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motorcycle accidents
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Motorcycle Accidents
Understand your rights after a motorcycle accident and how Block Law can help you pursue the compensation you deserve.
Motorcyclists are among the most vulnerable riders on California roads. Without the protection of an enclosed vehicle, injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident are often severe and life altering.
Bias against motorcyclists is real, and insurance companies frequently use it to minimize or deny claims. At Block Law, we fight to make sure injured riders and their families recover the full compensation they deserve.
What to do after a Motorcycle accidents
- Seek medical attention immediately, even if your injuries seem minor.
- Report the incident and request a written police report.
- Document everything: photographs of the vehicles, the scene, road conditions, and your injuries.
- Do not speak to the other driver’s insurance company before consulting an attorney.
- Call Block Law to evaluate your claim and next steps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Motorcycle bias is a real and well-documented problem in personal injury cases. Insurance adjusters, and sometimes jurors, often assume that motorcyclists were riding recklessly or that they were at least partially responsible for an accident regardless of the facts. Insurers use this bias strategically to inflate a rider’s share of fault and reduce their payout. An experienced attorney who understands this tactic and knows how to counter it is critical to overcoming bias and recovering the full compensation you deserve. Block Law has experience fighting for injured riders and knows how to present your case in the strongest possible light.
Compensation after a motorcycle accident can include medical expenses, future medical care and rehabilitation, lost wages, lost earning capacity, damage to your motorcycle and riding gear, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. In cases involving serious or permanent injuries such as spinal cord damage, traumatic brain injuries, or road rash requiring skin grafts, compensation can be significantly higher to account for the long term impact on your life. If the at fault driver was uninsured or underinsured, your own uninsured motorist coverage may also provide an additional source of compensation.
No — lane splitting is legal in California and does not automatically bar you from filing a claim. However, insurance companies frequently use lane splitting as a way to assign fault to the rider and reduce their payout. California’s pure comparative negligence rule means you can still recover compensation even if you are found partially at fault, but your award will be reduced by your percentage of fault. The key factors that determine whether lane splitting contributed to fault are how fast you were traveling relative to surrounding traffic and whether the lane split was reasonable given the conditions at the time. Block Law fights to make sure lane splitting is not used unfairly against injured riders.
In California, you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. If the accident involved a government owned vehicle or occurred on government property, that window can shrink to six months. For property damage to your motorcycle, you generally have three years. Missing these deadlines typically means losing your right to compensation entirely regardless of how strong your case is. Do not wait to consult an attorney.
Still have questions about your accident?
Speak directly with a team member today — we’ll review your case for free!
Still have questions about your accident?
Speak directly with a team member - we’ll review your case for free.
Why Motorcycle Accident Injuries Are Often More Serious Than They Appear
It is common to walk away from a motorcycle accident feeling functional, only to discover days later that your injuries are far more serious than you initially realized. Road rash, which can appear minor on the surface, can cause deep tissue damage, nerve injury, and serious infection if not properly treated. Internal injuries, spinal damage, and traumatic brain injuries may not present symptoms immediately after a crash. Seeking medical attention right away is critical, not only for your health but to create a documented record that connects your injuries to the accident.
Accepting a quick settlement before the full scope of your injuries and long term needs are known can permanently close the door on the compensation you actually deserve. California law gives you time to build a thorough claim and Block Law will advise you on how to use that time effectively.
Common motorcycle accident injuries
- Road rash and skin abrasions
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Broken bones and fractures
- Knee and leg injuries
- Spinal cord and back injuries
- Emotional distress
Common causes of Motorcycle accidents
Understanding what caused your accident is the foundation of your legal claim.
Left Turn Collisions
One of the most common and deadly motorcycle accidents occurs when a car makes a left turn directly into the path of an oncoming motorcyclist. Drivers frequently misjudge the speed of a motorcycle or fail to see it entirely, making left turn collisions a leading cause of serious rider injuries in California.
Lane Change Accidents
Motorcycles can easily disappear into a driver’s blind spot. Drivers who change lanes without properly checking their mirrors or signaling put riders at serious risk of a high speed collision with little to no warning.
Distracted Driving
Drivers who use phones, eat, or engage with in-vehicle technology while driving are a serious danger to motorcyclists. At highway speeds, even a brief distraction can result in a catastrophic collision with a rider who has no protective barrier between them and the road.
Driving under the influence
Alcohol and drug impairment slows reaction time and impairs judgment. DUI crashes often support additional punitive damages claims.
Tailgating & Aggressive Driving
Drivers who speed or follow motorcycles too closely leave riders no room to react. The force involved in a rear end collision at speed can be fatal for a motorcyclist who has no structural protection.
Motorcycle Accident Laws in California
California law provides important protections for injured motorcyclists. Understanding them is the first step to protecting your claim.
compensation
Pure comparative negligence
Shared fault rules California follows a pure comparative negligence rule, meaning you can recover compensation even if you were partially at fault for the accident. Insurance companies often try to inflate a rider’s share of fault to reduce their payout. Block Law fights to keep your percentage of fault as low as possible and your compensation as high as possible.
lane splitting
California's unique rule
California is the only state that legally permits motorcycle lane splitting. However, whether lane splitting was safe and prudent at the time of the accident is often disputed. Insurance companies frequently use lane splitting as a way to assign fault to the rider. Block Law fights to make sure lane splitting is not used unfairly against you.
Filing Deadline
Two-year statute of limitations
In California, you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. Exceptions apply for minors, injuries involving government entities, and cases where the injury was not immediately discovered. Missing these deadlines typically means losing your right to compensation entirely, regardless of how strong your case is. Do not wait to consult an attorney.
insurance
Commercial trucking coverage
Trucking companies are required to carry significantly higher insurance coverage than standard drivers, with federal minimums ranging from $750,000 to $5 million depending on the type of cargo being transported. While this means larger compensation may be available, it also means more experienced insurance defense teams working against you from day one. Block Law handles all communications with insurers so you can focus on your recovery.
Block Law serves clients throughout Southern California, including Orange County, Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino. If you were injured in an accident involving a commercial truck, our team is ready to review your case at no cost and advise you on your rights under California law.
Quick Facts
- Free consultations
- No fee unless we win
- We handle insurer communications
- Bilingual team available
Related Topics
Why Choose Block Law?
- Personalized attention from start to finish
- Free consultations. No fee unless we win.
- Available in English and Spanish
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