Recovering Compensation After a Bicycle Accident in California

Recovering Compensation After a Bicycle Accident in California

• October 17, 2025
• Categories: Personal Injury

In California, cyclists injured due to another party’s negligence can recover compensation for medical costs, lost wages, and other damages. Because cars, on average, weigh about 4,000 pounds and trucks are even larger and heavier, when bicycles and vehicles collide, the cyclist almost always suffers the most severe injuries. In some cases, they are killed.  Following is a detailed breakdown of the process, compensation types, and key legal considerations when you are recovering compensation after a bicycle accident in California.

Proving Liability and Fault

California operates under a comparative fault-based system where negligence must be proven using four elements:

1. Legal duty: The at-fault party owed a duty of care (Example: obeying traffic laws).
2. Breach of duty: They failed to act reasonably (Example: running a red light).
3. Causation: This breach directly caused the accident.
4. Damages: You suffered quantifiable losses.

Comparative Negligence

Even if you are partially at fault for your injuries in a bike accident, you can still recover reduced compensation. For example, if you were riding the wrong direction on a street and were hit by a driver who was texting, then a court might find that you and the driver both shared fault for the accident. You could be 30% at fault, and the vehicle driver could be 70% at fault. If the total compensation for the accident was $300,000, then you would receive $210,000 in compensation ($300,000 minus $90,000 or 30%). Evidence like police reports, witness statements, and traffic camera footage strengthens your liability claims. A skilled bicycle injury attorney can help you build a strong case seeking compensation.

Compensation You Could Be Entitled To

If you are seriously injured in a bicycle accident in California, then you could be entitled to economic as well as non-economic damages. These include:

Economic Damages

• Medical bills
• Cost of future medical care
• Lost wages
• Loss of future earnings capacity
• Property damage

Non-Economic Damages

• Pain and suffering
• Scarring and disfigurement
• PTSD, depression, and emotional distress
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Loss of consortium

Punitive Damages

While somewhat rare, a judge can also award punitive damages if a driver acted in a particularly egregious way while disregarding the safety of others on the road. A history of drunk driving or previous collisions can also cause a court to issue punitive damages as punishment and to send a message to other drivers who may be careless when encountering bicyclists on the road.

Most Common Causes of Bike Accidents in California

In California, bicycle accidents often result from a combination of driver negligence, hazardous road conditions, and cyclist errors. Here’s a breakdown of the most common causes:

Vehicle Driver Negligence

• Failure to Yield Right of Way – Drivers often ignore cyclists’ right of way at intersections, stop signs, or when turning left/right. This includes cutting off cyclists during turns or merging. An example would be collisions that occur when drivers overtake cyclists and turn directly in front of them.
• Speeding – Speeding reduces reaction time and magnifies collision force, leading to severe injuries. It is the second-leading factor in fatal/serious injury crashes (16.9% of cases) in California.
• Distracted Driving – Phone use, eating, texting, or other distractions cause drivers to overlook cyclists, particularly in busy urban areas.
• Dooring Accidents – Motorists opening car doors into bike lanes without checking for cyclists can force riders to swerve into traffic.
• Following Too Closely or Improper Passing – Drivers tailgating or passing cyclists with insufficient clearance increases the likelihood of sideswipe or rear-end collisions.
• Impaired Driving – Alcohol or drug impairment contributes to fatal accidents, particularly at night.

Road Hazards

• Poor Road Conditions – Potholes, cracks, debris, and uneven surfaces cause cyclists to lose control of their bikes. Poorly maintained bike lanes can also force riders to swerve into traffic.
• Inadequate Infrastructure – Lack of protected bike lanes, unclear signage, or insufficient lighting heightens accident risks.
• Intersection Design Flaws – Driveways, side streets, and complex intersections are hotspots for collisions due to limited visibility.

Cyclist Factors

• Riding Against Traffic – Wrong-way cycling accounts for 10% of accidents in California and increases head-on collision risks.
• Lack of Visibility – Cyclists without reflective gear or lights are harder to spot, especially at night.
• E-Bike Risks – High-speed e-bikes (up to 28 mph) contribute to severe injuries, with Orange County reporting a 500% rise in e-bike accidents since 2021.

Notable Trends

• Los Angeles County reported 1,813 bicycle accidents in 2021, with fatalities averaging 36 per year.
• Improper turning (17.9%) and automobile right-of-way violations (15.1%) were leading factors in fatal crashes.
• Helmet non-use exacerbates injuries, though only minors are legally required to wear helmets in California.

By addressing these risks through driver education, improved infrastructure, cyclist visibility, and bicycle awareness campaigns, California is attempting to reduce the injuries and fatalities caused by collisions between bicycles and vehicles as well as single-bicycle crashes. If you’ve been injured in a collision or crash while riding a bike, call a bicycle accident lawyer to find out your legal rights.

Why Choose Neale & Fhima to Represent You?

Seeking highly trained legal assistance is the best way to ensure that you get a fair resolution to your bicycle injury case. At Neale & Fhima, we fight aggressively to get the compensation you deserve. Our outstanding client testimonials speak volumes about our law firm’s skill and expertise. Here’s why clients hire us:

• No Surprises. We don’t sugar-coat the facts. We’ll tell you up front what you can expect from the legal process and what the strengths and weaknesses of your claim are.  Then you can decide whether to hire us.
• Years of Experience. Our lawyers possess more than 40 years of combined experience representing clients throughout Southern California.
• We Know the Law. California law can be complicated and overwhelming. We’ll help you navigate the law, avoid pitfalls, and build a powerful legal claim.
• We Value Client Relationships. You matter to us. High-volume law offices often think of clients as a number on a case file. We’re different. We like getting to know our clients and their families.

Protecting Yourself from Injury While Riding a Bicycle in California

To minimize the risk of collisions while cycling, you should focus on visibility, predictable riding, and defensive positioning. Below are key strategies backed by cycling safety experts and legal guidelines:

Maximize Visibility

• Use lights and bright gear.
• Install a front LED headlight (required by law at night) and a rear reflector. Daytime lights increase visibility.
• Wear reflective clothing, especially in low-light conditions.
• Visually communicate with drivers by making eye contact.
• Wave, yell, or use a bell/horn when approaching driveways or intersections to alert distracted drivers.
• Signal turns and lane changes with hand gestures.

Ride Predictably and Legally

• Follow traffic rules.
• Obey stop signs, red lights, and lane markings.
• Ride in the same direction as traffic.
• Avoid sidewalks and crosswalks unless necessary because drivers don’t expect cyclists to be there.

Position Yourself Defensively

• Stay 3 to 4 feet from parked cars to avoid “dooring” accidents.
• Stay as close to the shoulder as possible in heavy traffic.

Statute of Limitations for Filing a Bicycle Accident Claim in California

In California, you have two years to file a personal injury claim after an accident. The clock starts from the day the accident happened or when you first become aware that you have suffered injuries from a collision, which could be days or weeks later. There are limited exceptions to the two-year rule including a collision with a bicyclist under 18 years of age, cases in which the other driver leaves the state, or when a bicyclist is mentally incapacitated due to the crash, such as being in a coma.

Neale & Fhima Fights Aggressively for Bicycle Accident Victims

If you’ve suffered an injury in a bicycle accident, a personal injury lawyer at Neale & Fhima will fight to get the financial compensation you deserve. Even if you are partially at fault for the accident, you could still receive a payout. We understand both sides of a legal strategy because our team includes both bicycle injury attorneys and car accident lawyers. Our top-notch legal team has an outstanding record of recovering more than $50 million in rightful compensation or victims throughout Southern California. For a free consultation about your case, call us at 888-407-2955.