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Sacramento Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Dan McCrary' | McCrary Accident Injury Law Firm

Our trusted Sacramento Motorcycle Accident Lawyers are here to help you get Maximum Compensation

The representation you need after a fatal motorcycle accident.
If you were injured in a Sacramento motorcycle accident, it could be challenging to know what to do. Unfortunately, motorcycle accidents frequently result in severe damage. So, it is crucial to talk with an experienced Sacramento motorcycle accident lawyer at McCrary Accident Injury Law Firm as soon as possible.

The attorneys at our firm have good knowledge of representing injured motorcyclists and their families. We are ready to work tirelessly to get you the maximum settlement. Our knowledgeable motorcycle accident attorneys will skillfully operate the case to get the appropriate financial compensation you deserve.

Our Sacramento motorcycle accident injury lawyers offer a free case evaluation. Call us today at (855) 752-6326 to schedule your free case assessment with our McCrary Accident Injury Law Firm attorneys. We will investigate how we can assist in claiming your maximum compensation in motorcycle accident. No Fees Until We Win The Case For You!

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How can a lawyer help after the Sacramento motorcycle accident?

Sacramento Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

You may be struggling with a painful and severe injury due to a motorcycle accident that could change your life in a blink of an eye. You may be distressed by accident and suffer emotional trauma. After a severe motorcycle collision, do not let an insurance company persuade you to take a lowball settlement offer. You have the privilege to claim motorcycle accident compensation in Sacramento for injuries if someone else is at blame. Engaging an attorney will give you time to concentrate on getting better and improve the likelihood of recovering the financial settlement you deserve.

Contact our Sacramento lawyers experienced in motorcycle accidents to study your case and evaluate its worth rightly. At McCrary Accident Injury Law Firm, our lawyers can estimate an accurate assessment and claim on your behalf. Then, if the insurance company refuses the claim to offer the settlement you deserve, our Sacramento Motorcycle injury lawyers can take your case to court at no costs upfront.

What should I do after a motorcycle crash in Sacramento, California?

It is essential to take specific actions to defend your right to recover. The following steps you take immediately after a motorcycle accident in Sacramento can decide the destiny of your motorcycle accident injury lawsuit.

  1. Get someplace secure
  2. Move your damaged motorcycle
  3. Call an ambulance at 911
  4. Share information
  5. Take photos and videos
  1. Rush to hospital
  2. Report to the insurance company
  3. Follow your doctor's advice.
  4. Collect details
  5. Contact an attorney

It is recommended to engage an attorney before contacting the claim adjuster. Our Sacramento motorcycle accident lawyer can assist you in all the ways through the case. Then, you or your Sacramento motorcycle accident attorney will gather proof, identify the at-fault party, and file your injury claim within California's deadline. Partnering with a lawyer from the beginning can help the best for recovering fair compensation.

California Motorcycle Accident Statistics

Motorcyclists persist in being overrepresented in deadly traffic collisions. As a result, 5,014 motorcyclists died in 2019. (https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/motorcycles).

According to the reporting system data of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2,655 fatal deaths involved motorcycle crashes from the year 2014 to 2018. And the system data estimated that California has 666 total annual average deadly motorcycles accidents collisions.

Work quickly to get your motorcycle accident claim to meet California's deadline or the law of limitations. In California, all complainants with personal injury claims must file their cases with the civil courts within two years of the crash date. Forgetting to bring damage or wrongful death within two years generally locks a complainant from retrieval in California. Do not remain silent longer than two years to confirm you satisfy your state's deadline. Contact a Sacramento motorcycle accident attorney at McCrary Accident Injury Law Firm as soon as possible after a motorcycle accident while necessary evidence and details are still unrestricted. We can create the claims filing procedure quicker for you.

Leading causes of motorcycle accidents

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report says that distracted driving is one of the most significant reasons for traffic crashes. The same goes with motorcycle accidents too.

Other reasons for motorcycle accidents in Sacramento may include and are not limited to:

  • Unsafe lane changes
  • Speeding and driver aggression
  • Drunk or drugged driving
  • Traffic violations
  • Unsafe turns
  • Left-turn accidents
  • Road hazards
  • Tailgating
  • Vehicle defects

The cause of your accident is essential. It gives the basis for holding someone else financially liable for your damages. Unfortunately, insurance alone will not reimburse for the entire claim of your casualties.

