Q: I was walking on a shared walking and bike path at the beach in Santa Monica. A bicyclist hit me and knocked me down. I suffered a concussion and I have medical bills. Who will pay?
A: If a bicyclist is at fault for injuring a pedestrian, then the bicyclist’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance carrier will cover the pedestrian’s claim. If the bicyclist had no homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, you still have a claim against the bicyclist, but it is unlikely an attorney will take the case.
As long as you got the bicyclist’s contact info, our attorneys can try to track down insurance on the cyclist. If there was a report made by the police department or by a lifeguard, the bicyclist’s contact information may be in the report.
You should contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after an accident so that evidence can be locked down. Is there a video of the accident captured by an adjacent business? Are there witnesses?
The personal injury attorneys at McGee, Lerer & Associates are available 24/7 for a free consultation. We can discuss your claim and share our recommendations with you. If you decide to hire our firm, then, once we confirm insurance on the bicyclist, we can refer you to a concussion specialist. In order to obtain maximum compensation for you, it will be important to make sure your concussion is documented and worked up medically.