Orange County Motorcycle Accident Attorney

Orange County Motorcycle Accident Attorney

On the crowded freeways and surface streets of Orange County, any and all types of vehicular accidents take place. When motorcycle accidents take place, however, they can often be quite serious.

If you’re visiting this page, you may have been in a motorcycle accident yourself. You may have experienced injuries, including serious ones. You may be missing out on work due to your stress and injuries, and you may be worried about finances. You might be concerned, too, about just who can help you with your Orange County motorcycle accident claim.

Timothy J. Ryan & Associates is here to help you through this. We offer free legal consultations. Contact our Orange County motorcycle accident attorney right away.

It will not cost you anything upfront. We know things are stressful right now, and we are here to help with advice.

The information that follows on this page will give you more details on what a claim like yours involves. We will look at the mistakes claimants sometimes make with their motorcycle accident cases, as well as a story of a claim similar to yours. Read through everything to get as much insight into your situation as you can, then contact our offices.

Timothy J. Ryan & Associates also helps residents of California with Personal Injury Matters in: Anaheim, Buena Park, Dana Point, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Los Angeles, Newport Beach, San Diego and Santa Ana.

Motorcycle Accident Statistics California

According to the Insurance Information Institute, Motorcycle accidents are 29 times more likely to result in a fatality than are those involving regular passenger vehicles. As of 2019, the Golden State had over 8,596,314 registered motorcycles.

Fortunately, the use of helmets has increased over the years. Helmets can reduce the severity of an accident considerably.

https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-motorcycle-crashes

Safety for Bikers

Driving a motorcycle requires fast reflexes and excellent hand-to-eye coordination. You should always take a class before driving a bike, and you should always wear a helmet. For every 100 bikers who die in motorcycle accidents in any given year, 36 of them could have survived if they were wearing a helmet.

No matter how careful and skilled a rider may be, there will always be negligent drivers on the road. Drunk drivers and unsafe road conditions cause accidents for motorcycle riders just as they do for everyone else.

When a motorcyclist is injured in an accident, they will need medical treatment and compensation for their bills. Our team of Orange County motorcycle accident attorneys will fight hard to get you compensation.

Typical Motorcycle Accidents

A Huntington Beach motorcycle accident can happen no matter what type of bike you are riding. Orange County is known for its beautiful waterfront, and beach motorcycle accidents happen all the time. Almost half of these accidents did not involve another driver. There are a few common types of accidents that motorcyclists experience when they collide with another vehicle.

Lane Changing Accidents

One reason people like to drive motorcycles is because of the fluidity of movement. You can weave in and out of lanes in a way that you would not be able to in a car. However, a driver of a car will have a more challenging time spotting a motorcycle in their rearview mirror.

If a driver is not paying careful attention to the road ahead of them and behind them, they may not see a motorcycle as it changes lanes. They may not be able to stop in time, and this can cause them to crash into the back of your motorcycle, or it can cause you to rear-end them.

A driver who does not see you right away may swerve into another car, or they may cause you to swerve into traffic. A competent driver will be aware of everything that is around them. If a driver is not alert at all times, they can cause serious injuries.

Speeding Accidents

The faster you are going when you have an accident, the greater the impact is going to be. Anyone can tell you that a car, truck, or SUV weighs more than a motorcycle and that when a small object collides with a larger object, the smaller object is going to get the brunt of the damage.

When a driver is not speeding, they are supposed to keep a 3-second distance between themselves and the car in front of them to avoid an auto accident. However, when they are speeding, they should keep the length of about 16 cars in front of them. If a driver does not maintain the appropriate distance, they are unlikely to be able to stop in time.

Drunk Driver Involved Accidents

Although driving drunk is the first thing they will teach you to avoid in any driver’s ed class, plenty of people still get into their cars after consuming alcohol. A person’s reflexes will not be as sharp when they have been drinking, and their eyesight may be blurry. They may also fall asleep behind the wheel. It is essential to have good lighting on your bike when you ride.

Motorcycles can be hard to see him broad daylight, and they are even harder to see at night. Huntington Beach motorcyclists and those who ride in Santa Ana know that the streets are very dark in Orange County at night. If you are not cautious, you can easily have an accident.

Turning Accidents

As many motorcyclists know, turning a corner can be one of the hardest things to learn when you drive a bike. Many novices will turn too hard or hit the brakes and slide on gravel. Any Huntington Beach motorcycle accident attorney can tell you that you can easily have a collision if you don’t turn with caution.

