What if I wasn't wearing a helmet — does that affect my case?

California does not require adult cyclists to wear helmets, so the absence of a helmet cannot be used to establish that you were negligent. An insurer may raise it to reduce your damages, but helmet use is not the same as fault for the crash itself. We address this argument directly when it comes up.

Who is liable if I was hit by a car door?

The person who opened the door is liable under California law, which prohibits opening a vehicle door into the path of traffic. If that person was a rideshare passenger or a commercial driver, additional parties — including the rideshare company or employer — may also bear responsibility. We investigate the full picture before accepting a simple one-party answer.

What if the driver fled the scene after hitting me on my bike?

A hit-and-run doesn't end your case. If you have uninsured motorist coverage on a vehicle policy, that coverage may apply even though you were on a bike at the time of the crash. We also pursue all available evidence — surveillance footage, witness accounts, and nearby traffic cameras — to identify the driver when possible.

Do bicycle accident cases take a long time to resolve?

The timeline depends on the severity of your injuries and whether liability is disputed. We don't push clients to settle before they've reached maximum medical improvement, because settling too early can leave future medical costs uncovered. We move cases forward efficiently, but we don't sacrifice your recovery for speed.

Can I still recover compensation if I was partially at fault for the crash?

Yes. California follows a pure comparative fault rule, which means your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault — but not eliminated. Even if a driver argues you contributed to the crash, you may still be entitled to significant recovery. We work to minimize any fault attributed to you during negotiations and litigation.

Bicycle Accident Lawyer San Diego

How San Diego Bicycle Accidents Happen

Most bike crashes in San Diego follow predictable patterns. Recognizing the type of crash you were in matters because it shapes who is liable, what evidence is needed, and how insurance companies will try to defend the at-fault driver.

Dooring Accidents

A driver or passenger opens a car door directly into the path of an oncoming cyclist without checking their mirror. These crashes happen constantly in areas with street parking — Little Italy, North Park, Hillcrest — and they cause serious injuries. The person who opened the door is liable. California law requires drivers and passengers to check for approaching cyclists before opening a vehicle door.

Intersection and Failure-to-Yield Collisions

Drivers turning left across a bike lane, running stop signs, or pulling out of driveways without yielding cause a significant share of serious cyclist injuries in San Diego. These accidents often result in the driver's insurer claiming the cyclist had time to stop or was riding unpredictably — a claim we know how to counter with traffic evidence, witness statements, and an understanding of how insurers build these arguments.

Close-Pass and Bike Lane Violations

California Vehicle Code Section 21760, known as the "3 Feet for Safety" law, requires drivers to give cyclists a minimum of three feet of clearance when passing. A driver who violates this law has committed a statutory violation — which establishes negligence as a matter of law. If you were sideswiped, clipped, or forced off the road by a passing vehicle, that law is on your side.

E-Bike Accidents

Electric bike ridership in San Diego has grown sharply since 2022, and so have e-bike injury cases. Under California personal injury law, e-bike accidents are treated identically to traditional bicycle accidents. If you were injured while riding an e-bike — whether on a shared path, a protected lane, or a city street — you have the same right to full compensation as any other cyclist.

What California Law Says About Your Rights as a Cyclist

California treats cyclists as full participants in traffic, not as guests on the road. You have the right to ride in a bike lane, occupy a travel lane when necessary, and expect drivers to follow the same rules of the road that apply to every other vehicle. When a driver violates those rules and injures you, you are entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost income, physical pain, and the disruption to your daily life. The type of vehicle you were riding does not limit what you can recover. We've handled bicycle accident cases involving significant injuries, and we take every one of them seriously.

Why Insurers Fight Bicycle Accident Claims — and How We Fight Back

Before founding this firm, Brennan Quigley spent years on the other side of these cases, defending insurance companies against personal injury claims. He knows the strategies insurers use to undervalue cyclist injuries: arguing comparative fault, questioning helmet use, suggesting the rider was unpredictable or out of position. We know these arguments because we've made them. That background is a direct advantage for our clients. When an adjuster tries to shift blame onto you, we understand exactly what they're building toward — and we know how to dismantle it.

What a Bicycle Accident Claim Covers

A successful bicycle accident claim can include compensation for all of the following:

Emergency room visits, surgery, physical therapy, and ongoing medical treatment
Income lost while you were unable to work during recovery
Future medical costs if your injuries require long-term care
Pain, suffering, and the emotional impact of the crash
Damage to your bicycle, helmet, and any other personal property
Scarring or permanent physical limitations

Many cyclists underestimate the value of their claim — especially when they weren't in a car. We make sure nothing is left off the table.

Why Choose Quigley Law for Your Bicycle Accident Case

Our firm handles a deliberately limited number of cases so that every client works directly with Brennan throughout the entire process. You won't be handed off to a paralegal after your intake call. You won't wonder who's actually managing your case. When you have questions, you reach the attorney who knows your file. That's not a common arrangement at larger personal injury firms — it's the reason we built ours this way.

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San Diego Bicycle Accident Lawyer