Richmond Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcycles are difficult to control, so riders must rely not only on their own safe behaviors but also on the responsible conduct of other drivers on the road to keep them safe. Unfortunately, this does not always occur. While motorcycle accidents may occur for many reasons, Richmond motorcycle accident lawyers see the following common causes for collisions.

Speeding

Speeding on highways, freeways, and city streets greatly increases the chances of causing an accident. Road conditions can change without warning, and speeding affects a driver’s ability to react in a timely manner to avoid a collision.

Distracted Driving

Texting while driving, talking to other passengers in your car, fiddling with your GPS or radio, and other distracting behaviors commonly cause accidents. Looking away from the road for even a few seconds can produce catastrophic results.

Reckless Behavior

Failing to adhere to traffic signals and signs, improper lane changes, and tailgating are all reckless behaviors that increase the likelihood of a motorcycle collision. If your accident occurred because a driver failed to stop at a stop sign or rode too close, causing you to lose control of your motorcycle, they should be held responsible for their actions.

Head-on Collisions

Head-on collisions often result in fatalities and catastrophic injuries. These collisions occur when a car and a motorcycle collide while facing each other. Collisions of this kind usually occur when a driver runs a red light through an intersection. Your attorney will investigate the cause of your collision to hold the negligent driver responsible for your injuries and property damage.

Intoxication

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is against the law in California because it greatly impedes a driver’s judgment, awareness, and reaction time. Those who engage in this dangerous behavior pose a risk to other drivers and motorcyclists on the road. If a driver hits you while intoxicated, they face not only civil liability in a personal injury lawsuit but criminal charges for their conduct.

Lane Splitting

California legalized the act of lane splitting in 2017, however, that doesn’t always make it safe. Motorcyclists who drive between stopped or moving vehicles on freeways and highways are at increased risk of collisions. Many drivers do not exercise safe behaviors when changing lanes and may not look for a motorcyclist before swerving into them.

Road Hazards

Potholes, uneven road surfaces, and asphalt cracks pose a risk to motorcycle riders. Even a brief moment of instability on a motorcycle can lead to loss of control and a spinout with disastrous consequences. If your motorcycle accident was caused by inadequate road maintenance or other road hazards, you may have a case against the city or county where you were hurt.

What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident

The moments after a motorcycle accident are chaotic and overwhelming. Taking the proper steps after an accident is necessary to avoid doing anything to hurt your claim and leave you with less compensation than you need and deserve. Remembering the following steps can help your attorney build a strong case on your behalf.

Call the Police

Always call the police to the scene of a car accident. After you call 9-1-1, the dispatcher will send law enforcement, firefighters, and ambulances who can assess your physical condition for injuries. The reporting police officer creates an accident report that your attorney will review when building a strong case on your behalf.

Gather Information

Gather information about the involved parties at the scene of the accident, including the names, addresses, and insurance information for everyone involved in the accident. If there were any witnesses to the collision, write down their names and contact information. Your attorney will contact these individuals to piece together the events leading up to the accident.

Collect Evidence

If you are physically able to do so safely, gather as much useful evidence as you can at the scene of the collision. Evidence helps establish liability and will be used by your Richmond motorcycle accident lawyer.

Examples include photographs depicting damage to the involved vehicles, your injuries, and the location where the accident occurred. Additionally, other evidence includes a written statement of your recollection of events. It’s surprising how memories fade and writing these details down while they are still fresh in your mind can help you remember.

Seek Medical Attention

Many serious injuries are not immediately apparent after a motorcycle accident. Seek medical attention immediately after an accident, regardless of how you feel. When recovering compensation from the party that caused your collision, connecting your injuries and losses to the accident is vital.

Call Your Insurance Company

Contact your insurance company and report your accident. When speaking to them, provide only facts and accurate information. Your insurance company should also report the accident to the California Department of Motor Vehicles. Do not speak to the other driver’s insurance company until you have retained a lawyer to speak on your behalf.

What Types of Damages Can I Recover?

Your Richmond motorcycle accident attorney will break down the damages you may be entitled to receive in your case. California permits victims injured in vehicle accidents to recover compensatory damages in the form of economic and noneconomic damages.

Economic damages represent the financial losses directly related to the incident and include the following:

• Medical expenses,
• Lost wages,
• Loss of future earnings, and
• Property damage.

Your attorney can calculate the value of these damages through tangible evidence, including photographs, medical bills, pay stubs, letters from your employer, invoices, and tax documents.

Noneconomic damages represent subjective losses related to your injuries. To recover these damages, a victim must prove the extent of their physical injuries and post-accident suffering. Noneconomic damages include:

• Pain and suffering,
• Emotional distress,
• Loss of enjoyment of life,
• Loss of consortium,
• Physical disability, and
• Disfigurement.

Without a qualified attorney on your side, noneconomic damages are difficult to recover. Your attorney will compile convincing evidence such as medical records, photos documenting injuries, doctors’ notes, and testimony from experts, friends, and family to prove the impact your injuries have on your daily life.

Contact Us

At Wells Call Injury Lawyers, we have recovered hundreds of millions in judgments and settlements on behalf of our clients. Clients across California and the Western U.S. count on our demonstrated ability to achieve justice, even in the most unique and difficult circumstances.

While we can never guarantee an outcome, our strong track record of success has resulted in hundreds of satisfied clients. We treat each client as an individual and are committed to helping accident victims protect their rights so they can recover.

Personal injury accidents are devastating and affect far more than the victim, but also their family and friends. We work hard to hold the at-fault party accountable so you get the financial support you need to put your life back together.

Give us a call or contact us online, and learn more about what we can do for you.