As a motorcycle accident lawyer Los Angeles, CA victims trust from Cohen Injury Law Group, P.C. may ask, were you recently hurt in a motorcycle accident because of a negligent driver? If so, know that you are not alone. We understand that right now, you may be seriously injured, missing out on work, and anxious about how you’re going to recover and sustain yourself. If you need legal support, please reach out to a member of our dedicated legal team today so we can get to work protecting you and fighting for fair compensation for how you have suffered.
Why Choose Cohen Injury Law Group for Your Motorcycle Accident Claim?
Once you retain a Los Angeles motorcycle accident lawyer from our law firm, we will spend time gathering facts and evidence for your case. We can review police reports, determine contributing factors, and speak with insurance companies for you. We can also assess your medical situation and estimate how much medical bills you may accumulate in the future, on top of what you may have already spent.
When it comes to personal injury accidents, such as motorcycle accidents, it is paramount that you have a lawyer by your side to watch out for your best interests. Sadly, insurance companies and other parties involved may try to elude paying restitution to victims and may go as far as blaming the motorcyclist when they were actually the innocent ones. But if you think you may have contributed to the accident, you may still be owed some amount in compensation, your amount will just be reduced by the percentage you are deemed at fault.
What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident in Los Angeles
After a motorcycle accident, you must call 911. Chances are, you sustained serious injury and need medical attention right away. Rarely does a motorcyclist get up easily after being hit in an accident, especially if they were speedily crashed into by a car driver. Gathering evidence, calling the police for help, and focusing on your health must be the priority. It’s possible that the driver was drunk or had otherwise acted recklessly which caused you to get hit in the first place.
Even the most careful motorcyclist may still become the victim in a collision. Every day we see how drivers act on the road, with such an obvious indifference to the safety of others. If you were in an accident, call 911, get yourself medical attention, gather the other driver’s information, take pictures and video if you can, and then call a Los Angeles motorcycle accident lawyer for guidance from there.
How Can a Los Angeles Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Help?
There are unlimited ways that your lawyer can offer support after a motorcycle accident. Firstly, we can protect your best interests from the start. This means that ill-intentioned insurance companies or other parties who want to avoid liability will have a harder time doing so because you have a legal team to intervene.
You may be told that you don’t need a Los Angeles motorcycle accident lawyer that families can trust to handle your case, and while that may be true, a legal professional knows how to get you the financial restitution required so no money comes out of your own pocket.
We know that many people just don’t realize they are entitled to so much more than what they may be given in a settlement, especially if it’s the initial offer. By accepting a low offer and closing the case, victims may end up paying out of pocket for current and future expenses, when they really shouldn’t have to do so.
Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in California
In most motorcycle accidents, it’s the car driver who is at fault. A driver may have been speeding, distracted, drunk behind the wheel, or otherwise being terribly reckless. There are laws for the ways of the road for a reason, as it helps keep everyone safe. But a driver who speeds through a stop sign, plows through a red light, tailgates too closely, or swerves between traffic is actively being reckless and can cause a motorcycle accident to happen.
The most common ways that motorcycle collisions occur is at intersections where the motorcyclist is turning and drivers going the opposite way misjudge their speed and distance, causing them to collide with a motorcyclist passing in front of them.
As your Los Angeles motorcycle accident lawyer team can explain, another main reason for these accidents is due to drivers who don’t properly look in their mirrors and over their shoulders before changing lanes.
Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries
Motorcycle accident injuries tend to be severe in nature, and many riders may sustain such traumatic injuries they are not able to fully recover. Examples of common motorcycle accident injuries include brain injury, spinal cord damage, impalement, road rash, whiplash, broken bones, facial and dental injuries, sprains, and more.
If you need medical attention after a motorcycle accident but don’t have medical coverage and are afraid of the debt you may accrue, we urge you to contact us now. A Los Angeles motorcycle accident lawyer community members rely on can imagine the pain and stress you may be going through right now, and we want to come to your aid.
We are not afraid of callous insurance companies or other parties who want to minimize what you endured. We know what the value of your accident is worth and you can trust our estimation of how much you should receive.
California Helmet Law
It is unlawful for someone to not wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle in California. Highway Patrol may fine a motorcyclist upwards of $250, in addition to one year of probation if they are riding without a helmet.
Our motorcycle accident lawyer Los Angeles, CA residents trust strongly advises wearing a helmet while on a motorcycle, as if you don’t, it can affect your case if an accident happens and also poses a serious risk to your life.
Accident victims who contribute to the accident or the extent of their injuries, such as not wearing a helmet, may not be able to recover damages. For this reason, we encourage motorcyclists to always wear a helmet. But even if you weren’t wearing one when the accident happened, you could still receive compensation, but the amount will be reduced by the degree you are determined at fault.
California Lane Splitting Law
Lane splitting is defined as driving a motorcycle with two wheels making contact on the ground, between rows of moving or stopped vehicles in the same lane, including undivided and divided highways, roads, or streets.
Lane splitting while on a motorcycle is legal in the state of California. And drivers who purposefully impede or block a motorcyclist in any way that could result in harm to them are against the law. Drivers in the far left lane must allow some space, while still staying in their own lane, so motorcyclists have enough room to pass safely. Opening a car door to impede a motorcyclist is also against the law.
Drivers are advised to check their blind spots and mirrors before turning or changing lanes, signaling before merging with traffic, stay alert to possible movements by other drivers or motorcyclists, and simply be courteous while sharing the road.
Compensation for Motorcycle Accidents in Los Angeles
Motorcyclists who were hit in an accident may be owed compensation for what they have been through. Damages that victims may be eligible to receive include medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, long-term medical care, property loss, and more.
Settling outside of court is a quick way to get the monetary support you require, but be sure to not sell yourself short. All too often victims in personal injury accidents, like a motorcycle collisions, accept a settlement amount that is insultingly low compared to what their case is worth. If you want to know more about the value of your case, we hope that you reach out to our team so we can book you a consultation to discuss the accident in further detail.
For a free consultation with our Los Angeles motorcycle accident lawyer team from Cohen Injury Law Group, P.C., do not hesitate to call or email us as soon as possible for immediate support.