Helping Injured Motorcycle Riders Pursue Compensation
Riding a motorcycle can be an affordable and exhilarating way to get around Los Angeles. However, it can also be dangerous, often because of negligent drivers who are distracted, tired, or simply careless behind the wheel. If it’s apparent that one of these drivers caused the motorcycle accident that left you with severe injuries or the loss of your loved one, you should contact a Los Angeles motorcycle accident attorney to determine if you should seek compensation from the at-fault party.
When you hire California Legal Counsel to handle your motorcycle accident claim, you will get legal advice from an experienced Los Angeles personal injury attorney dedicated to negotiating the settlement you deserve. As your bills from the motorcycle accident start to add up, we want to ensure you don’t have to spend a moment worrying about how you’ll be able to pay them. Our goal is to give you peace of mind as you recover from a devastating motorcycle wreck, so call our Southern California law firm for a free consultation.
What Are Some Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries?
Motorcycle accidents are known for causing severe injuries for riders since these vehicles do not have seatbelts and other safety features that can protect accident victims in passenger vehicles. This means it’s up to motorcycle riders to protect themselves as best they can by wearing a motorcycle helmet, jacket, gloves, boots, GoPro, and other safety gear.
Of course, even high-quality protective gear can’t always prevent motorcycle accident victims from severe injury when they’re struck by larger motor vehicles and thrown against hard surfaces. As a result, the following motorcycle accident injuries are unfortunately common among victims of Los Angeles motorcycle crashes:
- Broken bones
- Limb amputation
- Road rash
- Skull fractures
- Sprains
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Organ damage
- Torn ligaments
- Paralysis
- Spinal cord injuries
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Cuts and bruises
- Nerve damage
- Death
If you sustained some of these common motorcycle accident injuries or lost a loved one in a motorcycle crash in Los Angeles, know that you don’t have to struggle with the aftermath of this tragic incident on your own. You will get the compassion and support you need when you contact our Los Angeles motorcycle accident law firm for legal advice. Call us for a free consultation to find out if you’re entitled to seek financial damages from the at-fault driver or their insurance company.
What Compensation Can You Recover After a Los Angeles Motorcycle Accident?
Serious motorcycle accidents can be life-changing, especially if you suffered particularly serious injuries or lost a loved one in the crash. Even if you’re just feeling grateful to be alive right now and ready to put the motorcycle accident behind you, the aches and pains that may increase after the crash can become a constant reminder of the wreck you did not cause. The medical bills you’ll begin seeing soon can do the same. That’s why you should speak with an experienced motorcycle accident attorney to learn if you should bring a personal injury claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
Motorcycle accident claims are meant to ensure injured victims have the financial support they need to fully heal. For this reason, the typical Los Angeles motorcycle accident claim requests the following damages for victims:
- Medical bills stemming from the motorcycle accident, such as the ambulance ride, emergency surgery, pain medication, and follow-up doctor appointments
- Future medical expenses, such as additional surgeries, physical therapy, and a home healthcare nurse
- Property damage to fix or replace a damaged motorcycle
- Lost wages to compensate for time away from work during recovery
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life due to a catastrophic injury
- Permanent disfigurement
These are the most common damages that motorcycle accident cases can get for injured motorcyclists. If you had any additional losses from the motorcycle accident, your Los Angeles motorcycle attorney can help you get compensated for these, as well. If you lost a close family member in a Southern California motorcycle accident, your attorney can assist with your wrongful death claim so you get reimbursed for medical bills, funeral expenses, loss of income, and more. Call our law firm today to discuss your motorcycle accident claim with a caring personal injury attorney.
What Factors Can Affect Your Motorcycle Accident Claim?
If you’re curious to learn how much your personal injury claim may be worth as a Los Angeles motorcycle accident victim, you should schedule a free consultation with skilled motorcycle accident team to get an estimate on what to expect.
In general, your settlement should cover all the bills you have due to the motorcycle wreck, since you should not have to pay these costs out of pocket. Your Los Angeles motorcycle accident lawyer will likely also negotiate additional funds for you based on your non-economic losses so your recovery goes as smoothly as possible.
However, it’s important to know that in some cases, your settlement amount may be reduced due to the circumstances of the motorcycle accident. For example, if you’re found to be partially liable for the motorcycle collision, your compensation will be decreased based on the amount of fault you’re assigned during the investigation. This is due to California’s comparative negligence law that’s applied to personal injury claims. So, if an action you took as a motorcycle rider – such as lane splitting – is found to be 20% to blame for the motorcycle accident, your settlement will be reduced by 20%. This means you will get 80% of the total compensation you’re entitled to as an injured motorcyclist.
One specific way the comparative negligence law often applies to motorcycle accident claims is when the investigation discovers that the injured motorcycle rider wasn’t wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. After all, this would be a violation of the California helmet law, which requires motorcyclists and their passengers to protect themselves with helmets while riding.
So, if you suffered a traumatic brain injury or other head injuries and were not wearing a helmet during the motorcycle accident, you may be unable to collect the full compensation for your claim since you’re partly at fault for the injury. However, you can typically still get a portion of the compensation you plan to seek for your Los Angeles motorcycle accident case, especially if your injuries aren’t limited to your head, face, or neck.
For instance, if you suffered road rash, broken bones, organ damage, and a traumatic brain injury, an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer can help you pursue compensation for medical treatment. If the at-fault driver’s insurance company refuses to cover the medical bills associated with your traumatic brain injury because the motorcycle accident investigation reveals you were not wearing a motorcycle helmet, you can still get compensated for the medical expenses related to your other personal injuries. Skilled Los Angeles motorcycle accident office can help you navigate complex motorcycle accident claims, so contact our personal injury law firm for help pursuing compensation.
Why Should You Hire a Los Angeles Motorcycle Accident Lawyer?
At California Legal Counsel, we’re aware of the devastation that motorcycle accidents can cause for motorcyclists and their families. That’s why we work hard to ensure they get the maximum compensation from the insurance company. You shouldn’t have to worry about your medical expenses, lost wages, motorcycle repairs, and other bills that often follow motorcycle accidents, especially while you’re still healing from serious injuries. Instead, let us take on your motorcycle accident case so we can pursue a fair settlement from the other driver’s insurance company.
Over the years, our team has used our legal knowledge and experience to win seven figure settlements for numerous clients injured in Los Angeles motorcycle accidents. As an injured victim, you deserve legal assistance from personal injury attorneys who know how to collect evidence and negotiate the maximum compensation from the insurance company while you recover from your motorcycle injuries. We can offer the same legal services if you lost a family member in a fatal motorcycle accident and need time to grieve without worrying about your bills.
Whether you’re initiating an injury claim or a wrongful death claim, you’ll benefit from having a Los Angeles motorcycle accident attorney by your side to accurately calculate your losses, investigate the crash, and communicate with the insurance company. Similarly, if you plan to bring a motorcycle accident lawsuit against the drivers of the vehicles involved in the car accident, you’ll need legal help from a Los Angeles motorcycle accident attorney who has argued cases in court involving serious or fatal motorcycle accidents. When you call 866-691-2077, you’ll speak with a trusted Los Angeles motorcycle accident attorney about your case, so contact us today for a free consultation.