Los Angeles County is one of the deadliest regions in the country for cyclists. If you were injured while riding in Glendale, LA, or anywhere in Southern California, attorney Anand Desai fights to hold negligent drivers accountable and recover the full compensation you deserve.
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Bicycle accidents produce devastating injuries because cyclists have virtually no physical protection against motor vehicles. A rider wearing a helmet and reflective gear is still no match for a 4,000-pound SUV. When a negligent driver strikes a cyclist, the results are often catastrophic — broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, road rash requiring skin grafts, and permanent disability.
At Anand Desai Law, we have represented injured cyclists throughout Glendale and Los Angeles for 20+ years. Attorney Anand Desai understands both the legal framework protecting cyclists under California law and the practical realities of cycling on Southern California roads. With 50+ jury trials as a former LA County Public Defender and over 5,000 clients served, he brings trial-tested experience to every bicycle accident case.
• Deep Local Knowledge — We know Glendale's cycling infrastructure, including the bike lanes along Brand Boulevard, the bicycle route on Glenoaks Boulevard, and the shared-use paths along the LA River near Griffith Park. We know which roads lack adequate bike lanes, where door-zone bike lanes create constant hazards, and which intersections have histories of bicycle-vehicle collisions. This local knowledge strengthens every case we handle.
• Multilingual Support — Glendale and Los Angeles are among the most diverse communities in the world. Our firm communicates in 11 languages: English, Spanish, Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Thai, Tagalog, Russian, Armenian, Farsi, and Korean. No matter your background, you can discuss your case with us in the language you are most comfortable speaking.
• 24/7 Availability — Bicycle accidents happen at all hours, and the hours immediately following a crash are critical for preserving evidence. Call us from the emergency room, from the accident scene, or the next morning. We respond immediately and can begin our investigation right away.
• No Win, No Fee — Every bicycle accident case is handled on a 100% contingency basis. You pay nothing upfront, nothing during the case, and nothing at all unless we recover compensation for you. We advance all investigation costs, expert witness fees, and litigation expenses.
Call us or fill out the form. We’ll review your case, explain your options, and answer all your questions — at no cost.
We gather evidence, work with experts, handle the insurance companies, and build your claim for maximum compensation.
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California Vehicle Code Section 21760 — commonly known as the Three Feet for Safety Act — requires drivers to maintain at least three feet of clearance when passing a bicycle. If the lane is too narrow to provide three feet of clearance, the driver must slow to a reasonable speed and wait until it is safe to pass. A driver who violates this law and causes a collision can be fined and faces civil liability for any injuries the cyclist suffers.
Beyond the three-foot rule, California law grants bicyclists the same rights and responsibilities as vehicle operators (CVC §21200). Cyclists may ride on any public road except limited-access freeways, and they are entitled to use a full lane when a lane is too narrow to safely share with a vehicle. Drivers who honk at, harass, or deliberately endanger cyclists can face criminal charges under CVC §21760 and potentially civil liability for assault or intentional infliction of emotional distress.
California also prohibits parking in designated bike lanes (CVC §21211), requires vehicles to yield to cyclists when making turns across bike lanes, and mandates that drivers check for approaching cyclists before opening car doors (CVC §22517). These statutes form the foundation of most bicycle accident claims in Glendale and Los Angeles, and our firm uses them aggressively to establish driver negligence in every case we handle.
Dooring — when an occupant of a parked vehicle opens their door into the path of an oncoming cyclist — is one of the most common and most preventable causes of serious bicycle injuries. California Vehicle Code Section 22517 states that no person shall open a vehicle door on the side of moving traffic unless it can be done safely and without interfering with the movement of traffic, including bicycles.
Dooring accidents are especially prevalent in Glendale and Los Angeles because many bike lanes run directly adjacent to parked cars, placing cyclists squarely in the "door zone." The door zone extends approximately four feet from a parked vehicle — the exact space occupied by many bike lanes in the Glendale area, including portions of Brand Boulevard, Central Avenue, and Colorado Street.
