Santa Cruz Bicycle Accident Lawyer
Fighting for Injured Cyclists and Families Who’ve Lost a Loved One on Two Wheels
If you’ve been hit while riding your bike in Santa Cruz—or if you’ve lost someone you love in a bicycle crash—you already know how hard it is. One minute, you're riding along the coast, through town, or heading to work or school. The next, everything changes.
At McCarthy Motorcycle Law, we’re best known for fighting for motorcycle riders across California. But here's the truth: our commitment isn't just to motorcyclists. It’s to everyone who rides. And in Santa Cruz, that includes thousands of people on bicycles every day—commuters, students, recreational riders, and families.
Whether you ride with an engine or without one, you deserve justice when a negligent driver cuts your ride short.
We’re here to help.
We Represent Injured Bicycle Riders—and Their Families
We get it. The aftermath of a bicycle accident is overwhelming. You’re hurt, scared, maybe out of work, and unsure what comes next. If you’ve lost someone in a fatal crash, you’re grieving while the insurance companies start circling.
We can’t undo what happened—but we can help you fight back.
At McCarthy Motorcycle Law, we know what it’s like to lose loved ones in preventable crashes. We know what it’s like to be part of a riding community that’s treated like it doesn’t matter. That’s why we’ve made it our mission to stand up for riders—and that includes cyclists.
When you call us, you’re not getting a big billboard firm that churns out cases. You’re getting a local trial lawyer who cares—someone who’s stood side-by-side with advocates from Bike Santa Cruz County and who fights to make our streets safer for everyone.
Bicycling in Santa Cruz: Beautiful but Dangerous
There’s no denying it—Santa Cruz is one of the most beautiful places in California to ride. Whether you’re cruising West Cliff Drive, climbing Mission Street, rolling down Soquel, or heading to UCSC, there’s something special about biking here.
But it’s also dangerous.
Even with bike lanes, drivers often:
Fail to yield at intersections
Open car doors into cyclists (“dooring”)
Speed on narrow streets
Pass too closely
Drift into bike lanes
Turn left across oncoming riders
Blame the cyclist after a crash
We’ve seen it time and again. And we’ve had enough of it.
If a driver hit you or your loved one while riding in Santa Cruz, we’ll help you hold them accountable—whether it happened on Bay Street, Highway 1, or anywhere else in the city or county.
Common Injuries in Santa Cruz Bicycle Accidents
We’ve seen firsthand how serious bicycle injuries can be—especially in a place like Santa Cruz, where tight streets, distracted drivers, and fast-moving traffic make for dangerous conditions.
Whether the crash happened on Mission Street, Soquel Drive, Bay Street, or Highway 1, even a low-speed collision can lead to life-altering trauma. Here are some of the most common injuries we see in Santa Cruz bicycle accident cases:
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
Even when cyclists wear helmets, a hard impact can lead to concussions, brain bleeds, or lasting cognitive damage. TBIs often go undiagnosed at first—but can have serious long-term effects on memory, mood, and physical function.
Broken Bones and Fractures
Broken clavicles, wrists, arms, hips, ribs, and legs are some of the most frequent injuries in bike crashes—especially in “dooring” incidents or left-turn collisions. These injuries often require surgery, extensive rehab, and time away from work or school.
Spinal Cord Injuries and Back Trauma
A direct hit or fall can cause herniated discs, nerve compression, or even partial paralysis. These injuries can affect mobility, daily function, and quality of life—and insurance companies rarely take them seriously unless you have an experienced lawyer in your corner.
Internal Injuries and Organ Damage
Internal bleeding, punctured lungs, or abdominal trauma can be life-threatening. Cyclists have very little protection, so blunt-force impacts with car doors, bumpers, or pavement can cause hidden but serious internal damage.
Road Rash and Skin Damage
Sliding across pavement can cause severe abrasions, infections, and permanent scarring—especially in warm-weather places like Santa Cruz where riders often wear lighter clothing. Road rash isn’t just cosmetic—it can lead to nerve damage, long-term pain, and disability.
Psychological Trauma (PTSD, Anxiety, Depression)
We’ve represented riders who stopped cycling altogether after a crash—not just from physical pain, but from fear, flashbacks, or grief. Mental health is just as important as physical recovery, and we make sure it’s treated that way.
Whether you walked away from the crash or were rushed to the ER, we take every injury seriously.
