Experienced Bicycle Accident Attorney Fighting for Victims
If you were hit while riding a bike in Fresno, you’re probably facing a stack of problems—medical bills, time off work, physical pain, and no clear answers from the driver’s insurance company. The impact from a car accident throw your entire life off course. Bicycle accident attorney, Tim Mazzela, helps cyclists in Fresno and throughout the Central Valley in holding careless drivers accountable. You don’t pay anything unless we recover money for you. Call (559) 297-1118 for a free consultation.
Bicycle Accident Hotspots in Fresno
Drivers in Fresno cause serious crashes when they cut into bike lanes, rush turns without checking for riders, or speed through intersections with limited visibility. The layout of the city doesn’t help. In parts of Fresno, bike lanes end without warning and leave riders exposed in high-speed traffic.
Areas Where Crashes Are More Likely
- Shaw Avenue — especially near intersections with heavy retail access and multiple turn lanes
- Blackstone — where fast-moving traffic and frequent driveway exits leave little margin for cyclists
- Herndon — with wide stretches, freeway ramps, and limited protection for non-motorists
- Van Ness and Ventura — high-traffic corridors that lack separation between bikes and vehicles
Injury trends on Fresno’s most dangerous roads aren’t random, they reflect design flaws, poor signal timing, and driver behavior.
Tim Mazzela brings local experience to every case, drawing on what he’s seen across Fresno crash sites to build stronger arguments for his clients, especially when road design or driver behavior creates repeat problems for cyclists.
What to Do After a Bicycle Accident to Protect Your Case
What you do in the hours after a crash can shape everything that comes next. Taking the right steps early on gives you a stronger foundation if the driver’s insurance company later disputes fault or downplays your injuries.
- Get medical attention immediately, even if you think your injuries are minor. Adrenaline can mask pain or symptoms that show up hours later.
- Call the police or file a report as soon as possible. If officers don’t respond to the scene, you can still file one at the station.
- Take photos of your bike, the car, your injuries, and the surrounding area—including skid marks, signs, or traffic lights.
- Preserve your damaged gear, including your bike, helmet, and clothing. Don’t fix or discard anything until your case has been reviewed.
- Avoid talking to the driver’s insurance until you’ve spoken with a lawyer who handles bicycle accident cases.
Early documentation helps show what actually happened—not just what ends up in a short crash report or insurance summary. That evidence becomes the baseline for everything that follows.
Delayed Injuries and How They Affect Your Case
Some injuries don’t show up until hours or days after the crash. You might walk away feeling sore but stable, only to wake up later with sharp pain, limited range of motion, or cognitive changes that didn’t appear right away.
Delayed symptoms may include:
- Nerve pain or tingling in the arms, hands, or legs
- Concussion symptoms like dizziness, headaches, or memory trouble
- Deep bruising or swelling that affects mobility
- Joint stiffness, especially in the shoulders, wrists, or hips
- Back pain that worsens with movement or sleep disruption
Not every injury is visible on a scan, but that doesn’t make it any less serious. Without clear records showing how symptoms progressed, the insurance company may question whether the injury came from the crash. Our bicycle accident attorney works with treating providers to connect the medical timeline to the collision and make sure nothing gets overlooked when building the case.
How Fault Is Determined in Fresno Bicycle Accident Cases
To hold a driver responsible after a bicycle crash, four elements have to be proven:
- The driver had a legal duty to follow traffic laws and watch for cyclists
- That duty was breached—for example, by failing to yield or entering a bike lane
- The breach directly caused the crash
- The rider suffered measurable harm, like injuries, medical costs, or lost income
California allows injured cyclists to recover compensation even if they were partially at fault, as long as the driver also shares responsibility. As an experienced bicycle accident lawyer, Tim Mazzela focuses on proving exactly how the driver’s actions caused the crash and counters common tactics insurers use to shift blame onto the cyclist.
