Sepulveda Boulevard is a major north/south corridor in western Los Angeles. Motorcyclists use the route every day to head to work, to return home, or just to enjoy some sunshine.
Unfortunately, Sepulveda Boulevard can get jammed up with traffic. It shadows the 405 freeway for much of its run and intersects with some of the busiest thoroughfares in the city. Traffic from other roads can funnel onto Sepulveda Boulevard and that means more careless drivers to put riders in jeopardy.
A motorist’s blind lane switch, or a turn in front of traffic, can send a rider into a major collision to suffer broken bones, head injuries, or worse. When motorcyclists are injured due to the negligence of drivers, it’s critical to find them the best medical care available and the insurance support to cover the costs.
A Free Consultation with a Sepulveda Boulevard Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
When any traffic accident victim confronts an insurance provider to ask for support, they will face insurance tactics meant to rob them of compensation.
Those who ride motorcycles are especially vulnerable in the aftermath of collisions. Insurance adjusters like to pin blame on motorcyclists no matter who was actually at fault. They use stereotypes about riders to discredit their testimony simply to save some money for their companies.
After a Los Angeles motorcycle accident, you’ll need to be aware of every benefit available to you and your family before speaking with unhelpful car insurance companies. Schedule a free consultation with Maison Law of Los Angeles. It’s a no-risk way to find out how to keep insurance companies from robbing you of the compensation you’ll all need to make a full recovery and get back on your bike.
Motorcycle Accident Dangers on Sepulveda Boulevard
Motorcyclists, sadly, have had to adapt to the carelessness of drivers on the busiest roads in Los Angeles. The hazards pop up every hour of every day at congested intersections.
Sepulveda Boulevard and Sherman Way and Sepulveda and Woodman Avenue rank as some of the most dangerous intersections for traffic accidents in all of Los Angeles each year. For motorcyclists, it’s usually the failure of a driver to monitor what’s going on around them that causes crashes.
Here are just a few of the usual scenarios:
- Vehicle Turning Left – For some reason, drivers preparing for a left-hand turn across on-coming traffic can identify when there’s a break in car, SUV, and truck traffic. Unfortunately, they can hit the gas to make a turn without seeing a motorcyclist approaching. Suddenly a rider has just a few seconds to hit the brakes or swerve to avoid crashing into the broadside of a car or truck.
- Rear-end Collisions – Drivers can be staring at a cellphone screen when a light turns red at a Sepulveda Boulevard intersection. They might fail to hit the brakes until they’ve smashed into the rear of a motorcycle. Victims may spend months rehabbing from a motorcycle accident traumatic injury.
- Lane Splitting – This occurs when a rider travels between two lanes of stopped or slowly moving traffic. This maneuver is legal in California but that doesn’t mean a driver will respect the law or even bother to notice that a Sepulveda Boulevard motorcyclist is traveling beside them.
- Unsafe Lane Changes – Drivers may never see the motorcyclist beside them as they dart between lanes without checking blind spots. This is also a major hazard when big rigs are trying to merge into a lane a rider is already occupying.
- Dooring – Occupants of parked cars can fail to spot a motorcycle approaching and pop their door open creating a wall for the rider to run into. Motorists stopped at intersections can also fail to look before popping a door open in front of a rider who is lane splitting.
How Long Do I Have to File a Motorcycle Accident Injury Claim?
After a Motorcycle accident on Sepulveda Boulevard, you’ll have up to two years to file an insurance claim. Taking action as soon as you can is the best course of action to make sure you earn the most from a motorcycle accident claim. Speak with a legal professional as soon as possible.
When your Los Angeles Motorcycle Accident Lawyer can begin investigating your collision just a few days after the incident, evidence will be easier to find and witnesses easier to locate.
What Kind of Support Should I Expect After a Motorcycle Accident on Sepulveda Boulevard?
There are two other things you can do to maximize the negotiating power you’ll have when confronting the at-fault driver’s auto insurance provider to get compensation.
The first action to take is on the scene where valuable evidence that may never be available again is found. If you are physically able and it’s safe, take lots of photos at the scene and show car and motorcycle damage. Show any visible injuries and take a picture of your helmet if you were wearing one. Get contact information from witnesses so your Sepulveda Boulevard motorcycle accident attorney can secure testimony later.
The second action to take is to keep track of all of your physical and financial hardships experienced after your accident. Keep receipts and invoices and take notes anytime your life is affected.
Your Los Angeles personal injury lawyer will be submitting a claim to the insurance company that includes a list of every personal damage you have endured.
These factors will help determine the amount you see on a motorcycle accident settlement check:
- Hospital and physical therapy expenses for as long as care is needed.
- Estimates on future costs associated with a long-term injury or permanent physical disability.
- The physical pain you endure in an accident and during recovery.
- The emotional trauma that stays with you after an accident and during recovery. The loss of enjoyment of life if you can’t get back on your motorcycle.
- The cost of motorcycle repairs or replacement.
- Income and benefits you’ve lost while missing work.
- Wrongful death benefits. Families left behind after a fatal Los Angeles motorcycle accident should seek support for burial costs and remaining medical bills. They should also expect help in the future when they’ll be without the guidance and economic support a loved one had provided.
Contact a Sepulveda Boulevard Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
After a serious Los Angeles motorcycle accident, take advantage of a free case consultation from Martin Gasparian, the founder of Maison Law. This evaluation comes with no obligation to you or your family. We want to make sure you are treated fairly and receive the support you need to fully recover and get back to the rides you love.
There’s no need for concern about how you’ll pay for legal representation. Our motorcycle accident attorneys don’t get paid unless we win your case.
