When you ride your bike in San Francisco, you need to be careful about many things. Whether it be hazards on the road, pedestrians, or even other bike riders, there’s no shortage of potential accident threats. But the most common reason for bike accidents in San Francisco is people driving cars. And there are different ways these accidents can happen.

One common type of bike accident in San Francisco is called a “right hook” accident. This happens when a car passes you on your left and then turns right in front of you, not giving you time to stop or react. Not only do these accidents happen on the road, they can even happen in places like parking lots.

Work With Our San Francisco Bicycle Accident Lawyers

You might get hurt if you’re in a bike accident like this, but it’s important to remember you have options. Our team of experienced San Francisco bike accident lawyers at the Law Office of Matthew J. Quinlan can help you. We’ll guide you through the steps to get the help you deserve.

To find out more about how we can assist you, contact us today. We offer a free consultation to talk about your situation.

Understanding Right Hook Bicycle Accidents in San Francisco

If you’ve spent any amount of time riding your bike in San Francisco, you know how enjoyable it can be. However, especially if you ride in the city’s more crowded areas and streets downtown or in places like the Mission District, you also know how dangerous riding your bike can be.

In order to understand right hook accidents better, it’s helpful to look at what they are and how they happen. In general, a right-hook bicycle accident happens when:

• A driver turns right and hits you or another person on a bicycle who’s going the same way as the driver.

The most common reason for a right hook accident is when a driver passes a bicyclist and then turns right, crashing into the person on the bike. Often, drivers misjudge the following factors:

• How fast the bicyclist is going
• How far away they are.

As the driver slows down to make the turn, you might catch up and both of you end up at the intersection at the same time, causing a crash. But there are a number of other scenarios where a right-hook bicycle accident can happen:

• The vehicle turns right and hits the bicyclist head-on.
• The vehicle turns right and the bicyclist crashes into the side of the vehicle.
• The bicyclist passes a slow vehicle on the right, then the car turns right and hits them.
• Both the vehicle and the bicyclist are waiting at a red light. When the light turns green, the driver turns right and crashes into the bicyclist.

Clearly, when a bicycle and a vehicle crash, injuries can happen. This is even more true in right-hook bicycle accidents because they often involve contact on the side of either the vehicle or the bicycle. In these situations, a bicycle doesn’t provide much protection. Regardless of the level of your injuries, it’s important to take steps to reduce the likelihood you’ll be involved in one of these accidents.

Can You Avoid Right Hook Accidents in San Francisco?

Unfortunately, it’s impossible to totally avoid a bicycle accident in San Francisco, especially when you can only account for your actions while biking and not the actions of drivers of vehicles or pedestrians. That said, while you have little control over this situation, there are ways that you can at least reduce the chances that you’ll be involved in a right-hook bicycle accident:

• Be visible – Make yourself easy to see. Wear bright clothes, use reflectors or lights, and show other drivers where you’re going to be.
• Stay off sidewalks – It might seem safer, but riding on the sidewalk at an intersection can actually make it hard for drivers to notice you. When you suddenly come off the sidewalk to cross the road, they might not see you in time.
• Don’t pass cars – Trying to go around cars at an intersection often leads to accidents when a turning car from the opposite direction can’t react fast enough as you pull out in front of the stopped cars.
• Slow down – When you’re getting close to an intersection, slow down as much as you can. Make eye contact with a driver in the lane turning right. This gives them more time to notice you.

Bicycle accidents can cause various injuries, and they’re often worse for bicyclists because bikes don’t offer as much protection as cars. Even if you’re wearing safety gear like a helmet and padding, there’s no metal frame around you, no airbags, and no seat belts to keep you safe if there’s an accident.

How Can Our San Francisco Bicycle Accident Lawyers Help You?

In California, it’s not required by law to hire a lawyer for your case. However, teaming up with our skilled San Francisco bicycle accident lawyers can simplify the process of making a claim. Dealing with the aftermath of a right-hook bicycle accident and seeking fair support from the responsible party and their insurance company can feel overwhelming for most victims.

That’s where MJQ Law and our team step in to assist. We provide expert legal support and a caring approach, putting our clients first in every claim. We’re pleased to offer free consultations with no pressure to hire us. During this initial conversation, one of our lawyers can explain the steps involved in making a claim and provide you with an overview of what to expect after your right-hook bicycle accident, including:

• Figuring out who was at fault
• Collecting necessary evidence
• Interviewing witnesses and experts
• Communicating with the responsible party’s insurance company
• Negotiating and potentially filing a lawsuit for damages.

Because every accident is unique, the claims process can vary, and a lawsuit might be needed depending on the situation. However, our approach remains consistent. We apply a tailored game plan to every case we handle, with a focus on the individual needs of our clients. Our goal is to help you secure the financial support that you legally deserve.

Damages

After a right-hook bicycle accident in San Francisco, there are two main types of financial support, also known as “damages”: economic and non-economic. Economic damages cover financial losses like medical bills and lost wages due to not being able to work as usual.

Non-economic damages are for things like emotional distress and the pain you went through. These types of damages are more difficult to measure but are nonetheless important to your overall claim. Feeling sad about not enjoying bike riding like before is an example of non-economic damage.

Generally speaking, the following damages are available in a San Francisco bicycle accident claim:

• Medical treatment costs
• Physical therapy costs
• Wages you missed from work
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of the quality of life or companionship you used to have

It’s important to know that getting this financial support takes time. That’s why The Law Office of Matthew J. Quinlan is here. We support you through this tough time and make sure you get the help you deserve.

Experienced Help From San Francisco Bicycle Accident Lawyers

When you’re in a right-hook bicycle accident in San Francisco, you might feel overwhelmed. If you’re hurt, it’s even harder. That’s where The Law Office of Matthew J. Quinlan comes in. We’re experienced in handling these claims and we’ll give you the attention you need. We understand that being hurt in a bike accident is challenging, but we’ll make sure you and your family are taken care of.

Don’t wait to get the help you need. Contact us today for a free consultation to get started.