Motorcycle Accidents

After a Motorcycle Crash in California

A motorcycle crash can change your life in seconds. Riders are far more exposed than drivers, so the same collision that leaves a car with a dented bumper can leave a rider with broken bones, a traumatic brain injury, or worse. On top of the physical recovery, injured riders in California often face insurers who assume the motorcyclist was to blame. You do not have to accept that. If another driver’s carelessness caused your crash, California law gives you the right to pursue compensation, and Abramson Labor Group is here to help you do it.

The steps you take after a crash affect both your health and your claim. If you are able:

  • Get medical attention immediately, even if you feel fine. Some serious injuries, including brain and internal injuries, are not obvious at first.
  • Report the crash to law enforcement and get a copy of the police report.
  • Document the scene: photos of the vehicles, the road, your gear, and your injuries.
  • Get the other driver’s insurance and contact information, and the names of any witnesses.
  • Avoid giving a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer before speaking with an attorney.

The single most important thing is to protect your health first. The legal steps can follow.

How Fault Works in California

California follows a pure comparative negligence rule. That means you can recover compensation even if you were partly at fault for the crash. Your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault, but it is not eliminated, even if your share is significant. So if an insurer argues you were partly responsible, that is not the end of your claim; it is a negotiation over percentages, and it is exactly the kind of argument an attorney is there to push back on.

This matters for riders in particular, because motorcyclists are often blamed for crashes that were not their fault. A driver who turns left across a rider’s path, drifts into a lane, or opens a door without looking is responsible for the harm they cause, regardless of the stereotype that riders are reckless.

Helmets and Your Claim

California has a universal helmet law: every rider and passenger must wear a DOT-compliant helmet, with no exception for age or experience. But a common misconception is that not wearing a helmet, or a crash involving any rider fault, cancels your right to compensation. It does not.

If a helmet issue comes up, it is treated as a damages question, not a bar to your claim. An insurer may argue that the absence of a helmet made a head or neck injury worse than it would have been, which can reduce that portion of your damages under the comparative negligence rule. It does not change who caused the crash, and it has no effect on injuries a helmet would not have prevented. This is a fact-specific and medical question, and it is one worth having an attorney handle rather than conceding to an adjuster.

Deadlines That Can End Your Claim

California law puts strict time limits on motorcycle accident claims:

  • For personal injuries, you generally have two years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit.
  • For property damage filed separately, the deadline is generally three years.
  • If a government entity may be responsible, for example a crash caused by a dangerous road condition or a government vehicle, a formal claim must usually be filed with that agency within six months. This is a mandatory step before any lawsuit, and courts enforce it strictly.

Certain situations can pause or shift these deadlines, such as an injured minor or a period of incapacity, but you should never assume you have extra time. Missing a deadline can permanently end an otherwise strong case, so the safest course is to speak with an attorney promptly.

Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries

Because riders have little between them and the road, motorcycle crashes tend to cause serious injuries, including:

  • Traumatic brain injuries and concussions
  • Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
  • Broken bones and crush injuries
  • Road rash and severe lacerations
  • Internal injuries

These injuries often mean long recoveries, significant medical bills, and time away from work, all of which can be part of a compensation claim.

How Abramson Labor Group Helps

Insurance companies move quickly to limit what they pay, and they often count on injured riders not knowing their rights. We investigate the crash, work to establish what actually happened, deal with the insurers so you can focus on recovering, and pursue the full value of your claim, including medical costs, lost income, and pain and suffering.

We work on a contingency basis. There are no fees unless we win your case.

Injured in a Motorcycle Accident?

Talk to Abramson Labor Group about your case. There are no fees unless we win. Get a free case evaluation.

 

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