San Diego Injury Lawyer Blog

A 38-year old bicycle rider lost his life in a San Diego auto accident when a city dump truck slammed into the cyclist on February 8, 2010 around 12:50 p.m. This tragic bike accident took place in the Oak Park area of San Diego at the intersection of 54th Avenue and Krenning Street.

The man, whose name was withheld pending notification from family, died right on the spot of the traffic accident and could not even be taken to the hospital. Though nobody else was injured, the cause of the bicycle accident is still unknown as reported by San Diego police Detective Gary Hassen.

Our office wishes to convey our sincere prayers and condolences to the family and friends of the deceased cyclist. It has to be said that the intersection at which the car accident took place is a very busy place. The downhill run from the College Grove Drive, that meets 54th street, is a rather dangerous one. Care has to be taken by all the residents of San Diego and especially the bicyclists that they are in total control of their vehicles in this area.

Ross Jurewitz is a San Diego bicycle crash lawyer and the managing attorney of the Jurewitz Law Group, a San Diego, CA law firm dedicated to representing people seriously injured and the families of people killed by the negligence of others. If you or a loved one has been hurt or killed in a San Diego bike accident, please call Mr. Jurewitz at 888-233-5020 for a free consultation.

In addition, if you would like more information to help you or your family following an injury accident, please order your free copy of Mr. Jurewitz's book, The Ten Biggest Mistakes that can Destroy Your California Accident Case. It is free to all California residents.

Last Thursday, a 67-year-old man was hospitalized for the injuries he suffered when his bicycle crashed in San Diego County's Linda Vista. He had been attempting to keep his hat on as the wind was blowing it off , according to police.

The scene of the accident was the 1700 block of Ulric Street at about 11:45 a.m. on Wednesday, according to San Diego police Officer Brad Ruff, who reported on the San Diego bike accident. The bicyclist's injuries included facial fractures, a skull fracture, a broken shoulder, a broken forearm, and a lacerated kidney. He is still expected to survive. Bicycle accidents can be common in San Diego but just as well prevented, by wearing helmets and exercising sound judgment while on the road.

If you or a loved one has ever been injured or killed in a San Diego bicycle accident, contact San Diego, CA bike accident lawyer Ross Jurewitz and the San Diego injury attorneys of the Jurewitz Law Group at (619) 233-5020. You may also contact these San Diego, CA personal injury lawyers online here.

For more information about the best bicycle accident attorneys in San Diego, CA, please visit our bicycle accident website full of helpful information. You can also request our free California injury book, The 10 Biggest Mistakes that can Destroy Your California Accident Case.

The highly publicized death of a San Diego tourist by a pedicab driver last month has given way to new regulations being put in place on pedicab drivers by the San Diego City Council, who met on Tuesday, July 28, 2009, to re-regulate many of the rules.

The council approved a long list of changes that they find will help to improve safety as well as protect the customers. The Council also was adamant that they were not done with the regulations, and would be making more as they continued to research and find what was best to improve the entire oversight.

New regulations will cap the number of pedicabs allowed to operate in high-traffic zones, and will require drivers to display fares in a prominent location. It will also ban the three-wheeled bikes from sidewalks and streets with speed limits of more than 25 mph, unless they safely use a bicycle lane. They will no longer be allowed to take up metered parking space, and must carry proof of insurance and require their passengers to wear seat belts. All regulations will be taking effect in 30 days.

Many pedicab owners are very upset about the new laws, as it is projected to hurt their business by having to cut their workers by as much as 60 percent. Currently 430 pedicabs are legally registered to operate in San Diego, and 817 people have received operator permits to drive the pedicabs within the past year. You can read more about the San Diego City Council's hearing and proposed new laws to regulate pedicab safety in this SignOnSanDiego.com story.

If you or anyone you know has ever been injured or killed in a San Diego pedicab accident, please contact San Diego personal injury lawyer Ross Jurewitz and the San Diego injury attorneys at the Jurewitz Law Group at (619) 233-5020. You may also contact these San Diego accident lawyers online here.

