Calabasas Motorcycle Accident Attorney

What Are Causes of Motorcycle Accidents?

Motorcyclists are especially vulnerable not just because they lack the protection, but because they are much smaller. This downside makes motorcycles harder for other drivers to see while driving. It also means that motorcycles and their passengers are more likely to be thrown further in the event of a collision.

Motorcycles are also more susceptible to an accident because other drivers don't always keep a close enough eye out for them. Only 8% of households possess a motorcycle, which provides us a general estimate of just how common motorcycles are on US streets. Given that motorcycles aren't as prevalent as normal passenger vehicles, drivers may be less likely to watch out for them.

For instance, a motorcycle riding in a driver's blind spot or crossing through an intersection at a 2-way stop may be less likely to be seen by a motorist that is only watching for other passenger vehicles.

Since motorcycles are more difficult to detect than other vehicles, motorcyclists must always drive defensively. Bikers can never assume that other motorists can see them, especially the motorists of cars in front of them. Motorcycle crashes often happen when drivers:

• Pull out of a side street, parking lot, or driveway in front of a motorcycle;
• Make an abrupt turn in front of a motorcycle;
• Make a lane change in front of or broadside to a motorcycle; or
• Try to pass another car, and fail to spot the motorcyclist in either the passing lane or the target lane.

What Are the Most Prevalent Motorcycle Injuries?

A motorcycle provides you little protection in a collision. This means your body ends up taking the full force of the impact with another vehicle.

Commonly, this leads to life-threatening and life-altering injuries to motorcycle accident victims. In fact, nearly 5,000 motorcyclists died in accidents in just one recent year.

While motorcycles just comprise 3 percent of registered vehicles, motorcycle crashes cause 15 percent of all vehicle crash deaths. Not every motorcycle accident will cause death, but it shows the seriousness these types of crashes lead to.

Some common injuries are:

• Broken bones
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Road rash
• Spinal cord injuries
• Neck and back injuries
• Amputation
• Death

That's not to say that survivors can never resume a normal life, but it may take some time and effort, including physical therapy. A motorcycle accident lawyer can help you receive the compensation required to pay for those treatments.

Liability for Calabasas Motorcycle Accidents

As these facts suggest, motorcyclists injured in collisions are often the victims of negligence. Every negligence case is comprised of four main elements: a duty, a breach of that duty, an injury caused by the breach, and damages sustained by the plaintiff. Drivers of motor vehicles owe a duty of care to everybody else who uses public roads. That includes bicyclists, pedestrians, and other drivers-- including motorcyclists.

When a driver violates that duty by being careless, inebriated, fatigued, or distracted, and ends up causing a collision which causes injury or even wrongful death to another person, the driver might be held civilly liable to the injured party. They can seek a negligence case with the help of a motorcycle accident lawyer in Calabasas.

A motorcyclist hurt in a crash may have a claim if they can prove that another driver was at fault. When a motorcycle driver has followed all of the traffic laws but is still involved in a crash, odds are that it has been caused by the driver of another vehicle. It could be not seeing the motorcyclist, speeding, being inebriated, or a combination of the three.

What Should I Do After a Motorcycle Crash?

If You Have Been Involved in a Motorcycle Crash, immediately call the police to file a report if they are involved in an accident. This is particularly true if there is an injury or death.

If immediate medical aid is needed, render what aid you can, look for assistance, and call emergency medical help. If you are the one who is hurt, you should seek immediate medical aid. Even if your injury seems minor and you do not need immediate aid, it is a good idea to get medical care, as some injuries are not immediately noticeable.

Further, at the scene you should get the contact and insurance details for the other parties. And you also want contact info for independent witnesses, as investigating law enforcement do not always gather that info.

Contact a motorcycle accident attorney soon after the accident. We highly suggest that you do this prior to speaking with any insurance company.

Contact Our Calabasas Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

After your accident, along with speaking with the police and receiving any necessary medical attention, you need to contact a qualified and experienced personal injury attorney with experience handling motorcycle crashes. Serving victims throughout the Calabasas area, the motorcycle crash attorneys at Drake Law Firm can assist you.

Too often, accident victims think that an insurance company-- either their own or the other motorist's-- will properly compensate them for any injuries they have sustained. However, lots of insurance companies are unwilling to pay, even when liability and damages are clear. This is especially accurate when the damages are substantial.

Even when an insurance provider appears liable, beware. Lots of insurance adjusters will attempt to settle insurance claims quickly. They will advise you to sign an agreement that will let them close the case-- and therefore minimize their exposure.

Even if the deal appears adequate or even generous, it is vital to ensure your legal rights are protected. Contact a lawyer and be sure you comprehend the consequences of the agreement.

The fact is, not all injuries are immediately apparent. And for some serious injuries, even if you expect full recovery, you can not be certain that the complete recovery you expect will happen.

In those instances, signing a release of claims too soon can limit your settlement to an amount that is significantly less than what you need or what you legally have a right to recuperate. Serious injuries can consist of:

• Spine damage;
• Multiple broken bones;
• Severe bruising and/or "road rash";
• Traumatic head injuries.

And, of course, some motorcycle accidents are deadly. If someone you love has been killed in a motorcycle collision, get in touch with a lawyer to find out whether there's a wrongful death action to pursue against a negligent driver.