A distracted driver or who does not come to a complete stop before turning can cause an accident as well. A negligent driver may not see a motorcycle turning even though the motorcyclist has executed a perfect turn. Motorcyclists who ride across intersections when they have the right of way are often hit by drivers who are turning and did not see them coming.

Rear-End Accidents

The roads of Southern California are famous for their congestion, and Orange County is no exception. Rear-end accidents are common, and when a passenger vehicle or commercial truck hits a motorcycle, it can result in multiple injuries and medical bills

Common Motorcycle Accident Claim Mistakes

Many of those who have been involved in motorcycle accidents make inadvertent mistakes with their claims. Read through the following common mistakes to make sure that you do not make these same errors with your claim.

Not Getting Medical Treatment After a Motorcycle Accident

When we get into accidents and experience trauma, our bodies trigger a hormonal response. Originally, this was meant to give us the strength we needed to fight off, say, a wild animal during prehistoric times.

In today’s day and age, these hormones give us the same surge of energy, but often also prevent us from seeking medical help. They can make us feel as if we are fine and can even block pain.

It is always important to see a doctor as soon as possible after a motorcycle accident. If you do not, you are putting your health at risk. What’s more, you are putting your claim at risk, as well. Going to the doctor or ER as soon as possible establishes a timeline that will be essential to your claim.

Without that timeline, the insurance company can challenge whether or not your injuries happened in the accident as you claim. They might also suggest your injuries were not as serious as you say they are.

Don’t give the insurance company this advantage over you. See a doctor and get examined as soon as you can after your motorcycle accident.

Not Following Your Doctor’s Recommendations

After you see your doctor, they will provide you with a follow-up treatment plan. You need to follow these instructions carefully. Again, not doing so can endanger your health and your claim, as well.

If you vary from your doctor’s instructions, the insurance company can use it to suggest that it is your fault that you are not healing well. They will do anything to transfer blame from their client to you— do not give them this advantage. Follow all your doctor’s recommendations, whether it is taking medicine to completion or going to physical therapy appointments.

Giving the Insurance Company a Recorded Statement

In the days after your accident, you can expect to hear from the insurance company against which you have a claim. This is not a friendly check-in. Even though they might express sympathy for your situation, they only have one goal— getting information from you that will allow them to transfer blame to you.

Even if you say something innocent, such as, “I feel fine,” they can use this to say you weren’t as injured as you stated in your claim.

You have every right to refuse to talk to the insurance company. In fact, it will be better for you and your claim if you hand over responsibility for communicating with the insurance company to your Orange County motorcycle accident attorney.

Not Hiring a Lawyer Soon Enough

We understand— you have a lot on your plate right now. Handling the aftermath of your motorcycle accident, including injuries and financial struggles, is complicated enough. You may delay seeking the help of an attorney.

It is never a good idea, however, to put off hiring an attorney. For one, evidence from an accident scene can disappear quickly. Witnesses, too, can begin to forget details soon enough after an event.

Hiring an attorney as soon as possible is the best thing for your claim. Your Orange County motorcycle accident attorney can start gathering evidence right away to do right by your claim.

Don’t think the statute of limitations on your claim gives you time, either. Work needs to start on your case as soon as possible. Contact an Orange County motorcycle accident attorney as soon as you can after your accident.

Orange County Motorcycle Accident Client Story

The following story will hopefully provide you with some insight into what goes into a motorcycle claim. We have changed the names and personal details to protect our client’s privacy; the story, however, still contains valuable information essential to claims such as yours. Read through this story, then contact our Orange County motorcycle accident attorney to set up your free consultation.

On a rainy morning not too long ago, Grant Taylor headed out for his favorite event of the week— his Sunday morning motorcycle ride. Things have been going well for Grant lately. A new promotion had allowed him to start working locally, avoiding a long commute to and from San Diego twice a week.

Being a graphic designer had never been easy. The freelance world was tough enough. Now, with all the new designers coming out of school, the market was as competitive as ever. He had found his niche, however, and felt like he was on his way for the first time in his life.

He had been a fan of motorcycles since his dad first introduced him to them as a child. His father had always been safety conscious, teaching him all the rules of the road and advising him to operate his bike as safely as possible. Even though he knew some people looked down on motorcycle riders, he was confident in his skills.

It was a beautiful morning and he was excited to get a ride in up to Sunset Beach. They had just gotten through the rainy season in Orange County and this was the first time he would have the chance to get a solid few hours of road joy out of his bike.

As he got off the 405, he noticed an overloaded gardening pickup in front of him. “Yikes,” he muttered under his breath. That’s not the kind of setup you want to be stuck driving behind, he thought to himself. Why can’t these guys ever secure their gear properly?

