Bicycle Accidents matters in Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills cycling ranges from commuters and fitness riders on Santa Monica Boulevard to climbers tackling the steep, winding hills above Sunset. Those routes put cyclists alongside fast boulevard traffic, parked luxury cars outside retail storefronts, and drivers distracted by valet maneuvers and the search for parking.
A close pass on a boulevard or a suddenly opened car door near a shop can throw a rider into traffic with devastating results. California gives cyclists strong legal protections, and enforcing them after a crash takes prompt investigation and a clear grasp of the rules.
Why bicycle crashes happen here
- Unsafe passing on Santa Monica Blvd and other busy corridors
- Dooring near retail blocks where drivers exit parked cars without looking
- Steep, curving descents in the hills above Sunset with limited sightlines
- Valet and rideshare activity cutting across bike lines of travel
- Drivers turning across a cyclist's path at intersections
The Three Feet for Safety Act
California's Three Feet for Safety Act, codified at Vehicle Code section 21760, requires drivers to leave at least three feet of clearance when passing a cyclist traveling in the same direction. When three feet is not possible, the driver must slow and pass only when safe. A driver who buzzes a cyclist or causes a dooring collision can be liable, and because California applies pure comparative negligence, a rider found partly at fault can still recover, reduced by their share.
Injuries and case types
- Fractures and collarbone injuries from falls
- Traumatic brain injuries, even when wearing a helmet
- Facial and dental injuries from dooring impacts
- Spinal injuries and road rash
- Wrongful death in the most catastrophic crashes
Compensation for injured cyclists
California law allows recovery of economic damages such as medical treatment, future care, lost wages, and damaged equipment, along with non-economic damages for pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of cycling and daily life. Because riders are so exposed, even a low-speed collision can cause lasting injury that deserves full documentation. We do not promise any particular amount or result, but we build the evidence needed to seek fair value.
Deadlines, courts, and our role
California generally allows two years to file a bicycle injury claim under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, and a shorter deadline can apply if a public entity is involved. Beverly Hills cases are filed in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, with Westside matters commonly heard at the Santa Monica Courthouse or the Stanley Mosk Courthouse downtown. From our Glendale office about fifteen miles away, MMG Law Firm investigates the crash, secures video, and counters driver-blame tactics. We offer free consultations in English, Armenian, and Russian on a contingency basis, so you owe no fee unless we win.
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.