On July 21, 2009, a bicyclist was fatally injured on a rural road in North San Diego County when the bike he was riding was struck by by a pickup truck.

The victim, Angel Guadalupe Galvez, 37, had been cycling southbound along Cole Grade Road in Valley Center as the 1992 Chevrolet pickup approached from behind, around 8:15 a.m. according to California Highway Patrol. As the driver tried to pass Galvez just by Fruitvale Road, the struck intercepted the bicycle. Medics that had arrived on the scene took Galvez to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido, where Galvez, a Valley Center resident, was pronounced dead a short time later.

Continue reading "Valley Center Man Killed in San Diego County Bicycle Accident" »

A 4 year-old girl, identified as Veronica Ramirez, was killed and her 34 year-old father injured when the bicycle they were riding was struck by a San Diego trolley in Chula Vista on July 26, 2009.

The Chula Vista bicycle accident occurred on westbound L Street near Industrial Boulevard. According to witnesses, the trolley signals were already activated and the barriers were lowered when the young man attempted to cross the tracks as the trolley approached. The trolley struck the bicyclists, sending them flying about 40 feet.

The young girl was taken to Rady Children's Hospital but died a short time later from her head injury. Her father was taken to UCSD Medical Center with a broken hip and internal injuries.

Continue reading "4 Year Old Killed, Father Injured, After Bicycle Hit by Trolley" »

The recent San Diego fatality that had caught hold of the community was the accident where a woman died when she fell from the wagon of a pedicab as it was riding up a street that was expressly blocked to bicycles. Witnesses observed the driver swerving his own vehicle when the 60-year-old schoolteacher from the midwest fell and injured her head, later dying in the hospital from complications of the accident.

The newest development in the story is that prosecutors declined to file charges against the driver arrested on suspicion of manslaughter for the Fourth of July accident. It is not exactly clear why they were not seeking to press charges in the fatal accident. Sukru Safa Cinar, 23, was the Turkey native taken into custody. He was released from jail Thursday night pending further investigation, according to Paul Levikow, the District Attorney spokesman. You can read more about this San Diego pedicab accident in this 10News.com story.

Continue reading "Driver Not Charged in Connection with Fatal San Diego Pedicab Accident" »

San Diego has recently had its eyes on the almost unprecedented tragedy in a fatal pedicab ride. On July 4, a 60-year-old passenger who took a ride from a pedicab driver in the Downtown district died as a result of the ride after she fell from the wagon and suffered life threatening head injuries that ultimately took her life.

A report claims that the 23-year-old driver, Sukru Safa Cinar was riding in an unsafe and eratic manner when the passenger, 60-year-old school teacher Sharon Miller, slipped from the pedicab and struck her head on the ground. The exact charge against the driver, who was arrested, is still unknown. SDPD spokesperson Monica Munoz mentioned that the driver used poor judgment when driving on the Martin Luther King Promenade on the north side of the trolley tracks, near 2nd and J Street in the San Diego Gaslamp District. The area where the accident took place is clearly marked for no bicycles, skateboards, or pedicabs. Munoz mentioned that the driver was swerving from left to right as he rode. Miller and her husband had been in town for a National Education Conference, and she was riding with another female passenger when she fell to her death.

Miller was taken to the UCSD Medical Center where she died Sunday evening. The driver remained on the scene to answer police question about the incident. You can read more about this San Diego pedicab accident in this 10News.com story.

Continue reading "Woman Dies in San Diego Pedicab Accident" »

A 32-year-old cyclist from San Diego was hospitalized with major head injuries on June 29 after having crashed into a parked vehicle while he was riding his bicycle, San Diego police authorities have reported.

The man had not been wearing a helmet, and crashed around the 3200 block of J Street in downtown San Diego around 2:20 p.m. on Sunday. It is believed that excessive speed had prevented him from making a safe turn onto 33rd Street, according to San Diego police Sgt. Ramona Hastings. You can read more about this San Diego bicycle accident in this 10news.com story.

