What Should You Do After a Motorcycle Accident in California?entry-title

Important Steps to Take After a Motorcycle Accident in California On The City Street

Being a personal injury attorney who rides, and seeing the life-changing injuries my clients have sustained, handling our clients’ motorcycle accidents are very personal for me. Even low-speed motorcycle accidents can cause serious and catastrophic injuries. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motorcyclists are 28x more likely to suffer serious injuries in an accident than the occupants of other types of vehicles. 

Unlike drivers, motorcyclists are not protected by airbags, seatbelts, or reinforced steel cages. We remain exposed to the elements and all the forces of a crash. Yet, it is that very exposure that brings us joy when we ride.  The wind on our chest, the sun on our back, and the feel of the road transforms transportation into recreation.  

After a motorcycle accident in California, injured bikers often face an uphill battle collecting the money they need. That’s because the insurance company’s main goal is to pay out as little money as possible. They can also have strong biases against motorcyclists that are often grounded in fiction. 

To combat these biases, injured bikers need a law firm on their side from the start. A Murrieta motorcycle accident attorney can fight for your right to full compensation. Yet, there are steps a motorcyclist can take to help their attorney and improve the outcome of their case.

What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident

Call 911

After an accident, you should seek medical attention immediately. Even if you believe you have no injuries, you should still get evaluated by a trained medical professional. Calling 911 is the best way to obtain medical treatment quickly. It also alerts emergency responders and police officers to the crash site. If you are unable to call due to injury, direct someone at the scene of the motorcycle accident to call for you.

Assist With the Police Report

The police report is a valuable piece of evidence used to establish liability after a crash. If you are able, it is important to cooperate with the police at the scene of the crash. Remain calm and answer any questions they may have, but avoid speculating about the crash. Also, never apologize or admit fault in these situations. Only a detailed investigation can uncover who was truly at fault for a crash. An admission of fault, even one that is disproven later, can cost you dearly.

Take Pictures & Gather Evidence

If you are not too injured, take pictures of the accident scene and any damage to your motorcycle. Include photos of the traffic lights, stop signs, skid marks, debris, and any other evidence you think could help your case. 

Gather eyewitness contact information as well as the other driver’s contact information. Write down the make, model, and year of the other vehicles involved. Lastly, collect the other driver’s insurance card data and driver’s license number.

Call a Murrieta Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

As soon as you are able, it is important to contact an experienced Murrieta motorcycle accident lawyer. Your lawyer can establish liability and negotiate a fair settlement with the insurance company. Without a lawyer on your side, you may not receive the money you need to recover.

Contact our Murrieta Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Today

After a motorcycle accident, your life may never be the same. Motorcycle accident victims often need months and even years of therapies and care after a crash. At SD Injury Attorneys, our goal is to provide you with exceptional legal counsel and care after a motorcycle crash. Call us at 951-370-1111 to schedule a free case evaluation or fill out our confidential contact form

What Are Common Critical Injuries After a Motorcycle Accident?entry-title

Photo of a Crash Scene After a Motorcycle Accident

In April, Storage Wars star Barry Weiss was in a motorcycle crash in Los Feliz that resulted in serious chest and leg trauma. A black SUV pulled into his path while he was riding with a friend. He and that friend are now on the road to recovery like many other motorcycle crash victims across our state. Just in Riverside County, 737 motorcyclists were injured in 2018 crashes according to the California Highway Patrol Statewide Integrated Tracking System (SWITRS). What does this information mean for our local motorcyclists? Our Murrieta motorcycle accident attorneys take a closer look at this issue, what it means to riders, and how we can do something about it.

What Is the Most Common Motorcycle Injury?

A report published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) claimed that the most common motorcycle injuries are usually inflicted on the lower extremities. NHTSA is not alone in this conclusion. The World Heath Organization (WHO) and the Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM) also conclude that broken legs, ankles, feet and other injuries to the legs are the most frequent injuries suffered by motorcyclists. The area of the body to suffer the second highest incidence of injury are the arms/upper extremities. However, this only tells part of the story.

Though it’s not the most common motorcycle injury, both AAAM and NHTSA pointed to head injuries as the most fatal type of motorcycle injury. Chest injuries turned out to be the second most fatal motorcycle injury. This is why many motorcycle safety organizations emphasize the use of motorcycle helmets and jackets as they try to reduce the number of motorcycle fatalities in our country.

What Do These Motorcycle Injury Statistics Mean for Riders?

Since a motorcyclist’s arms and legs are most at risk while riding, any injuries suffered in these areas could affect a rider’s mobility or ability to handle objects. If the rider’s main employment involves lifting, carrying objects or manual dexterity, a motorcycle accident could leave them unable to work.

The same could be said about injuries to the head or chest areas, but these injuries are often even more expensive to treat. Organ damage from chest and brain injuries could require extensive surgeries. Some traumatic head injuries have been known to have lasting symptoms such as light sensitivity, headaches, and even loss in cognitive function.

How Can an Attorney Help a Motorcycle Accident Injury Victim?

At SD Injury Attorneys, we take the possible results of these injuries into consideration while handling your case. We understand how these injuries affect your life and try take steps to ensure any settlement or verdict takes your injuries into account. Our Murrieta personal injury attorney, Steven Gnau, has a record of success and happy clients. So, whether you have the most common motorcycle injury or the most uncommon, we are ready to help. For more information, give us a call at (951)370-1111.