Grant looked to his left looking for a safe way to pass the pickup but it was a no-go. He slowed down to create more space between him and the overloaded vehicle, muttering under his breath about irresponsible drivers. Dad would be proud, he thought.

The pickup in front of him slammed on their brakes. In an instant, Grant saw everything anything and everything tumbling out of the bed of the pickup truck towards his motorcycle. Before he knew it, his bike had slid out from under him. The last thing he recalled was his shoulder dragging against the pavement as his bike slid out from under him.

When he woke up hours later, he was surprised to see his mother’s face looking down at him. Was he back home again? How’d he end up in Minnesota? His mother took his hand and over the next 10 minutes explained everything that had happened to him over the last several days.

It turned out he’d been in a coma for several days after the accident. His left hip was shattered, along with his left leg. He had a long road of recovery in front of him, including extensive physical therapy. The doctors were optimistic but couldn’t be sure how long it would take or how well he would walk.

Grant blinked slowly. Trying to gather his wits. Seeing the concern on his mother’s face, he smiled and quipped “Well, at least I don’t need my leg or hip for work, right?”

Grant’s father walked in. Was he he there, too? His father dealt with things differently than his mother. He looked frustrated, even angry. Grant’s mother turned to the older man with a look of consternation, expecting what was sure to come.

“You’re awake, I see,” said his father. “These darn California drivers, I tell you! You’ve got rights in this situation, you know?!”

Grant’s mother turned back to him, taking his hand once again gently. “Your father wants you to talk to an attorney. I think it’s a good idea actually.”

We sat down with grant and his parents the next day. They told us they had three questions they needed answered: how much an attorney would cost, what his claim would be worth, and how long the case would take.

How much will this cost?

Grant looked uncomfortable from the start. It was clear why with his first question. “Excuse, me, sir, buy how much is this gonna cost me? Works been going well but I’m not sure I can fund a case.”

Our attorney, Timothy Ryan answered right away, putting both Grant and his parents immediately at ease. “We work on what’s called a contingency basis. That means that we take on your case with no upfront payment. We only get paid once you receive a settlement from the insurance company.”

“Well that’s a relief,” Grant replied.

His father looked uncomfortable. “You know we’ve got you, son.”

“I appreciate that, Dad, but I couldn’t put that on you guys.” Grant’s mother gave him a sympathetic squeeze.

What is my claim worth?

Grant’s father stepped in next, a big question clearly on his mind. “My son is looking at a lot of medical bills moving forward. He may even have difficulty walking, they’re telling me. How much is a claim like this worth? I don’t think chump change is gonna help my son in the long run.”

“It’s impossible for us to give you a definite sum upfront,” our attorney replied. “Any attorney that tells you otherwise isn’t being straightforward.

“It will take some time to understand exactly what Grant’s claim is worth. First, we need to wait and see how his medical recovery goes. We need to wait until he gets to what we call ‘maximum medical recovery.’ At that point, we’ll have a clearer picture of what Grant’s new normal will be. We will also have a better idea of what his total medical costs will be.”

How long will the case take?

Grant’s mother was up next fixing her gentle eyes on our attorney. “Now, sir, what I need to know is exactly how long this all is going to take. Grant’s already been through a lot. My husband and I are retired and we can stay here and help for a time, but we need to have a realistic idea of what’s ahead.”

Attorney Ryan replied courteously. “That’s understandable. Many people want to have a defined timeline up front. Unfortunately it’s difficult to provide a concise timeline on a case like this.

“As I said earlier, a lot depends on the insurance company. Once we have an idea of Grant’s maximum medical recovery, we can reach out to the insurance company.

“If they are willing to do what’s right and settle with an offer that does justice to Grant’s claim, then things can go pretty quickly from there. If they decide to not play ball, we may well have to take them to court.

“If that is the case there’s nothing you need to worry about. We have a lot of experience with cases like these, and with taking them to court. The insurance company knows this, too, and it may make them more willing to settle. They’re not likely to want to face us in court with our history in the courtroom.”

“Now you’re talking!” Grant’s father hooted. “That’s the fighting spirit we need on this kind of case. Now, how do you feel about ice fishing?” The room devolved into laughter at the idea.

We’re happy to say that Grant retained us later that afternoon. We were able to get him nine times what the insurance company had initially offered.

Call Our Orange County Motorcycle Accident Attorney Today

We hope this information has given you a good overview of your Orange County motorcycle accident claim. Since no two cases are alike, give our firm a call as soon as you can to schedule your free legal consultation. We can walk you through your next steps. You don’t have to go through this without help. Contact our Orange County motorcycle accident attorney today.