Get safe, call 911, and get medical attention even if you feel okay. Then document everything you can and talk to a lawyer before you give any statement to the driver's insurance company.
Adrenaline hides injuries. A lot of cyclists tell me they felt fine at the scene and woke up the next morning barely able to move. Seeing a doctor right away protects your health and creates a record that ties your injuries to the crash.
If you can, photograph the intersection or bike lane, your bike, the vehicle, road conditions, and any injuries. Get the driver's name, license, and insurance info, and the names of anyone who saw what happened. On roads like Rosecrans, Fiesta Island, or the coast highway, a police report matters because drivers often claim the cyclist "came out of nowhere."
California is a pure comparative fault state, so even if the driver's insurer tries to pin part of the blame on you, that only reduces your recovery, it doesn't erase it. Most injury claims in California must be filed within two years under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, and claims against a public entity can have much shorter deadlines.
This is general information, not legal advice, and every case is different.
Learn more about our approach to bicycle accidents and broader personal injury cases, or reach us through the contact page.
Call Joe Crudo at (858) 622-7280 for a free, confidential consultation, or visit /contact to tell us what happened.