What to Do After a Bicycle Accident in California: 9 Steps

Daniel D. Geoulla
August 20, 2026
Bicycle Accidents

The minutes after a bicycle crash are disorienting: you are hurt, adrenaline is masking how badly, and the driver may already be reshaping the story. What you do — and avoid doing — in the first hours and days affects both your health and any claim you later bring. Here is the sequence California bicycle accident lawyers wish every rider knew.

1. Get yourself safe, then call 911

Move out of the roadway if you can do so without worsening an injury. Call 911 even for a “minor” crash: a police report creates an official record of the driver, the location, and the first version of events — before stories change. If officers respond, make sure your account is in the report and get the report number before leaving.

2. See a doctor the same day — even if you feel okay

Adrenaline hides injuries. Concussions, internal injuries, and soft-tissue damage in the neck and back routinely surface a day or more later. Same-day medical care does two things: it protects your health, and it creates the medical record that ties your injuries to the crash. A gap between crash and treatment is one of the first things insurers use to argue the injuries came from somewhere else.

3. Document everything at the scene, if you are able

Photograph the vehicle (including its plate), your bicycle where it landed, your injuries, the road, and anything relevant — skid marks, the bike lane striping, a blocked sight line, an opened door. Collect the driver’s license, insurance, and contact details, and names and numbers for every witness. If the driver was working — rideshare, delivery, a company vehicle — note that too; it can change whose insurance applies.

4. Preserve the bike and your gear

Do not repair the bike, and do not discard the helmet, clothing, or lights, even damaged ones. They are physical evidence of impact forces and of your visibility. Store them as they are, and photograph them before anything is moved or cleaned.

5. Find camera footage before it disappears

City streets are covered by doorbell, storefront, and traffic cameras — and most systems overwrite footage within days. Note every camera facing the crash location and ask the owners to preserve the recording, or have a lawyer send preservation requests immediately. Video resolves more disputed bicycle cases than any other single piece of evidence.

6. Be careful with the insurance company

Report the crash to your own insurer if a vehicle was involved, but decline to give the other driver’s insurer a recorded statement before you have advice. Early recorded statements are taken to lock you into positions before your injuries are fully known. Do not accept a quick settlement offer: once you sign a release, the claim is over, even if complications appear later.

7. Know the rules that protect you as a rider

California cyclists have the same rights on the road as drivers. The ride-to-the-right rule has exceptions — avoiding hazards, passing, preparing for turns — and only riders under 18 are required to wear a helmet.¹ If a door was opened into your path, Vehicle Code section 22517 puts that duty on the person opening the door.² And because California follows pure comparative negligence,³ a rider who shares some fault still recovers the remainder — do not let an adjuster convince you that partial fault means no case.

8. Watch the deadlines

A personal injury lawsuit generally must be filed within two years of the crash.⁴ If a public entity may be responsible — a government vehicle, a dangerous road or bike lane design — a government claim must be presented within six months.⁵ Deadlines for minors and other special situations differ; confirm yours with an attorney rather than assuming.

9. Talk to a lawyer before the insurer sets the story

Bicycle claims carry a built-in bias to fight: many adjusters (and some jurors) start from the assumption that the cyclist must have done something wrong. Countering that early — with the police report, scene photos, camera footage, and the vehicle’s damage pattern — changes the trajectory of the claim. B&D Law Group, APLC handles bicycle accident cases across California from our Los Angeles office. The consultation is free, in English or Spanish, and there is no fee unless we recover for you. Contact us here.

Frequently asked questions

Should I call the police for a minor bicycle accident?

Yes. A police report documents the driver, the scene, and the first version of events. Injuries that seem minor at the scene frequently turn out not to be, and without a report the crash becomes your word against the driver’s.

The driver offered to pay me cash at the scene. Should I take it?

No. You cannot know the cost of your injuries at the scene, and accepting cash usually means losing the driver’s information and any realistic claim later. Exchange information and let the process work.

I wasn’t wearing a helmet. Can I still recover?

If you are 18 or older, California law did not require you to wear one, and not wearing a helmet does not bar your claim. Insurers may argue it worsened head injuries, which is a damages argument — not a reason to abandon the case.

What if the driver left the scene?

Report the hit-and-run to police immediately and seek medical care. Your own uninsured motorist coverage may compensate you if the driver is never identified — check your auto policy, which can apply even though you were on a bike.

Sources and notes

California Vehicle Code § 21212 — the bicycle helmet requirement applies to riders under 18. For lane position, lighting, and the other rules of the road, see our complete guide to California bicycle laws.
California Vehicle Code § 22517 (opening and closing doors), text as current through January 1, 2026, read at FindLaw during preparation of this article. Our article on dooring accidents covers these crashes in detail.
Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804 — California’s pure comparative negligence rule.
California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1 — two-year limitations period for personal injury actions. Tolling and delayed-accrual rules can move this date; confirm your specific deadline with an attorney.
California Government Code § 911.2 — claims against public entities for injury generally must be presented within six months.