At McCrary Accident Injury Law Firm, the Sacramento motorcycle accident attorneys have the knowledge and resources to specify the reason for your accident and discover who can hold the financial responsibility.

Injuries caused by Sacramento motorcycle accidents

When a person is affected in a motorcycle crash, severe injuries are high. The riders of motorcycles do not have the same protections and precautions as cars and trucks. The damage caused to the rider can be pretty tough when involved in a motorcycle accident. Common injuries caused by motorcycle crash impacts are as follows:

  • Head injuries
  • Broken bones
  • Skull fracture
  • Laceration
  • Scarring and disfigurement
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Road rash
  • Leg and foot injuries
  • Other fractures
  • Internal injuries
  • Dental and facial injuries

Fatal and permanent injuries are common in heavy motorcycle accidents. In addition, motorcyclists may also suffer emotional and psychological traumas from the crash experience. Working with a Sacramento motorcycle accident attorney can assist you in fighting for the highest settlement for your motorcycle damages, including concrete and formless injuries.

California Helmet Law and Motorcycle Accident Claims

The helmet can drastically decrease your chance of a brutal head or brain injury in a motorcycle accident. Under this law, every motorcycle passenger must wear a helmet while riding. The helmet must be federally supported for protection and match snugly on the rider's head. If one does not wear a helmet, one could receive a penalty from the traffic authority. Negligence in wearing the helmet could also be something the defendant uses as proof against you in a crash case.

As not wearing a helmet would violate California's rule, the defendant can use it as a cause to place some penalty for your motorcycle injuries on you. For this reason, to work yet, your damages must have some relation to your loss to wear a helmet. To qualify, the impairment must be to the head, brain, face, or neck. Generally, an injury to the body will not give a defendant grounds to base a defense on your wrongful defeat to use a helmet. To claim that your fault of wearing a helmet contributed to your injuries, the defendant must show adequate evidence that this was the issue, such as medical or security professional testimony.

As a wounded motorcyclist, do not guess that you do not have grounds for settlement if you were with the helmet during the Sacramento motorcycle accident. However, if not wearing a helmet made you accountable for your traumatic brain injury, you would receive less of a granted judgment. A professional Sacramento motorcycle accident lawyer can help you fight the helmet defense during your motorcycle accident lawsuit.

Who are liable for a motorcycle accident in Sacramento?

It is essential to find out who caused the crash in a motorcycle accident case. Therefore, it is advisable to consult a trained motorcycle accident lawyer who appropriately examines the collision and uncovers the liable parties. The responsible parties include:

The driver of the other vehicle – The vehicle driver that crashed into the motorcycle is usually accused of the accident.

Owner of the other vehicle – Sacramento law allows accident sufferers to sue a case against the vehicle's owner that was at fault.

The at-fault driver's employer – Accident victims can sue the employer of the driver of the at-fault vehicle if that driver acted within the range of their work at the moment of the crash.

Motorcycle manufacturer – The motorcycle might have had a flaw that caused the motorcycle to collide.

Motorcycle dealership, mechanic, or service center – If the mechanic carelessly serviced your bike, that left it dangerous to ride.

The motorcycle driver – Your recovery as a motorcycle driver may be restricted by how much your negligence contributed to the crash.

Who is responsible for motorcycle accidents while lane splitting?

"Lane splitting" refers to riding a motorcycle between apparently drawn lanes for traffic traveling in the same direction.

Studies have indicated that lane splitting can preserve time, ease traffic congestion and help control accidents such as rear-end crashes. However, people believe that lane splitting is risky for motorcyclists and other drivers. For example, if a motorcyclist in the California lane diverges carelessly, they could be accountable for a consequent accident.

California's comparative negligence law may play a part in crashes concerning lane splitting. If the defendant has proved that you were lane splitting at an excessive rate of speed or otherwise hastily, this could direct in less compensation. However, if you were within your rights under California's lane-splitting law, lane splitting alone would probably not lower your claim. Use a reliable motorcycle accident lawyer in Sacramento with complicated aspects like lane splitting.

What if the other driver blames me for the motorcycle accident?

You don't forfeit your privilege to recover financial settlement because the other driver attempts to blame you for the accident. Under California's comparative fault law, a person damaged in an accident can still claim damages even when they are partly condemned for the accident. For instance, a partaker who is only 25 percent guilty of causing the accident will only be responsible for bearing 25% of the damages.