What Happens When There’s No Police Report or Citation
Not all crashes lead to a ticket or a detailed report. Sometimes officers don’t respond to the scene. Other times, the report only summarizes what each party said, without assigning fault. That doesn’t mean the case can’t move forward.
Building a Case Without a Police Report
Our attorney will work to fill in the gaps when the official documentation falls short. That may include:
- Contacting witnesses and gathering statements
- Reviewing physical evidence and reconstructing how the crash occurred
- Searching for nearby security camera or dash cam footage
- Matching the timeline of injuries and treatment to the details of the crash
Even without a citation, clear evidence of driver error can support a strong case for compensation.
California Helmet Law and How It Affects Your Case
In California, riders under 18 are required to wear helmets. Adults are not. After a crash, insurance companies sometimes focus on helmet use—especially if the rider suffered a head injury—but state law does not block recovery based on whether an adult cyclist was wearing one.
Tim Mazzela focuses on the driver’s behavior and how it caused the crash. If a driver failed to yield or turned into a cyclist’s path, liability rests with them. Helmet use doesn’t change the fact that the collision happened or that the injuries were a direct result of the impact.
Compensation in Bicycle Accident Cases
The value of a bicycle accident case isn’t just based on medical bills. A serious crash can affect your ability to work, move comfortably, ride again, or feel safe in traffic. That broader impact is part of what a personal injury claim should reflect.
Compensation may include:
- Ongoing medical care and rehab
- Lost wages and reduced ability to work
- Physical pain and movement limitations
- Bike and gear replacement
- Emotional or psychological impact
In one case, a rider with a wrist fracture returned to work after six weeks, but pain and stiffness made it impossible to perform tasks that required fine motor skills. Detailed treatment records and a clear explanation from a medical specialist helped support a larger recovery—not just for the time off work, but for the lasting effects on daily life.
Tim Mazzela builds each case around the full impact of the injury, so that no part of the loss is left out of the final calculation.
When Insurance Delays, Denies, or Pushes Back
Insurance companies look for ways to shift blame or reduce what they owe. They might say the rider was partially at fault, claim the injuries aren’t serious, or delay the process hoping you’ll settle for less. Even in clear-cut crashes, they may question treatment timelines or point to gaps in medical records.
Our bicycle accident attorney pushes back by gathering detailed documentation—treatment notes, updated diagnoses, and photographs that show the crash scene and road layout. In one case, an early offer barely covered the rider’s ER bill. After collecting specialist records and pointing to poor signage at the intersection where the crash occurred, the insurer reopened negotiations and increased the offer to account for long-term physical limitations.
How Long You Have to File a Bicycle Accident Case in California
Under California law, injured cyclists have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit. If a claim isn’t filed within that window, the right to recover compensation can be lost permanently.
Tim Mazzela encourages injured riders to reach out as early as possible. Waiting too long makes it harder to collect strong evidence and creates more opportunity for the insurance company to dispute or delay the claim.
Why Local Experience Makes a Difference in Fresno Bicycle Injury Cases
Tim Mazzela has handled personal injury cases in Fresno for decades. He’s based here, knows the local court system, and has built cases for cyclists hurt on streets just a few miles from his office. That kind of familiarity can shape how a case is approached, how fast evidence is tracked down, and how credible the claim looks to the insurer from the start.
Larger firms that advertise in Fresno sometimes assign cases to staff with no real connection to the area. When the attorney handling your case doesn’t know the neighborhoods or history behind where the crash happened, it’s easy for small but important details to get missed. Tim brings firsthand knowledge and Fresno-based experience to every case he takes.
Talk to our Fresno Bicycle Accident Lawyer Today
If you were hit while riding, you deserve answers—and support from someone who knows how to move a case forward. Tim Mazzela offers free consultations and doesn’t charge a fee unless compensation is recovered. There’s no pressure, just a chance to understand your options and get real help.
Tim can review your case, answer your questions, and guide you through the next steps if you decide to move forward. Call (559) 297-1118 or send us an email today to find out where your case stands and what next steps are available.
