Motorcycle Accidents Are Complicated. Let Us Take the Burden.
Long Beach Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
Injured in a motorcycle crash in Long Beach, CA? You deserve a trial-tested legal team that insurance companies take seriously. El Dabe Ritter Trial Lawyers has recovered millions of dollars for accident victims.
Although vehicle accidents can cause serious injuries, our Long Beach motorcycle accident lawyers agree that crashes involving motorcyclists are often more severe because they lack the protection of seat belts and airbags.
Motorcyclists also feel the full force of a crash, unlike drivers in a heavy vehicle. Even with helmets and gear, riders can still get serious injuries if they are thrown off their bikes or hit by another vehicle.
Because injuries from motorcycle accidents are often serious, many victims struggle to pay expensive medical bills and cannot work. Some need ongoing medical treatment, therapy, or long-term care. Sadly, some riders die from their injuries.
To ensure you can seek the compensation you deserve, contact one of our experienced Long Beach personal injury lawyers today. Our team can review your accident, identify who may be responsible, and explain your legal options.
Causes Of Motorcycle Accidents In Long Beach
Just as in any vehicular accident, motorcycle accidents have several causes. Some of the most common contributing factors in motorcycle crashes include:
- Improper lane changes: Drivers who do not use their turn signals, drift into another lane, or change lanes without checking their mirrors and blind spots can collide with nearby motorcyclists.
- Distracted driving: Drivers who are texting, using their phones, adjusting controls, or not paying attention may miss a motorcycle slowing down or stopping ahead, causing a rear-end collision.
- Dooring accidents: Opening a car door while parked without checking for nearby riders can cause a motorcyclist to hit the door or swerve into another vehicle.
- Failure to yield: Drivers who do not yield properly at intersections, make unsafe left turns, or enter traffic without looking for motorcycles can cause side-impact crashes or head-on collisions, both of which can be catastrophic for motorcyclists.
- Poorly maintained roads: Potholes, uneven surfaces, broken asphalt, loose gravel, and debris can make a rider lose control of their motorcycle.
- Following too closely: Drivers who do not keep a safe distance may not have enough time to stop when a motorcyclist slows down or encounters an unexpected hazard.
- Speeding and reckless driving: Driving too fast, aggressively, or ignoring traffic signals can raise the chance of a crash and make injuries worse.
- Impaired driving: Drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs may have poor judgment, slower reactions, and trouble seeing motorcyclists on the road.
Motorcycle accidents can also occur when several factors contribute to the same collision. For example, a driver might make an unsafe lane change while distracted, or a rider may lose control after hitting a pothole and be struck by another vehicle.
Determining the cause of an accident is an important part of establishing liability. Police reports, witness statements, photographs, surveillance footage, vehicle damage, and other available evidence can show how the collision occurred.
Who is Liable for a Motorcycle Accident in Long Beach, CA?
Unfortunately, negligent parties and insurance companies often try to blame injured motorcyclists for a crash. People sometimes view bikers as reckless and risky drivers. But these ideas do not prove who caused a specific accident.
Liability depends on the collision circumstances and whether another party’s negligence, defective product, or dangerous property condition caused or contributed to the rider’s injuries.
Often, it is hard to tell who caused a motorcycle accident. For example, it might look like a biker is at fault for not stopping, but later investigators could find the bike’s brakes were faulty.
In other cases, more than one entity can share responsibility. An investigation can help determine whether the crash resulted from driver negligence, a part defect, dangerous road conditions, or a combination of factors.
The parties who may be held liable for a motorcycle crash include the following:
- Negligent drivers: Drivers who violate traffic laws or fail to exercise reasonable care around motorcyclists can be held responsible for the injuries they cause. Drivers do not always watch for bikers the way they should, and some become aggressive around motorcycles or fail to respect a rider’s right to use the roadway. Unsafe left turns, improper lane changes, distracted driving, and failure to yield are examples of conduct that may establish negligence.
- Manufacturers: Motorcycles have many moving parts that are important for safety and proper function. If a motorcycle or parts like brakes or tires are faulty, the maker or others involved in selling the product may be responsible if the defect helped cause the accident or injuries. These claims can involve defects in how the product was made or designed, or missing warnings.
- Property owners: Property owners must take reasonable care to keep their property safe, though the required level of care depends on the situation. For example, if a hotel owner knew or should have known about a dangerous pothole in the parking lot and did not fix it or warn people, they could be responsible if it caused a motorcycle accident.
- Government entities: Like private property owners, government agencies can be responsible for unsafe conditions on public property. If roads are not properly maintained, lack warnings, or have dangerous problems that cause a crash, the responsible government may be held liable if legal rules are met. These claims have special rules and shorter time limits.
- Employers: When a negligent driver causes a motorcycle accident while working, the driver’s employer may also be held liable. For example, a delivery driver who causes an accident while making deliveries could expose his or her employer to liability.
