If you were hit by a car while riding your bike in Fontana, you are in the right place. Our Fontana bicycle accident lawyers represent injured cyclists across California — including throughout San Bernardino County — and we fight to recover every dollar you are owed. You pay nothing unless we win.
What Compensation You Can Recover
California law allows injured cyclists to recover damages in two main categories.
Economic damages cover your concrete financial losses:
- Past and future medical expenses, including emergency care, surgery, hospitalization, physical therapy, and ongoing treatment
- Lost wages from time missed at work during recovery
- Loss of future earning capacity if your injuries prevent you from returning to your job or limit your ability to work
- Bicycle replacement and gear replacement costs
- Out-of-pocket expenses related to the accident and recovery
Non-economic damages cover the harms that do not come with a receipt:
- Physical pain and suffering, past and future
- Emotional distress, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress
- Loss of enjoyment of life — including the ability to ride a bike, engage in hobbies, or participate in family activities
- Loss of consortium for married victims whose injuries affect their relationship with a spouse
In cases involving drunk driving or particularly reckless conduct, California courts may also award punitive damages, which go beyond compensation and are intended to punish the defendant.
At J&Y Law, we recently had a bicycle accident case where the insurance company’s initial offer was $350,000. We recovered $3.65 million for our client. The difference between accepting an initial offer and retaining experienced legal representation can be significant.
For a free legal consultation with a bicycle accident lawyer serving Fontana, call (877) 735-7035
How J&Y Law Handles Fontana Bicycle Accident Cases
We start by listening to what happened, then we start working on your case.
Our team investigates your accident immediately — pulling police reports, requesting traffic camera footage before it is overwritten, interviewing witnesses, and consulting accident reconstruction experts when needed. We document your injuries thoroughly and work with your medical providers to ensure your care is properly recorded and tied to the crash.
We handle all communications with the insurance company. You do not have to talk to them. We negotiate aggressively for maximum compensation, and when insurers refuse to pay what a case is worth, we litigate.
J&Y Law works on a contingency fee basis. You pay no attorneys’ fees unless we recover compensation for you. There is no upfront cost, no retainer, and no bill at the end if we do not win.
We serve clients throughout San Bernardino County, including Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga, Rialto, Ontario, and the surrounding Inland Empire communities.
Fontana Bicycle Accident Lawyer Near Me (877) 735-7035
What to Do Right After a Bicycle Accident in Fontana
The minutes and hours after a crash are disorienting. You may be hurt, shaken, and unsure what happened. Here is exactly what to do — in order — to protect your health and your legal rights.
Call 911. Even if you think your injuries are minor, get a police report on the scene. Adrenaline masks pain. Injuries like traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and internal bleeding often show up hours later. A police report establishes the facts before anyone can change their story.
Do not move your bike if you can help it. The position of your bicycle, the skid marks on the pavement, and the damage pattern on the vehicle that hit you are all evidence. Take photos of everything before anything moves — the crash scene, your injuries, the driver’s vehicle, and any road or lane markings nearby.
Get the driver’s full information. Name, license plate, insurance company, and policy number. Ask any witnesses for their names and phone numbers before they leave.
Go to the emergency room or urgent care — that day. Even if you walked away from the scene. Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (400 N. Pepper Ave., Colton, CA 92324) is the only Level I trauma center in San Bernardino County and is equipped to handle serious crash injuries. If your injuries are less severe, Fontana Medical Center (17900 Citrus Ave.) provides 24-hour emergency services closer to the city.
Do not give a recorded statement to any insurance company — including your own — before speaking to an attorney. Insurance adjusters are trained to use your words against you. Agreeing that you “felt okay” at the scene, or speculating about what happened, can be used to deny your claim or cut your settlement.
Call J&Y Law. The earlier we get involved, the more we can preserve. Traffic camera footage is typically overwritten within 48 to 72 hours. Witness memories fade. Physical evidence disappears. One call starts the process.