Continue reading "San Diego Cyclist Hospitalized After Hitting Parked Car" »

A 22-year-old man was killed late on the night of June 19, 2009, while riding his bicycle in the Pacific Beach area of San Diego. The county's Medical Examiner's Office identified 22-year-old Jonathon R. Ramirez as the victim in this tragic San Diego fatal bike accident.

After being hit, Ramirez was rushed to a hospital where he died from head and neck injuries on Saturday morning, as reported by the Medical Examiner's Office. You can read more about this San Diego bike crash in this SignonSanDiego.com story.

Continue reading "Bicyclist Killed in San Diego Bike Accident" »

A memorial service is scheduled on Saturday for a Chula Vista man killed on June 21, 2009, during a cross-country bike tour in order to protest government bailouts. The suspect thought to have killed the biker was a drunk driver in Illinois who left the scene of the car crash and was later arrested.

The fatal bicycle accident of Chula Vista resident Jim Gafney, 65, is mourned by his wife Nancy, three daughters, and a large extended family, who had asked him not to take part in the tour, although he was a seasoned bike rider. Gafney was apparently incredibly determined to make his voice heard on the bailouts, which he worries will affect his future generations in a very negative way, and his family hopes that his mission will not be lost but instead, that his death would help carry on his mission and echo his voice.

Gafney was a former Navy man and retired computer engineer who had worked at Camp Pendleton. He had left Chula Vista for his bike across the country on April 27 and was on U.S. Route 50, about 60 miles east of St Louis when, just before 1 a.m. he was struck from behind by a 1997 Nissan Altima being driven by a 27-year-old man suspected to be drunk, according to Illinois State Police. The driver was arrested shortly thereafter by an officer for speeding when they noticed the damage to his car. He told state troopers that he had been driving over a hill and saw Gafney but was not able to stop or avoid hitting him, according to Master Sgt. Chris Trame. Trame notes that the road on which the Chula Vista biker died was just a two-lane roadway with no shoulder, an area that was very isolated and not well lit. The driver is facing charges that include aggravated driving under the influence and leaving the scene of the accident.

You can read more about this Chula Vista bicycle accident in this SignOnSanDiego.com story.

Continue reading "Chula Vista Bicycle Rider Killed While on Nationwide Bike Trek" »

A woman on a bicycle coming home from a bar on the morning of June 12, 2009, in Encinitas was severly injured when she was hit by a van. The victim and her girlfriend were riding their bikes home on southbound Pacific Coast Highway 101 near Chesterfield Drive when the victim was struck.

The van's driver was driving an older tan colored box-shaped van. He initially got out of his vehicle and told the victim's girlfriend that he would move his van to a safer location and return to help, but he never did. The sergeant reports that the man was last seen driving towards Solana Beach. Paramedics that arrived on the scene took the victim to Scripps La Jolla Hospital for treatment. You can read more about this hit-and-run Encinitas bicycle accident in this 10news.com story.

Continue reading "Hit and Run Driver Injures Encinitas Bicycle Rider" »

A 10-year-old boy was hospitalized on Wednesday afternoon while riding his bicycle in the Roseville area of San Diego, according to presiding police. The scene of the accident was on the 1000 block of Catalina Boulevard around 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday, said San Diego police Sgt Bob Dare. The boy was hospitalized with a broken hip, leg, and ankle in this San Diego bike accident.

Details released on this tragedy inform us that the boy had been riding his bicycle on a sidewalk when he was struck by a motorist pulling out of a parking lot. Alcohol did not appear to be a factor. Nevertheless, the neighborhood boy remains in the hospital today from the result of negligence. You can read more about this San Diego bicycle accident in this 10news.com story.

Continue reading "San Diego Boy Hospitalized After Being Hit by Car While Riding His Bicycle" »

An Encinitas boy who was struck by a motor vehicle while riding his bicycle more than two weeks ago is now dead, as reported by the Medical Examiner's Office. The 11-year-old boy, Robert Franklin Thompson, had been on life support since his May 6 accident at Rady's Children's Hospital, and passed away Friday at 3:30 p.m.

