit the road yet.
Additionally, people driving close to electric bike riders or walking next to them don’t expect a bike to go fast, either, so they are not that careful when being close to you. When that happens, bike riders are not liable for the accident since the other party was the one that caused it.
Understanding E-Bike Laws in California
Although an e-bike accident is the same as a bicycle accident when you start filing a personal injury claim against another person, there are specific laws in Los Angeles you need to consider when dealing with e-bike accidents. They are not the same for all e-bikes.
The first thing you need to know to understand this is there are three different types of e-bicycles: class one bicycles, class two, and class three.
Class one e-bikes are the best for beginners since they only get to 20mph. You don’t need to wear helmets to ride class one or class two e-bikes, and you can get one regardless of your age.
All electric bikes are pedal-assisted, but class two ones have a throttle on demand you can use if you want to stop pedaling. You ride these bikes on a bike path if you want to, but governments often restrict some places for electric bike riders to protect bystanders from getting into bicycle accidents.
As for class three e-bikes, they can get to 28mph and have an equipped speedometer. Only people 16 years old or older can ride class three e-bikes and can’t ride them on bike paths outside the road.
Whether riding class one and two or three electric bicycles, you don’t need any license, registration, or insurance requirements. However, you do need to follow traffic regulations to prevent any bicycle accident from happening.
It’s essential to know what e-bike you are riding and where to ride them to avoid severe injuries since many bicycle accident cases come from people who don’t know how these bikes work.
Free Consultation
Have you been hit by an e-bike in Los Angeles? Call us as soon as you can to get a free consultation on your case and file a bicycle accident lawsuit against the negligent rider! We can help any private citizen demand satisfaction through total and fair financial compensation.
Who Can Be Liable for an E-Bike Accident?
Many have the misconception that only e-bike riders can be liable for bicycle accidents in Los Angeles, but that couldn’t be further from reality. Naturally, if someone has an e-bike and crashes with someone because they don’t know how to maneuver their bike, they are liable for the accident, but things change when it’s the other way around.
Pedestrians
What if a pedestrian is not paying enough attention to the road or bike path and walks into an e-bike rider who is following traffic laws? They are more than surely getting serious injuries for that, but they are still the ones who caused the accident in the first place, so they are liable for it.
The same happens with motorists or people driving any other motor vehicle that causes electric bike accidents since e-bike operators are the victims in this case.
Other cyclists can also be liable for an accident and any traumatic brain injuries the victim gets if they get in the way of a bike rider following traffic signals and being mindful of their surroundings.
Helmets
Wearing a helmet is essential because; even if you are careful enough to avoid causing any accidents yourself, you can’t control what other people do. Los Angeles California law uses a comparative fault system, so the plaintiff can still get some compensation from their personal injury claim if they share liability for the accident.
Bike manufacturers can also be liable for accidents if they happen because the bike has defective brakes or motors, but it’s not that common to see that happening. The same happens with rental companies that sell defective bicycles.
Nonetheless, e-bike accident lawyers working at the Ehline Law Firm can explain every part of the process to you and help you prove the other party is liable for the accident after you schedule a free consultation of your case with us.
An attorney-client relationship is essential for any legal process in the country, so you can tell us all the details you want of the accident for us to help you.
How to Make a Bicycle Accident Claim – What Do I Need to Do After an E-Bike Accident?
After a bicycle accident, the first thing to do is to check if the other parties involved and you are okay or need immediate medical attention. If you need an ambulance, call 911 to prevent your injuries from causing further damage.
Exchanging your contact information with the other party is essential since that helps you get to them in case your lawyer has any questions about the injury claim. You are good to go if you have their full name, home direction, phone number, email address, insurance company, and license plate if they are motor vehicle occupants.
After that, you can call the police to report the accident or directly go to the closest police station to tell them what happened. Lawyers can use that report as evidence if there’s a trial in the future, so make sure to get the report number.
Suppose you don’t need immediate medical attention. In that case, you can take a moment after the accident to collect as much evidence as possible for the lawsuit since that can help you prove you are not liable for what happened.
Accident Scene Photos
Photographs are an excellent place to start, so take pictures of your injuries and any property damage you suffered after the accident. Bystanders can be witnesses for a trial, so ask them if they saw anything and ask for their contact information in case you need to contact them.
Hiring the Right Lawyer
The next step is to call a law firm you trust to take your case and schedule a free case consultation. As we mentioned, Ehline Law is always available to deliver top-notch legal assistance in Los Angeles, so you can call us whenever you need us.
When you tell lawyers the details of your case and what happened, they will file a claim and send it to a judge to notify the other party they are getting sued. The other party must answer your claim and state if they declare themselves liable for the accident.
If they don’t, you need to get to a settlement by negotiating or a trial. Most people address this issue after getting an agreement since it takes less time and it’s less stressful for all parties involved in the case.
Learn Your Options
However, negotiating may lead to getting less compensation than what you would get by winning a trial, so you should take that into account before trying it. People who don’t want to negotiate and prefer going to a trial risk not winning if they don’t have enough evidence and lose the case.
Attorneys at Ehline Law will tell you the best choice for your situation.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an E-Bike Accident Lawyer in Los Angeles, CA
No one wants to get into a bicycle accident, but it’s always good to be ready in case you do. Therefore, we recommend you always wear a helmet when riding e-bikes and try to ride the slowest you can. Try to be mindful of your surroundings if you are walking close to anyone riding an e-bike since you never know how skilled they are at it.
Regardless, Ehline Law is there for you when you need compensation for any accident, so contact us if you want a free consultation of your case! Call us today at (213) 596-9642 for superior service and client management.
