Bike Accidents

Stay Safe While Riding Your Bicycle in Southern California

Riding your bike can be a great way to get exercise or even to beat traffic on your way to work. However, if you are riding your bike around southern California, there are a couple of things that you will want to do to improve your chances at avoiding an injury, especially when so many drivers are distracted and fail to pay attention to other drivers, let alone cyclists. Besides wearing a helmet and other protective gear, here are two more things to consider.

• Be especially careful of cars making right-hand turns – When a driver is turning right, they usually have the right of way. However, it also means crossing a bike lane in many cases. Some drivers fail to check for cyclists before turning. This can be particularly true when waiting at a red light. If you both start to go when the light changes, that would be especially dangerous.
• Proper lighting makes you visible – California law requires certain lights or reflectors on all bikes in the state. However, you can increase your visibility to drivers and improve your safety by going beyond what the law requires. Front and rear lights in the daytime and at night, along with signal lights, can help you alert drivers to your presence.

Bicycle Accident Lawyers in Southern California

If you have been injured in an accident with a motor vehicle while riding your bike, call 619.344.0360 to get in touch with the personal injury attorneys at Petrov Law Firm. We help California residents get the settlements they deserve.

The Most Important Bicycle Safety Feature

When you are riding your bicycle around San Diego, safety must be of paramount importance. Cyclists rarely fare well when involved in an accident with a moving vehicle. That makes visibility critical for your well-being. What will make you the most visible to drivers?

Lights: The Most Important Safety Feature on Your Bicycle

The state of California actually has a few laws regarding lighting on your bike to make it more visible. Therefore, your bicycle should already have the following:

• A headlight for use when riding after dark
• A red rear reflector

However, you can increase your visibility and make riding even safer by adding additional lighting features beyond those required by law. For example:

• Use your headlight day and night to increase visibility during the day
• Get taillights instead of just a reflector to increase the likelihood of a driver seeing you from behind
• Acquire signal lights for drivers who don’t pay attention to hand signals or who have forgotten what they mean since taking their driving test

Bicycle Accident Attorneys in San Diego

If you have been injured in an accident while biking in southern California, the experienced personal injury attorneys at Petrov Law Firm can help. Since California is a fault state, the driver’s insurance company may try to place some of the blame on you to reduce the settlement. Before you sign any sort of agreement, be sure to call 619.344.0360, so you can get an experienced lawyer on your side.

How to Avoid Bicycle Accidents When Riding Around San Diego

Injuries caused by bicycle accidents result in over $200 million in medical bills and lost work across the country. Whether you are riding your bike around San Diego for pleasure or as your primary means of transportation, here are a few tips to help you avoid the dangers of sharing the road with drivers.

• Wear reflective clothing – While this is crucial during night riding, you can benefit from the extra visibility even during the daytime. Helping drivers see you will minimize the risks.
• Use signals when turning – Hand signals are a must for cyclists. However, if you can get signal lights for your bike, this will improve your visibility even more and be good for drivers who never learned what the hand signals mean.
• Don’t assume drivers see you – Even if you’ve made eye contact with a driver, it is still a good idea to yield the right of way to someone in a car. The best way to avoid injury is to ride defensively rather than aggressively.

Cyclist Accident Injury Lawyers in Southern California

If you have been injured in a bike accident, the personal injury attorneys at Petrov Law Firm can help. Insurance companies often look for any excuse to avoid or minimize a payout. We can help you to get the settlement you deserve so that your medical bills and lost wages are covered. Give us a call today at 619-344-0360 to get your case started and receive the full compensation you are due.

Cyclist Safety Tips for San Diego Roads

Whether you ride your bicycle around San Diego or the surrounding neighborhoods, for work, exercise, or fun, you need to use proper caution. Car accidents involving cyclists often result in serious injury to the person riding the bike. Here are a few tips to help keep you safe.

