Bicycle Accidents

California Bicycle Accident Lawyers – Advocates for Injured Cyclists in CA

Bicycle accidents can turn a routine ride into a life-altering event in seconds. With little protection against impact, cyclists often suffer serious injuries when struck by motor vehicles. If you or a loved one has been hit by a car while biking, an experienced bicycle accident lawyer can help protect your rights and pursue full compensation. At Golden Coast Trial Attorneys, PC, our team of compassionate bike injury attorneys understands the challenges injured cyclists face. Below, we provide a comprehensive guide for California bicycle accident victims – from what to do immediately after a crash to how we help you fight insurance companies and obtain the justice you deserve.

What to Do After a Bicycle Accident

A bicycle collision is chaotic, but the steps you take immediately afterward are critical for your safety, health, and legal rights. Here’s what to do if you’re involved in a bike accident:

Ensure Safety First: Move out of traffic to a safe area if you are able, and check yourself and others for injuries. Your well-being is the top priority.
Call 911 for Help: Dial 911 to report the accident and request emergency medical assistance. Police will document the scene and file an accident report – an important piece of evidence for your case.
Exchange Information: Obtain contact and insurance details from the driver involved. If there are witnesses, get their names and phone numbers as well.
Document the Scene: If possible, take photos of your bicycle, the vehicle that hit you, the road conditions, and any visible injuries. This evidence can be invaluable later.
Do NOT Admit Fault: Stay calm and avoid apologizing or saying the accident was your fault – even casually. Admitting fault or blaming yourself can be used against you later.
Seek Medical Attention Immediately: Even if you feel okay, get a thorough medical examination. Many serious bike accident injuries (like concussions or internal injuries) aren’t obvious at the scene. Prompt treatment also creates medical records linking your injuries to the accident.
Preserve Evidence: Save your damaged bicycle, cracked helmet, torn clothing, and any other gear from the crash. Do not repair or discard these items – they are evidence of the force of impact.
Consult an Attorney Before Talking to Insurers: It’s wise to contact a bicycle accident attorney as soon as possible. A lawyer will guide you on your next steps and can handle communications with insurance companies so you don’t accidentally say something that hurts your claim.

Following these steps will protect your health and strengthen your potential injury claim. Once you’re safe and stable, calling our law firm can help ensure your rights are protected from the very start.

Why Hiring a Lawyer Is Critical in Bicycle Accidents

Bicycle accident cases often present unique challenges – which is why having a skilled bike injury attorney on your side is so important. Both drivers and insurance companies frequently try to shift blame onto cyclists or minimize the severity of cyclists’ injuries to avoid paying fair compensation. Without an attorney, you risk being steamrolled by these tactics. Here’s why an experienced lawyer is critical after a cycling crash:

Proving Fault: Drivers might claim “I never saw the bike” or insist the cyclist was the one who broke traffic laws. Your attorney can launch a thorough investigation – obtaining the police report, traffic or surveillance camera footage, and eyewitness statements – to prove exactly how the crash happened. We know California traffic laws that protect cyclists (such as the 3-foot passing law) and will use them to show the driver’s negligence (e.g. a driver’s failure to yield or unsafe turn into a bike lane).
Countering Insurance Tactics: Insurance adjusters handle bicycle accident claims with one goal – to pay as little as possible. They may downplay your injuries as “minor” or argue you were partly at fault to reduce your payout. An attorney who understands these strategies will push back. We gather medical records, expert opinions, and crash evidence to demonstrate the true extent of your injuries and damages, so insurers can’t brush them off.
Protecting Your Rights: Your lawyer serves as your advocate so that you don’t have to navigate the complex legal process alone. We handle all communications and negotiations on your behalf. This prevents you from inadvertently saying something that the other side could use against you (for example, giving a recorded statement without legal counsel is often a mistake).
Building a Strong Case: Experienced bicycle accident attorneys know what evidence is needed to build a compelling case – from accident reconstruction expert analysis to medical expert testimony about your future care needs. We will preserve critical evidence (bike damage, vehicle data, etc.), interview witnesses while memories are fresh, and develop a legal strategy aimed at securing the maximum compensation you deserve.
Negotiation & Trial Experience: With a lawyer, insurance companies take your claim more seriously. We negotiate aggressively for a fair settlement, and if the insurer won’t offer a reasonable amount, we are ready to take the case to trial. Simply having a trial-ready attorney can often push the insurer to increase their offer, knowing we won’t hesitate to present your case to a jury if needed.

