INJURED IN A BICYCLE ACCIDENT?
Bicycle Accident Lawyer in Burbank
A bicycle accident can leave you with serious injuries, a totaled bike, mounting medical bills — and an insurance company that immediately starts looking for ways to blame the cyclist. California law protects your rights as a rider, but those rights mean nothing without an attorney willing to fight for them. As your Bicycle Accident Lawyer in Burbank, I stand between you and the insurer’s tactics to make sure you recover every dollar your injuries deserve.
LOCAL BURBANK EXPERTISE
Your Dedicated Bicycle Accident Lawyer in Burbank
At Personal Injury 365, I represent cyclists injured throughout Burbank, Los Angeles, and the surrounding areas by negligent drivers, unsafe road conditions, and defective equipment. Bicycle accident cases come with a specific challenge that other accident types don’t: insurance adjusters often start by questioning the cyclist’s conduct rather than the driver’s. They look for evidence that you ran a light, failed to signal, or rode outside the bike lane — anything to shift fault onto you and reduce what they owe.
I counter this bias with a comprehensive investigation: traffic camera footage, police reports, witness statements, and California Vehicle Code analysis that puts fault exactly where it belongs. I personally handle every file at this firm and fight your case through every stage — from the first demand letter to trial, if necessary. You focus on your recovery. I handle the rest.
How I Fight for Injured Cyclists
Cyclists are among the most vulnerable people on Los Angeles roads — and among the most frequently blamed when accidents happen. I provide the focused advocacy needed to push back against insurer bias and recover what your claim is actually worth.
Countering Anti-Cyclist Bias
Insurance adjusters routinely begin bicycle accident investigations by looking for cyclist error. I counter this immediately — gathering independent evidence of driver negligence before the insurer’s narrative sets. Your conduct will be scrutinized; my job is to make sure the driver’s conduct is scrutinized harder.
Applying California’s Bike Laws
California Vehicle Code gives cyclists full rights to the road. I apply these provisions precisely — including the Three Feet for Safety Act (CVC 21760), bike lane laws, and the dooring statute (CVC 22517) — to build a solid legal foundation that withstands insurer challenge.
Documenting Serious Injuries
Bicycle accidents produce catastrophic injuries — traumatic brain injuries, spinal damage, fractured bones, and road rash that can require surgery and skin grafts. I work with your medical team and independent experts to document the full scope of your injuries and their long-term consequences.
The Helmet Defense
California does not require adult cyclists to wear helmets. If you were not wearing one, insurers will use this to argue reduced damages. I address this proactively with evidence and legal argument to ensure your choice not to wear a helmet does not unfairly minimize your recovery.
Hit-and-Run & Uninsured Driver Claims
When a driver strikes a cyclist and flees, or has no insurance, your options still exist. I pursue uninsured motorist claims, investigate traffic and business cameras to identify the driver, and explore every available source of recovery to maximize your compensation.
Road Hazard & Third-Party Liability
Not all bicycle accidents involve a vehicle. Potholes, debris, defective bike infrastructure, and improperly maintained roads can cause serious crashes. I investigate government and private party liability for dangerous road conditions as part of every bicycle accident case.
Fast Evidence Preservation
Dashcam footage, surveillance video from nearby businesses, and physical road evidence can disappear within days. I act within 24 hours of taking your case to secure all available evidence and send preservation demands before anything is lost.
Direct Attorney Access
You will not be passed to a case manager. I personally handle every detail of your bicycle accident file, keep you informed at every stage, and remain your direct point of contact from first consultation through final resolution.
No Upfront Costs
You pay nothing unless I win. My contingency fee arrangement means you face no financial risk in pursuing your claim. I front all costs of building your case and only get paid when you receive compensation.
Compensation We Fight to Recover for You
A bicycle accident can produce injuries far more severe than those in many car crashes — because cyclists have no protective shell around them. As your Burbank personal injury lawyer, I pursue the complete picture of what your accident has cost you and what it will continue to cost in the future.
Medical Expenses
Emergency room treatment, hospitalization, surgery, orthopedic care, neurological evaluation, physical therapy, and all future treatment costs. For serious bicycle accidents involving TBI or spinal injuries, future care costs can be substantial — I document every dollar with expert support.
