Motorcycle Accident Attorney
Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Torrance, CA
Bikers statistically suffer serious injuries from motorcycle crashes more often than other motorists on the road. Nearly 80% of motorcycle crashes result in an injury to the biker. With lane-splitting being a legal maneuver in California, more motorcyclists are putting themselves at risk of a motorcycle crash with passenger vehicles. An average of 500 fatal motorcycle accidents occur annually in California alone.
If you suffered serious injuries in an accident with another motorist, then you’re likely wondering how to proceed and what to do next. While you attempt to recover physically from your injury, you’ll also need to consider whether to pursue compensation. If you do believe that another party is responsible for some of your losses, then you’ll need to pursue a motorcycle accident injury claim in a timely manner while also attempting to manage your injuries.
To make the process easier, it is advisable to hire a Torrance motorcycle accident lawyer with knowledge and experience in personal injury cases. Are you wondering where to find a good lawyer and whether a lawyer is even necessary? Do you have other questions about how to seek out a personal injury claim? Learn everything you need to know about how the law offices of South Bay Accident Lawyers can help.
Our Torrance Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Will Fight For You
After a traumatic motorcycle accident, you’d expect everyone else to be willing and ready to help you with your recovery. You expect the responsible person (or at least their insurance provider) to step up and compensate you for the damages they caused, like your medical bills, lost wages, and any property damage to your bike. Unfortunately, that rarely happens so seamlessly in reality without some pressure from the injured party.
Here at South Bay Accident Lawyers, our experts are prepared to fight for you.
You need to focus on your physical recovery, not arguing with insurance adjusters. Let our attorneys do all that work for you. Even better, we won’t charge you anything to speak with us about your situation. We offer free consultations, and if we do believe you have a solid case, then we’ll work with you on a contingency basis. That means you won’t have to pay us anything unless your case is resolved.
Our attorneys also have extensive experience representing bikers who were injured in motorcycle accidents here in Torrance. We have a professional rapport with local court workers, judges, and other lawyers who operate in the city. Due to our experience, we also have professional relationships with some of the best medical providers and experts in the area. These expert witnesses are often invaluable in motorcycle accident claims that involve life-long or long-term injuries.
Our firm’s reputation precedes us, so feel free to investigate our past case results to see our results for yourself. We also invite you to take a look at our previous reviews from past clients we’ve helped seek justice. Whenever you’re ready, contact us. We’re available to answer your questions 24/7.
Benefits of Hiring a Torrance Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Our skilled motorcycle crash lawyers appear to be the right choice, but you might not be completely convinced that you need to hire representation in the first place. After all, won’t the responsible party’s insurance policy pay you what you deserve? Sadly, the answer is usually a “no.” Even if the other party’s insurance company offers you a settlement amount, it’s usually far less than what you actually deserve. In fact, these companies might intentionally offer you a very small lump sum in the hopes that you’ll accept it and lose the right to seek out what you really deserve.
A good motorcycle accident attorney won’t let that happen. They’ll make sure you don’t accept a settlement that doesn’t match up with your losses. How? The right lawyer will take the time to document every single one of your losses and then secure evidence to prove them. They’ll negotiate with the other party, insurance adjusters, or other parties on your behalf, and they’ll even represent you in court if your case goes to trial.
Throughout the whole process, you’ll likely still be dealing with your physical injuries, too. You will have a limited time to seek out your claim, so waiting until you feel better is out of the question. By securing the right attorney, you’ll be able to focus on getting better while your case proceeds.
How Much is a Motorcycle Accident Claim Worth?
Hiring a motorcycle accident lawyer makes sense in some situations, but you might not feel confident that it’s necessary in your specific case. To figure out whether pursuing a claim is really in your best interests, you’ll want to determine how much your motorcycle accident claim is worth. To do so, consider all the losses you’ve suffered as a direct result of the accident. In most claims, those losses include things like:
- The costs of your medical care (current and future)
- The costs of repairing or replacing your motorcycle
- The value of any lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional damage
Every motorcycle accident claim is unique, so the value of your case may differ based on the circumstances surrounding your accident. Factors like the other driver’s level of recklessness and the impact of the crash on your life matter. Speak with an attorney to get a better idea of how much your claim might be worth.
Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycle accidents can happen for a number of reasons, but the most common cause is driver inattention. Often, motorists don’t drive cautiously when near bikers on the road. In part, this phenomenon has to do with the brain’s inability to watch for motorcycles when in traffic. Here are a few other common causes of motorcycle accidents:
- Intersection accidents
- Bikers in blind spots
- Sudden turns or lane changes
- Distracted driving
- Car doors
- Reckless driving
- Sudden stops
How to Determine Liability After a Motorcycle Accident
Comparative negligence means that each party will be liable based on their degree of fault in the accident. In other words, if you were 25% responsible for the accident by speeding but the other party was 75% at fault for being on their cell phone, then you could still collect 75% of the value of your claim from the other party.
To prove the other party was negligent, you’ll need to show that they failed to uphold their legal duty to provide for your care, which directly caused your accident and led to your injuries.
Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries
The reason why bikers are more likely to get injured after an accident is that they face very little protection compared to drivers in traditional vehicles. A motorcycle doesn’t have doors or seat belts, so even the smallest crash can cause a biker to sustain serious injury. Even worse, they’re likely to scrape along the asphalt, which will leave burns unless the biker is wearing protective clothing. Worst of all, if a biker isn’t wearing a helmet, they could suffer life-threatening traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).
On top of those concerning injuries, bikers also often suffer whiplash, broken bones, spinal injuries, cuts, bruises, scrapes, and fractures.
Steps to Take After a Motorcycle Accident
If you got involved in a motorcycle accident and got injured, then your first step should be to call the police. Depending on the severity of your injuries, you may need to get medical treatment right away from emergency responders. If that’s not the case, still see a doctor as soon as possible. You may not be aware that you sustained a serious injury. Some injuries take time to fully develop or for symptoms to progress, which is why you must be examined by a physician.
Otherwise, you may need to stay at the scene and talk to the police. Give them details about what happened, but never admit to any fault or claim you’re not injured. The police will document your information, speak to the other parties, and speak to witnesses. They’ll clear the roadway and help you secure a towing company if you need one. They’ll try to determine what caused the accident, and they’ll mark down everything on their report. Once this procedure wraps up, you should seek out medical care as soon as you can.
Once you’re able to, it’s best to call a lawyer next. Auto accidents can lead to substantial injuries, and a lawyer can inform you more about what to do next.
Contact Our Torrance Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Getting involved in a motorcycle accident is often life-altering. Even if you heal up from your injuries, you’ll likely never enjoy riding in the same way as you did before. If your injuries do take a long time to recover from, then it’s advised that you seek out the help of an experienced Torrance motorcycle accident lawyer.
A good lawyer will make sure that the liable party provides you with a reasonable settlement amount that covers all the losses you’ve experienced. They’ll help you negotiate with the responsible parties, collect evidence, and even represent you in court if things progress that far.
Are you ready to hire a Torrance motorcycle accident attorney? If so, then our skilled lawyers are prepared to fight for you. Contact our personal injury law firm to discuss your accident in more detail with one of our attorneys. Schedule your free consultation with us today.