In short, a knowledgeable bicycle accident lawyer levels the playing field. While you focus on healing, we focus on protecting your rights, proving liability, and demanding full compensation for your losses.

Types of Bicycle Accidents

Bicycle crashes can happen in many ways. Understanding the common types of bicycle accidents can help illustrate how driver negligence or other factors often cause these crashes. Some frequent bicycle accident scenarios include:

Dooring Accidents: A parked car’s driver or passenger suddenly opens their door into the path of an oncoming cyclist. The cyclist collides with the door, often flipping over it or veering into traffic to avoid it. Dooring accidents are a well-known hazard in city biking and are entirely the fault of the person who opened the door without checking for bikes.
Intersection Crashes: Intersections are prime danger zones for cyclists. These accidents include drivers running stop signs or red lights and hitting cyclists, or turning across an intersection without yielding to a bike. For example, a left-hook collision can occur when a car turning left at an intersection fails to see a cyclist coming straight through. Similarly, a right-turn accident (often called a “right hook”) happens when a car turning right cuts off a cyclist going straight in a bike lane or crossing.
Hit-and-Run Collisions: Tragically, some drivers flee the scene after hitting a cyclist. A hit-and-run leaves the injured bicyclist without the at-fault driver’s information or insurance, complicating the path to recovery. In these cases, having an attorney is crucial to help identify the driver (through witnesses or camera footage) or to pursue alternative compensation (like an uninsured motorist claim on the cyclist’s own auto policy, if available).
Sideswipes and Unsafe Passing: These accidents happen when a car passes too closely to a bicycle. The vehicle’s side may clip the cyclist or force them off the road. California law requires drivers to give at least three feet of space when passing a bike, but not all drivers obey this. A sideswipe at driving speeds can send a cyclist crashing hard onto the pavement.
Cars Merging Into Bike Lanes: Many bike accidents occur when cars encroach into designated bike lanes. A common scenario is a driver who drifts or merges into a bike lane without looking (often to make a turn or park), crashing into the cyclist riding lawfully in that lane. These incidents are entirely preventable if drivers stay alert and respect cyclists’ right of way.
Collisions with Commercial or Delivery Vehicles: Delivery vans, trucks, and rideshare drivers create additional hazards for cyclists. They may stop suddenly in bike lanes, block road shoulders, or drive unpredictably while looking for addresses or passengers. A cyclist can easily be hit by a wide-turning truck or a rideshare driver who pulls over or U-turns without warning. These cases can involve corporate insurance policies and complicated liability issues, making legal help even more important.
Accidents Caused by Unsafe Road Design or Conditions: Sometimes a bicycle crash isn’t due (or solely due) to a driver, but rather hazards in the roadway. Potholes, broken pavement, debris, poor lighting, and lack of bike lanes or signage can lead to serious accidents. For instance, hitting a large pothole can throw a cyclist over the handlebars, or a lack of proper bike lane markings might force bikes into fast-moving traffic. In some cases, a government entity responsible for road maintenance can be held liable for accidents caused by dangerous road conditions.

No matter the type of accident, if you were injured while cycling due to someone else’s negligence – whether a motorist, a company, or a public entity – you have the right to seek compensation for your losses. Golden Coast Trial Attorneys has handled all of the above accident scenarios and more. We understand the nuances of each type of crash and how to prove fault, even in complex situations.