When a door opens suddenly, the cyclist has virtually no time to react. At even moderate cycling speeds of 15 mph, the collision happens in a fraction of a second. The cyclist may strike the door and be thrown from the bicycle, or swerve to avoid the door and be struck by a passing vehicle. Either scenario can produce devastating injuries including traumatic brain injuries, broken collarbones, fractured wrists, and severe road rash.
Liability in dooring cases rests with the person who opened the door. Under CVC §22517, the person opening the door has an absolute duty to ensure it is safe before doing so. Our firm has recovered significant compensation for dooring victims and aggressively pursues both the door-opener's personal liability and any applicable insurance coverage.
The right-hook collision is the deadliest type of bicycle accident. It occurs when a motor vehicle makes a right turn directly into the path of a cyclist traveling straight in a bike lane or along the right side of the road. The driver either fails to see the cyclist or misjudges the cyclist's speed, cutting across the cyclist's path and causing a broadside or crushing collision.
Right-hook accidents are particularly dangerous because the cyclist often has no escape route. With the curb to their right and the turning vehicle to their left, the cyclist is trapped. The injuries are typically severe — cyclists can be dragged under the turning vehicle, struck by the vehicle's rear wheels, or thrown into the intersection.
California Vehicle Code Section 21717 requires drivers to merge into the bike lane before making a right turn, which is designed to prevent right-hook collisions by placing the driver behind the cyclist rather than alongside. However, many drivers either ignore this requirement or are unaware of it. When a driver fails to merge into the bike lane and turns across a cyclist's path, the driver bears full liability for the collision.
Commercial vehicles — including delivery trucks, garbage trucks, and buses — are responsible for a disproportionate number of fatal right-hook collisions because their larger blind spots make it harder for drivers to see cyclists. Our firm has handled right-hook cases involving commercial vehicle operators and the companies that employ them, pursuing both driver negligence and employer liability.
Not every bicycle accident involves a motor vehicle. Many serious cycling crashes are caused by hazardous road conditions: potholes, cracked pavement, uneven surfaces, debris in bike lanes, metal grates with slots that catch bicycle tires, railroad crossings, and construction zones without adequate warnings. When a road hazard causes a bicycle accident, liability may rest with the government entity responsible for maintaining the road.
Under California Government Code Section 835, a public entity is liable for injuries caused by a dangerous condition of public property if the entity had actual or constructive notice of the condition and failed to take appropriate action. For example, if the City of Glendale knew about a pothole in a bike lane and failed to repair it within a reasonable time, the city can be held liable for injuries suffered by a cyclist who struck the pothole.
Filing a claim against a government entity requires compliance with the California Government Claims Act (Government Code §910 et seq.), which imposes a six-month deadline for submitting an administrative claim. This is a significantly shorter deadline than the standard two-year statute of limitations for personal injury cases, making it critical to contact an attorney immediately after a road hazard bicycle accident.
Our firm has successfully pursued road hazard claims against the City of Glendale, the City of Los Angeles, Caltrans, and Los Angeles County. We document the hazardous condition, obtain maintenance records showing the entity's knowledge of the problem, and demonstrate that the failure to repair the hazard caused our client's injuries.
Los Angeles has invested heavily in cycling infrastructure in recent years, but the reality on the ground remains dangerous. The city's Mobility Plan 2035 calls for hundreds of miles of new bike lanes, protected bikeways, and bicycle-friendly streets, but implementation has been slow and inconsistent. Many existing bike lanes are unprotected — nothing but a painted line separates cyclists from fast-moving traffic.
In Glendale, the city has added bike lanes along several major corridors, including portions of Brand Boulevard, Glenoaks Boulevard, and Broadway. The city has also developed shared-use paths along the Los Angeles River and the Verdugo Wash, providing off-street cycling options. However, Glendale's hilly terrain, narrow streets in residential neighborhoods, and high traffic volumes on arterial roads continue to create dangerous conditions for cyclists.
The LA River Bike Path, which runs through Glendale and connects to Griffith Park and downtown Los Angeles, is one of the most popular cycling routes in the region. While the path itself is separated from vehicle traffic, the access points and street crossings along the route remain hazardous. Cyclists entering and exiting the path must cross busy intersections where driver awareness of cyclists is often inadequate.