  • Will lover the claim to $70,000 (by 30%), and
  • You might be liable for 30% of another injured party's impairments

If you weren't wearing a helmet, the contributory negligence in motorcycle crash issues might come into space. The other party can assert that your injuries were more harmful than they might have been with a helmet.

Trying to blame the accident sufferer is common for defense lawyers and insurance companies to condemn the accident victim. However, the Sacramento motorcycle injury attorneys know how to rescue you from these and other tactics. Contact the McCrary Accident Injury Law Firm today to understand more about how we can perform to discourage blame-shifting from lowering your settlement.

Can I still recover if I'm partially to blame for the motorcycle accident?

You could claim settlement after a motorcycle accident even if you were partly at fault. Yet, it will reduce your recovery in balance to your degree of responsibility.

For instance, you might have increased your speed when a car driver carelessly turned before you. The driver maybe 90 percent at fault, while your fault was only 10 percent. Your recovery would be equal to the percentage of your fault. Nevertheless, if the fault at your side is 50 percent, it would bar your recovery in California.

The insurance company usually attempts to blame the motorcyclist. But the attorney you engage will stand up for your rights and inquire about any unsupported claims that you were at fault.

What if I was a passenger on a motorcycle when a collision occurred?

If you were a passenger on a motorcycle, you might seek a lawsuit against many defendants. The right party to take measures against is the person who caused the accident. For example, another motorist on the road caused the crash, or it may be the motorcycle's driver himself. People are hesitant to seek a claim against the motorcyclist if they are friends. However, remember that the insurance company bears the damages, not the friend.

Failing to take action can leave you with substantial medical bills and failures that are not compensated. Insurance policies exist for a cause. For example, the insurer should pay when a passenger on a motorcycle is damaged.

What if my family member or a friend was killed in a motorcycle accident in Sacramento, California?

If your loved one is at risk from a motorcycle accident caused by carelessness, you may be eligible to file a wrongful demise claim against the responsible party for your loss. The wrongful death claims in California must be obtained by a personal agent of the departed victim, commonly the spouse, parent, or an adult child, and are to reimburse the next of kin for the monetary harms they suffered because of their loved one's death.

These may include:

  • Direct Financial Losses
  • Funeral and Burial Expenses
  • Loss of Affection, Help, Companionship, and Love
  • The Personal Representative's Distress, Sorrow, and Mental Anguish

Each wrongful death lawsuit is unique and needs a professional Sacramento motorcycle accident attorney to pursue the results you and your family earn for your loss, so you can take the period you need to grieve fully.

What do you try to prove in your motorcycle injury case in California?

While taking legal action after a Sacramento, California, motorcycle crash, you ought to confirm that you have a lawsuit. Convincing a jury that a careless driver in a motorcycle accident caused your damages demands that you ascertain four different things:

  • This is a manageable segment to prove as all the car drivers are responsible for the duty of care to the people on the road.
  • The driver breached this duty of care. While drivers are not held to a norm of absolute perfection when on the road, they must act as reasonable drivers. It means that they cannot do speeding or make prohibited turns because an ordinary driver would not do such things.
  • You must have suffered some damage.
  • It is primarily because of the other driver's careless actions you are at risk. While the above states are reasonably primary, many motorcycle crash cases can quickly confuse things. Again, having an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer on your side can help you guide through this procedure.

Will my Sacramento motorcycle case settle out of court?

Most Sacramento motorcycle injury cases will settle out of court. This is because trials are costly and unsure. In addition, an insurance company runs the chance that a jury would understand your case, leaving the company in turn for a significant damages award.

Nevertheless, an initial compensation request is likely to be less than your case is worth when a personal injury case is filed. Since your injury lawyer has done this numerous times early, they will know what your share is worth and will be able to suggest to you whether the payment proposition makes sense for you; they may claim more by attempting your case.

While your attorney will give you feedback and ideas on how to settle your case, the most excellent decision will be yours. Finally, we appreciate the conclusion of each customer to make decisions concerning their case according to their situation.

What if the driver who caused my motorcycle accident in Sacramento did not have insurance?

Were you affected by a motorcycle crash with a driver who did not have insurance? Although California law mandates that every driver must have recent and proper insurance, some calculations indicate that around 20 percent of drivers have no insurance, violating California law. Therefore, it is wise for California motorists to hold uninsured motorist coverage, which will supply you with the financial settlement you earn for your physical damages, medical costs, and lost salaries in an accident with an uninsured motorist.

