Maison Law helps accident victims who are hurt while they are passengers on motorcycles. We make sure careless drivers are held fully accountable for the passengers’ every doctor bill and lost paycheck.
If you have been injured, please contact a Livermore Motorcycle Accident Lawyer for a free case review. It’s an informative, no-strings-attached way to find out what your injury may be worth and how to hold a car insurance company fully responsible.
When You Should Contact a Lawyer
With a minor injury, you may be able to handle your accident claim yourself. However, if you have a more serious injury, spend more time at the doctor, and lose more valuable hours at work, it’s a good idea to contact a skilled attorney and talk over your options.
A more expensive recovery sends car insurance adjusters racing to find ways to limit what you can earn. Their tactics, including laughing off your injuries, often leave you with far less than you need. This might mean you are left to pay some or all of your medical expenses yourself.
Having an attorney who can fully investigate your accident and collect the evidence that points to the at-fault driver can greatly improve the outcome of your case.
The benefits only grow if you’ve suffered these and other serious injuries:
- Road rash and degloving skin injuries
- Tendon, ligament, and muscle tears
- Fractured bones anywhere in the body
- Knee and hip injuries
- Damage to internal organs
- Traumatic brain injuries and moderate to severe concussions
- Face and teeth injuries
- Neck and back injuries (including serious whiplash cases and herniated discs)
- A serious motorcycle injury suffered by a loved one who was riding with someone
- A family member tragically killed while riding with someone
You always have the right to file your own claim, but a skilled lawyer can often earn you much more in support than if you tried to take on a giant auto insurance provider yourself. This extra money can be extremely important if you end up requiring surgery or have an injury relapse in the months ahead. It’s also critical if you’ve fallen behind on your normal monthly bills, like car payments and rent, while you can’t work.
The Support We Win for Motorcycle Passengers
Your Maison Law attorney makes sure these and other damages are included in any motorcycle accident settlement check:
- Support for all current and future medical bills
- Lifelong support if you are left with a permanent physical disability or a disfigurement
- Support for the pain you endure
- Support for the emotional trauma you suffer for weeks, months, and years
- Replacement of past and future lost wages
- Wrongful death benefits for a victim’s family after a fatal crash that claims a passenger’s life
California Motorcycle Passenger Laws
California allows riders to carry passengers. Children are okay, too. However, there are safety measures and precautionary measures all motorcycle operators must take before taking off with a guest.
The California Motorcycle Handbook from the DMV goes over the responsibilities riders have when they take on a passenger.
The safety steps to take are laid out in the section beginning on page 38. These are a few of the critical steps:
- Providing a seat that’s big enough for both rider and passenger
- Making sure footrests are in place and that the passenger can reach them
- Passengers have to have a motorcycle helmet on, the same helmet requirements as the person driving the motorcycle
- The motorcyclist must instruct any passengers on riding safety, such as when to lean and when to hang on tighter
- Children can ride with adults but must have helmets on that fit and have access to footrests they can reach, among other precautions
Of course, riders must also try to protect their passengers from the negligent moves drivers in cars, SUVs, and trucks will make on Livermore Highways, such as Route 84. Unfortunately, it’s not always possible to swerve out of the way of negligent drivers. Accidents can happen, and drivers can be held liable for the pain and hardships riders are put through.
A skilled attorney can investigate the accident and collect evidence so the driver and the driver’s car insurer can’t wiggle out of the liability. When necessary, Maison Law can also bring in accident reconstruction specialists to shine a spotlight on the mistakes of the driver.
Filing A Claim Against a Motorcyclist You Were Riding With
In some cases, a motorcyclist may have made an honest mistake and caused an accident that hurt a passenger. The accident may have involved running into another vehicle, or it could be a wipe-out without any other vehicles involved.
Victims can file an injury claim against the rider’s motorcycle insurance provider (similar to filing a claim with a driver’s car insurance company).
Passengers hurt on a ride may feel conflicted about filing a claim against someone they were riding with, like a family member or friend. It’s okay to feel this way, but victims should consider that they’ll be filing against the motorcyclist’s insurer. A claim won’t target the motorcyclist directly.
Unfortunately, not all motorcycle insurance policies include protection for passengers.
Motorcycle owners would usually need to have added additional protection known as “guest passenger liability” to allow a passenger to seek financial help.
In some cases, a victim may have to seek help directly from the motorcyclist. The operator could have to help pay for medical bills and other damages out of their own wallet. A skilled attorney can help victims determine who should be held liable for an accident, and can sometimes force insurers to accept responsibility for injured passengers.
Contact a Motorcycle Passenger Accident Attorney
If you’ve suffered a serious injury while on the back of a motorcycle, it’s a good idea to discuss your options with a real lawyer. You’ll want to figure out who can be held responsible. You could also need help demanding support that will extend as long as you need medical support. That might be weeks, months, or even years.
Contact Maison Law to set up a free consultation with a real Alameda County lawyer to go over your options.
Remember, if you do need legal representation, you don’t have to worry about how you’ll pay a lawyer. We work on a contingency basis. It means we don’t get paid unless we win your case. Then, our fee comes out of the settlement check that an insurance company must write for you.