When a cyclist is injured due to inadequate infrastructure — such as a bike lane that ends abruptly, a protected bikeway that loses its protection at an intersection, or a missing bollard that allows vehicles to enter a bike path — our firm investigates whether the municipality bears liability for the dangerous design. Cities have a duty to design and maintain cycling infrastructure that is reasonably safe, and a failure to meet that duty can be the basis for a personal injury claim.
California law allows injured cyclists to recover the full range of economic and non-economic damages. There is no cap on non-economic damages in personal injury cases in California, which means that pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life can be compensated without an artificial limit.
Economic damages in bicycle accident cases include past and future medical expenses — emergency room visits, surgeries, hospitalization, physical therapy, prescription medications, and any ongoing medical care necessitated by the injuries. Lost wages and lost earning capacity are also recoverable: if the cyclist's injuries prevent them from returning to work or reduce their ability to earn income in the future, those financial losses must be compensated. Additional economic damages may include bicycle repair or replacement, damaged cycling equipment and clothing, and out-of-pocket transportation costs incurred while the cyclist is unable to ride.
Non-economic damages compensate for the suffering and life disruption caused by the accident. Physical pain, emotional distress, anxiety about cycling again, disfigurement from road rash scarring, loss of the ability to participate in recreational cycling, and the strain on personal relationships are all compensable. For avid cyclists who relied on cycling for transportation, fitness, or mental health, the loss of that activity can represent a profound impact on quality of life.
In cases involving egregious driver conduct — drunk driving, road rage, intentional harassment of a cyclist, or texting while driving — California Civil Code Section 3294 allows for punitive damages designed to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar behavior. Our firm evaluates every case for punitive damage potential and pursues it aggressively when warranted. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
California Vehicle Code Section 21760, known as the Three Feet for Safety Act, requires motorists to give cyclists at least three feet of clearance when passing. If the lane is too narrow to provide three feet of space, the driver must slow to a reasonable and prudent speed and wait until it is safe to pass. A driver who violates this law and causes a collision faces a fine and civil liability for any injuries. This law applies on all public roads in California, including roads without designated bike lanes. If a driver passed you with less than three feet of clearance and caused your accident, that violation is strong evidence of negligence in your bicycle accident claim.
Under California Vehicle Code Section 22517, the person who opens a vehicle door into traffic is at fault. The law states that no person shall open a door on the side of moving traffic unless it is reasonably safe to do so and can be done without interfering with traffic, including bicycles. This means the person opening the door has an absolute duty to check for approaching cyclists before opening. There is no comparative negligence defense available to the door-opener in most cases — the cyclist has the right to ride in the lane adjacent to parked cars and is not required to anticipate that a door will open into their path. Our firm regularly handles dooring cases throughout Glendale and Los Angeles.
Yes. California law only requires helmets for cyclists under 18 years of age (CVC §21212). Adult cyclists are not required to wear helmets under California law. Even if you were not wearing a helmet, you can still recover full damages for your injuries. However, the defense may argue that your injuries would have been less severe had you worn a helmet. Under California's comparative fault system, a jury could potentially reduce your damages if it finds that the lack of a helmet contributed to the severity of a head injury — but this argument has significant limitations and does not apply to non-head injuries at all. Our firm counters helmet defense arguments effectively in both negotiations and at trial.
First, get to safety and call 911. Do not move if you suspect a spinal injury. Request police and an ambulance. While waiting, document everything: photograph the accident scene, your bicycle, the vehicle, license plate, your injuries, road conditions, and any traffic signals or signs. Get the driver's name, phone number, insurance information, and driver's license number. Collect contact information from witnesses. Do not apologize or admit fault — anything you say can be used against you later. Do not accept the driver's offer to pay out of pocket or settle on the spot. Preserve your damaged bicycle and clothing as evidence. See a doctor within 24 hours even if you feel fine, as many cycling injuries — particularly concussions and internal injuries — have delayed symptoms.
