Los Angeles, CA Bicycle Accident Lawyers
When a car strikes a cyclist, the person on the bike almost always pays the higher price. If a careless driver hurt you, our bicycle accident lawyer Los Angeles riders trust can help you hold that driver accountable.
At M&Y Personal Injury Lawyers, our aggressive trial attorneys have recovered over $800 million for injured people across Southern California, and we bring that same force to every cyclist we represent. We opened our doors in 2013 with a clear purpose: to stand up for hurt people against the corporations and insurers who would rather pay them nothing.
Cyclists on Los Angeles streets face real danger every day, from the beach paths of Venice to the busy lanes of Downtown, and we are proud to be in their corner when a wreck turns life upside down. Whatever caused your crash, our goal stays the same: to secure the compensation that lets you rebuild.
Call 866-864-5477 today for a free case review.
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Why Injured Cyclists Choose Our Los Angeles Firm
The legal advocate you pick to represent you after your collision can shape everything that follows. Riders come to us because we pair genuine care with a record that speaks for itself.
When you hire our firm, you work with a team that has over 100 years of cumulative experience behind us. Our bicycle accident lawyer Los Angeles team approaches these claims in the following ways:
- Investigate the cause of your accident to identify all liable parties
- Collect and preserve evidence, including police reports, photographs, videos, witness statements, and medical records
- Work with outside professionals to strengthen your bicycle accident case and evaluate your damages
- Push back against the insurance company’s attempts to shift the blame to you
- Negotiate for a fair settlement on your behalf
- Take your case to trial in Los Angeles County if a fair settlement cannot be reached
Because we once represented major insurance companies, we know the tactics they use to shortchange injured people, and we turn that inside knowledge to your advantage. You will never be just a case number to us, since your recovery becomes our top priority from the first call.
Reach out now and let our Los Angeles team show you what dedicated advocacy looks like. We are available 24/7.
Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in Los Angeles
Most bike wrecks trace back to a driver who was not paying enough attention to the road. Cyclists are small, quiet, and easy to overlook, which means a single careless moment behind the wheel can cause devastating harm.
The frequent causes our attorneys see include:
- Distracted driving, especially texting or scrolling behind the wheel
- Unsafe left turns across a cyclist’s path at intersections
- Drivers opening car doors into the bike lane, known as dooring
- Failing to yield the right-of-way to a rider
- Speeding or following a cyclist too closely
- Passing too close instead of giving the rider room
California takes that last cause seriously through the Three Feet for Safety Act, found in California Vehicle Code § 21760. That law requires drivers to leave at least three feet of space when passing a bicycle, and a driver who breaks that rule and injures a rider faces a stiffer fine.
When we investigate your wreck, a passing violation like this can become strong proof of fault. Call 866-864-5477 today to book a free consultation.
Why Are Bicycle Accidents More Complex Than Car Crashes?
A second layer of difficulty comes from bias. Many drivers, and even some adjusters, wrongly assume the cyclist must have done something wrong. In truth, riders carry the same legal standing as motorists under California Vehicle Code § 21200, which gives every person on a bicycle the same rights and duties as the driver of a vehicle.
Finally, insurance coverage in these cases can get tangled. A rider may need to pull from the driver’s liability policy, their own uninsured motorist coverage, or both, and figuring out which policies apply takes a careful eye.
Our team untangles that web so no source of compensation goes unused. Find out what your case may be worth.
Who Is Liable for a Los Angeles Bicycle Accident?
The driver who hit you is often liable, but they aren’t always the only possible source of recovery. Liability turns on whose negligence caused the collision, and sometimes more than one party shares the blame. Depending on how your wreck happened, a claim might name:
- The motorist whose negligent driving caused the crash
- An employer, if the driver was on the job at the time
- A city or county, if a dangerous road design or a pothole played a role
- A bicycle or parts manufacturer, if defective equipment contributed
- A property owner, if a hazard on their land forced you into traffic
Pinning down every responsible party takes real investigation, from pulling traffic-camera footage to reviewing maintenance records. Our Los Angeles bicycle accident lawyers chase down each thread because more liable parties mean more insurance coverage available to pay for your injuries.
That gap matters most in catastrophic cases, where a single driver’s policy may fall far short of what long-term care actually costs. Speak with our team to learn how we build a case that captures every avenue of recovery.
Damages Available After a Los Angeles Bike Accident
A strong claim can compensate you for far more than a hospital bill. California law lets injured cyclists recover for both the financial and personal toll of a crash. We fight to document every loss so nothing gets overlooked when it counts:
- Current and future medical care costs
- Lost wages, commissions, overtime, and benefits
- Any lasting reduction in your earning ability
- Repair or replacement of your bicycle and damaged gear
- Physical pain and ongoing discomfort from your injuries
- Emotional distress, anxiety, and loss of enjoyment of life
- Permanent disability and impairment
In cases where a driver acted with extreme recklessness, such as a hit-and-run or drunk driving, the court may also award punitive damages meant to punish that conduct. Putting an accurate value on all these losses is where our track record pays off.
We work with medical professionals, financial planners, and life care planners to prove the full scope of harm a crash leaves behind, from the immediate aftermath to the long-term costs ahead.