• Always wear a helmet – A helmet can’t guarantee that you will survive an accident with a motor vehicle, but it certainly improves your chances.
• Watch out for cars turning right – This is what puts you at the greatest risk, especially if the driver doesn’t check the bike lane before turning. At stoplights, wait to make sure drivers are not turning rather than trying to get a jumpstart on the light. It is legal to exit the bike lane and move into traffic when approaching a place where a driver may make a righthand turn. This will make you more visible. Once you are through the intersection, return to the bike lane as soon as you safely can.
• Have something reflective on your person and your bike – This will help make you more visible, especially at night but also during the day. For even more visibility, invest in head and taillights for your bike.

Bicycle Accident Injury Attorneys in Southern California

The personal injury attorneys at Petrov Law Firm can help if you have been injured by a motor vehicle driver. A settlement can help you recover damages from medical bills, missed work, and additional pain and suffering caused by the accident. To learn more, call 619-344-0360 today.

Arrive Alive by Following This Cycling Safety Tip

What is the number one factor when it comes to staying safe while riding your bike around San Diego and the surrounding neighborhoods? Visibility! If a driver doesn’t see you, things can get dangerous very quickly. Here is the safety tip that may save your life.

Lights – The Most Important Bicycle Safety Feature

There’s no law in California that says you have to have lights on your bike day and night. You do have to have a headlight for the front of your bike at night. A rear reflector is also required (and must be red). But since prevention is the best medicine, you may want to invest in more lights for your bike than just the minimum requirements.

If you can install headlights and tail lights on your bike, and have them running both day and night, you significantly increase the likelihood of a driver seeing you. Installing turn signals for drivers who are unfamiliar with hand signals is also a good idea.

Bicycle Accident Injuries in Southern California

If you have been injured while riding your bike in the San Diego area, let the personal injury attorneys at Petrov Law Firm help you to get a fair settlement. Insurance companies may seek to reduce the payout by placing some of the blame on the cyclist. We can help you get the full compensation that you deserve.

Before you sign any sort of settlement, it is important to get help from a professional attorney. To learn more, call 619-344-0360 to schedule a consultation.

Bicycle Safety Tips to Prevent Accidents and Injury

In one recent year, bicycle accidents cost the US economy $222 million dollars in lost work and medical bills. Do you regularly ride a bike for recreation or for your work commute? If so, follow these simple tips to reduce the risk of accident and injury.

• Assume drivers don’t see you – Sadly, most drivers are too distracted to notice a cyclist. Whether it is a smartphone or just their own thoughts that are getting in the way, you need to ride defensively and assume drivers haven’t noticed you.
• Signal when turning – This is a bit of a two-edged sword. You need to use hand signals to let drivers know when you are making a turn, but you also have to ride like drivers won’t understand your hand signals. So use the signals, but don’t rely on them. Even better – get actual signal lights for your bike.
• Wear something reflective – This is especially important if you ride at night. Reflective clothes make drivers more likely to see you. Head and tail lights for your bike help even more.

Hopefully, these tips can help keep you safe. However, if you become the victim of a bike accident injury, we’re here to help.

Bike Accident Injury Attorneys in San Diego

Petrov Law Firm has the caring personal injury attorneys that you want on your side when you have been the victim of an accident. Contact us today by calling 619-344-0360 to learn how we can help you to receive compensation for your medical bills and lost wages.

Southern California’s Most Common Personal Injury Suits

When someone is injured, you may wonder who should be held responsible for the medical bills and other losses the injured person may have experienced. Let’s see how this question applies to some of the more common ways in which individuals are injured in Southern California.

• Car Accidents – Automotive accident injuries are extremely common and often lead to major medical expenses. However, California is a fault state, so liability is determined by the percent of fault the various parties share.
• Slip and Fall Injuries – Whether you slip on wet tile or trip over a run in the carpet, what needs to be determined is whether the property owner caused the issue, knew about the issue, and had enough time to respond to the issue.
• Dog Attacks – Dog bites are probably more common than you think. Children are the most likely to be bitten, so it is vital to monitor the interactions between children and animals. If a dog bite occurs, the owner may be culpable depending on the circumstances.

Personal Injury Lawyers in Southern California

If you have been injured in any of the ways mentioned in this article, the personal injury lawyers at Petrov Law Firm can help. We have experience in helping the victims of car accidents, slip and fall accidents, and dog bites receive a proper settlement. To learn more, schedule a consultation with our conveniently located San Diego and Chula Vista offices today. Just call 619-344-0360 to get started.

