San Ramon, California, is a great city for motorcycle riders to be centrally located but near many lovely routes to travel on. From taking a run up to Mount Diablo for the day or just enjoying all the gentle rolling hills of the area, it makes you wonder why anyone would want to drive in a car. Unfortunately, not all motor vehicle drivers are cautious. 

When you’re injured on your bike by a negligent motorist, you can use the advice and help from the best San Ramon motorcycle accident lawyer. Call our law office at (925) 428-5220 or (800) 404-5400 for a free consultation.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 5,014 motorcycle riders were killed in traffic collisions in 2019. There were also 84,000 motorcycle riders injured in traffic collisions, many of which were caused by negligent drivers. Many of these injury accidents were severe, causing hospitalization, pain, and suffering. 

Everyone has seen “Easy Rider,” “The Wild One,” and some of the other all-time great motorcycle movies. Many people who have seen those movies think this is how all motorcyclists are and that riders are natural risk-takers. This attitude can affect not only insurance companies that use these old movies as an excuse to try and blame the rider but can also prejudice juries.

Being able to overcome stereotypes of motorcyclists is essential to winning a case, and an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer in San Ramon can accomplish that for you. Over the years, our law firm has successfully handled so many of these claims that I wrote the “California Motorcycle Accident Handbook,” which answers commonly asked questions by riders when they’ve been injured by someone else’s negligence. It is not only free to read on our website, but you can also read it online at Amazon. Some of the misconceptions by other motorists about motorcycle riders include:

• Motorcyclists are more dangerous than drivers of passenger vehicles, even though it is usually the opposite.
• Jurors also often believe that motorcyclists don’t obey the rules of the road.
• People who don’t like motorcycles can transfer those feelings toward the person riding one.
• Motorcyclists speed, lane-split recklessly and are thrill-seekers.

Most injury cases are successfully handled through negotiations with the at-fault party’s insurance company. However, there are times when the insurance company is uncooperative and won’t provide fair compensation to the injured motorcycle rider. In these cases, we are more than prepared to take the claim to court to ensure that our clients obtain what they deserve. 

As everyone knows, insurance companies are in business to make a profit. This means they frequently offer someone who was injured by their policyholder a low offer with the hopes they will accept it. The problem is that when someone has been injured, the medical bills start mounting, and regular bills such as the mortgage and utilities may be difficult to pay because they cannot work. It can be tempting. 

However, it can also easily be the wrong move. Injured riders who agree to this low-ball offer will have to sign off on the claim and cannot go back to the insurance company for more money if their injury continues into the future. Your San Ramon motorcycle accident attorney will ensure this does not happen to you. The following is what you may recover by having an injury lawyer handle your case:

• Medical: All medical bills associated with your accident injury are recoverable. This includes the ambulance fee, hospitalization, tests, surgeries, medications, and rehabilitative care. If your accident injury is expected to continue into the future, those costs will be calculated and added to the claim. 
• Wages: Any wages you lost from being unable to work can be recovered, including any pension or insurance benefits. Out-of-pocket expenses are included, such as the cost of gas to visit your doctor or taxi fare.
• Disabilities caused by a motorcycle crash: If you cannot work at your previous job due to your disabilities and have to take one that pays less, the difference in pay is calculated and added. If you become permanently disabled, your pay and other bonuses such as insurance and pension are calculated until your retirement age.
• Pain and suffering: Those who are injured in an accident often don’t just suffer physical trauma but also emotional and psychological pain. Anxiety, depression, sleeplessness, and reliving the accident are often present. In some cases, the injured party develops post-traumatic stress disorder and must seek professional treatment to deal with it. These expenses can be claimed as part of your compensation.
• Intentional or egregious acts: If your accident injury was intentionally caused by the at-fault party or particularly egregious such as by a drunk driver, you might be able to ask for punitive damages if the case goes to civil court. Punitive damages are usually much higher than those for a personal injury and are in addition to your regular compensation. If an intentional or egregious act caused your injury, you should ask your accident attorney whether you can ask for punitive damages. 

Lawyer Ed Smith discusses how you can locate a qualified attorney to handle your claim to recover damages in the video below:

The following types of negligence are the most common, and someone who is injured by an at-fault party can benefit from the assistance of a skilled motorcycle accident lawyer:

• A motorist making a left turn is most often the cause of a collision with a motorcycle rider.
• A speeding driver may be unable to stop in time to avoid a collision with a motorcycle.
• Running a red light or stop sign commonly causes accidents.
• Distracted driving is a leading cause of a crash involving a motorcyclist.
• Drunk driving or being impaired by drugs can cause a motorcyclist’s traffic collision.
• Motorcyclists may skid or be thrown from their bikes when potholes, uneven surfaces, and debris are present on poorly maintained roads. Government entities tasked with maintaining the infrastructure can be sued for damages. Because the statute of limitations is only six months in a government claim, getting help from a San Ramon motorcycle accident attorney is essential in meeting deadlines.
• When lane-splitting, a driver not ceding the right of way to a motorcyclist or changing lanes without signaling can cause an incident.
• A motorcycle defect could result in a dangerous collision. Riders may lose control and crash because of defective brakes, tires, or other parts. The manufacturer may be liable for damages if it is determined that a defect caused the crash. To examine a vehicle for defects, it must be retained.

Motorcyclists often suffer severe trauma in an accident. If this happens to you, contact our experienced San Ramon motorcycle accident attorneys for free and friendly advice at (925) 428-5220 or (800) 404-5400. We can arrange a free consultation either in-person or virtually to discuss your case, tell you how you can recover damages, and answer any questions you might have. We also offer an online form if you prefer to contact us that way. Want to find out how we’ve handled previous cases? Check out our Verdicts and Settlements page.

Editor’s Note: This page has been updated for accuracy and relevancy [cha 8.29.22]

Photo attribution: by Erich Westendarp from Pixabay 

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