The boy had been on a motorized "pocket bike", which resembles a small scooter but can go up to 15 mph. He had been crossing the 1000 block of Double LL Ranch Road, a private, gated road in Olivenhain, when this fatal San Diego area accident took place. Witnesses reported to San Diego police that the boy was coming out of a driveway and went directly into the path on the oncoming car. The sheriff's report had no indication of excessive speed or alcohol being involved with the accident. You can read more about this Encinitas bicycle accident in this 10news.com story.

Continue reading "Boy Hit in Encinitas Bicycle Accident Dies from Injuries" »

A recent rash of bicycle thefts has made the San Diego City Courthouse begin to rethink the way it treats bicycles, including where to lock them. As a high-profile cycling city, San Diego bike riders have ample opportunity and plenty of good weather to commute via bicycle rather than car. However, due to the volume of, and demand for, bicycles, it is no surprise that thiefs target them.

Brienne Thompson was one such victim when she locked up her $1,000 Fuji Roubaix in front of the Hall of Justice while serving jury duty. She even locked her bike with two very secure U-Lock locks, only to emerge from the courthouse to find that both had been cut off. San Diego Sheriff's Department notes than the problem has "become an epidemic" and are even considering moving those specific bike racks to an area more clearly visible to law enforcement from the Hall of Justice.

The owner of the San Diego Bike shop in Downtown San Diego, Mohammad Karimi, was quoted "Bike theft is very bad in San Diego... with the situation with the economy, it's more organize -- seems to be more happening." Karimi recommends Kryptonite locks which are great deterrents, and the company also now insures bikes that use the locks up to $4,500. You can read more about these San Diego bicycle thefts in this SanDiego6.com story.

Continue reading "San Diego Bike Riders Experience Increase in Theft" »

On Friday, May 15th, 2009, 5,200 cyclists participated in San Diego's designated Bike to Work day. This is a great way to reduce the use our gasoline and greenhouse gas emissions, but the event had a rough onset when a 43-year-old man was struck by a car on Wednesday while riding his bicycle in Valley Center. Later identified as Jose Mejia, the bicyclist was fatally injured on Valley Center Road near Cole Grade Road after he swerved into the path of the vehicle.

The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office did not come to any conclusions on the reasons why the bicyclist lose control. Paramedics who arrived on the scene took Mejia to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido, but he died at 8:45 p.m. while there on Thursday from brain injuries suffered according to the medical examiner's office.

Continue reading "Valley Center Bicyclist Dies in San Diego County Bicycle Accident" »

An 11 year-old boy in Encinitas was hospitilized with serious injuries after being hit by a car while riding an electric pocket bike, according to authorities.

According to witnesses, the child rode into the path of a car from a driveway, onto the 1000 block of Double LL Ranch Road on Wednesday afternoon, shortly after 4:30 p.m., as informed by Sgt. Randy Webb of San Diego County Sheriff's Department. While the child's name and medical condition have not been released, it is known that he was flown to Rady's Children's Hospital. There is no evidence supporting the idea that drugs or alcohol played a role in the San Diego bicycle accident. You can read more about this Encinitas bicycle accident in this 10news.com story.

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Continue reading "Boy Killed in Encinitas Bicycle Accident" »

Marcos Garcia Jeronimo, 23, an illegal immigrant from Oaxaca, Mexico had already been convicted of gross vehicular manslaughter in connection with a San Diego hit-and-run car accident resulting in the death of bicycle rider Marcelo Bolom, 23, of San Diego. On Wednesday, Jeronimo pleaded guilty to having run over Bloom last August in Mira Mesa and dragging his body more than 500 feet. Jeronimo was placed on three years' probation.

San Diego Superior Court Judge Melinda Lasater ordered that Jeronimo spend a year in county jail for the charge, although she acknowledged that he has credit for more than 380 days and is expected to be released immediately.