Yes, but you must act quickly. Under California Government Code Section 835, a public entity can be held liable for injuries caused by a dangerous condition of public property — including potholes, cracked pavement, and debris in bike lanes — if the entity had actual or constructive notice of the hazard and failed to repair it. However, the California Government Claims Act (Government Code §910) requires you to file an administrative claim with the responsible government entity within six months of the accident. This is much shorter than the standard two-year statute of limitations. Missing this six-month deadline can permanently bar your claim. Contact our firm immediately after a road hazard bicycle accident so we can file the administrative claim on time.
The driver's claim does not automatically defeat your case. California follows a comparative negligence system under Civil Code Section 1714, meaning that fault is apportioned between all parties. Even if you bear some fault, you can still recover damages reduced by your percentage of fault. More importantly, our investigation often disproves the driver's version of events. We obtain traffic camera footage, surveillance video from nearby businesses, witness statements, and physical evidence from the accident scene to establish what actually happened. In many cases, drivers who claim a cyclist ran a red light are simply trying to shift blame. Our accident reconstruction experts analyze skid marks, vehicle damage patterns, and cyclist trajectory to determine the truth.
Compensation depends on the severity of your injuries, the extent of medical treatment, lost income, and the impact on your quality of life. California does not cap non-economic damages in personal injury cases, so there is no limit on pain and suffering awards. Bicycle accident settlements and verdicts vary widely: soft tissue injuries may resolve for tens of thousands of dollars, while traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, and permanent disability can result in settlements or verdicts in the hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. Our firm calculates the full lifetime cost of your injuries, including future medical care, lost earning capacity, and long-term pain and suffering. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes, but we fight for maximum compensation in every case.
Yes, the at-fault driver's auto liability insurance covers injuries they cause to cyclists, just as it would cover injuries to occupants of another vehicle. California requires all drivers to carry minimum liability insurance of $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident (CVC §16056), though many drivers carry higher limits. If the driver is uninsured or underinsured, your own auto insurance policy's uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) may apply — even though you were on a bicycle at the time. If you do not own a car, you may be covered under a household member's auto policy. Our firm identifies every available source of insurance coverage to maximize your recovery.
A right-hook accident occurs when a motor vehicle makes a right turn directly across the path of a cyclist riding straight in a bike lane or along the right side of the road. The vehicle effectively cuts off the cyclist, causing a collision. Right-hook accidents are among the most dangerous types of bicycle crashes because the cyclist is often trapped between the turning vehicle and the curb with no escape route. Under California Vehicle Code Section 21717, drivers are required to merge into the bike lane before making a right turn — a rule designed specifically to prevent right-hook collisions. When a driver fails to merge and turns across a cyclist's path, the driver is typically fully liable for the resulting injuries.
The standard statute of limitations for a personal injury claim in California is two years from the date of the accident, under Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1. However, if the accident was caused by a dangerous road condition or a government vehicle, you must file an administrative claim with the responsible government entity within six months under the Government Claims Act (Government Code §910). For minors injured in bicycle accidents, the statute of limitations is tolled until they turn 18. Even with these deadlines, you should contact an attorney as soon as possible. Critical evidence — surveillance footage, traffic camera recordings, witness memories, and physical evidence on the roadway — degrades or disappears quickly after an accident.
Anand Desai is a dedicated personal injury attorney serving Glendale and the greater Los Angeles area. A graduate of Loyola Law School with an undergraduate degree from USC, Anand has been a member of the California State Bar (#249768) since 2007, bringing 20+ years of legal experience to every case he handles.
Anand specializes in personal injury law, with particular expertise in car accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, and catastrophic injury cases. His deep understanding of California personal injury law, combined with his tenacious negotiation skills, has helped him secure millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for his clients.
What truly sets Anand apart is his commitment to his community. His firm is one of the only law offices in Glendale that offers services in 11 languages, including Spanish, Armenian, Hindi, Gujarati, Korean, Tagalog, Farsi, Mandarin, Japanese, Vietnamese, and English — reflecting the rich diversity of the communities he serves.
“I fight for every client like they’re family. When you hire me, you’re not just getting a lawyer — you’re getting someone who genuinely cares about your recovery and your future.”
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