You are happily riding along on your bicycle, thinking how much nicer it is than being stuck inside a car. Then a dog appears from out of nowhere and comes flying at you, causing you to crash.
It might be that the dog came directly toward your leg, and you lost control as you reacted to try and avoid them. Or it could be they ran in front of your bicycle wheel, making contact and causing you to be thrown off. Either way, even if the dog runs straight off rather than biting you, you could be suffering injuries and a damaged bike. If you fell into the path of a motor vehicle, the consequences could be even worse.
What are your compensation options?
While the dog may have caused you injuries, they are the responsibility of another human being — at least most of them are. So could you seek to hold the dog’s owner responsible for your injuries?
California law allows injured people to hold a dog’s owner responsible, but it specifically states that they can do so only if the dog bites them. That means if the dog actually bit you while causing you to crash, you may be able to pursue compensation against their owner or whomever was responsible for not letting them run loose in the street. But what if no bite occurred?
Situations like this can be challenging, but that does not mean you should just give up without trying. Seeking legal guidance from someone who is experienced in aiding injured cyclists can help you get the compensation to which you’re entitled for medical costs and other expenses and damages.
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