If someone’s negligence left you dealing with pain, fear, or loss, we’re here to help you get the care—and the compensation—you deserve.
What Makes Bicycle Injury Cases Different?
Bicycle cases are not the same as car crash cases. And they’re not exactly like motorcycle cases either.
Here’s what makes them different:
Bias against cyclists: Insurance companies (and sometimes juries) still carry the false belief that “cyclists cause their own accidents.” We know how to shut that down.
Visibility issues: Cyclists are often hit because drivers “didn’t see them.” We use expert accident reconstructionists to prove fault and make your case clear.
Catastrophic injuries: Even low-speed collisions can cause traumatic brain injuries, spinal damage, broken bones, and permanent disability.
Helmet defenses: Insurance companies will dig into whether you were wearing a helmet—sometimes illegally. We know how to fight those tactics.
The bottom line? You need a lawyer who understands cycling, and who’s ready to take the case all the way if the insurance company won’t do what’s right.
We Work With One of the Best Bicycle Lawyers in the Country
At McCarthy Motorcycle Law, we focus our practice on motorcycle riders. But when it comes to bicycle cases, we co-counsel with attorney Clay Griessmeyer—a top trial lawyer who has built his own practice, Griessmeyer Law, fighting for injured cyclists across the country.
Clay has handled complex cases involving:
Wrongful death of bicyclists
Dangerous road design
Driver negligence and hit-and-runs
Defective bicycle parts
Bike-share and e-bike crashes
We work together when the case calls for it, combining our trial strength with Clay’s bicycle-specific expertise, to give you the best shot at justice.
No ego. No silos. Just experienced lawyers doing what’s right for people who’ve been hurt.
Wrongful Death Bicycle Cases in Santa Cruz
Some of the hardest cases we take on are the ones involving families who’ve lost a loved one in a bicycle crash.
Santa Cruz County has seen too many of these tragedies—on Mission, Highway 9, and the winding mountain roads. Sometimes it's a distracted driver. Sometimes it's a delivery van. Sometimes it's a poorly designed road. But the result is the same: a life stolen and a family left to pick up the pieces.
Wrongful death cases are about more than money. They’re about accountability. They’re about making sure this doesn’t happen to someone else.
If you’ve lost a spouse, child, parent, or sibling in a bicycle crash, we’ll listen, and we’ll fight. You won’t be alone.
Types of Bicycle Injury Cases We Handle
We represent people who’ve suffered serious injuries in crashes involving:
Car doors opening into bike lanes (“dooring”)
Left-turn collisions
Unsafe passing
Rear-end crashes
Distracted drivers
Drunk or high drivers
Hit-and-run drivers
Dangerous road conditions
E-bike rental injuries
Commercial vehicles and delivery vans
School zones and student riders
Whether the crash happened on a quiet residential street or a busy downtown corridor, if you were hurt while riding, we’re ready to help.
What We Do for You
When you hire McCarthy Motorcycle Law, here’s what you can expect:
Free, fast, and confidential case evaluation – straight to my inbox
Direct access to your lawyer – not a call center or junior associate
A clear plan – we walk you through the process, no legalese
Investigation and evidence collection – dashcams, surveillance, witnesses, scene photos
Access to top medical experts and life care planners
No upfront costs – we only get paid if we win
We fight smart, and we fight hard—because you deserve that.
Local Roots. National Strength.
I live on the Central Coast. I’ve worked with groups like Bike Santa Cruz County, and I care deeply about making our roads safer—not just for motorcycles, but for all riders.
When you hire me, you’re not hiring someone who’s pretending to understand your ride. You’re hiring someone who’s stood shoulder-to-shoulder with advocates and riders trying to make things better.
And you’re hiring someone who will take the fight all the way to trial if that’s what it takes to get justice.
Talk to a Santa Cruz Bicycle Accident Lawyer Today
You don’t have to go through this alone.
If you’ve been hurt on your bike—or if you’ve lost a loved one in a bicycle crash—reach out today. We’ll review your case for free, answer your questions, and let you know if we can help. And if we can’t, we’ll point you in the right direction.
We’re here for you. No pressure. No B.S. Just real help for real riders.
McCarthy Motorcycle Law – Santa Cruz Bicycle Accident Cases
Proud to support Bike Santa Cruz County
Fighting for justice on two wheels—motorized or not.