Jeronimo now faces deportation, although if he crosses the international border into the United States again, he could be sent to prison.

Continue reading "Illegal Immigrant Pleads Guilty for Causing Fatal San Diego Bicycle Accident" »

A teenaged boy crashed his bike into Scripps Gorge yesterday in San Diego around 4:30 p.m. The teenager was riding his bicycle near the 10100 block of Scripps Ranch Boulevard when he lost control of his bike and pummeled 25 feet down the gorge.

San Diego firefighters say that he was able to call for help from his cell phone. A San Diego police helicopter flew over the area several times before being able to find the teenaged bicyclist. San Diego paramedics brought him to the top and took him to the hospital. His injuries are not life threatening. You can read more about this San Diego bike accident and watch the video of the TV news report in this SanDiego6.com story.

Continue reading "Teen Bicycle Rider Critically Injured After Crashing Into San Diego Gorge" »

Hullabaloo surrounded the 2005 addition of bicycle lanes along Via de la Valle in Solana Beach in North San Diego County, yet today the bike lanes are almost non-existent because of the lack of follow-up care by the City of San Diego.

"Share the Road" signs do not mean much when about half of the 4-foot wide westbound bicycle lanes along Via de la Valle are encroached upon by growing bushes.

Both San Diego bicyclists and car drivers know that this growing vegetation of weeds poses a danger since it obviously makes it more difficult for fast moving cars to share the road with bicyclists.

Continue reading "Overgrown Brush Along Solana Beach Road Poses Danger to San Diego Bicycle Riders" »

Sgt. Jack Reynolds of the Encinitas Sheriff's Station reported that a 14-year-old child was flown to Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego as a precaution after crashing his bicycle into a car in Del Mar. The accident happened this last Saturday morning when the bicyclist T-boned his head and hit his head on the ground. He was not wearing a helmet and as a consequence suffered a laceration to the back of the head. You can read more about this Del Mar bicycle accident in this North County Times story.

The bicyclist was unconscious after the crash but was speaking and moving his hands and feet as he was being prepared for the flight to hospital by paramedics. No information was reported from the hospital but according to the Encinitas Sheriff's station the incident was listed as a minor injury accident. The driver of the car was not found to be at fault.

Continue reading "Teen Suffers Head Injury After Del Mar Bicycle Crash" »

A friend of the Jurewitz Law Group and San Diego resident was riding his newly tuned-up bicycle around the uptown area of San Diego this last Saturday morning.

The University Heights resident was heading back home after running some errands during this busy day and, as he was riding out of the parking lot of the Ralph's in Hillcrest, he stopped behind a grey Ford F-150. This Ford pick-up truck was waiting to go into the underground parking lot blocking off the path.

Our friend stopped behind the truck waiting for him to move when suddenly the truck driver decided to go in reverse instead of forward. Not looking into his mirrors, the driver did not see our employee and hit him with his truck. Our employee fell off of his bike with his groceries spilling all over the floor.

Continue reading "Friend of San Diego Injury Law Firm Struck by Truck" »

San Diego's Old Town neighborhood is known for its historic buildings and authentic mid 1800's Western atmosphere, but it is not immune to the dangers of the 21st century, with cars replacing the horse and buggy as transportation passing through the narrowly constructed streets.

This was the scene of a bike accident on Tuesday, April 7th when a car struck and seriously injured a 13-year-old bike rider who had just road out of Congress Street around 4:30 p.m. While the car driver remained uninjured, medics on the scene had to rush the teen boy to the hospital to treat a broken leg. It is unknown whether the boy was wearing a helmet or not. You can read more about this San Diego bicycle accident in this SanDiego6.com story.

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Continue reading "San Diego Teen Injured in Old Town Bicycle Accident" »

A fixed gear bicycle rider was injured when he crashed into the back of a truck on Adams Avenue in the North Park area of San Diego. The bicyclist was riding along Adams Avenue when he caught a glimpse of himself in a mirror that was attached to a truck. The truck was delivering the large mirror to a house in Kensington from North Park Glass and Mirror and was stopped at a red light. The rider of the "fixie" bicycle was wearing a vintage, Italian racing cap and when he saw himself in the mirror he could not help but admire the view.

