Motorcycle Accident Attorneys

Motorcycle cases follow the same basic negligence rules as car accidents, but riders face challenges drivers usually don’t:

• Bias against riders. Insurance adjusters, and sometimes jurors, assume motorcyclists are reckless. Even when a driver turned left right in front of you, expect the insurer to suggest you were speeding.
• More severe injuries. Rider injuries are often catastrophic, so the claim has to account for surgeries, rehab, and lost earning capacity years into the future.
• Helmet and lane-splitting arguments. Insurers often raise helmet use or lane splitting to cut what they pay, whether or not either one caused the crash or your injuries.
• Less electronic evidence. Many motorcycles don’t record crash data the way newer cars do, so witness statements, video, and reconstruction carry more weight.

Vehicle collisions make up the core of our practice, and motorcycle crashes are among the most serious cases we handle. Johnson Attorneys Group has recovered over $100 million for injury victims across California, and we bring that experience to every rider’s claim.

Here are two of our motorcycle accident results:

• $1,000,000: a rider on the highway was struck head-on by a wheel that came off another vehicle in oncoming traffic, throwing the client over the handlebars onto the road.
• $290,000: a rider was struck by an unidentified driver and suffered multiple injuries.

Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case depends on its own facts.

See more of our case results

Here’s how we build a motorcycle accident claim, from the first call to the final check:

1. Free consultation. We listen to what happened, review your injuries and insurance, and explain your options at no cost.
2. Fast investigation. We gather the police or CHP report, scene photos, helmet-cam and dashcam footage, nearby business video, and witness statements before they disappear.
3. Reconstruct the crash. When fault is disputed, we work with accident reconstruction experts who analyze damage, skid marks, and sight lines to show how the crash really happened and answer speeding claims with evidence.
4. Document your injuries. We gather medical records, bills, and doctors’ opinions on future care, so the claim reflects long-term needs like surgery, therapy, and time off work.
5. Handle every insurer. We take over communication with the at-fault driver’s insurer, file claims under your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage when needed, and keep you from giving statements that can be used against you.
6. Negotiate, or go to trial. We push for a fair settlement, and if the insurer won’t pay what your case is worth, we’re prepared to file suit and take it to a jury.

Unsure if you have a case? Let’s talk. It’s free. Call Johnson Attorneys Group at 1 (800) 208-3538.

Most motorcycle crashes happen because a driver failed to see or make room for the rider. Common causes include:

• Left turns in front of a rider, often at intersections, when a driver misjudges a motorcycle’s speed or doesn’t see it at all
• Unsafe lane changes into a rider’s lane without checking blind spots
• Rear-end collisions when a rider slows or stops in traffic
• Dooring, when a parked driver opens a door into traffic, which California law prohibits unless it’s reasonably safe
• Distracted and impaired driving
• Road hazards like potholes, gravel, uneven pavement, and debris that a car might roll over but can throw a rider
• Defective parts, including brakes, tires, and throttle components

Liability depends on who caused the crash, and more than one party can share the blame.

The Other Driver

Most motorcycle claims are against a driver who turned, merged, or stopped carelessly. If the driver broke a traffic law, such as failing to yield on a left turn, and caused the type of crash that law is meant to prevent, California law can presume the driver was negligent. If the driver was working at the time, their employer may also be responsible.

Government Agencies

A city, county, or Caltrans can be liable when a dangerous road condition like a deep pothole, missing signage, or loose gravel causes a crash. These claims generally require a written claim within six months, so they need quick action.

Manufacturers and Repair Shops

When brakes, tires, or other components fail, the manufacturer may face a product liability claim. A shop that did faulty repair work can also be responsible.

Shared Fault

California follows pure comparative fault. Even if an insurer argues you were partly to blame, you can still recover compensation, reduced by your percentage of fault. That’s why we push back hard on unsupported claims that a rider was speeding or riding unsafely.

Read more about California motorcycle laws and what happens if you weren’t wearing a helmet.

Compensation depends on your injuries and losses, and can include:

Economic Damages

• Medical expenses, from emergency care and surgery to physical therapy and future treatment
• Lost wages and reduced earning capacity if you can’t return to the same work
• Repair or replacement of your motorcycle, helmet, riding gear, and other property
• In-home care, mobility equipment, and other out-of-pocket costs

Non-Economic Damages

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress and loss of enjoyment of life, including the ability to ride again
• Scarring and disfigurement from road rash and burns
• Permanent disability

Punitive and Wrongful Death Damages

In rare cases involving malicious or reckless conduct, such as a drunk driver, California law allows punitive damages, which require clear and convincing evidence. If you lost a loved one, your family may bring a wrongful death claim for funeral costs, lost financial support, and loss of companionship.

Motorcycle crashes often cause traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, burns, and other catastrophic injuries. We work with medical experts to value these claims accurately.

• Get medical care right away. Adrenaline can mask serious injuries, including head and internal injuries.
• Call the police. Make sure a report is made and get the report number.
• Leave the bike where it lands if it’s safe. Its resting position can help show how the crash happened.
• Take photos. Capture the vehicles, the road surface, skid marks, your gear, and your injuries.
• Save your helmet and gear. Don’t throw away or repair them. They’re evidence.
• Get witness information and the other driver’s name, license, and insurance details.
• Don’t talk fault with insurers. Avoid recorded statements to the other driver’s insurance company before you speak with a lawyer.

Yes. California law expressly recognizes lane splitting, which Vehicle Code section 21658.1 defines as riding a motorcycle between rows of stopped or moving vehicles in the same lane. Lane splitting doesn’t automatically make you at fault. The question is whether you were riding safely for the conditions, and whether the other driver’s actions caused the crash.

Yes. California requires riders and passengers to wear a helmet, but not wearing one doesn’t bar your claim. The insurer may argue a helmet would have reduced certain injuries, such as a head injury, and try to lower that part of your compensation. It doesn’t affect injuries a helmet wouldn’t have prevented, like a broken leg.

Most motorcycle accident injury lawsuits must be filed within two years of the crash. Property damage claims generally have three years, wrongful death claims two years from the date of death, and claims against a government agency usually require a written claim within six months.

Your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage may pay for your injuries, including after many hit-and-run crashes. California policies generally require that the other vehicle made physical contact with you or your bike for hit-and-run coverage, so report the crash to police right away.

Your consultation is free, and we handle motorcycle accident cases on a contingency fee basis. You don’t pay attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.