California Bicycle Accident Statistics and Urban Safety Challenges

Cycling is increasingly popular in California, but unfortunately, accidents are correspondingly common. California consistently has one of the highest rates of bicycle accidents in the nation. In fact, in 2024 alone there were nearly 9,800 bicycle accidents resulting in injury or death across California. That accounts for roughly 23% of all bicycle-related injuries in the entire United States – nearly a quarter of the nation’s cycling crashes happen in our state. Urban areas see the most incidents, with cities like Los Angeles and San Diego leading California in bicycle crash numbers. This isn’t surprising given the dense traffic, growing number of cyclists commuting or delivering food/packages, and sometimes inadequate bike infrastructure in cities.

Sadly, the consequences of these accidents are often severe. Hundreds of cyclists are killed or seriously injured in California each year. 177 bicyclists were killed in traffic crashes in California in 2022, a staggering 32% increase from the year prior (ots.ca.gov). Most of these fatal crashes occur on busy urban roads. For example, a study of Los Angeles County found that 85% of cyclist fatalities in 2022 happened on roadways that had no bike lanes (la-bike.org). High-speed, multi-lane streets designed only for cars greatly increase danger to bicyclists. Nighttime conditions add further risk – over half of deadly bike accidents happen after dark (la-bike.org) when visibility is low. Common factors in serious bike crashes include drivers failing to notice or yield to cyclists, excessive speeding, and impaired or distracted driving. These statistics highlight an urgent reality: despite California’s bike-friendly image, our cities present major safety challenges for cyclists. Until infrastructure and driver behavior improve, cyclists remain vulnerable – and when tragedy strikes, our firm is here to help injured riders and families understand their rights.

Common Injuries in Bike Accidents

Because cyclists lack the protective shell of a car, injuries in a bike collision can be devastating. In fact, the most common bicycle accident injuries include broken bones, head injuries, soft-tissue damage, and spinal cord injuries. Even at lower speeds, a crash can easily throw a rider to the ground or into objects with tremendous force. Here are some of the frequent injuries we see in bicycle accident cases:

Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) and Head Trauma: Head injuries are among the most serious outcomes of a bike crash. A violent impact can cause concussions, skull fractures, brain contusions, or internal brain bleeding. Unfortunately, head injuries are responsible for the majority of cycling deaths (present in an estimated 70–80% of fatal bicycle crashes). Even a helmeted rider can suffer a serious TBI in a high-impact collision. Long-term effects of brain injuries range from cognitive impairment and memory loss to personality changes and other permanent disabilities.
Fractures and Broken Bones: Broken bones are extremely common when a cyclist is struck by a vehicle or thrown from their bike. Cyclists frequently sustain fractures to the arms, wrists, or shoulders (often from bracing during a fall), broken legs or pelvis (from direct impact), or a fractured collarbone and ribs. Some fractures are compound or require surgical repair with pins, plates, or other hardware. Even “simple” breaks can be very painful and can limit a victim’s mobility for weeks or months.
Spinal Cord and Back Injuries: A hard crash can injure the spine, sometimes with catastrophic results. Cyclists may suffer herniated discs, fractured vertebrae, or spinal cord trauma. Severe damage to the spinal cord can cause partial or complete paralysis (paraplegia or quadriplegia), forever altering the victim’s life. Even less severe back injuries can lead to chronic pain, nerve damage, and reduced strength or sensation in limbs. Recovery from spinal injuries often requires extensive rehabilitation – and some patients never fully recover.
“Road Rash” and Skin Abrasions: When a cyclist is thrown from the bike and skids along pavement, the skin can be scraped and shredded – a painful injury known as road rash. These friction burns and lacerations can cover large areas of the body. Deep abrasions may require wound care or even skin grafts, and all open wounds carry a risk of infection or permanent scarring. While road rash is considered a relatively minor injury compared to head or spine trauma, it can still be extremely painful and debilitating during recovery.
Internal Injuries: Not all injuries are visible externally. The blunt-force trauma of a collision can cause internal bleeding or damage to internal organs. Cyclists might suffer a punctured lung, spleen laceration, kidney injury, or internal hemorrhaging. These injuries are life-threatening and often require emergency surgery. It’s yet another reason why prompt medical evaluation after a crash is vital – internal injuries might not be obvious to you at the scene but can rapidly become fatal if untreated.
Soft Tissue Injuries: Many bicycle accident victims also experience soft tissue damage such as muscle strains, ligament sprains, tendon tears, deep bruising, and whiplash. For example, a severe strain of the neck (whiplash) or torn ligaments in the knee can result from the sudden forces in a crash. Soft tissue injuries can be very painful and may limit mobility, sometimes taking weeks of physical therapy to heal. While they might not sound as dramatic as broken bones, these injuries can significantly affect your daily life and ability to work or enjoy activities.
Fatal Injuries: In the worst cases, a cyclist’s injuries are not survivable. Fatal bicycle accidents leave families devastated. In these tragic instances, our firm can help surviving family members pursue a wrongful death claim against the responsible party. Though no amount of money replaces a life, compensation can help cover funeral expenses, loss of financial support, and hold the wrongdoer accountable.

