Bicycle Accidents matters in Los Angeles
Cycling in Los Angeles means coexisting with dense, fast-moving traffic on streets that were not always built with riders in mind. Commuters and recreational cyclists ride corridors like Figueroa, Sunset, and Venice toward the Westside, climb into the hills above Hollywood, and cross neighborhoods from Boyle Heights to the San Fernando Valley. A driver's momentary inattention, an unsafe pass, or a right hook at an intersection can put a rider on the pavement in an instant.
MMG Law Firm represents cyclists hurt by negligent drivers. We understand how these crashes happen on LA streets and how to prove what a driver did wrong.
Why LA Cyclists Get Hit
Most serious bike crashes trace back to driver error:
- Unsafe passing that crowds a cyclist toward parked cars or the curb
- Right hooks and left crosses at busy intersections on Sunset and Figueroa
- Doorings from drivers who open a door without checking for riders
- Distracted and speeding drivers on arterials shared with bike traffic
The Three Feet for Safety Act
California law gives cyclists real protection on the road. Under the Three Feet for Safety Act, Vehicle Code section 21760, a driver overtaking a bicycle must leave at least three feet of clearance when passing in the same direction. If three feet is not possible because of traffic or roadway conditions, the driver must slow down and pass only when it will not endanger the cyclist. A violation that causes a crash is strong evidence of the driver's negligence.
Cyclists' Rights & Shared-Fault Rules
Cyclists generally have the same rights and duties as drivers and are entitled to use the road. When an insurer tries to blame the rider, California's pure comparative negligence rule still allows recovery reduced by any share of fault, rather than barring the claim. We gather the evidence (scene photos, video, witness statements, and vehicle damage) needed to place fault where it belongs.
Injuries & Compensation
With little protection, cyclists often suffer:
- Traumatic brain injuries, even when wearing a helmet
- Fractures, road rash, and joint damage
- Spinal injuries and long-term disability
A claim may pursue economic damages such as medical bills, future treatment, lost wages, and reduced earning capacity, along with non-economic damages for pain, suffering, and diminished quality of life. Each case depends on its own facts, and no outcome can be promised.
Deadlines & Venue
Under California Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, you generally have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit, and shorter deadlines can apply if a public entity is involved. Los Angeles bicycle cases are usually heard in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, with many civil matters handled at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in downtown LA.
How MMG Law Firm Helps
From our Glendale office, a short drive up the I-5 from downtown, we take these cases seriously and move quickly to preserve evidence. We offer free consultations in English, Armenian, and Russian and work on contingency (no fee unless we win). Call today to find out how we can help you recover.
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.
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