Motorcycle Accident Attorneys

Riding a motorcycle is a lot riskier than driving a car or any other form of road transport. Despite only accounting for less than one-sixteenth of all road traffic in the United States, riding motorcycles account for approximately 13% of all road traffic accidents. If you ride a motorcycle, the chances are very high that you could get into an accident.

Wearing a helmet, in particular, is one of the most important practices for safe riding. In 2016, studies showed that wearing a helmet reduced the risk of death for motorcycle riders by up to 37%. But the risk of serious or permanent injury remains constant because motorcycle riders have very little protection from external elements such as the road, other vehicles and other objects in their immediate environment.

If you ride a motorcycle, you ought to take as many precautions as possible to protect yourself, and in certain cases, your loved ones. Serious injuries may leave you unable to work for an extended period, facing steep medical bills, and partial or complete loss of your property. Many families and individuals have been plunged into hardship following a motorcycle injury to a loved one. This doesn’t have to be you if you have the right legal protection.

In two-thirds of accidents involving a motorcycle and a car, the driver of the car is usually at fault for the accident. If you suffer serious injury as a result of the accident, under California State Law, you (or a lawyer acting on your behalf), are entitled to sue the driver or whoever else is responsible for your accident, to recover the cost of medical treatment, loss of future and present income, recovery or replacement of your motorcycle, mental or emotional distress, anguish, pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and the wrongful death of a loved one.

Unfortunately, recovering for your losses does not come easy since an insurance company may be unwilling to pay the fair value of your losses and/or the other party to the accident accuses you of being at fault. If a dispute arises, you can expect that these parties will hire a defense attorney to help them avoid being accountable for your losses and avoid paying you what you deserve.

What to do if you get into a Motorcycle Accident

Given the high possibility of getting into a motorcycle accident despite haven taken the right precautions, you need to know what steps to take if this happens to you:

1. Get immediate medical attention

Bikers may suffer a range of injuries ranging from mild bikers’ rash to broken bones and dislocated joints, spinal cord injuries, concussions, and internal bleeding, etc. Even if you do not notice any outward signs of damage, an immediate medical visit will be prudent, and will also help to determine just how much the insurance company might owe you.

2. Report the incident

Timely reporting of the accident will enable the police to take as many relevant details as possible, which may eventually aid your claim.

3. Hire an accident attorney or law firm

In California, there are strict time limitations that could bar you from recovering your losses, some as short as six months. As such, the sooner you speak to the lawyer and commence legal proceedings, the better your chances of getting reimbursement for all of your losses.

A lot of people are put off from hiring a lawyer by the fear of paying steep upfront fees. At D.B. Hill, however, we only bill you when you win or settle your case. Have you gotten into a motorcycle accident recently and you’re wondering if you have a case? We will provide you with a FREE consultation to help you determine if you can recover.

Some following – although not an exhaustive list – are general examples of when you have a case:

• You were tailgated by another vehicle, causing a wreck
• A vehicle suddenly pulled in front of you, causing a collision
• An object was negligently thrown onto the road, causing a wreck
• The other driver was intoxicated, causing a crash
• The other driver ran a red light, hitting you
• The other driver or rider was unlicensed and negligently hurt you

There could be many more situations where your rights to safe usage of the road were breached in a manner that caused you an accident. Give us a call to learn more.