Road Conditions that Require Extra Caution from Drivers

No one wants to be in a car accident, and that is why Petrov Law Firm offers safe driving advice. Here are a few tips for driving when road conditions are the most dangerous.

• Rain – Sometimes we forget that rain can make the roadways very slick. Be sure to leave extra space between you and other drivers, especially at highway speeds, and slow down more than usual when taking corners so you don’t hydroplane.
• Dark – Driving at night can make it difficult to see road hazards as well as pedestrians who may not be properly dressed for a nighttime walk. Keep your headlights in good shape and be sure to switch from hi-beams to low-beams for oncoming drivers.
• Construction – Speeding in a construction area could lead to having the blood of a construction worker on your hands. Always follow posted instructions when driving in a construction area. Even if no accident occurs, remember that penalties for breaking the speed limit are much greater in construction areas.
• Potholes – A pothole can destroy your tire. If you can avoid a pothole safely, do so. If not, it is best to strike the hole straight on and as slow as possible. The side walls of your tires are weaker, so a last-minute turn of the wheel could result in a blowout. If a warning light comes on after going through a pothole or if you feel a wobble, pull over immediately to check your tires.

California Car Accident Injury Lawyers

If you do find yourself needing a California car accident injury attorney, contact the Petrov Law Firm at 619-344-0360. We can help you to maximize your settlement and get the compensation that you deserve.

3 Safety Tips for San Diego Cyclists

Do you ride your bike to commute to work in San Diego, or even just as a hobby? If so, you want to be as safe as possible. While drivers are supposed to share the road with bicycles, people are more distracted than ever, and that can lead to some serious injuries. Here are a few ways to protect yourself on the road.

1. Watch for drivers making right turns. Since bike lanes are usually on the right and cyclists tend to stick toward this side of the road anyway, you are at greatest risk when a driver is making a right-hand If he or she doesn’t see you, they may try to turn with you right alongside them.
2. Exiting the Bike Lane. When the bike lane ends or when you need to leave the bike lane to make a turn, use extra caution. It is legal for you to leave the bike lane when approaching a place that drivers can turn right. Moving into the vehicle lane will alert drivers to your presence and protect you from the danger mentioned in point one.
3. When a Stoplight Turns Green. Don’t assume that driver next to you sees you or that they are using a turn signal properly. Always assume that the driver is going to punch it and make a right-hand turn in front of you when the light turns green. Better safe than sorry.

If You Have Been Injured in Bicycle Accident in California

If you are a cyclist who has been injured by a driver in California, seek the help of the experienced personal injury lawyers at Petrov Law Firm. We can help you get started on your case today. All you need to do is call 619-344-0360 to schedule an appointment.

Good News for Motorcycle Enthusiasts in California

The statistics for 2017 were just released regarding motorcycle fatalities across the nation, and there are only three states (and the District of Columbia) that saw more of a decrease than California. In fact, there were about 30% fewer fatal motorcycle accidents in the state of California than in 2016.

While this is good news indeed, we want to be sure that our clients are still using the safest practices while riding. For example, did you know that the majority of fatal motorcycle accidents don’t involve another driver? The biggest factor is speeding. So please be careful, obey the speed limits, and don’t ride faster than you feel comfortable with.

The Lane-Splitting Paradox

When California changed state driving laws to allow motorcyclists to engage in lane-splitting, people may have assumed that motorcycle accidents would increase. However, we can see that the opposite has occurred. While lane-splitting is not for every rider and should be done with extreme caution, the good news is that drivers seem to be paying more attention and watching for motorcycles more than before. Perhaps this is actually contributing to the decrease in fatal accidents.

Help for Motorcycle Accident Victims

While it is growing less common, there are still motorcycle accident victims who have been injured by distracted drivers. If you find yourself in this situation, please contact the Petrov Law Firm to see how we can help you to get the settlement that you deserve. We serve the Southern California area from our San Diego and Chula Vista offices, so call 619-344-0360 to schedule an appointment.