Auto insurance law is complex enough without the added feature of an uninsured driver. Insurance adjusters may try to present you with an unsatisfactory settlement to bypass a case. Do not obtain any recommendations or sign any paperwork. Our attorneys will file a lawsuit with your insurance deliverer for your damages in these situations.

Likewise, the driver who hit you does not have the proper insurance to pay you for your injuries, and you may have coverage through an under-insured motorist claim (UIM). Therefore, you could seek the balance of your damages from your carrier after the careless driver's insurance policy limitations have been collected.

  • For Example: Consider that your claim has a reasonable value of $200,000. If the driver who hit you only carried $150,000 in the insurance coverage, it will be defined in recovery for their policy limits as most people don't have sizable assets.
  • Yet, should you have under-insured motorist coverage boundaries of more than $150,000, you can seek the balance of the value of your share from your own insurance company.
  • In either case, our California motorcycle accident lawyers are skilled enough in handling your insurance policy to choose the best method of action for you and define your legal rights appropriately. Contact our Sacramento motorcycle accident lawyer today for a free consultation for any queries related to your insurance coverage with your case.

Compensation / Available damages for motorcycle accident damages in Sacramento, California

Severe financial stress is prevalent for motorcycle accident sufferers. If anything happened or you lost your loved one in an accident in Sacramento, you might be toiling even to pay your bills. Our Sacramento motorcycle accident lawyers can understand what you're going through and help accordingly.

We combat to make sure your settlement is reasonable and covers your future needs. In addition, we consult the medical and financial professionals who can help calculate how much your injuries will likely cost in the years to come.

The compensation to cover:

  • All present and future medical bills, including emergency room and hospital bills
  • Any expenses associated with treating your injury, including in-home care, medical instruments, and physical therapy
  • Your lost income and lost earnings
  • Loss of your future earning ability
  • Failure of the joy of life
  • Pain and grief
  • Emotional pain
  • Permanent disfigurement and scarring

Once you take a settlement request, you can't go back and claim more. So your attorney's role is vital.

Do not accept the insurance company's compensation offer without talking with an adept Sacramento motorcycle accident lawyer. Of course, the insurance adjuster's job is to protect the insurance company. But your lawyer's job is to save you. We take this responsibility seriously as our firm's objective is to satisfy the need of our clients. We have already supported many such accident victims, so call our injury lawyers immediately today to examine your right to compensation.

What is the motorcycle accident statute of limitations in California?

You have to act fast to obtain your motorcycle accident claim to make sure you meet California's deadline or statute of limitations. In California, all complainants with personal injury claims must file their cases with the civil courts within two years of the injury or crash date. Failing to file a lawsuit of an injury or wrongful death within two years bars a plaintiff typically from recovery in California, with a few exceptions. So don't delay longer than two years to confirm you meet your state's deadline. Instead, contact a Sacramento motorcycle accident attorney at McCrary Accident Injury Law Firm as soon as possible after a motorcycle accident while necessary evidence and information are still available. We can help you claim the filing process quicker and more efficiently for you.

How long do I have before I can file a lawsuit or claim for a motorcycle accident in California?

You have two years to file a Sacramento motorcycle accident lawsuit. In Sacramento, the statute of limitations for personal injury cases is two years from when your cause of action emerged. In most cases, the reason for action occurs in your accident since you were injured.

Regardless, the statute of limitations begins to run from when you should have known that you were injured in specific limited cases. For example, in wrongful death cases, the deceased's family must file a claim two years after the deadly motorcycle accident.

We recommend you think about talking with an attorney shortly than later. As time goes on, proof linked to your wrongful death case becomes more challenging to get, and witnesses may lose interest in helping.

Thus, we request you to talk to our law firm anytime for a free case evaluation. All sensitive information you share with our lawyers stays personal and confidential through an attorney-client relationship.

How much does my motorcycle accident case worth?

Many people, including insurance companies, have non-objective views and stereotypes against motorcyclists. This could make receiving a settlement for injuries more complex because insurance companies tend to blame the rider even if that person was not the reason for the collision. For example, insurance companies will argue that a motorcycle rider had pre-existing wounds or that the rider's recklessness and rate of speed were the cause of the crash—this helps reduce the damages owed to the injured rider. Sufferers often become helpless in convincing insurance claims adjusters and even the individuals accountable for the collision. It is crucial to get the support of a motorcycle accident attorney right away to handle the case. The importance of any motorcycle accident claim will count on the rigor of the injuries, the amount of relative negligence, and the amount of bodily injury or uninsured motorist insurance scope available to recover—the more intense the damages, the greater the medical bills, lost wages, and pain.

