Bicycle Accidents matters in San Diego
Cycling is woven into San Diego life. Commuters and weekend riders share the Bayshore Bikeway around the bay, families roll the beach bike paths at Mission and Pacific Beach, and road cyclists climb the coastal Highway 101 through the North County beach towns. With so many riders sharing the road with cars, the collisions that follow are rarely minor for the person on the bike.
A cyclist hit by a vehicle has the same right to the road as any driver, and California law backs that up. The challenge is proving fault and resisting the reflex to blame the rider.
Why bicycle crashes happen in San Diego
- Drivers passing too closely on narrow stretches of coastal Highway 101
- Right-hook and left-cross collisions at intersections along bike routes
- Car doors opened into the path of riders in dense beach neighborhoods
- Drivers crossing or blocking marked bike lanes near the Bayshore Bikeway
- Distracted and speeding drivers on busy arterials feeding the coast
The Three Feet for Safety Act
California's Three Feet for Safety Act, codified at Vehicle Code section 21760, requires a driver passing a bicycle traveling the same direction to leave at least three feet of clearance. If three feet is not possible given traffic and roadway conditions, the driver must slow to a reasonable speed and pass only when it will not endanger the cyclist. A violation of this law is strong evidence of negligence when a passing driver clips or sideswipes a rider. Cyclists generally have the same rights and duties as drivers on the road.
Comparative fault for cyclists
Under California's pure comparative negligence rule, an injured cyclist can recover even if found partly at fault, with the recovery reduced by their percentage of responsibility. We work to keep blame from being unfairly shifted onto the rider.
Injuries cyclists suffer
With only a helmet for protection, riders often face serious harm:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal and neck injuries
- Broken collarbones, wrists, and limbs
- Facial and dental injuries
- Wrongful death
Compensation you may pursue
A bicycle claim can seek economic damages including medical bills, future treatment, rehabilitation, lost income, and reduced earning capacity, along with non-economic damages for pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life. We make no promises about value or outcome; every case turns on its own injuries, evidence, and available insurance coverage.
Deadlines, venue, and how MMG Law Firm helps
California generally allows two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. A San Diego cyclist's case is typically filed in the San Diego County Superior Court, with civil matters handled at the downtown Central Courthouse. From our Glendale office, MMG Law Firm represents injured cyclists throughout California, handling investigation, reconstruction, and negotiation remotely and appearing in San Diego court when the case requires it. Consultations are free, offered in English, Armenian, and Russian, and we work on contingency, so there is 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.
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