Young San Francisco Motorcyclist receives $550K Settlement

Young San Francisco Motorcyclist receives $550K Settlement

A young active designer with an architectural firm was involved in a motorcycle accident on the Bay Bridge in San Francisco. The collision, caused by a car swerving in front of him, resulted in severe injuries to his arm and foot. He immediately began experiencing severe pain and upon ambulance transfer to the emergency room, was diagnosed with diagnosed our client with fractured coronoid process, ulna, fractured radius, distal, closed bilateral, and fractured phalanx, foot, Closed.

He was forced to have surgery on his arm fracture, and a second surgery to remove the hardware originally placed to repair the severe break. The multiple surgeries were not only painful, but they also caused scarring which will never completely disappear. The at-fault driver was a business traveler using a rental car, complicating the process of seeking compensation.

Legal Help

The injured motorcyclist sought legal help from Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers. Morin and her team aggressively investigated the accident and identified the responsible parties. Despite the challenges posed by the lane-splitting incident and multiple parties involved, Sally Morin and her team were determined to secure fair compensation for their client.

Through strategic negotiation and legal expertise, Sally Morin and her team successfully increased the initial settlement offer from $300,000 to $550,000. They also negotiated reduced medical bills, resulting in a net compensation of over $280,000 for the injured motorcyclist.

The case was resolved within 8 months, demonstrating the efficiency and effectiveness of Sally Morin’s legal representation. This case highlights the importance of having a skilled personal injury attorney when dealing with complex accidents and seeking fair compensation.

Case Study: Motorcycle Accident in San Francisco Bay Area

Client Profile

• Age: Young adult
• Occupation: Designer at an architectural firm
• Location: San Francisco Bay Area
• Injury: Fractured coronoid process, ulna, radius, distal, closed bilateral, and fractured phalanx, foot, closed

Incident Overview

• Location: Interstate 80, Bay Bridge
• Cause: A woman driving a rental car swerved in front of the motorcyclist, causing a collision.
• Injuries: Severe arm and foot fractures requiring multiple surgeries and resulting in permanent scarring.

Legal Challenges

• Multiple parties involved: The at-fault driver was a business traveler using a rental car, complicating the identification of liable parties.
• Lane-splitting: The motorcyclist was lane-splitting at the time of the accident, which could have been used as a defense by the other party.

It should be noted that the motorcyclist was “lane-splitting” at the time of the accident, so Sally wanted to be prepared to on this issue in the even it was disputed by the insurance carrier. Sally and her team made sure to conduct the research and investigation need to battle any claim that their client was in the wrong. Lane-splitting in California, although not illegal, is not always looked favorably upon by motorists, especially those who run down motorcyclists.

It is a common defense used in motorcycle accident cases – just another way that motorcyclist get the raw end of the deal. This issue was put to rest very quickly by the Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers team so that meaningful settlement negotiations could take place.

Legal Representation

• Law Firm: Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers
• Services:
  • Investigation and identification of responsible parties
  • Handling paperwork and communication with insurance companies
  • Representing the client in negotiations and potential litigation
  • Negotiating reduced medical bills

Outcome

• Settlement: $550,000.00
• Net compensation: Over $280,000.00 after medical bills were reduced
• Timeline: Case resolved within 8 months of the accident

Key Takeaways

• Importance of legal representation: A skilled personal injury attorney can navigate complex cases involving multiple parties and challenging circumstances.
• Aggressive negotiation: Effective attorneys can secure significantly higher settlements than initial offers.
• Focus on client recovery: The law firm prioritized the client’s well-being and recovery throughout the process.
• Strategic approach to potential defenses: The firm anticipated and addressed the lane-splitting issue to strengthen their client’s case.

Contact Sally Morin Lawyers for Free Case Evaluation