Glendale Bicycle Accident Lawyer

You were riding, a driver made a mistake, and now you are dealing with a broken bone, a wrecked bike and an adjuster who keeps asking what you did wrong. That pattern is common in bike cases, and it is why you want a bicycle accident attorney in Glendale on your side early. Moe Abdallah Law, P.C. handles motor-vehicle injury cases only, and cyclists hit by cars are part of that work. Moe reviews the scene, the video and the driver's insurance. Then he builds your claim around your medical records. Cyclists have the same rights on the road as drivers, and California law gives you extra protection from close passes and opened car doors. Call (323) 716-1992 for a free review. There is no fee unless we win.

Where Glendale cyclists get hit

The city has not published a bike-only crash map, so start with what it has said about all crashes. Glendale's Vision Zero team told the City Council that many analyzed crashes happened on Brand Boulevard, Colorado Street and Central Avenue, and near freeway entrances and exits. The nine sites chosen for safety work include stretches of San Fernando Road, Glendale Avenue, Louise Street and Los Feliz Boulevard, almost all of them in downtown or southern Glendale. Those are the places where a rider shares a lane with turning cars, delivery vans and drivers hunting for parking. State data for 2022 counted 44 bicyclist victims in Glendale, which put the city 25th of 61 comparable cities. Ramps are another trouble spot. Drivers look for a gap in freeway traffic and forget to look for a rider. If you were hit on any of these streets, tell us the block and the time. We can ask for nearby camera footage and signal records before they are erased.

Close passes, doorings and right hooks under California law

Most bike claims fit a few patterns, and the law covers each one. When a driver passes you going the same direction, the Three Feet for Safety Act requires at least three feet of clearance. Since 2023 the driver must also change lanes to pass if another lane is open and it is practical. If three feet is not possible, the driver has to slow down and pass only when it is safe. The fine rises to $220 if the pass injures a cyclist, but the real value is that a violation helps prove fault. The law covers dooring too. Nobody may open a car door on the traffic side unless it is reasonably safe and does not get in the way of moving traffic, including riders. Right hooks and left-turn crashes work differently. The driver failed to yield or failed to look, and the proof is usually video and the driver's own words at the scene. Write down what the driver said before you leave.

When the insurer says you rode wrong

Expect the other side to argue about where you were riding, what you wore and whether you braked. It starts with fault. California follows pure comparative negligence, so you can recover even if you were partly to blame, but your award shrinks by your share. That is why an adjuster will push your share up. A common line is that you should have been farther right. The Vehicle Code says a cyclist moving slower than traffic rides as close to the right edge as practicable, but it also lets you move over when passing, preparing for a left turn, avoiding hazards, or when the lane is too narrow for a bike and a car to travel safely side by side. Helmets come up, too. California requires them only for riders under 18, so an adult without a helmet is not breaking the law, though an insurer may still argue about head injuries. We answer with the statute, the photos and the witnesses, not guesses.

Police reports, bike evidence and what to save

If a Glendale police officer came to your crash, the Glendale Police Department Records Bureau at 131 N. Isabel Street holds the report. The city has said reports can be requested online through LexisNexis eCrash at least seven days after the crash, by mail, or at the counter, and its listed fees date to 2014, so confirm the current price at 818-548-3135. Hit-and-run reports may be delayed. Do not lean on the report alone. If you went to the hospital first, the driver may have been the only one who talked to the officer. Keep the bike exactly as it is after the crash, with the scrapes, bent wheel and broken parts. Do not repair it until we photograph it. Save your helmet, torn clothing, and ride data from a phone app, bike computer or camera. Ask nearby shops and homes for doorbell video the same day, since many systems overwrite within days. Send us the driver's name, plate and insurance, and do not give the other insurer a recorded statement before we talk.

Bike injuries and where Glendale riders get treated

You have no frame around you on a bike, so even a low-speed hit can cause serious injuries. Common results include broken collarbones, wrists, hips and ribs, road rash that scars, and head injuries that look minor at first. Concussion symptoms such as headaches, fog and sleep problems can show up days later. Two hospitals serve most Glendale crashes. Adventist Health Glendale Medical Center is at 1509 Wilson Terrace, and Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center is at 1420 S. Central Ave. Both have emergency rooms, but the county lists both as umbrella facilities under Los Angeles General, not as designated trauma centers, so paramedics may take a severe case to a trauma center elsewhere. Get checked the same day, even if you walked away. A gap in treatment is the first thing an adjuster uses to say you were fine. Keep every bill, every visit note and every missed-work record. They decide the value of your claim.

Deadlines, city claims and how Moe works your bike case

Most bike cases against a driver must be filed within two years of the crash. A minor's clock may run later, but that extra time does not apply to claims against a city or other public agency. If a pothole, bad pavement or a missing sign caused your fall, or a city vehicle hit you, you must present a written claim within six months. For Glendale, that starts with the City Clerk's Claim for Damages form, and City Hall is at 613 E. Broadway. After a written rejection you get another six months to sue. The Glendale Courthouse is at 600 East Broadway, but which courthouse hears your case depends on the court's rules, and we confirm that before filing. Moe handles your case personally, updates you by call and text, and speaks Spanish. The fee is contingency, so you pay nothing unless he wins. Past results do not predict a similar outcome, but we have recovered a $25,000 policy limit and a $75,000 total after a $900 offer.

Talk to a Glendale bicycle accident lawyer

Call (323) 716-1992 for a free, no-obligation case review. You pay nothing unless we win, and we'll handle the insurance companies for you. Learn more about our bicycle accidents representation →

Frequently Asked Questions

Other cases we handle in Glendale

See everything we handle in Glendale →

Bicycle Accident lawyers in other cities we serve