Unlike car accidents, motorcycle accidents affect severe injury and death rates. The motorcycle accident victims often sustain damages that far exceed the total amount of insurance available to collect if they win their case. Moreover, it is exceptionally uncommon for motorcycle owners to buy uninsured motorist coverage, which covers the unfortunate circumstance that they are affected in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured vehicle.

How much does it cost to hire a motorcycle accident attorney in Sacramento, CA?

In California, a standard fee percentage mandated by a lawyer would be 33.33%, which is one-third of the payment of the compensation received or verdict awarded by the court. Yet, a legal professional's charge can vary from 25% to 75%, depending upon the factors involved.

Why are motorcycle accidents so dangerous in Sacramento, California?

According to the estimation taken in 2016 by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Federal Government, motorcycle riders are about 28 times more likely to die in an accident than the occupants of passenger cars. California witnessed 2,655 fatal vehicle collisions concerning a motorcycle from 2014 to 2018. California has an evaluated 666 total annual average of deadly motorcycle accidents.

There are several causes why motorcycle accidents are so risky, including:

  • Less safety than a car: Motorcycles lack a car's safety features. Motorcycle accidents are innately more dangerous than car accidents for drivers and passengers because riders are not protected by steel and are generally thrown from the bike during a crash. In addition, several common injuries are associated with motorcycle accidents: Concussion and brain damage.
  • Less stability: Motorcycles with two wheels are less stable than cars. There is an improved chance of accidents generated by road hazards such as potholes, uneven lanes, or slick conditions.
  • Less visibility: The drivers of cars or commercial vehicles have difficulty seeing motorcycles, especially at night, leading to accidents generated by cars turning into the motorcycle or its path.
  • Lane splitting: This destructive practice affects motorcycles riding between and within the same lane as slowed or stopped cars due to traffic. Despite bills introduced by state lawmakers in current years that favor is letting the practice, lane splitting is prohibited in California.
  • Lack of training or licensing: California City stands second in the OTS ranking. https://www.ots.ca.gov/media-and-research/crash-rankings-results/?wpv-wpcf-year=2019&wpv-wpcf-city_county=California+City&wpv_filter_submit=Submit#

Every motorcyclist in California will require a proper motorcycle permit. In addition, to use any two-wheel motorcycle, you must have a Class M1 license, also known as a motorcycle endorsement. Riders can also get an instruction permit and pass a knowledge test to get the motorcycle endorsement on their license.

Safety tips for motorcyclists in California

These are some of the tips for motorcyclists to make their rides secure:

  • Use a Department of Transportation-approved helmet.
  • Wear light, breathable fabric with heavy-duty armor panels along the spine and elbows.
  • Ride defensively; think that the drivers of the cars around you have not noticed you.
  • Leave a safe space between your motorcycle and other vehicles on the road.

Safety tips for other riders who share the road with motorcyclists in California

Lowering the number of motorcycle collisions will need the actions of other drivers, too. You may keep in mind the following recommendations:

  • Be aware of blind spots and consistently use a turn signal when making turns in the area of motorcyclists. Around 40 percent of crashes involving a motorcycle and another vehicle happen when the other vehicle makes a left turn.
  • Allow motorcyclists an entire lane to drive in.
  • Allow abundance of space when driving behind motorcyclists, especially when the road conditions are unsafe.
  • Always believe that a motorcycle is closer than it appears when you are at a junction. Because they are smaller, it can be more challenging to judge their space and speed.

Speak with an experienced Sacramento motorcycle accident lawyer today

At McCrary Accident Injury Law Firm, our injury attorneys are proud to deliver the high-quality legal advice you need after an accident. We will stand by your side and assist you in understanding your choices from start to end. In addition, we work actively to pinpoint all potential sources of compensation for you.

Don't wait until you recover fully from a severe injury. Instead, call a Sacramento accident lawyer today, and if you're hurt, we will visit you at the hospital or wherever you choose to meet. Your consultation is 100% free, so don't hesitate to contact us today.

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