Los Angeles Injury Attorney Blog

Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) is a popular route for cyclists in Malibu. It is also has been the location of a number of serious bicycle accidents involving cyclists in the last decade. Last year, PCH in Malibu made headlines when hundreds of cyclists were put in danger when a Caltrans contract crew failed left a repaving project over the weekend and failed to warn cyclists of serious dangers in the roadway. Dozens of cyclists suffered flat tires and a few were hospitalized with serious injuries.

A lawsuit was filed this week on behalf of four cyclists who suffered serious injuries while riding on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) that weekend in Malibu, Malibu Times reported yesterday. The suit was filed against the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), the agency responsible for maintaining PCH. According to news reports, Caltrans had hired an outside contractor to repave a portion of PCH near Zuma Beach. During the initial stages of the repaving, the contractor left the jobsite unprotected, without posting warning signs that the road had been cut away, leaving rocks, loose gravel, cracks and crevices. The lawsuit asserted that the conditions of road caused the roadway to be unreasonably dangerous for cyclists. As a result of the dangerous road conditions, the four cyclists suffered multiple serious injuries, including concussions, broken bones, punctured lungs, severe road rash and paralysis.

In this situation, Caltrans had a responsibility to post a warning about the construction project, and failed to do so. As a result, they may be liable for the serious injuries sustained by the four cyclists, including their medical expenses, lost earnings, pain and suffering, and other related expenses.