California Blind Spot Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

After a blind spot motorcycle accident, you have the right to seek compensation. We’re here to help you!

Motorcycles can be almost invisible when they’re riding nearby. Other motorists often hear motorcycles before they see them – or don’t see them at all!

When a motorcyclist cruises along in another vehicle’s blind spot, it’s like a motorcycle collision waiting to happen. But that doesn’t mean the motorcycle rider OR the other driver is automatically at fault. Blind spot crashes are complex cases that require careful investigation into the details.

At Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers, we have respect and compassion for injured people, including injured motorists and motorcyclists. Our motorcycle accident attorneys have an excellent track record for getting positive results for our clients injured in a motorcycle accident. Contact us now for a free motorcycle accident case evaluation.

Who’s at Fault in a Blind Spot Motorcycle Accident?

After a blind spot accident, it’s common for both parties to point the finger at each other and try to pass the blame. Liability isn’t assigned automatically to either the motorcyclist or other driver in a blind spot accident.

The police will do an investigation, and your motorcycle accident lawyer can conduct a separate investigation to reveal additional details about what happened. From there, it’s up to the insurance companies, lawyers, and courts to eventually come to a determination about who should receive compensation.

Numerous factors could be relevant, including:

  • A failure to check rearview mirrors, side view mirrors, and all blind spots before the collision
  • What kinds of movements and evasive actions came next
  • Whether there was a misjudgment about traveling speed
  • The motorcycle and vehicle positions in traffic
  • Any aggressive behavior before the accident
  • Potential influences of speeding, alcohol, drugs, or distracted driving
  • Evidence like dashcams, traffic camera videos, and accident reconstructions
  • The motorcycle laws that are relevant to your accident
  • The weather and road conditions
  • Police reports
  • Witness accounts
  • Expert witness testimony
  • Damage to vehicles and your motorcycle, plus crash debris

It’s certainly possible that the other driver is liable for your accident. There’s even a chance that a motorcycle or vehicle company, parts manufacturer, or repair shop contributed to the unsafe circumstances of your accident in some way. Your lawyer can help you sort through the details.

It’s important to understand that California is a comparative negligence state, meaning the fault may be split among parties with each receiving a proportion of the blame and compensation. That’s good for you because it means even if you share partial fault for what happened, you can still claim partial compensation.

How to Avoid Blind Spot Motorcycle Accidents

Although blind spot accidents aren’t entirely preventable, they’re less likely when drivers check their blind spots consistently before making maneuvers in traffic. There are things both motorcyclists and other drivers can do to help avoid blind spot accidents.

Mind Your Mirrors

Each time you drive, adjust your mirrors to allow maximum visibility. Ensure side mirrors help with blind spots as much as possible.

Learn and Teach Blind Spot Behavior

Always look over your shoulder to check for motorcycles and other traffic before making a lane change or sideways maneuver. Teach new drivers the importance of checking their blind spots.

Look, Signal, Move

Before moving or signaling a move, check your blind spot, then signal, then move. Ensure you leave enough signaling time to alert other drivers that you’re about to move.

Don’t Drift

Stay steady in your lane and don’t allow your vehicle to drift left or right. Drifting can be deadly for a nearby motorcyclist.

When in Doubt, Ask!

If you can’t see your blind spot, don’t make a move in traffic. Ask passengers in your car for help when needed to ensure a clear lane of travel.

More Tips for Motorcyclists

For motorcyclists, it’s especially important to be aware of blind spots and avoid riding in them as much as possible. This is particularly true when it comes to large vehicles like semi-trailers and commercial trucks, which can easily hit and crush a motorcycle.

Motorcyclists should also maintain enough distance between themselves and other vehicles to allow safe lane changes and braking. When a motorcyclist notices another vehicle failing to signal lane changes or doing other dangerous things, they should keep their distance.

It’s also a good idea to increase your visibility as much as possible by ensuring your lights are functioning and you are wearing bright clothing. Anything you can do to improve your visibility to other drivers could save your life!

Common Broadside Motorcycle Accident Injuries

Motorcycle accidents can cause extensive injuries that require surgery, rehabilitation, rest, and recovery time. The extent of your injuries usually depends on the severity of the crash.

Common injuries include:

  • Soft tissue injuries like bumps and bruises
  • Broken bones
  • Knee injuries
  • Hand and wrist injuries
  • Road rash
  • Torn muscles and ligaments
  • Back and spinal injuries
  • Facial injuries
  • Tooth and dental injuries
  • Head injuries, including traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
  • Chest and ribcage impact injuries
  • Loss of feeling in the limbs
  • Limited range of motion
  • Problems with balance
  • Nerve damage
  • Chronic pain

As an injured motorcyclist, you might have long-lasting mental and emotional injuries that need significant psychological treatment. If you seek treatment for depression, anxiety, panic attacks, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), your costs could be covered by an insurance claim or lawsuit.

The Deadline for Motorcycle Accident Claims

All motorcycle accident claims, including blind spot accident claims, have a legal deadline known as the statute of limitations. It’s usually within two years of the date of the accident, but sometimes this period shortens if you’re dealing with a government entity, for example.

Don’t wait! The clock starts ticking on the day of your motorcycle accident. Talk to an accident lawyer as soon as possible to start building a strong case or you could lose your right to claim compensation.

How to Protect Yourself and Your Accident Claim

If you are involved in a blind spot motorcycle accident, you need a lawyer as soon as possible. Before you know it, you’ll have a pile of medical bills and calls from insurance companies, and you’ll need to decide on your next steps.

Here are some important ways you can protect yourself and your case. First, preserve any evidence you may have, like debris from the accident and your demolished motorcycle. The more evidence you have, the stronger your case will be.

As soon as possible after your accident, seek medical care and photograph your injuries. Capture any cuts, bruises, deformities, or scarring. Continue to document these injuries as they heal and photograph your medical gear like crutches, casts, slings, canes, and so forth.

Save your medical records and keep track of your out-of-pocket costs. This is a huge part of determining the value of your claim, even if many of your costs are covered by your health insurance. Track expenses like bus fares, Uber rides, and copays.

With the help of your lawyer, open a claim with the other person’s insurance company. Don’t provide personal information, like your social security number, without talking to your lawyer first.

Also, don’t talk about the crash on social media. A motorcycle accident is life-changing, so it might feel irresistible to update your friends on social media. But this gives the other side information that could ruin your case!

How a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Helps Your Case

You can handle your legal case by yourself, but it’s a stressful and risky thing to do. Blind spot accident cases are complicated and you could easily become buried in the details of managing your case.

Also, an insurance company will typically toss out a lowball offer when they know you don’t have a lawyer. They’ll assume you don’t know what you’re doing and will say they owe you less because you’re not paying a lawyer.

Plus, an insurance company usually offers compensation for your past medical bills, but what about your future treatment? Your mental health counseling? Your lost days of work? The value of your motorcycle? This could easily be tens of thousands of dollars, if not more.

Here’s another important thing to consider about a severe blind spot motorcycle accident: Your pain and suffering should be valued. Compensation for pain and suffering is protected by California law and should never be undervalued by an insurance company that’s pressing you for a quick settlement.

At Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers, our law firm does not take our fee until the conclusion of your case after you’ve already covered your costs. So let’s talk about your crash in a free and confidential consultation!

We Handle Your Accident Claim So You Can Focus on Your Life

After a blind spot motorcycle accident, contact the attorneys at Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers. We handle many areas of the law, including motorcycle accidents. We believe you should be able to focus on recovering while we handle the legal details.

We truly care about California’s injured people. Contact us today for a free online case evaluation or call 877-380-8852.