Motorcycle Accident FAQ

You've Got Questions, We've Got Answers

The most common causes of motorcycle accidents in order of frequency include:

  • cars making left-hand turns in front of a motorcyclist
  • driver inability to see the motorcyclist
  • rider collision with a fixed object
  • lane splitting
  • car doors
  • speeding and alcohol use

  1. Gather information, including the other driver’s name, address, license plate, drivers license, insurance, witness contact information, the police report number, and especially photos of the damage, scene and injuries.
  2. Get medical treatment ASAP. Even if you feel OK, you may have suffered serious injuries.
  3. Avoid discussing your accident on social media, which can potentially be used against you by the opposing insurance company or their attorney.
  4. Don’t accept quick cash from the person who caused your accident or their insurance company. You need to know the full extent of your injuries and property damage before you can consider what might be a fair settlement.
  5. Hire an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer. If you suffered major injuries, things could get complicated. Victims who have an attorney typically receive substantially larger settlements.

The size and type(s) of damages an attorney will be able to claim on your behalf will depend on the severity and extent of your motorcycle accident.
In most cases, this may include damages such as:
property damage
medical expenses (both present and future that resulted from the accident)
lost wages and earnings
pain and suffering (where appropriate)

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) studied over 1,222,000 motorcycle accidents between 2001-2008 to discover the most common non-fatal injuries in motorcycle accidents.

The most common injuries are foot and leg injuries (33%), head and neck injuries (22%), followed by upper trunk (chest/shoulders), hands and arms, and lower trunk (hips/thighs).

Yes! Simply click here to get started and contact one of our attorneys. We’ll ask you a few simple questions about your accident and get back to you within 24 hours (excluding weekends) on next steps.

Yes! One of the biggest misconceptions spread by insurance adjusters is that you are not entitled to make a personal injury accident claim if you were not wearing a motorcycle helmet during your accident. This is not true.

Yes. Technically, there is no motorcycle lane splitting law in California, so it is not illegal.

As of January 1, 2017, lane splitting is defined by California law, and the CHP is called upon to create guidelines for the practice, but it is nevertheless so far not explicitly regulated.

Motorcycles built and first registered on or after January 1st of 1973 are required to have working front and rear turn signals.

California law requires that if there are other vehicles nearby, a motorcyclist signal at least 100 feet from the point at which they intend to turn or change lanes.

However, insurance companies in civil motorcycle injury cases may argue that a motorcyclist’s failure to signal may have contributed to an accident even when the law may not have required the signal to be used.

There are no specific age requirements for motorcycle passengers under California law, but the law does mandate “passenger restraint systems” for children under the age of eight, which cannot legally be installed on a motorcycle. Thus, a child under 8 cannot legally ride in California.

Additionally, the law requires that the bike have a securely fastened dedicated seat on which the passenger is able to sit securely, with footrests that the passenger must use at all times. Thus, if the child (or adult) is not tall enough to reach the footrests, they cannot legally ride in California.

Reviews: Rely on real client testimonials from review sites like Facebook Google and Yelp.

Experience: How many years have they been in practice, and do they have experience with injuries like yours? If your case goes to court, you’ll also want a lawyer who has significant trial experience.

Track record: How many (recent) cases have they successfully represented, and what sort of settlements have they won for their clients?

Responsiveness: You should always get answers to any inquiry in a timely fashion.

Realistic expectations: Look for someone who knows what your injuries and other financial losses are really worth and who will give you an accurate estimate of what you’re likely to get from a settlement or lawsuit.

Trust: They should make time to speak with you directly by phone or in person, and from that interaction you should be able to get a sense of whether or not you can trust them with your case.

Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers also represents pedestrian, bicycle, car and Uber/rideshare accident clients with serious injuries.

Understanding how much you’re likely to get as compensation for a motorcycle accident involves some complex calculations, a little guesswork, and good persuasive skills.

Believe it or not, insurance companies actually create tables of what specific injuries are worth to them. These tables look at the type of injury, the average hospital bill associated with that injury, and the overall impact of that injury on a person’s livelihood. Insurance adjusters can then look up each individual’s injuries after a motorcycle accident and come up with an estimated award within days. This is dangerous!

If you have been injured in an accident while riding your motorcycle in California, there is a good chance you do not know what’s involved in the motorcycle accident settlement process or what the first steps are to take.

There are a lot of factors to consider in the motorcycle accident settlement process in California. The main one being whether or not your case can settle at the insurance claim stage, or whether it will have to go into litigation and whether or not a trial will be necessary.

Not only is motorcycle accident brain injury one of the most common injuries suffered in motorcycle accidents, but it is also the leading cause of fatalities in bike crashes in California.

Unfortunately, motorcyclists are more likely to suffer brain injury than an automobile operator, even if they are wearing a helmet.

Motorcycle neck injuries are not as common as other types of motorcycle accident injuries but they can be among the most devastating. The spinal column is a delicate instrument and carries inside it a cluster of nerves that is essential for life itself.

Most motorcycle neck injuries involve the soft tissues in the neck. These types of injuries are often caused by the motion of a rider’s head atop their neck during the crash.

The CDC conducted a study of emergency room crash data collected between 2001 and 2008 then collated that data by type of bodily injury (injury location). The study concluded that 30% of all non-fatal motorcycle injuries recorded over a specific period of time in The United States involve the rider’s (or passenger’s) lower extremities.

If you’ve suffered a severe leg injury in a motorcycle accident, an insurance settlement or court-mandated award may be the best (and sometimes only) way to get the financial support you need from at-fault parties.

Motorcycle accident wrist injuries are one of the most common types of injuries suffered by motorcyclists during crashes and collisions with other vehicles.

Statistics are hard to come by for actual motorcycle accidents but it’s estimated that up to 20% of all people injured while falling from a bike will suffer a wrist fracture.

Motorcycle crash shoulder injuries are fairly common. In fact, injuries to the shoulder joint and upper arm represent a significant portion of the injuries that ER doctors and surgeons see after collisions involving automobiles.

A significant amount of those shoulder injuries are serious. Because the joint is so complex mechanically, any motorcycle accident shoulder injury can cause serious problems.

Rear-end collision motorcycle accidents are not only common, but they’re also particularly dangerous for motorcyclists in California.

Unlike other more common types of motorcycle crashes, rear-end collision motorcycle accidents can be exceptionally injurious and fatal for bikers.

Motorcycle left turn accidents are not only one of the most common types of collisions between bikes and cars, they’re also one of the most deadly.

These types of crashes can be considered crimes in some cases, injured riders and motorcycle passengers cannot rely on the criminal justice system to get them the financial compensation they deserve after a potentially-deadly motorcycle accident here in California.

California and the motorcycle have a long history and that story is often one of freedom and independence. However, there are a number of California motorcycle laws that have been enacted since the 1970s in order to keep riders safer and give them legal recourse to seek compensation in the event of an injurious motorcycle accident here in the state.

The number of laws that govern your ability to ride, the safety features of your motorcycle, and your rights and responsibilities while on the road is increasing every year.

In order to protect young riders, California has several laws and regulations pertaining to the legal age to drive a motorcycle.

They also have several restrictions that limit the age at which a child can ride as a passenger on a motorcycle as well.

Unfortunately, there’s no single solution to helping victims regain normal sleep patterns after a crash. If you can’t sleep after a motorcycle accident, it’s not likely that the reason behind your insomnia is the same as the next person’s.

In fact, there are a large number of underlying causes and contributing factors which may be adding to your inability to sleep.