While riding a motorcycle is a favorite pastime of millions of Americans, the motorcycle itself provides little protection for riders who get in an accident. That’s why motorcycle crashes tend to result in severe injury or death.
- Head-on Collisions with Motorcycle
- Hit-and-run Accidents
- Left Hand Turn Accidents
- Lane-splitting Accidents
- Excessive Speed Motorcycle Accidents
- Alcohol Use and Motorcycle Accidents
- Hitting Fixed Objects Motorcycle Accidents
- Road Hazards Motorcycle Accidents
- Multi-vehicle pile-ups
- Street Racing Accidents
- Distracted Driving Accidents
Safety First
- Determine if medical assistance is needed and if so, call 911.
- Get to the safest location possible away from oncoming traffic or other hazards.
Document, document, document.
- You must get a police report.
- Take pictures of the driver’s license, insurance information, with others involved in the accident.
- If you are physically able, gather witness information (this is critical – most witnesses will not wait for the police).
- Name
- Addresses
- Phone numbers to document for future contact to prove your case.
- If you are physically able and can do it from a safe place, take pictures of all involved vehicles and other physical evidence.
- Skid marks
- Motorcycle parts
- The positions of the vehicles at rest after the accident
- Photograph license plate of all vehicles involved
- Take notes on your phone or use your voice memo to record everything that happened as soon as you are physically able.
Don’t wait, call a personal injury attorney right away.
- You pay nothing unless we win your case.
- Attorney Tim Mazzela is available 24 hours a day to meet with you by phone, via video chat, or in person. Because of COVID, we are not available to come to homes or hospitals, but we can handle business.
Why hire a motorcycle accident attorney?
In our years of personal injury law practice, we have seen many heart-breaking injuries to motorcycle accident victims. In a motorcycle versus truck or car accident, it is not uncommon for a motorcycle to suffer instant, devastating, or even fatal injuries. We work hard to help obtain all available compensation from all relevant sources.
- The advantage of hiring an attorney immediately after the accident has occurred is to document the evidence and determine the level of investigation needed to develop your case and protect your rights. Your attorney will also interview witnesses and record testimonies.
- You will be shielded and protected from the harassment and underhanded tactics of the defendant’s insurance company.
- An experienced personal injury attorney will also help you get needed medical treatment, help get your motorcycle repaired or a total loss settlement, and a rental vehicle.
- Most importantly, they will provide you with higher settlement offers and determine whether the settlement is fair and reasonable in light of similar cases from past jury verdicts in California.
When should you call a motorcycle accident lawyer?
It is critical to contact a personal injury attorney as soon as possible if you have been injured or harmed in a motorcycle accident. The other driver’s insurance company will call you very quickly and try to settle the case for the lowest amount possible, that’s their job.
If any of the situations below pertain to your accident, call Fresno Personal Injury Attorney, Tim Mazzela.
- If there is significant injury from broken bones, head injury, or a fatality
- If it is unclear who was at fault
- If the accident involved other cars, motorcycles, pedestrians, or someone on a bicycle
- If the police report does not accurately describe the accident
- If the crash occurred in a school zone or construction area
- If you have concerns about your insurance status or liability limits
- If your insurance company connects you with their attorney
What can I be compensated for when I’m injured in a motorcycle accident?
Placing a value on a case takes years of legal expertise. To determine the value of a case, Fresno personal injury attorney Tim Mazzela draws on decades of experience with his verdicts and settlements, reviews other prominent lawyers verdicts and settlements, and uses resources not available to the general public.
Economic Damages
California law recognizes the following items as Economic Damages
- Past medical expenses
- Future medical expenses
- Past wage loss
- Future wage loss
- Loss of earning capacity
- Past and future surgeries
- Past and future medical expenses
- Loss of household services
- Modifying your home to accommodate the disability
- Out-of-pocket expenses you incurred to accommodate the injuries and disabilities caused the accident.
Non-Economic damages
California law recognizes the following items as Non-Economic Damages:
- Impact on your personal life
- Impact on your family relationships
- Impact on your professional life
- Disfigurement
- The impact on your life and your family’s lives
- Pain
- Suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Inconvenience
- Mental/emotional distress
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Temporary disability
- Permanent disability