Freeway 110 is your motorcycle route if your ride loop takes you anywhere around the Port of Los Angeles or through Downtown Los Angeles or northeast into Pasadena. There are a lot of different types of traffic on this busy interstate and state route through the city. And careless car, SUV, and big rig drivers can all make safe travel for a motorcyclist a challenge.
Motorcyclists can do everything they can to stay visible to other drivers and yet reckless motorists still forget mirror checks or blow past the speed limit and end up striking a rider. These mistakes could cost riders their health, their mobility, and even their lives.
Victims and their families must make sure an at-fault driver’s car insurance provider isn’t allowed to shift blame and avoid responsibility for devastating Freeway 110 motorcycle accidents.
Freeway 110 Motorcycle Accident Dangers
Freeway 110, also known as the Harbor Freeway, carries eight lanes or more of traffic up from near Long Beach into Downtown. Interstate 110 is one of the primary corridors for large trucks hauling goods from the Port of Los Angeles to processing centers inland. Motorcyclists can share the lanes with many big rigs and may witness multiple incidents of tractor trailers weaving out of their own lanes and into a rider’s path.
The interstate becomes State Route 110 as it heads up into Pasadena, but still carries extreme amounts of car, SUV, and truck traffic. Rushed drivers can merge onto Highway 110 from an on-ramp without checking mirrors and blind spots properly for a rider nearby. Speeding and distracted drivers are also famous for spotting a traffic jam too late and being unable to slow down in time to avoid rear-ending a motorcyclist.
After a major Freeway 110 motorcycle accident and serious injuries, it’s up to a skilled Los Angeles Motorcycle Accident Lawyer to collect California Highway Patrol evidence that clearly shows the motorcyclist is not responsible for an accident. Experienced lawyers also conduct their own investigations to make sure every shred of evidence is uncovered to show a bad driver was at fault.
Common Injuries After Freeway 110 Motorcycle Accidents
When medical bills start arriving after a Los Angeles motorcycle accident, there will be worry over how to pay them. This worry comes at a time when a rider may also be missing valuable time at work and falling behind on rent or mortgage payments and credit card bills.
Injured riders may also not know how long they’ll require medical care for an injury. Recovery may take a few days, a few weeks, or a few months. Some injuries are so severe they result in a permanent physical disability that leaves motorcyclists unable to ever return to work or the rides they love.
Motorcyclists travel largely unprotected from the devastating mistakes made by drivers. These are just a few of the traumatic injuries that are commonly treated in Los Angeles emergency rooms after an accident:
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) – A brain injury can be something as mild as a concussion or something with much more far-reaching consequences. A TBI can cause seizures, blurred vision, and memory issues among other symptoms.
- Broken Bones – Motorcyclists can break hand, wrist, and arm bones. The leg bones are also at risk. The kneecap could break into pieces if a rider lands on a knee. The skull, vertebrae, and hips are also vulnerable.
- Skin Damage – A slide across the pavement on the lanes of Freeway 110 can cause “road rash” as the skin is damaged by the rough surface. They are treated much like heat burns. Damage can go several layers deep into the skin. Road rash may leave permanent scars behind and that permanent disfigurement will earn additional injury compensation.
- Chest Injuries – An impact to the chest can break ribs, the breastbone, and the collarbones. Any damage to the rib cage could send bones into the lungs and heart and harm other internal organs and blood vessels.
What To Do After a Los Angeles Motorcycle Accident on Highway 110
In order to force a car insurance company to do the right thing and cover every medical bill you’ve built up, you’ll need strong proof that you weren’t to blame for your L.A. motorcycle collision. This proof is also key to having your lost paychecks covered as you heal and receiving support for the physical pain and emotional trauma you experience.
Having a lot of evidence is never a bad thing because an auto insurance adjuster will try just about anything to avoid having to pay you and your family what’s fair. The proof is necessary if you hope to gain an adequate settlement that covers 100% of your hardships.
If your injury allows, you should begin collecting proof of what happened in the moments right after your L.A. motorcycle accident.
- Contact 911. Get examined by ambulance crews and go to the emergency room if it’s necessary. Tell LAPD or CHP officers if you saw the driver to blame behaving recklessly or holding a cellphone before the accident occurred. Help them create an accurate collision report.
- Preserve the scene by taking pictures on your phone. Show the damage your motorcycle caused to the other vehicle. Take pictures of your wrecked motorcycle. Show lane debris and skid marks. Take photos of any visible injuries. Demonstrate that you were wearing a motorcycle helmet if you were. But remember, you don’t have to have been wearing a motorcycle helmet to receive injury compensation.
- Talk to witnesses about what they saw. Get contact information so your Los Angeles Motorcycle Accident Attorney can contact them for testimony.
- Exchange information with the at-fault driver but don’t discuss how badly you are injured or who was at fault in the accident. You may not know the answer to either question. Insurance companies can twist your statements at the scene and statements you offer over the phone and use them against you.
- Keep any damaged clothing and personal items. Don’t throw evidence out. Hang on to your damaged motorcycle.
Support for Families After a Deadly Freeway 110 Motorcycle Accident
The State of California has also enacted legal means for families who have lost a loved one in a motorcycle accident to earn important financial support.
A spouse or children of a deceased victim can file a wrongful death claim against an at-fault driver’s car insurance provider. The support earned can cover the cost of a burial and any medical bills leftover from a motorcycle accident. The income the deceased can no longer provide to the family in the future would also be replaced.
Contact a Freeway 110 Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Motorcycle accident victims and their families have up to two years to file an injury claim or a wrongful death claim against an at-fault driver. It’s smart to act as soon as possible after a motorcycle collision along Freeway 110. This gives your Los Angeles motorcycle accident attorney the best chance to secure still-fresh physical evidence, security footage, and documents.
If you or a loved one are the victim of a careless driver, take advantage of a free case consultation from Martin Gasparian, the founder of Maison Law. This evaluation comes with no obligation, but if you decide to hire us, you won’t need any money. We don’t get paid unless we win your case.
