California Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
Cutter Law knows that motorcycle accident injuries can have a lasting negative impact on your physical and mental well-being. Mounting medical bills coupled with lost wages can make it hard to make ends meet, thus affecting your family’s stability and welfare.
Motorcycle accident victims and their families depend on financial compensation to make up for lost wages. They also need money to pay for medical bills and any property damage costs associated with the accident.
Our attorneys at Cutter Law know how to investigate motorcycle accidents to determine liability and estimate financial compensation needs.
Cutter Law has helped many clients through stressful situations, demanding justice for their injuries and recovering millions of dollars in damages. We are here to help those in need. Whether this means fighting for justice in settlement negotiations or at trial, you can count on us to have your back.
Common Motorcycle Accident Causes
There are many causes for motorcycle accidents, but some causes are reported more often. Common causes for motorcycle accidents include:
- Cars making left-hand turns
- Speeding
- Poor weather conditions or visibility
- Road construction
- Drunk driving
- Poor motorcycle maintenance
- Disregard for California motorcycle laws
If you have been injured in a motorcycle crash in northern California, you may be entitled to compensation—even if you were partially responsible.
Common Injuries from Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcyclists are in greater danger of significant injury and death when they are involved in an accident due to insufficient protection. Some of the most common motorcycle injuries are:
- Head and brain injuries
- Fractured or broken bones
- Soft-tissue injuries
- Road rash
- Spinal injuries
- Nerve damage
- Leg injuries
- Disfigurement
Depending on the severity and permanence of your injury, you may deserve significant financial damages from the at-fault driver. Our personal injury attorneys can assess your case to determine its merit and potential compensational value.
$240 Million
Trial attorney Brooks Cutter took a lead role in a nationwide case against Boston Scientific and Guidant following a recall of the manufacturer’s pacemakers and cardiac defibrillators.
$7.6 Million
Medical malpractice jury verdict on behalf of a young woman who suffered a spinal cord injury after doctors failed to diagnose a tumor on her spine.
$ 2.4 Million
Brooks Cutter and Margot Cutter won a $2.4 million dollar verdict on behalf of the children of a man who died after a staff doctor at a hospital lied and transferred a patient to another hospital that was not equipped to handle the patient.
$1.85 Million
Attorneys Todd Walburg and Celine Cutter represented a cyclist in Sonoma County, California who suffered a broken jaw and a mild traumatic brain injury after she rode her bike through a large pothole.
What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident
If you’ve been involved in any kind of accident, there are certain steps you should take to protect yourself and preserve your legal rights. By following these steps, you will be able to provide necessary information to your personal injury lawyer if you choose to take legal action. After an accident, you should:
- Check yourself and any passengers for injuries and call 911 if any are discovered
- If able, move your bike and yourself safely out of the flow of traffic
- Call the authorities
- Wait for law enforcement to arrive
- While you wait, exchange information with any other drivers involved in the crash
- Take photos and notes of anything you notice about the scene
- Identify any potential witnesses and get their contact information
- Contact your insurance agent to notify them of the accident
- Call a personal injury attorney
Immediately after your accident, you should get an exam from your health care provider. Some injuries are not immediately obvious, but doctors have experience identifying potential problems you may not be aware of. Make sure to follow any instructions and take any medications according to their directions, and you should also keep documentation of your visits.
Important Next Steps After a Motorcycle Injury
The most important step after a motorcycle accident is seeking medical treatment. Ultimately, the goal of a lawsuit is to seek financial means for physical and mental recovery. If you seek a legal remedy for your damages, delaying medical treatment can hurt your case. The next step is to hire a personal injury lawyer. If you broke any bones, had to miss work, or your medical bills totaled more than a few thousand dollars, finding an attorney is imperative. A personal injury lawyer with experience can:
- Use resources and knowledge to thoroughly investigate your claim
- Negotiate with insurance companies and defense attorneys
- Make an appropriate and sufficient compensation demand
- Skillfully represent you in trial if negotiations are not successful
- Guide you through the outcome of negotiations or a trial verdict
If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle crash, your priority should be getting healthy. The motorcycle injury lawyers at Cutter Law can handle all the details of your case, giving you time and energy to concentrate on healing.
Types of Compensation for Motorcycle Injury Accidents
If you were in a motorcycle crash and sustained injuries, you deserve fair compensation. To ensure that you get the damages you deserve, hire a personal injury attorney who has experience dealing with the unique complexities of motorcycle injury cases. The compensation you receive could include money for:
- Current and future medical costs
- Property damage
- Lost wages and lost earning potential
- Pain and suffering
If you lost a loved one in a motorcycle accident, you can seek compensation for:
- Funeral expenses and burial costs
- Medical costs and treatments before the victim died
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of wages and financial support from the deceased
A motorcycle accident lawyer will be able to assess your case and help you understand its potential value.
Frequently Asked Questions About Motorcycle Injury Lawsuits
If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident, you likely have questions about the legal process. Below are some common questions our motorcycle accident lawyers receive.
Q: Do I have to involve the police if I’ve been involved in a crash?
Under California’s accident reporting laws, a driver must notify the police within 24 hours if the crash resulted in injury or death. If the police respond to the accident, they will take care of filing the report.
Q: How much time do I have to file a lawsuit?
The statute of limitations in California to file a personal injury lawsuit is two years from the date of injury. In the event that the injury is not immediately discovered, the victim has one year from the date of discovery to file their claim. A claim for property damage may be filed within 3 years from the date the damage occurred.
Q: If I have insurance, do I really need a lawyer?
Insurance companies are in business to make a profit. They do not make money by being generous with their payouts.
If you were injured because of someone else’s negligence, it’s likely their insurance will be responsible for paying your claim. A skilled attorney can ensure they pay the full value of your claim.
Q: If I am partially responsible for my accident, can I still collect compensation?
California law establishes a framework under which a person can be compensated even if they are partially to blame for the accident that caused their injuries. Under what is known as comparative negligence law, a victim’s compensation will be reduced by the percentage of responsibility they bear for the accident as decided by a jury.
For example, a person may be awarded $100,000 for damages in an accident. But if the jury decides that they are 30% responsible for the accident, their payout will be reduced by $30,000. Thus, the victim’s total compensation would be $70,000.
Call Cutter Law If You’ve Been Injured in a Motorcycle Accident
Our attorneys at Cutter Law have over 40 years of combined legal experience. We are available to fight for your right to just and fair compensation. Although most injury cases settle through negotiations, we will be prepared to go to trial if needed. If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident, contact us for a free case review. We will consider all the legal issues surrounding the specific circumstances of your case. We will also take the time to answer any questions you may have. If you don’t have money for a lawyer, don’t worry—you don’t have to pay any fee unless we win.
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Sacramento Office
401 Watt Avenue Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95864
Phone: 916-290-9400
Oakland Office
Cutter Law P.C.
1999 Harrison Street Suite 1400
Oakland, CA 94612