Lost Wages & Earning Capacity
Time missed from work during recovery and, for severe injuries, the long-term reduction in your ability to earn at your prior level. I work with vocational and economic experts to quantify every dollar of lost income — past and future.
Pain and Suffering
Physical pain, emotional distress, post-traumatic stress, and the loss of activities you valued before the crash. Cyclists often suffer disfiguring scars, chronic pain, and lasting psychological trauma from violent collisions — I ensure these non-economic damages are fully valued.
Property Damage
The cost to repair or replace your bicycle, helmet, cycling gear, and any other personal property damaged in the crash. I include every item of property loss in your total damages claim.
Bicycle Accident FAQ
California bicycle accident law has specific rules about cyclist rights, fault, and what insurance companies must cover. Here are the questions I hear most often. Call me for a free consultation on your situation.
Call 911 and get a police report filed at the scene. Photograph the vehicle, the driver’s license plate, the road conditions, and all of your visible injuries. If there are witnesses, collect their contact information before they leave. Seek medical attention immediately — even if you feel okay, many serious injuries from bicycle collisions do not produce immediate symptoms. Do not give a statement to the driver’s insurance company before consulting a bicycle accident attorney. The insurer will begin building their case the moment they get that call; you should too.
Yes, but it does not eliminate your right to recover. California is a pure comparative fault state — your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault, but you can still recover even if you were partially responsible. Insurance companies use comparative fault aggressively against cyclists, often exaggerating the cyclist’s share of fault to minimize the payout. I investigate the evidence thoroughly to push back against inflated fault attributions and protect your net recovery. The key is having an attorney who takes this fight seriously from the start.
California Vehicle Code Section 22517 prohibits drivers and passengers from opening a vehicle door into the path of moving traffic, including cyclists. If you were hit by a car door swung open without warning — one of the most common and serious causes of urban bicycle accidents — the driver or passenger who opened the door is liable under this statute. I investigate dooring accidents aggressively, including pulling parking garage and street camera footage to document exactly what happened.
There is no reliable average because settlements vary enormously based on injury severity, fault allocation, the victim’s age and occupation, and available insurance coverage. Minor accidents with soft tissue injuries and full recovery settle for far less than accidents involving traumatic brain injuries, spinal damage, or permanent disability. What I can tell you is that the single biggest factor in settlement value is how thoroughly the injuries and their long-term consequences are documented — which is exactly where my preparation makes the difference. I give every client an honest case evaluation based on their specific facts.
California law does not require adult cyclists (18 and over) to wear helmets. The absence of a helmet cannot be used to establish that you caused the accident itself. However, insurers may argue it contributed to the severity of your head injuries and attempt to reduce your damages on comparative fault grounds. I address this argument proactively with medical evidence and legal authority to limit its impact on your recovery. Not wearing a helmet does not mean you were at fault for being hit.
California’s minimum liability limits — $30,000 per person — are often inadequate for serious bicycle accident injuries. When the at-fault driver’s policy is insufficient to cover your damages, I investigate additional sources of recovery: your own underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage, the driver’s employer if they were working at the time, or other potentially liable parties such as a road maintenance authority or vehicle manufacturer. I pursue every available avenue to maximize what your family receives.
Dangerous road conditions — potholes, broken pavement, missing lane markings, defective bike infrastructure — can cause serious crashes that are the responsibility of a government agency or private property owner. Claims against government entities require filing a government tort claim, often within six months of the accident. This deadline is significantly shorter than the standard two-year statute of limitations. If your accident involved a road defect, contact me immediately — these government claim deadlines are strict and missing them can permanently bar your claim.
California’s general statute of limitations for personal injury is two years from the date of the accident. However, if the at-fault party is a government entity — a city, county, or state agency — you may have as little as six months to file a government tort claim. For accidents involving minors, the statute may be tolled until they turn 18. I evaluate every deadline that applies to your case from the start and act immediately to preserve your rights. Do not wait — evidence disappears and legal deadlines do not bend.
Contact Us
If a driver’s negligence put you off your bike and into a hospital, you deserve an attorney who takes your case as seriously as you do. Call me today for a free, confidential case review — no cost, no obligation.