Bicycle Accidents matters in Susanville
Bicycling around Susanville ranges from quiet neighborhood rides to long routes that follow State Route 36 and State Route 44 toward the forests and the approaches to Lassen Volcanic National Park. Riders also share stretches of US-395, where the speed difference between a bicycle and a passing truck is enormous. When a driver fails to give a cyclist room, the consequences are almost always severe, because a bike offers none of the protection of a car.
The hazards cyclists face in Lassen County
Many roads around Susanville have narrow shoulders or no bike lane at all, leaving cyclists to ride near the edge of lanes that carry highway-speed traffic. California's Three Feet for Safety Act requires drivers to give at least three feet of clearance when passing a cyclist, yet on a two-lane mountain road a driver who refuses to wait for a safe gap can clip a rider or force them off the pavement. Blind curves and sudden grade changes on the routes toward Lassen reduce the time a driver has to react.
The high-desert setting brings additional risks. Susanville's elevation means cold mornings, low-angle sun that blinds drivers at certain hours, and gusting crosswinds that can push a rider into traffic. Loose gravel and sand on the shoulder are common and can cause a fall without any other vehicle involved, though a driver who crowds a cyclist into that gravel still bears responsibility.
What the law says about cyclists
In California, a person riding a bicycle generally has the same rights and duties as the driver of a vehicle. A cyclist is entitled to use the road, and a driver who turns across a bike's path, opens a door into a rider, or passes too closely can be held liable. Helmet use is required for riders under 18 and is wise for everyone, but failing to wear a helmet does not erase a driver's responsibility for causing a crash. Because California applies a pure comparative negligence rule, a rider can recover compensation even if an insurer argues they share some fault, with the recovery reduced by that percentage.
Protecting your claim after a crash
Bicycle injuries often include fractures, road rash, and head trauma, and care frequently begins at Banner Lassen Medical Center. Prompt treatment both aids recovery and documents the link between the crash and your injuries. The scene evidence, including the damaged bicycle, the point of impact, and any witness accounts, can disappear quickly on a rural road, so acting fast is important. When a lawsuit becomes necessary, a Susanville bicycle case is generally filed at the Lassen County Superior Court. Mr. Ghazaryan handles the matter from Glendale and pursues fair compensation for medical bills, lost income, and the lasting impact of the crash, without promising any specific outcome.
Our attorney
How Mihran M. Ghazaryan helps with bicycle accidents
Mihran M. Ghazaryan documents the bike-specific facts insurers prefer to ignore — door-zone collisions, unsafe passing, and right-hook turns — and counters the reflexive assumption that the cyclist was at fault. He gathers the scene evidence, witness accounts, and medical record that put the claim on solid ground, and handles the insurer directly so you can heal.
Types of bicycle accidents we handle
Door-zone collisions
California Vehicle Code §22517 makes opening a door into traffic the responsibility of the door-opener. We frame these cleanly.
Right-hook and unsafe-merge crashes
Drivers turning across a bike lane without yielding. Lane-position and bike-lane markings are central.
Hit-from-behind crashes
Often the most serious injuries. Visibility analysis and reconstruction matter here as much as in any motor-vehicle case.
Damages
What compensation can cover
Every bicycle accident claim is different, but California law allows injured plaintiffs to seek several categories of damages. We build each one with documentation — medical records, wage statements, expert opinions — so nothing is left on the table.
Medical expenses
Emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation, and the future treatment your providers say you'll need.
Lost wages
Income you lost while recovering — and, where the injury affects your ability to work, diminished future earning capacity.
Pain and suffering
Compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, and the ways the injury has changed how you live day to day.
Property damage
Repair or replacement of your vehicle and other property damaged in the incident.
Out-of-pocket costs
Transportation to appointments, medical equipment, household help, and the other expenses an injury forces on you.
How we work
- 1
Free, no-pressure consultation
We listen first. We answer your questions. There is no fee for the initial conversation — and you decide whether to engage us at the end of it.
- 2
Investigation and evidence preservation
Police reports, scene photos, witness statements, vehicle data, surveillance video, medical records. The earlier we collect, the harder it is for the other side to reshape the story later.
- 3
Treatment, demand, and negotiation
We coordinate with your providers, document the full extent of damages — medical, lost income, pain — and present a demand backed by evidence. We push back firmly when an insurer lowballs.
- 4
Litigation when necessary
Most matters settle. When an insurer refuses to be reasonable, we file. Preparing every case as if it will be tried is what makes the settlement number move.
What to do right away
- Get medical attention — concussion symptoms can take days to appear.
- Photograph the bike's resting position, the lane markings, and the vehicle.
- Save the bike, your helmet, and clothing without cleaning them.
- Identify witnesses; pedestrians and other riders often see what police miss.
- Call us before contacting either insurer.
The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.
Deadlines that matter
Most California personal-injury claims must be filed within two years of the injury (Code of Civil Procedure §335.1). Miss the window and the court will almost always dismiss the case, no matter how strong it is.
Claims against government entities are much shorter — generally a written claim within six months (Government Code §911.2). Crashes involving city vehicles, public buses, or dangerous public-road conditions can fall under this rule.
Exceptions exist in both directions — discovery rules, minors, continuing violations, out-of-state defendants — so don't assume your deadline has passed or that you have time to spare. Call (818) 539-7969 and we'll tell you exactly where you stand.