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Why Fontana Is Particularly Dangerous for Cyclists
Fontana is one of the fastest-growing cities in California, and its road infrastructure has not kept up with population growth. That combination creates real danger for people on bikes.
Foothill Boulevard is the city’s primary commercial corridor, running east to west through Fontana with multiple lanes, high traffic volumes, and driveways cutting in from both sides. The City of Fontana received nearly $20 million in federal infrastructure funding in 2023 specifically to add bicycle lanes, ADA ramps, and improved signage along this corridor — a direct acknowledgment that the road has been unsafe for cyclists. Until those improvements are complete, Foothill Boulevard remains one of the most hazardous stretches in the Inland Empire for people on bikes.
Sierra Avenue connects residential neighborhoods to busy commercial zones. The mix of warehouse access, retail traffic, and commuters creates the kind of intersection congestion where cyclists get squeezed out of their lane or cut off in turning movements.
The I-10 and I-15 corridors draw enormous truck traffic through Fontana daily. Surface streets feeding these freeways — particularly in the industrial zones of southern and western Fontana — carry heavy commercial vehicles that frequently fail to yield to or even see cyclists sharing the road.
Dooring is an underreported hazard throughout Fontana’s commercial corridors. When a driver or passenger opens a car door into a bike lane or along a parallel-parked vehicle row, a cyclist has no warning and no room to stop. At typical riding speeds, a dooring impact throws a cyclist directly into oncoming traffic or onto hard pavement.
Intersection right-hooks happen when a driver in the right lane turns right across the path of a cyclist traveling straight. At multi-lane intersections with no dedicated cycling phase in the traffic signal, this is one of the leading causes of serious bicycle injuries in California urban areas.
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California Laws That Protect Cyclists — and How We Use Them
California gives cyclists real legal protections. Understanding these laws is part of what we do at J&Y Law when building your case.
California Vehicle Code § 21200(a) gives cyclists the same rights and responsibilities as motor vehicle drivers on any public road. A driver who treats a cyclist differently — failing to yield, cutting them off, or forcing them off the road — is violating the law.
California Vehicle Code § 21760 — the Three Feet for Safety Act requires any driver passing a cyclist to maintain at least three feet of clearance between any part of their vehicle and any part of the bicycle or its rider. The law took effect in September 2014. When a driver violates this statute and causes a crash, that violation is negligence per se under California Evidence Code § 669 — meaning fault is presumed once the violation is established. The driver cannot claim the pass was “close enough.” Three feet is the minimum required by law.
When a driver passes within three feet and injures a cyclist, California law imposes a $220 fine on the driver in addition to civil liability. In practice, the civil case matters far more than the fine — but the statute gives your attorney a concrete legal hook that removes the “reasonable person” dispute from the negligence argument.
California Government Code § 835 allows injured cyclists to file claims against government agencies when a dangerous road condition contributed to the crash — a pothole in a bike lane, a lane that abruptly ends forcing cyclists into traffic, or a malfunctioning traffic signal. The deadline for these claims is six months from the date of the accident. If you miss the six-month government claim deadline, you permanently lose the right to sue the government, regardless of how strong your case is.
California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1 gives you two years from the date of your bicycle accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. Two years sounds like a long time. It is not. Evidence disappears. Witnesses move. Surveillance footage is gone within days. The two-year deadline is the last possible moment — not the optimal one. We recommend contacting an attorney within days of the accident.
Who Can Be Held Responsible for a Fontana Bicycle Accident
Liability in a bicycle accident is not always as simple as “the driver did it.” There may be multiple parties at fault, and identifying all of them determines how much total compensation is available to you.
The driver who hit you is the most common defendant. Distracted driving, speeding, failure to yield, drunk driving, and failure to check mirrors before turning are the leading causes of cyclist injuries in California.
The driver’s employer may be liable when the at-fault driver was working at the time of the crash — making deliveries, running errands for a company, or driving a commercial vehicle. Employer liability is often significant because commercial insurance policies carry higher limits than personal auto policies.
