Beverly Hills Motorcycle Accident Attorney

Here’s Important Legal Information You Should Know About Motorcycle Accidents

Beverly Hills has proven to be a very dangerous place for a motorcyclist. In March of 2019, a motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene of an intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Hillcrest Road after suffering a motorcycle accident. This wasn’t the only fatal motorcycle accident in the area, as two other motorcyclists lost their lives the previous year after being cut off by a negligent driver. In 2019, there were reportedly 18 motorcyclists injured in collisions in Beverly Hills.

Due to driver negligence and lack of protection, motorcyclists will always be susceptible to more serious injuries and property loss than car accident victims. As a result of their injuries, motorcycle accident victims must often deal with costly medical bills, loss of income, physical pain, and PTSD. Recovery from a motorcycle accident is generally a long process.

Motorcycle accidents can be caused by many circumstances, such as:

• Collisions with a curb, street signs, or lampposts
• Driver negligence
• Cars suddenly pulling in front of a motorcycle rider
• Motorcycle malfunction
• Inclement weather
• Vehicles recklessly merging into a motorcyclist’s lane
• Tailgating
• Hazardous road conditions

If you were involved in a motorcycle accident and would like to pursue legal action against the party at-fault, our experienced Beverly Hills motorcycle accident attorneys at West Coast Trial Lawyers are available 24/7 to provide you with legal assistance. With our track record of winning more than $1 billion in settlements for our clients, we are confident that we will deliver a good outcome to your case.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us by calling (310) 919-5962 or emailing [email protected] to schedule a free consultation at our Beverly Hills personal injury law firm. 

Motorcycle Accident Statistics

Below are four risk factors that may place a motorcyclist at a greater danger of injury:

• Sex: 91 percent of motorcycle fatalities involve men. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 60 percent of the female motorcyclists who died in crashes in 2019 were passengers. The vast majority of male motorcyclists who died were riders (99 percent).
• Alcohol consumption: Over a quarter of motorcyclist fatalities involved a rider with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) above the legal limit of 0.08 percent.
• Helmet use: California Vehicle Code Section 27803 requires all motorcycle riders and their passengers to wear a fitted helmet. Motorcyclists who do not wear a helmet are at a significantly higher risk of suffering traumatic or fatal head injuries. According to the CDC, wearing a helmet decreases the risk of dying in a motorcycle crash by 37 percent.
• Age: The most common age group to get involved in a fatal motorcycle accident  in 2019 was 30 and younger. Those who were 50 or younger were the second most common age group that got into a deadly motorcycle accident.

Steps to Take After a Motorcycle Accident

What you do immediately after a motorcycle accident can make a huge difference in the way your claim is treated. Below, our team of Beverly Hills motorcycle accident attorneys recommend these key steps to take if you were involved in a motorcycle accident.

• Receive medical care. You should make an appointment to get yourself examined as soon as possible. Your doctor may run several tests in order to conduct a diagnosis if a problem is found. If there is a health issue, the doctor will create a treatment plan that will help you with your recovery. Your visits will be saved on file and can be used as evidence to include in your personal injury claim.
• Document the motorcycle accident. This step is absolutely crucial and will immensely aid your claim. Please gather the following information:
  • License plate numbers
  • Names and contact information for anyone involved in the accident
  • The driver’s license and insurance information
  • Year, make, and model for any vehicles involved in the accident
  • Contact information for any available witnesses
  • Photos and videos of your injuries, property damage, and the accident scene
• Do not discuss the accident. You may think you were responsible for the accident, but do not admit fault. This is one of the most detrimental things you can possibly do. There may be several factors you may be unaware of. For example, the other driver or motorcyclist may have been texting or intoxicated.

We understand that the moments following a motorcycle accident are very emotional. It is crucial that you are careful about what you say. Please do not apologize for the accident and do not suggest who may be at-fault.

Suing for Poorly Maintained Roads

Most motorcycle accidents are caused by negligence. However, poor road conditions can also cause a motorcyclist to suffer an accident. Poor road conditions that often cause serious motorcycle accidents include potholes, loose gravel, uneven sidewalks, and broken cement.

Property owners have a duty of care to repair hazardous road conditions that may lead to a motorcycle crash. A city or private property owner that is negligent and doesn’t properly maintain their roads in good condition may be held liable for injuries or damages caused to a motorcyclist. California premises liability law states that property owners must maintain their property in reasonably safe conditions. This includes, but is not limited to, inspecting and maintaining their property, repairing hazardous conditions, and providing adequate warnings about any potential dangers.

If you are bringing a claim against a city, county, or any state government agency, you must prove that:

• The property where you were injured was owned or controlled by a city, county, or state government agency.
• The property had hazardous conditions when your motorcycle accident occurred.
• The hazardous conditions were a reasonably foreseeable risk for the injuries that you suffered.
• The city, county, or state knew about the hazardous conditions for enough time to take reasonable action to address it.
• You suffered injuries as a result of the hazardous conditions.

West Coast Trial Lawyers Is Here to Help

If you have sustained injuries in a motorcycle accident as a result of someone’s negligence or deliberate acts of malice, you have the right to hold the guilty party responsible for your losses. A Beverly Hills motorcycle accident attorney at West Coast Trial Lawyers will help you recover compensation for your damages.

To schedule a free consultation at our Beverly Hills personal injury law firm, please contact our 24/7 legal team by calling (310) 919-5962 or emailing [email protected].