What Factors Influence How Much Your Case Is Worth?
Bicycle claim settlements vary. The value of your case depends on the specifics of your injury and the circumstances of the wreck. The elements that carry the most weight are as follows:
- The limits of the available insurance policies
- The severity and permanence of your injuries
- The total of your medical costs, both now and projected
- The income you have lost and may keep losing
- The clarity of the evidence showing the driver’s fault
California follows a pure comparative negligence rule, which means your percentage of blame reduces your compensation but never wipes it out completely. Even a rider found partly at fault can still recover for the harm the driver caused. Insurers know this rule well, which is exactly why they work so hard to inflate your share of the blame.
What Tactics Do Insurance Companies Use Against Cyclists?
Insurers protect their profits, and that often means paying injured riders as little as possible. Because we once worked on their side of these disputes, our Los Angeles bicycle accident lawyers recognize their playbook the moment it appears.
Common tactics we build defenses against include the following:
- Blaming the cyclist for the crash to cut or deny the payout
- Offering a fast, lowball settlement before you know the full cost of your injuries
- Claiming your injuries existed before the wreck
- Arguing you made the injuries worse by not getting treatment quickly enough
- Using friendly early phone calls to get recorded statements they can twist later
The smartest move is to let our attorneys handle every conversation with the insurance company. We know how to counter these strategies with solid evidence and firm negotiation.
When an insurer sees our name on your claim, they know they are dealing with counsel who will not back down. Because we understand how these companies value and dispute claims from the inside, we can anticipate their next move and answer it before it costs you.
Reach out before providing any recorded statements to insurance companies or accepting any personal injury settlement offers.
How Long Do You Have to File a Bicycle Accident Claim in California?
In most cases, you have two years from the date of your crash to file a bicycle injury lawsuit in California. Let that deadline pass, and you usually bar any chance at recovery, no matter how clearly the driver was at fault. Acting sooner also protects the evidence your claim relies on, before the video gets erased and witness recollections blur.
Tighter rules apply when a government entity shares the blame, such as a case involving a poorly designed public road. Those claims usually demand a formal notice to the agency within just six months of the wreck.
Talking with our team early is the safest way to protect whichever deadline governs your situation. Missing a filing window almost always ends a claim for good, so the sooner you reach out, the more options we can preserve for you.
FAQs: Bicycle Accident Lawyer Los Angeles
These are the common questions and concerns that come up once riders decide to take the next step toward a claim.
What Should I Do Right After a Bicycle Crash in Los Angeles?
Your health comes first, so get medical care right away, even if you feel only shaken up. When you are able, report the collision to police, photograph the scene and your injuries, and collect contact details from the driver and any witnesses.
Holding onto that information gives our attorneys a strong starting point when we build your claim. If you were too hurt to gather anything at the scene, do not worry, since we can obtain the police report and track down witnesses ourselves.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire Your Firm?
We charge nothing up front. We take bicycle accident cases on contingency, which means you pay us only if we recover money for you, and our fee comes out of that recovery as a percentage.
The setup lets injured riders get skilled representation without worrying about legal bills during a hard stretch. It also keeps our interests aligned with yours, because we only get paid when you do.
Can I Still Recover If I Was Not Wearing a Helmet?
Yes, in most cases, because California does not require adult cyclists to wear helmets, so going without one does not bar your claim. An insurer might argue it added to your injuries, but our attorneys know how to push back and keep the focus on the driver’s carelessness. The core question remains who caused the crash, not what you wore.
What If The Driver Who Hit Me Fled The Scene?
You may still have a path to compensation through the uninsured motorist (UM) coverage on your own auto policy. Hit-and-run crashes are sadly common in Los Angeles, and that coverage often becomes the main source of recovery.
We handle the paperwork and press your insurer for the full amount your injuries warrant. Reviewing your policy early helps us spot every coverage option before any deadline passes.
Do I Really Need Legal Representation For a Bicycle Accident Claim?
While you can file on your own, having skilled counsel on your side makes a meaningful difference in the outcome. Insurance companies treat unrepresented riders very differently from those with a proven firm behind them.
Our involvement signals that we are prepared to take your case to trial if the offers fall short. That readiness alone often pushes an insurer to raise a low offer.
Reach Our Bicycle Accident Lawyer Los Angeles Team Today
Every day a bike crash claim sits idle, skid marks fade, camera footage gets recorded over, and the driver’s memory of what happened conveniently shifts. Acting quickly means the difference between a claim built on hard proof and one that turns into your word against theirs.
Reaching out now lets us lock down that evidence while it still exists. Your first call with us is a straightforward conversation, not a sales pitch. Our Los Angeles bicycle accident lawyers listen to what happened, answer your questions in plain language, and lay out the options so you can decide what feels right for you.
Call M&Y Personal Injury Lawyers at 866-864-5477 to get started, or reach our firm online now to schedule your free consultation with our bicycle accident lawyer Los Angeles team, and take the first step toward the compensation your recovery requires.
Los Angeles Office Location
Visit our headquarters in LA to get the assistance you need, our law firm is located at 6300 Wilshire Blvd Suite 807, Los Angeles, CA 90048.
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