A vehicle manufacturer can be liable when a defect in the striking vehicle — brake failure, faulty sensors, or a malfunctioning backup camera — contributed to the crash.
A bicycle manufacturer or parts manufacturer may be liable when a defect in your own bike — a cracked frame, a failed brake caliper, or a defective fork — caused or worsened the crash.
The City of Fontana or Caltrans may share liability when a dangerous road condition contributed to the accident. As noted above, these government claims have strict six-month filing deadlines. An attorney who misses that window cannot get it back.
Common Injuries We See in Fontana Bicycle Accident Cases
Cyclists have no protection between themselves and the road, or between themselves and a vehicle. The injuries that result are typically far more serious than what the driver of the same vehicle sustains.
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are among the most common and most devastating outcomes of bicycle accidents. Even a helmeted cyclist can suffer a concussion or more severe TBI when thrown from a bike. TBI symptoms — cognitive fog, memory loss, mood changes, sensitivity to light — often appear gradually, which means many cyclists do not connect the symptoms to the accident.
Spinal cord injuries range from herniated discs causing chronic pain to complete spinal cord injuries resulting in paralysis. The long-term costs of spinal cord care can run into the millions of dollars over a lifetime, and this is reflected in the damages we pursue for our clients.
Road rash sounds minor. It is not. Deep abrasion injuries strip away multiple layers of skin, require debridement, and carry a serious infection risk. Severe road rash can cause permanent scarring and nerve damage.
Broken bones — collarbone, wrists, arms, ribs, and pelvis — are common. Orthopedic injuries often require surgery, hardware implantation, and months of physical therapy.
Soft tissue injuries to the neck, back, and shoulders frequently do not appear severe on the day of the accident but worsen significantly in the days that follow.
Internal organ injuries can result from direct trauma to the torso in a collision. These are often invisible without imaging and can be life-threatening if not diagnosed promptly. This is one reason going to the emergency room — even when you think you are fine — is not optional after a serious crash.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bicycle Accident Cases in Fontana
Do I have a case if the driver claims I came out of nowhere? Yes. “I didn’t see them” is not a legal defense. Drivers have a duty to see what is visible. The Three Feet for Safety Act and California’s general negligence standard both impose obligations on drivers to look out for cyclists, regardless of whether they noticed them.
What if I wasn’t wearing a helmet? California law requires helmet use only for cyclists under 18. If you are an adult, riding without a helmet does not make you automatically at fault for the crash. The at-fault driver’s negligence is still the proximate cause of the accident. A defendant may argue that your lack of a helmet worsened your injuries, which can affect the non-economic damages calculation — but it does not eliminate your right to recover.
The driver has no insurance. Do I still have a case? Possibly yes. Your own auto insurance policy may include uninsured motorist (UM) coverage that applies when you are struck by an uninsured driver — even while you were riding a bike, not driving a car. California requires insurers to offer UM coverage, though it is not mandatory to carry it. We will review all available insurance policies and explore every source of recovery.
How long will my case take? Straightforward cases with clear liability and fully documented injuries often resolve within six to twelve months. Cases with disputed liability, severe injuries requiring ongoing treatment, or multiple defendants can take longer. We will give you an honest assessment of your specific situation from the start.
My injuries seemed minor at first. Is it too late to file? If your accident happened within the past two years and you have not settled your claim, it is not too late. Under California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1, you have two years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit. Contact us as soon as possible — the sooner we begin, the more evidence we can preserve.
Talk to a Fontana Bicycle Accident Lawyer Today — Free
You were riding legally. A driver’s carelessness changed your life. You should not have to absorb the financial consequences of someone else’s negligence.
J&Y Law represents injured cyclists throughout Fontana and San Bernardino County. We are available 24/7. Consultations are free. You pay nothing unless we win.
Call or text (877) 735-7035 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
