Auburn Motorcycle Accident Attorney

Motorcycles are a great way to get around, especially in a place like California, which has one of the highest rates of motorcycle ownership in the country. Taking a motorcycle for a ride along California’s famous coastline or through the thick forests of the Sierra Nevadas is a thrilling experience, and those who use a motorcycle to commute enjoy massively improved fuel economy. However, it is well-known that riding a bike also comes with an increased risk of being hurt in the event of a crash. While accidents are often not a motorcyclist’s fault, motorcycles offer little protection to riders and even low-speed collisions can be severe.

The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) has estimated that the state sees over 10,000 motorcyclist injuries and 500 fatal motorcycle collisions every year. One startling study even showed that motorcyclists are around 26 times more likely to be fatally injured per vehicle mile traveled than the occupants of passenger vehicles.

Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries

Many of the injuries that motorcyclists sustain during a crash leave them with symptoms that drastically affect the way they live their lives. Recovering from these injuries can take time and, in some cases, those who survive motorcycle accident injuries are left with life-long issues. On top of being painful and difficult to recover from, accident injuries can also be costly. Paying for medicine, surgeries, therapy, and other costs is often made more difficult by losing wages or the ability to work. Some of the injuries that commonly affect motorcyclists include:

• Bone fractures
• Paralysis
• Amputation injuries
• Back/Spinal cord injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Neck injuries
• Internal bleeding
• Organ damage
• Lacerations

The following short video contains information about the five injuries that motorcyclists most frequently suffer as well as tips for how to avoid them:

Collisions and Liability

Some crashes can’t be avoided and are caused by factors outside of the control of the riders. However, the large majority of accidents happen because of a mistake made by a negligent driver. When these crashes leave people with severe trauma, careless drivers are usually responsible for paying injured parties back for their losses. Even in cases where there is no at-fault driver, government entities responsible for maintaining roadways, the producers of faulty vehicle parts, and other parties may be considered at fault for the crash and held liable as well.

Recoverable Damages

As I mentioned earlier, being injured in a motorcycle accident can be very expensive. Because there are so many different ways that a crash affects people, personal injury claims cover a wide variety of different losses. These losses include both economic and non-economic damages. Some of the common damages that injured motorcyclists can claim include:

• Hospital bills including the cost of surgeries, intensive care, medicines, and more
• Emotional trauma
• Ambulance fees
• Prosthetics, wheelchairs, and other injury-management expenses
• Lost Wages
• Loss of income due to permanent disabilities
• Costs related to rehabilitation

Do I Need a Lawyer?

Many people who are hurt in accidents don’t know whether or not they should hire a lawyer. While it is true that some minor cases don’t require the help of an attorney, it is always a good idea to make sure. You can get the information you need to know if your case is worth pursuing by calling a trusted motorcycle accident attorney in your area. Most lawyers will be happy to give you a free phone consultation. Even if you don’t end up needing an attorney, speaking to a lawyer about your case means you’ll have valuable information about what your options are.

How to Choose the Right Lawyer

Those who are dealing with the effects of a serious accident injury have a lot to deal with and finding a lawyer you trust can seem like a difficult task. However, finding a good lawyer doesn’t have to be hard. There are a few key things to research when trying to locate a quality attorney. These include:

• Reviews - You should always read through a lawyers’ reviews on third-party sites like Yelp and Avvo. Hearing what others have said about a lawyer can help you know whether or not their advertising is honest.
• Experience - You should make sure that your lawyer has handled cases like yours before. You should see if the lawyer has successfully helped motorcyclists in the past and, if your injury is severe, it is crucial that your attorney has experience handling severe accident cases.
• Settlements and Verdicts - One of the most important things to do when looking for a lawyer is to make sure they have a history of success. Most injury lawyers have a list of their accomplishments and should be happy to share them with you. (To see what one of these lists should look like, you can view mine.)

How Long Do I Have?

For the majority of personal injury cases, injured parties have two years to file a claim. After two years, courts may not agree to hear your case. While this may seem like a long time, two years can go by quickly, especially when dealing with an injury. Furthermore, some cases have a time limit that is even shorter. Having a lawyer on your side as soon as possible means that you won’t have to worry about deadlines and can trust that your case is being handled properly.

Auburn Motorcycle Accident Attorneys

I’m Ed Smith, an Auburn motorcycle accident attorney. If a motorcycle crash injured you or a person you love, I can give you free, friendly advice about your legal options. I am available at my toll-free number, (800) 404-5400, and locally at (530) 392-9400.

I’ve helped the residents of Auburn obtain just personal injury and wrongful death payments for longer than 36 years.

We are members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the National Association of Distinguished Counsel.

See our client reviews on Avvo, Google, and Yelp, and our past cases on our Verdicts and Settlements page.

Editor’s Note: This page has been updated for accuracy and relevancy [cha 9.18.20]

:ms cha [cs 1053]