MMGLaw Firm

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Los Angeles Bicycle Accident Lawyer

Los Angeles is a hard place to ride a bike, and a driver who passes too close or turns across a bike lane can cause life-changing injuries. California gives cyclists real protections — including a three-foot passing buffer.

California downtown street

Bicycle Accidents matters in Los Angeles

Cyclists in Los Angeles share the road with traffic on every kind of street — the bike lanes along Spring and Main downtown, the climbs and descents in Griffith Park and along the LA River path, the beach routes near Venice, and the unforgiving arterials in between where there's no protected lane at all. The most common crashes here are right-hooks at intersections, doorings along parked-car corridors like those in Silver Lake and Hollywood, and drivers passing too close on roads like Venice Boulevard or Los Feliz. California's Three Feet for Safety Act, Vehicle Code section 21760, requires drivers to give cyclists at least three feet of clearance when passing, and where that isn't possible they must slow down. Cyclists generally have the same rights and duties as drivers under Vehicle Code section 21200, which means a car that cut you off or 'doored' you can be held responsible. Insurers routinely argue the rider wasn't visible or wasn't following the rules, so the early facts — the position of the bike lane, helmet-cam or surveillance footage, and witness accounts — carry weight. The two-year deadline under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1 applies to bicycle injury claims. These cases are generally litigated in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, with downtown matters at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse. Our office is a short drive up the I-5 in Glendale, and we offer free consultations in English, Armenian, and Russian. There's no fee unless we win your case.

Types of bicycle accidents cases 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. 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. 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. 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. 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, 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.

More practice areas in Los Angeles

Bicycle Accidents in nearby cities

FAQ

Los Angeles Bicycle Accidents FAQ

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Injured in Los Angeles?

Free consultation. Bilingual counsel. No fee unless we win your case.

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