$500,000: Bus vs. Bicycle Collision / Leg Injury

Bicycle Accidents

Client: Ruth R.; County: Sacramento

We represented a homeless woman who was hit by a bus while riding her bicycle in a crosswalk. Our client was riding her bicycle at night without any reflective lighting on her bicycle, as required by the California Vehicle Code. She was struck in the crosswalk by a bus making a right-hand turn. The investigating police officers determined our client was solely responsible for the accident. The defendants also claimed that our client was not visible because of her dark clothes and lack of reflective lighting. We hired a forensic photographer and an accident reconstruction expert to prove that the bus operator should have seen our client. Our client suffered a significant left leg injury and was hospitalized at UC Davis for a couple of months. The case settled a few days before trial. No offers were ever made until the case settled at mediation.