California Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

In California, you generally have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. If a government entity contributed to the crash through a dangerous road condition, a claim may be due in as little as six months, so it is important to speak with an attorney quickly.

California requires all riders and passengers to wear a DOT-approved helmet. If you were not wearing one, the defense may raise comparative fault, but this argument generally applies only to head injuries and does not bar your claim. California follows pure comparative negligence, so you can still recover even if you are found partly at fault, with your award reduced by your share of fault.

Left-turn and lane-change collisions are among the most common motorcycle crashes. Drivers frequently claim they never saw the rider, but failing to see and yield to a motorcycle that had the right of way generally makes the driver liable. We investigate the scene, signal timing, and witness accounts to establish fault.

California is the only state that expressly legalizes lane splitting. Splitting lanes safely does not make a rider automatically at fault, though the manner in which it was done can be examined. We work to show that you operated reasonably and that another driver's negligence caused the crash.

You may recover economic damages such as medical bills, future medical care, lost wages, and diminished earning capacity, along with non-economic damages for pain, suffering, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life. Because riders often suffer catastrophic injuries, these cases can involve substantial long-term costs that we work to fully document.