The state of California is one of the strictest states in the nation when it comes to state automobile and traffic control laws.
While the average driver may only be involved in between one and three traffic accidents during their driving lifetime, the impact of just a single accident can be profound.
The risk increases for motorcycle drivers. And that increased risk isn’t slight. There is no doubt driving a motorcycle is the most dangerous California vehicle choice.
In this article, learn where to go if you have been injured in a motorcycle accident. Find out who can help you and when it is time to hire a motorcycle injury lawyer to fight for your rights.
Scary Facts About California Motorcycle Accidents
Here in California, we have good news and bad news about motorcycle accidents.
The good news is that, according to the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), overall, motorcycle injuries and fatalities are decreasing.
The bad news is that they are still happening at an alarming rate. Nearly 500 people died from being in a motorcycle accident in California in 2018 (according to the latest OTS statistics available).
Ever stricter traffic safety laws and increasing public education efforts may play a part in the decrease.
But if you are a loved one mourning the loss or you are the one now suffering life-limiting injuries caused by being involved in a motorcycle accident, statistics don’t matter.
You aren’t going to get what you had back. But a Los Angeles motorcycle lawyer can help you get the next best thing: compensation for your injuries and your losses.
What to Do After Being Injured in a Motorcycle Accident
If you were injured due to a motorcycle accident, you likely weren’t able to take any action at the time of the event. You were far too busy getting your injuries tended to and recuperating.
But now that you have put some time and space between you and the motorcycle accident, what comes next?
California is one of the few states in the nation that uses a “fault” system to determine who is responsible for paying out insurance claims. This means every insurance company operating in the state has armies of lawyers trying to turn the fault towards their competitors.
This is why it is so hard to push your insurance claims through on your own. It is you versus all those lawyers.
This is also why it is important to have your own motorcycle accident attorney who can speak “legalese” and go toe-to-toe with those highly paid insurance lawyers who have been hired specifically to ensure you never get paid.
The fault system we have here in California does no one any real favors, least of all the victim of a motorcycle accident – you.
How to Choose Your Los Angeles Motorcycle Lawyer
Given the California traffic statistics we cited here earlier, chances are good this is the first time you have ever had to select and hire a motorcycle injury lawyer.
You already don’t feel good. You are stressed out. You have all these medical bills you need to pay (because the insurance company is refusing to pay them for you). You are trying to juggle life after your motorcycle accident and now you have to pick a new lawyer too.
How can you make the Los Angeles motorcycle lawyer selection process easier? We recommend using these three steps to select your attorney.
1. Identify a California traffic law litigation specialist.
You do not want your mother’s cousin’s brother who practices divorce law or your neighbor’s sister who just graduated from law school representing you in a motorcycle accident.
California traffic law is far too complicated to allow a lawyer to dip their toe in the water and get any real grasp of what it takes to win these cases. It can take years just to develop a basic comprehensive understanding of the traffic law system in California and how to use the law to deliver fair and just results in accident victims.
You need a specialist – a motorcycle accident attorney who specializes in interpreting and arguing California traffic law all day, every day.
You can identify this type of lawyer by looking at their website, reading their blog posts, studying their client testimonials and reviewing the background of their staff attorneys.
If you don’t see traffic law cases here, there and everywhere on their website, they probably don’t specialize in traffic law cases.
2. Choose a responsive California motorcycle accident lawyer.
Movies about legal cases that drag on and on can be entertaining, especially if they feature a big dramatic payout at the end.
But real-life motorcycle injury cases that drag on and on are not entertaining in the least. You just want your case to be over and done with so you can get back to living your life.
So the last thing you need is an attorney that is too busy to talk to you or return your calls, emails, and texts. You don’t want an attorney that spends work hours golfing and is unavailable after 5 pm and all weekend long.
You need an attorney that makes themselves available to you after hours, on weekends and anytime there is a matter pertinent to your case. And you need the attorney’s support staff to do the same.
You can evaluate this right away when you call the attorney’s office to set up your first meeting. Do they have time for you relatively soon on their calendar? Is their support staff already emailing you all the information you need to prepare? DO you get a confirmation call? When you arrive for your meeting, are you seen right away on time?
Any attorney who doesn’t have time for you during this first meeting is not worth investing your trust in to resolve your case.
3. Pick an attorney that is confident they can help you.
The first meeting should always (ALWAYS) be free. This is the time when your motorcycle accident attorney hears the facts of what happened during and after your motorcycle accident and decides whether you have a case and, if so, how they may be able to help you.
A good California traffic law and motorcycle injury attorney will not want to take your case unless they think there is a greater than average chance of winning it (or successfully settling it).
How can you tell if the attorney you are speaking with is confident they can help?
You want to pick an attorney that can tell you specific action items they can begin to take on your behalf right away. If they have a plan of action and outline it for you right then or soon after the meeting, this is a good sign you may have found a qualified, knowledgeable attorney who can help.
Contact West Coast Traffic Lawyers for Motorcycle Accident Assistance
Have you or someone you love been injured in a motorcycle accident? West Coast Trial Lawyers can help! Contact us today for a free, no-obligation initial consultation to discuss your case with a knowledgeable, experienced motorcycle injury lawyer.