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San Diego Bicycle Accident Attorney

Susan Handel

Susan Handel, San Diego Bicycle Accident Lawyer – Serving All of San Diego County

California Bicycle Accident Lawyer

Each year thousands of people are injured in bicycle accidents. These accidents can cause serious spinal cord, brain, and other types of serious personal injuries.

Susan Handel is renowned for her aggressive and compassionate representation on behalf of victims of serious personal injuries resulting from bicycle accidents. Through her careful preparation and strong advocacy skills, Susan Handel has helped countless individuals obtain superior compensation for their injuries and losses. Moreover, as part of her personal commitment to each of her clients, she makes herself readily available to answer questions and discuss the progress of each of her client’s cases. Susan Handel has the experience, resources and knowledge to handle large, complex and difficult cases, while at the same time maintaining the compassion and understanding the significant impact that bicycle accidents have on her clients and their families.  Susan Handel is widely regarded as an expert personal injury attorney with a record of very successful results for her clients who have been injured in bicycle accidents as well as car and motorcycle accidents.

Bicyclists, pedestrians and motorcycles are fully entitled to share the road with other motorists. Most bicyclists ride on the paved road or designated bike lanes, where available, alongside large, powerful motor vehicles.  Bicyclists are extremely susceptible to sustaining serious injuries in accidents because there is no outside protection from other vehicles, no seat belts, no air bags, and sometimes no helmets to protect their heads.  Although helmets offer some protection to the head, the rest of the body is left largely unprotected, further increasing the risk of serious injuries in the event of a bicycle accident.

Cyclists have little chance to react when cars suddenly change lanes, proceed at intersections or make turns without signaling or yielding to cross traffic.  Many bike riders are also seriously injured when a car door suddenly opens or an inattentive driver drifts into the bike lane.

What kind of Compensation Will I Receive in a San Diego Bicycle Accident?


Bicycle accidents can be sudden, tragic, life-changing events. Susan Handel understands that no monetary compensation can make up for the loss of one’s health or worse, the loss of a loved one. She also understands that victims of bicycle accidents often face staggering medical costs, extensive property damage, and other financial and emotional hardships. Susan Handel can help bicycle accident victims recover superior compensation, for past and future medical care, past and future lost wages, past and future pain and suffering, property damage, funeral expenses, loss of quality of life, and any other damages associated with your bicycle accident.

In appropriate cases, out of court settlements will be obtained for our clients, but if it is in your best interest to take your case to trial, Susan Handel has the resources, knowledge, and experience, to do so.
She is your San Diego bicycle accident lawyer of choice!

Should I Trust an Insurance Company?


Absolutely not! Insurance companies are in the business to make money, they are not there to assist you. In order to avoid paying for the full extent and treatment of your personal injuries, insurance companies often try to settle quickly after a bicycle accident, before the full extent of your injuries are apparent. The insurance companies are very sophisticated in how they go about setting up a claim, but their number one goal is to pay you as little as possible and even nothing if they can get away with that! If you try to go up against a large insurance company without knowing the system, you are not going to be treated fairly and you will not obtain the superior compensation you deserve. Don’t be one of their victims.

Dealing with Bicycle Insurance Companies


If a negligent vehicle operator causes an injury but is not insured, he or she may be required to pay for the damages resulting from the accident they caused. However, if that person is covered by automobile liability insurance, his or her insurance company will be responsible for paying the damages that the injured person proves are caused by the accident based on available insurance. However, the insurance companies fight injury cases vigorously because they want to avoid paying money to you. Unless the injured person can prove that the driver was negligent, that the negligence actually caused the accident, and that their injuries were caused by the accident, an insurance company will never pay. Even when liability for the accident is completely clear, insurance companies very often dispute the amount of damages an injured person must prove – not only the amount of damages, but the extent of the damages as well.

Working with an insurance company can be a trying and complicated experience that leaves you feeling disheartened and exhausted. If your only recourse for recovery is through the liable party’s insurance provider, it can be difficult to receive the compensation that you deserve. Insurance companies have vast resources at their disposal and can utilize these resources to defend their interests and minimize their costs. Oftentimes, insurance companies will offer quick settlements that provide a promise of cash but in truth are insufficient to cover your expenses. In such instances, it is important that you seek legal counsel and representation to help ensure that you are justly and fairly compensated. Doing so will save you peace of mind and help guarantee that the insurance companies fulfill their legal obligations.

Experienced bicycle accident lawyer Susan Handel will not only put together the facts with which to prove negligence, but she will gather all the applicable information including insurance coverage, medical records, wage losses and assemble the damage evidence in a manner which will persuade the insurance company to pay the maximum reasonable compensation for your injuries suffered. If an out of court settlement is not possible, then a jury trial will result. If you would like to arrange a consultation with Susan Handel, we invite you to contact our firm today. Call Susan Handel now for a free, confidential consultation and she will be happy to answer any questions you may have about your bicycle accident. Susan Handel also provides in person, free, confidential consultations at your home or in the hospital for your convenience.

What Should I Do After a San Diego Bike Accident?


Bike Accident Susan Handel
It is extremely important that you follow some basic rules beginning at the scene of the bicycle accident, so you do not jeopardize your health and your right to compensation.

