Michelle Bagsby, a 21-year-old bicyclist from Simi Valley, was critically injured in a Ventura car accident after her bicycle was struck by a minivan the night of August 3, 2010. The Ventura County Star reports that Bagsby was riding her bike west on Los Angeles Avenue, when she was struck by a westbound minivan near Bridget Avenue. Bagsby struck the van's windshield. She was transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries. The driver of the minivan, 57-year-old Sandra Cunningham, was not injured in the crash. The accident is under investigation.

My thoughts and prayers are with Michelle Bagsby and her family. I wish her a complete and swift recovery.

Bicycle Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol's 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were no fatalities, but 43 injuries reported as a result of bicycle accidents in Simi Valley. In Ventura County as a whole, two deaths and 307 injuries occurred involving bicycle accidents during the same year.

Laws and Liability Issues

It is unclear from the report what caused the accident or who caused it. If the details of this news account are accurate, the motorist and the bicyclist were traveling in the same direction, and the collision occurred near a street intersection. It is important to determine why Cunningham failed to notice the bicyclist on the roadway, in time to avoid a collision. Did this driver enter the bike lane before the injury accident? Was she attempting to turn at the intersection?

If this major injury collision occurred as a result of Cunningham's negligence, she could be held liable for Bagsby's serious injuries. According to California Vehicle Code section 21658 (a): " Whenever a roadway has been divided into two or more clearly marked lanes for traffic in one direction the vehicle "shall be driven as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane and shall not be moved from the lane until such movement can be made with reasonable safety."

I trust officials are also looking into whether Cunningham was impaired, distracted, speeding or otherwise negligent at the time of the collision. Injured victims in such cases would be well-advised to consult an experienced Ventura personal injury lawyer, who will analyze all facets of the crash and make sure that the victims' legal rights and best interests are protected. If a dangerous roadway condition caused this accident, the city or governmental entity responsible for maintaining this roadway could also be held liable. Please remember that any personal injury claim against a California governmental agency must be filed within six months of the incident.

What are some of the most dangerous roadways for bicyclists in your city or neighborhood?

The BISNAR|CHASE personal injury law firm is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free consultation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to not at fault persons named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.

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