Santa Ana Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Motorcycle Accident Attorney in Santa Clarita, CA

Motorcycle accidents often cause devastating personal injuries. After all, motorcyclists don’t have the benefit of all the airbags and active safety features found in cars. If you’ve been injured in a crash, you can work with a West Covina motorcycle accident lawyer to recover compensation that could help you pay for hospital bills, make up for lost wages, and make it easier to move on with your life.

Trust Duque & Price

The team here at Duque & Price has years of experience in handling motorcycle accident claims. In that time, we’ve seen it all, from minor injuries like simple fractures that heal quickly with minimal medical intervention to severe TBIs and spinal cord injuries, which can cause lifelong disability. Accident victims can reach out to discover whether they have the grounds for filing a claim.

Why Hire a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer?

In 2023, West Covina, CA, saw 25 motorcycle accidents in which victims were killed or severely injured. There are approximately 141 people who ride motorcycles to work, according to one survey. Many more ride motorcycles for pleasure. Across California, there are 802,500 registered motorcycles, leaving many opportunities for unfortunate accidents.

If you’re one of the many motorcyclists who have been injured in West Covina, or you’ve lost a loved one to a motorcycle crash, you can hire a motorcycle accident lawyer to help you seek compensation. Your lawyer can assist you with every aspect of filing your claim, from filling out paperwork to negotiating with insurance companies. If your case needs to go to court to be resolved, your attorney can also provide courtroom representation.

Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents

Some accidents are caused exclusively by other motorists, but in many cases, motorcyclists share some degree of the blame for the accidents that cause their injuries. Knowing what the most common types of motorcycle accidents are can help you avoid them. Some of the most common causes of crashes include:

• Lane-splitting accidents
• Blind spot collisions
• Intersection collisions
• Lack of visual recognition
• Road hazards
• Speed wobble
• Drunk driving/riding
• Motorcycle design defects
• Motorcycle manufacturing defects

Some accidents are also caused by riders’ lack of skill. It takes much more physical coordination to operate a motorcycle than a car, so less experienced motorcyclists who don’t yet understand their vehicles’ operational limitations and characteristics are at a greater risk of being involved in crashes.

Common Injuries in Motorcycle Crashes

Motorcycle accidents can lead to severe, life-altering, and even fatal injuries because riders have no protection from other vehicles or the road, save for their helmets. Some of the most common motorcycle injuries include:

• Road rash
• Skin lacerations
• Broken bones
• Spinal cord injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries

It doesn’t matter what type of injury you’ve sustained. It’s worth contacting a West Covina motorcycle accident attorney to discuss the specifics of your case.

Determining Legal Liability

Motor accidents are typically caused by negligence, either on the part of the other driver involved or another party. One of the first things riders should know is that whether they were wearing helmets can go a surprisingly long way toward determining fault.

Helmets can dramatically reduce the severity of accident injuries, and California has a helmet law in place that requires riders to wear them. If you didn’t comply with the law, it could affect the outcome of your claim.

Whether you were wearing a helmet or not, the chances are good that another driver was at least partially to blame for your injury. If you and the other driver both shared some liability, that can also impact the amount of your claim. Your compensation can be reduced by the percentage of fault you were assigned for the accident.

Third parties can also share some degree of the blame for motorcycle accidents. If a defective part caused your crash, the parts manufacturer may be liable. If improper repairs were to blame, you may be able to file a claim against the mechanic. If road conditions played a role, the City of West Covina Public Works Department or CalTrans may share some degree of responsibility as the parties responsible for maintaining the roads.

FAQs About Motorcycle Accidents

Q: What Happens if You Accidentally Hit a Motorcyclist?

A: If you accidentally hit a motorcyclist, you are liable for the harm you cause to the rider and their bike. That means the rider could file a claim against you for damages, including medical care, lost wages, pain, and suffering. Motorcycle accidents often cause catastrophic injuries, which can lead to significant insurance payouts. As a result, you can also expect your insurance rate to go up if you hit a motorcyclist.

Q: What Is the 12-Second Rule for Motorcycles?

A: The 12-second rule for motorcycles is a safety technique that requires riders to scan the road 12 seconds ahead of their current position for obstacles and potential hazards such as intersections, turning cars, or debris in the road. Checking for obstacles far in advance enables proactive riding, making it easier for motorcyclists to avoid certain types of accidents.

Q: Does CA Have a No-Chase Law for Motorcycles?

A: CA does not have a no-chase law for motorcycles. However, individual law enforcement agencies can operate under stricter safety policies that require officers to weigh the risks of pursuit against the risks caused by allowing the offender to get away. If a serious crime is suspected, officers almost always pursue a motorcycle.

Q: Who Is Usually at Fault in Motorcycle Accidents?

A: The person at fault in motorcycle accidents depends on the specifics of the crash. It’s often the case that drivers of cars or trucks cause accidents involving motorcycles, but in some cases, the motorcyclists themselves are to blame. Because California is a pure comparative negligence state, motorcycle riders can still recover damages if they are partly to blame for the accident.

Your West Covina Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

If you need an experienced West Covina motorcycle accident lawyer, turn to the team here at Duque & Price. We’ve been practicing in the field of personal injury for years, and in that time, we’ve developed a keen understanding of motorcycle accident laws and how they apply to different cases. We can assist you with your motorcycle accident case, too. Contact us to schedule an initial consultation today.