  • Stay at the scene of the bicycle accident and wait for a police officer to come and make a full report of your accident.  The existence of a police report will strengthen your case.
  • Seek medical attention immediately.  Obtaining a complete examination from a doctor as soon as possible will serve two purposes.  First, the doctor can often detect injuries that you may not have noticed until several days after the accident and will be more easily treated if caught early; and second, a doctor’s examination will automatically create a complete medical record of any injuries you sustain during this accident and this will strengthen your case.
  • Get complete information from everyone at the scene of the bicycle accident.  Obtain the name, address, telephone number, driver’s license number, and insurance information of all of the drivers involved in the bicycle accident, as well as the names of any emergency personnel and the contact information of any witnesses.
  • Do not admit guilt or sign any statements without talking to a lawyer first.  Be cooperative with the police, other drivers and emergency personnel at the scene of the bicycle accident, but don’t say anything that can later be used as evidence to prove that you were responsible for an accident that wasn’t your fault.
  • Take photographs of your injuries and damage to your bicycle. These photographs work best as evidence when they are taken at the scene of the bicycle accident, but they can also be taken after the fact if you are severely injured and need immediate hospitalization.
  • Keep complete records of medical expenses and other costs related to your accident which can be used as evidence to help you verify these damages.
  • If you have automobile insurance, you may be covered for your bicycle accident as well. Contact your insurance company and report your accident in order to verify whether you have any automobile insurance coverage that would apply to your bicycle claim. Make sure you give this information to your insurance company with an attorney’s assistance at the time you give the statement in order not to prejudice your claim.  Your own insurance company is in the business to make money, they are not there to assist you no matter how nice they may seem. They are looking to find ways to getting out of paying you the compensation you deserve-don’t be one of their victims!
  • Contact Susan Handel immediately.

What You Should NOT Do after You Have Been Involved in a Bike Accident

    • Do not panic.  Remain calm and call for help.
    • Do not leave the scene of the accident.
    • Do not discuss the accident with anyone but the police and your attorney.

  • Do not speak to anyone from the at-fault party’s insurance company without an attorney.
  • Do not sign any papers from an insurance company or agree to a settlement without an attorney.
  • Do not wait.  Contact Susan Handel immediately.

Why You Need San Diego Bicycle Accident Lawyer Susan Handel


You need to get the advice from attorney Susan Handel immediately after a bicycle accident in order to avoid making mistakes which may affect your ability to receive superior compensation for the injuries you sustained in your accident. There is no charge for an initial consultation with Susan Handel, so you have everything to gain and nothing to lose by speaking with her immediately after your accident.

One of the worst mistakes that bicycle accident victims make is thinking they are guaranteed to receive fair compensation from insurance companies and responsible parties if they are not represented by a bicycle accident lawyer. Unfortunately, the insurance companies, even your own, are in the business to make money-they are not there to assist you. Trying to “go it alone” can lead to a very unfair relationship between you and the insurance company. Keep in mind that the insurance companies have armies of adjusters, defense lawyers, and claims representatives whose number one goal is to pay you as little as possible and even nothing when you present your personal injury claim. Susan Handel’s goal is completely the opposite. She will see to it that you receive excellent medical care at no up-front cost to you and that you obtain superior recovery for your injuries.

Claims adjusters will be acting immediately to find ways to reduce the value of your claim. They will ask to take a recorded statement from you to get your description of the accident. Later they will turn that around and use it against you if they can.

It is common practice for an insurance company to contact you immediately after a bicycle accident and make a premature, low ball settlement offer to you. This is completely unfair and improper. You will not know the true value of your case until all of your medical treatment is completed because until then, the amount of your damages cannot be established. The insurance companies know this. However, they are in danger of losing massive amounts of money as a result of these accidents, and will work vigorously to protect their financial interests with complete disregard for your injuries and the consequences you will suffer from your bicycle accident.

Insurance companies can be manipulative and difficult to work with. Susan Handel is not intimidated by an insurance company, the insurance company’s attorneys, or the insurance company claims adjusters. Susan Handel will work tirelessly to represent your rights until you receive the superior compensation to which you are entitled. Your case is important and Susan Handel knows how crucial the outcome can be to your future health and well-being.

Susan Handel has extensive experience and meticulous investigating talents. She is aided by qualified engineers, accident reconstructionists, medical experts, vocational rehabilitation experts, and a team who will gather and analyze all of the relevant evidence in large damage cases involving catastrophic injuries and fatalities.

Susan Handel: Bicycle Accident Lawyer


If you or a loved one are involved in a serious accident, it can be medically, emotionally, and financially overwhelming. The Law Offices of Susan Handel will help your family and you cope with all of those difficulties.

Susan Handel, bicycle accident lawyer, has the experience, resources and knowledge to handle large, complex and difficult cases, while at the same time maintaining the compassion and understanding the significant impact that bicycle accidents have on her clients and their families.

Susan Handel is widely regarded as an expert personal injury attorney with a record of very successful results for her clients who have been seriously injured or have lost loved ones in bicycle accidents.

Your initial consultation with Susan Handel is both free and confidential. You deserve the very best, so call Susan Handel now and she will be happy to answer any questions and address any concerns you may have regarding your accident. Susan Handel also provides in-person, free, confidential home and hospital visits for your convenience.