No matter the specific injuries, our goal as bike accident attorneys is to ensure you get the medical care you need and that you are compensated for all of your injuries – both the immediately apparent ones and any latent injuries that manifest in the days or weeks after the crash. We work closely with your doctors and medical experts to fully document your injuries and how they impact your life.

Bicycle Accident Compensation Explained

After a bicycle accident, you’re entitled to seek financial compensation (damages) from the at-fault party for the losses you suffered. Under California law, a successful bicycle accident claim can recover several categories of damages. Here’s an overview of the compensation that may be available and how we ensure you claim the full value of your case:

Medical Expenses: This includes all medical bills related to your injury – not only the emergency room visit, but also hospital stays, surgeries, doctor appointments, medications, medical devices, physical therapy, and any future treatment you will need. Bicycle accidents often result in significant medical costs, especially for surgeries or long-term rehabilitation. We work with your healthcare providers to document every treatment and even project future medical needs (through expert reports) so that those costs are included in your claim.
Lost Wages and Future Earnings: If your injuries force you to miss work during recovery, you can claim compensation for your lost income. We’ll gather proof of your lost wages (pay stubs, employer statements) to make sure you’re reimbursed for the full amount of work you missed. Moreover, if your injuries have a lasting impact on your ability to earn – for example, if you have a permanent disability or must change to a lower-paying job – you can recover damages for loss of earning capacity. This typically involves projecting how the injury affects your future income. Our attorneys often work with economists or vocational experts to calculate these losses over the course of your career, ensuring no financial stone is left unturned.
Pain and Suffering: Beyond the tangible bills and wages, bike accident victims endure physical pain, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. California law allows you to recover money for these real yet non-economic damages. There isn’t a simple price tag on pain and suffering – insurance companies often downplay these harms, but we make sure your human losses are vividly presented. We may use medical testimony, your personal journals or statements, and even family testimony to illustrate how the injuries have affected your daily life, hobbies, and mental well-being. By conveying your story, we seek an amount that truly reflects your suffering and life impact.
Property Damage: Bicycles themselves can be expensive, and a crash often wrecks the bike, helmet, and cycling gear. You are entitled to compensation to repair or replace your bicycle and any other personal property damaged in the accident (for example, a phone, cycling computer, or clothing). We will include receipts or estimates from bike shops to ensure you’re reimbursed for these out-of-pocket losses.
Other Out-of-Pocket Expenses: Any miscellaneous expenses you incur because of the accident can be claimed. This might include transportation costs to medical appointments (mileage, Ubers), the cost of hiring help for household chores you can’t do while injured, or home modifications (like installing a wheelchair ramp). We advise clients to keep receipts for everything accident-related. These smaller costs add up, and we pursue them in your claim.
Punitive Damages: In ordinary negligence cases, punitive damages are rare – they are reserved for situations of egregious misconduct (like a driver who intentionally hit a cyclist, or a DUI driver grossly endangering others). If your case involves an at-fault party who acted with malice or extreme recklessness, we will seek punitive damages to punish that wrongful behavior. While not applicable to most bike accident claims, it’s important to have attorneys who recognize when punitive damages might be on the table.