This moment of vanity caused the bicyclist to stop paying attention to the road and crash into the stationary truck. He hit the truck at nearly 30 mph, partly because fixed gear bicycles have no brakes. When the bicycle rider crashed into the truck, he shattered the mirror and seriously injured himself. The cyclist was taken to Sharp Memorial Hospital where he is expected to fully recover. You can read more about this San Diego bicycle accident in this San Diego City Beat story.

Continue reading "San Diego Bicycle Accident Caused by Rider's Inattention, Vanity" »

Earlier today, 7-time Tour De France Champion Lance Armstrong fell during the first stage of Spain's Vuelta Castilla y Leon. As a result of the fall, he was rushed to the hospital and treated for a broken collarbone. You can read Lance's statement about the crash here.

I wish Lance a speedy recovery and hope this injury will not effect his chances of winning another Tour this summer. Lance has been not only a champion bicycle racer but also a friend of our San Diego personal injury lawyer, Ross Jurewitz. Lance was kind enough to send a personal gift and message to Mr. Jurewitz's mother-in-law after she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

We wish you the best, Lance.

A San Diego bicycle accident took place at the intersection of Genesee Avenue and Linda Vista Road on Friday, March 20, shortly after 3:30 p.m. in the Linda Vista area of San Diego. A car hit the bike rider, leaving him severely injured and forcing the closure of the intersection.

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The San Diego Police Department reported that the bicyclist was taken by San Diego paramedics to a hospital for treatment. An investigation was started after the San Diego bicycle accident.

Continue reading "San Diego Bicycle Accident Causes Serious Injury" »

Arthur Newman has been charged with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter for causing a San Diego bicycle accident back in January when his car ran into Water Joller, an experienced Rancho Bernardo bicyclist. According to a Gina Coburn, a spokeswoman for the San Diego City Attorney's Office, the 55-year-old Newman faces a year in San Diego County jail if he is found guilty. You can read more in this North County Times story.

San Diego police Detective John Leterrie said that on January 6, Newman was driving a black BMW on Sabre Springs Parkway when he veered into the bicycle lane and hit Joller, 55. The bicyclist was thrown from his bicycle and San Diego medics were not able to save him.

Newman did wait at the scene and after a crash reconstruction was only accused of simple negligence instead of gross negligence. Simple negligence means that he was not found to have been distracted nor under the influence. Newman may have just briefly taken his eyes off the road. Felony vehicle manslaughter is charged when the driver is acting in an obviously risky way.

Newman is expected to appear in San Diego Superior Court for arraignment of April 24. He has also been charged with driving in a bicycle lane.

The fact that Newman waited at the scene and took responsibility is something to be admired given that he had gravely injured Joller. Also, it should be taken into account and credit should be given to Newman for not acting irresponsibly while driving. However, a 55-year-old bicyclist was killed because of Newman's brief carelessness, and so, Newman should face some sort of punishment.

If you or someone you know from the San Diego bicycling community has been injured or killed in a bicycle accident please contact the San Diego bicycle attorneys at the Jurewitz Law Group at 619-233-5020 or contact them online here.

On Friday, March 6, at approximately 6:30 a.m., a motorcyclist was riding west on Barnett Avenue in the Midway neighborhood of San Diego when a car changed lanes striking the motorcycle with its driver's side door. The motorcycle rider ended up pinned under the car and was later taken to UC San Diego Medical Center after emergency personnel responded to the car accident.

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San Diego authorities did not release much information about the motorcyclist. More information about the motorcycle accident can be found here.

As car drivers, we need to remember to use our mirrors every single time we change lanes. Many people forget that motorcyclists and bicycle riders share the road as well. Also, car drivers should remember that motorcyclists and bicyclists are more difficult to see, which is why we need to make sure to use not only our mirrors, but look over our shoulders as well when changing lanes.

