Young Girl Injured in Hit and Run Bicycle Accident

Young Girl Injured in Hit and Run Bicycle Accident

I’m Ed Smith, a Stockton personal injury and car accident lawyer. A 4-year-old girl suffered serious injuries after being struck by a vehicle while riding her bicycle near downtown Stockton on May 17, 2018. At approximately 1:00 in the afternoon, the young girl was bicycling along Cleveland Street in the vicinity of California Street when she was hit by an oncoming vehicle, whose driver reportedly fled the scene afterward. Unfortunately, the girl suffered a fractured skull and severe blood loss but is expected to survive.

Accident Investigation

The Stockton Police Department have not yet apprehended the driver responsible for the hit and run accident. The suspect vehicle is described as a light blue or green Chevrolet Astro van.

Bicycle Accidents

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a collision involving a motor vehicle and a bicyclist occurs at a rate of 2 percent. While this number may not seem high, bicycle accidents caused 467,000 injuries and 1,000 deaths in 2016 alone. Overall productivity losses and medical costs associated with these accidents were reported to be nearly $10 billion dollars in 2010, the last year with comprehensive data available. Following are the trends and statistics surrounding bicycle accidents with motor vehicles:

  • California led the nation with the highest number of bicyclist fatalities with 129 in 2015 (according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
  • Bicyclists riding against the flow of traffic are more likely to be involved in an accident
  • Helmet use reduced the rate of traumatic brain injury by fifty-one percent
  • In over one-third of bicycle collisions, either the motorist or the cyclist had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or above
  • Ninety-seven percent of bicycle fatalities involved riders without helmets
  • One-fifth of fatal bicycle crashes occurred between 6:00 pm and 8:59 pm
  • The highest rate of bicycle-related injuries involved children ages 5 to 14 years and adolescents ages 15 to 19 years

Protection in Hit and Run Accidents

Those who have been injured in a hit and run accident may be unsure how to file a claim for damages without the information of the other driver. Under these circumstances, a victim may turn to their own automobile insurance policy if they have uninsured motorist coverage. This type of protection covers bicyclists or pedestrians struck by a hit and run driver and usually extends to any member living within the same household. While the claim can be brought against your own insurance company, your insurance provider may still question your claim or even deny you coverage. It is critical to contact a seasoned personal injury lawyer in Stockton to assist with insurance claims and retrieve fair compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages and other expenses related to your personal injury.

Stockton Personal Injury and Car Accident Lawyer

I’m Ed Smith, a Stockton personal injury and car accident lawyer. Suffering any type of injury in a bicycle accident can lead to lost wages and high medical expenses. If you or someone you care about has been injured due to an accident, you need the help of a seasoned attorney. Please feel free to contact me anytime at (209) 227-1931 or toll-free at (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly legal advice.

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