Every case is unique, and part of our job is identifying all possible damages you are entitled to and documenting them persuasively. We often categorize your losses into economic damages (medical bills, lost income, etc. that have clear dollar values) and non-economic damages (pain, trauma, etc. that require a qualitative assessment). Our team will gather the necessary evidence – medical reports, financial records, expert opinions – to calculate a comprehensive demand. We won’t let an insurance company undervalue certain damages or overlook future costs. Our goal is to recover the full compensation you need to rebuild your life.

Our Advantage as Former Insurance and Defense Attorneys

What sets Golden Coast Trial Attorneys apart is our insider knowledge of how insurance companies and defense lawyers operate. Before dedicating ourselves to injury victims, many on our legal team actually worked on the other side – as attorneys defending insurance companies and corporations in personal injury cases. This experience is a game-changer for our clients. We know the insurance industry’s playbook inside and out: the tricks adjusters use, the common arguments to deny or reduce claims, and the strategies their lawyers will likely employ if a case goes to litigation.

How does this benefit you? It means we can anticipate and counter the defense’s moves at every turn. We’ll spot bad-faith tactics or lowball offers a mile away because we’ve seen them from the inside. Our attorneys use this insider perspective to build your case strategically – shoring up any weaknesses before the insurance company can exploit them. We prepare every claim as if it will go to trial, and insurance companies know that we’re ready and willing to litigate. Simply put, we know how the other side thinks, and we use that knowledge to your advantage. This translates into a strong negotiating position for you and, ultimately, better results. Our background as former insurance defense counsel is a unique asset that gives our clients a decisive edge in bicycle accident cases.

Proven Track Record of Success for Cyclists

When you’re choosing a bicycle accident attorney, past results matter. Golden Coast Trial Attorneys has a proven track record of success, including recovering millions of dollars for injured bicyclists in California. We are proud to have secured life-changing settlements and verdicts for cyclists who were hurt due to someone else’s negligence.

Our team has won cases ranging from six-figure settlements for cyclists with broken bones and orthopedic injuries, to multi-million dollar recoveries for those who suffered catastrophic harm like brain injuries or paralysis. For example, we’ve obtained substantial compensation for a rider struck by a commercial truck in a bike lane, and we’ve held city agencies accountable for crashes caused by dangerous road conditions. While every case is different and past results don’t guarantee future outcomes, our history demonstrates our commitment to getting justice for cyclists. We don’t back down until we’ve achieved the maximum compensation possible for your case – whether through a negotiated settlement or a jury verdict. Our reputation as aggressive trial attorneys who know bicycle accident law often motivates the opposition to pay fair value rather than face us in court.

At Golden Coast Trial Attorneys, justice for injured cyclists is personal to us. We understand the trauma and adversity you’re facing, and we have the results to show that we know how to win these cases. When you hire us, you can trust that you have experienced advocates in your corner who have delivered for cyclists time and again.

Free Consultation – Talk to a California Bicycle Accident Lawyer Today

You don’t have to face the aftermath of a bicycle accident alone. If you or a loved one has been injured in a bike crash anywhere in California, reach out to Golden Coast Trial Attorneys, PC for a free consultation. There’s no obligation, and no fee unless we win your case – our priority is simply to help you understand your rights and options. During your free case evaluation, we’ll listen to what happened, answer your questions, and outline how we can assist in pursuing your claim.

Time is critical after a bicycle accident, so don’t delay in getting legal advice. Evidence can disappear and insurance companies may already be building their defense. Speaking with our team early can make all the difference. Call us or send us a message 24/7 to set up your free consultation. Our dedicated bicycle accident attorneys are here to provide compassionate guidance and aggressive representation. Let us handle the legal burdens while you focus on healing. Together, we’ll fight to hold the negligent party accountable and secure the compensation you need to move forward. Your road to recovery starts with a single call – we’re ready when you are.