Continue reading "Motorcycle Rider Seriously Injured in San Diego Motorcycle Accident" »

On the morning of February 7, a 19-year-old woman committed a "hit and run" car accident when her vehicle caused a Mira Mesa bicycle accident near the intersection of Calle Cristobal and Camino Miranda. The bicycle rider, a 51-year-old man, suffered serious injuries to his head, back, and sides.

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The woman driver fled the scene of the accident but then returned 30 minutes later. At that time, San Diego Police officers arrested her. At this time, it does not appear that alcohol was involved in causing the hit-and-run car accident.

Continue reading "Hit and Run Driver Arrested After Causing San Diego Bicyle Accident" »

On the morning of February 15, 2009, a pickup truck caused a San Diego bicycle accident when it veered off the road and struck a bicycle rider on Sea World Drive near Friars Road. The driver of the pickup truck appears to have caused the bicycle accident due inattention when he looked down to pick something up from the floor of his truck.

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Continue reading "San Diego Bicycle Accident Caused When Truck Struck Bike Rider" »

This Friday, a judge will review a $8.3 million verdict against the City of San Juan Capistrano awarded to a 14-year-old boy, Trenten Miller, who lost his leg during a bicycle accident.

The judgment was to be finalized last month. However, San Juan Capistrano decided to file an objection to the jury findings and overturn the verdict. Superior Court Judge Thierry Colaw set a hearing to hear the City of San Juan Capistrano’s motion this Friday.

In December, an Orange County jury found that the City of San Juan Capistrano liable to Miller because the City created a dangerous condition at an intersection. Miller was the passenger on his friend Scott Agostini's dirt bike. Overgrown vegetation in the median of the intersection made it difficult for Miller and Agostini to see oncoming traffic as they attempted to cross the intersection of San Juan Creek Road and Paseo Christina.

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The jury ruled in favor of the bicyclists, ruling the City of San Juan Capistrano to pay Miller $7.1 million and $1.1 million to Agostini. The verdict was reached three years after the bicycle accident and after Miller unsuccessfully attempted to settle the suit in mediation. Prior to the jury’s verdict, the City of San Juan Capistrano's only offer was $1 million, which Miller rejected.

With a strong cycling community that participates in such events as Critical Mass, San Diego needs lawyers that understand California bike accident law to protect bicyclists from inattentive car drivers, large insurance companies who typically side with car drivers, police accident reports which do not reflect drivers’ duties to bicyclists on the road, and defective product manufacturing.

Car drivers often forget that they not only need to pay attention to other drivers, but also to bicyclists who have the same right to share our roads. Many times drivers will say, " I didn't see him." Other times, police officers will find bicyclists at fault for causing an accident with a car when the officer ignores the fact that the bicyclist had the right of way when in the bike lane.

Knowing the realities of the road, bicyclists need to take initiative for their own safety. That way, if they are involved in an accident with an automobile they will have a better chance of protecting themselves. In addition, they will recognize when the driver is at fault for causing the accident and will be in a better position to obtain compensation for loss of earnings or medical injury.

To increase safety, bicyclists should wear bright clothing and use head and rear lights to make themselves more visible. Bicycle lights are required by law starting one hour before sunset until one hour after sunrise. For greater safety, a helmet should be worn. With these simple precautions, bicyclists will be safer and more likely to prevail against irresponsible drivers.

Bicycle and vehicle collisions are not the only kind of bicycle accidents. A bicyclist may also have a solo accident due to a defective bicycle or defective bicycle part. This type of accident demands help from top technical experts who will examine the bicycle and its’ components to determine the cause of the defect. Such expert inspection is necessary in order to hold the manufacturer responsible for their defective product.

San Diego bicycle riders have the right to utilize their bicycles for leisure and transportation. In the event you are involved in a serious bicylce accident, though, you need the help and assistance of the experienced bicycle accident attorneys at the Jurewitz Law Group.