Can You Recover Compensation if You Were Partially at Fault?
California uses a system called pure comparative negligence. This means an injured motorcyclist can still get compensation even if they were partly responsible for the accident. But the court usually reduces the award by the percentage of fault.
For example, if a motorcyclist has $100,000 in damages but is 50% responsible for the collision, their recovery would generally be reduced by $50,000.
Insurance companies might say a motorcyclist was speeding, following too close, or lane-splitting. But just because a rider was in an accident does not automatically mean they were careless.
An experienced motorcycle accident attorney can review the evidence and help determine how California’s comparative negligence rules may affect your claim.
Common Motorcycle Injuries
Motorcyclists can suffer many types of injuries, some life-threatening or requiring months of recovery. Some of the most serious injuries are:
- Broken bones;
- Amputations;
- Facial fractures;
- Traumatic brain injuries and concussions;
- Road rash;
- Severe lacerations and abrasions;
- Spinal cord injuries; and
- Internal bleeding and organ damage.
Seeking prompt medical attention after a Long Beach motorcycle accident helps identify injuries and get proper treatment. Medical records also help prove the type and severity of crash injuries.
If you sustained any of these injuries in a crash, you may be eligible for compensation. Please call our legal team today to learn more about how we can help.
Compensation Available in Motorcycle Accident Claims
Injuries from a motorcycle accident can be serious. They are often very painful and can be very expensive to treat.
A personal injury claim compensates you for losses caused by another party’s wrongful conduct. Although financial compensation cannot always restore your health to the condition it was in before your crash, it can help address the economic and personal consequences of your injuries.
The damages in your claim depend on the facts of your case and the losses you incurred. Still, some types of damages are more common. These include:
- Medical costs: Emergency care, hospital stays, surgery, prescription medications, physical therapy, rehab, and other necessary medical care, including reasonable travel costs for treatment.
- Future medical expenses: The expected cost of medical care, rehab, assistive devices, and long-term care that may be necessary because of the accident.
- Lost income: Pay, benefits, bonuses, vacation pay, sick pay, and other job-related earnings lost because of the injuries, as far as those losses can be proven.
- Loss of future earning capacity: Payment for a lower ability to earn money when your injuries stop you from doing the same job or limit future work chances.
- Pain and suffering: Payment for physical pain, emotional stress, mental suffering, inconvenience, and loss of enjoyment of life caused by the injuries.
- Property damage: The fair cost to fix or replace a damaged motorcycle, helmet, protective gear, and other personal items, following the rules and proof requirements.
Wrongful Death and Survival Claims After a Fatal Motorcycle Accident
Sadly, motorcycle accident victims do not always survive the crash. In these cases, certain family members may be able to file a wrongful death claim.
With this kind of claim, eligible survivors can seek payment for losses caused by their loved one’s death, including:
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Lost financial support
- Loss of consortium
However, not just anyone can file a wrongful death claim. In California, these are surviving spouses, domestic partners, and children.
What Should You Do After a Motorcycle Accident in Long Beach?
What you do after a motorcycle accident can affect your physical recovery and your chance to get compensation.
If you are involved in a motorcycle accident in Long Beach, consider taking the following steps:
- Seek medical attention. Call 911 if anyone is seriously injured, and get proper medical care, even if your injuries seem minor.
- Report the accident. Contact law enforcement when required or appropriate. California also requires drivers to submit an SR-1 report to the DMV within 10 days if anyone was injured or killed, or if property damage exceeded $1,000. This requirement applies regardless of fault and is separate from any police or insurance report.
- Document the scene. If it is safe, take photos of the vehicles, road conditions, visible injuries, traffic signs, and other important details.
- Exchange information. Get the other driver’s name, contact info, driver’s license details, vehicle info, and insurance information.
- Find witnesses. Ask anyone who saw the crash for their contact info. Their statements can help show how the accident happened.
- Preserve evidence. Save your helmet, damaged gear, photos, medical records, repair estimates, and other crash-related documents. Do not fix or throw away important physical evidence before it can be checked if a defect is suspected.
- Be careful when talking to insurance companies. Provide accurate information, but don’t guess about who is at fault or how severe your injuries are. Consider getting legal advice before signing any release or accepting a settlement.
A lawyer can help look into the accident, talk with insurance companies, assess damages, and determine if additional evidence is needed.
Contact Our Long Beach Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Now
If you were in a motorcycle accident and suffered a serious injury, contact the experienced Long Beach motorcycle crash attorneys at El Dabe Ritter Trial Lawyers at 213-985-1120 today to learn more about filing a claim against the at-fault party.
Our legal team can review your accident, explain your rights under California law, and help you determine whether you have grounds to pursue compensation for your injuries and other losses.
We offer free consultations to injured motorcyclists and their families.
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