Maison Law represents riders injured in motorcycle accidents in Los Banos. If you or a loved one has sustained injuries or that family member was fatally injured while on a motorcycle, contact Maison Law immediately for a free consultation and evaluation of your case and its legal merit.
Do I Need a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Unfortunately, it is rare for a Los Banos motorcycle accident to result in only minor injuries for the rider. These incidents more commonly cause significant injuries that can alter the course of the rider’s life or even become life-threatening. While you are never legally required to hire a motorcycle accident lawyer to prepare and file a lawsuit with the court, there are many reasons it can be advantageous to contact Maison Law, discuss your case at a free consultation, and hire our staff to handle your Los Banos motorcycle accident lawsuit.
In the event of severe injuries, you might not be in a position to begin gathering facts, contacting other parties involved, or taking calls from an insurance company that is involved in the matter. And as your medical expenses increase and your time becomes more limited as you begin to work in therapy or rehabilitation to recover, handling these tasks could still be stressful and challenging. Having a Maison Law motorcycle accident lawyer on the case allows you to focus on your health and recovery and ensures other parties working to resolve the case have a point of contact that is easily reachable. In many instances, you will receive a larger settlement or award when working with a motorcycle accident lawyer than if you handled the case on your own.
Request Your Free Consultation Today
After your Los Banos motorcycle accident, you might have no idea what will be involved in resolving the matter or getting the compensation needed to cover your medical expenses and other losses that are due to the accident and injuries. Not knowing the process or whom to trust for reliable guidance can be as stressful as the injuries and losses at this point. But the good news for Los Banos riders is that Maison Law is ready to provide a free consultation and case evaluation for all victims of a motorcycle accident.
In addition, you will be pleased to learn that even after we share all the valuable information we have about a motorcycle accident lawsuit, you are never obligated to move forward with the case or hire Maison Law if you decide to pursue legal action. We only want to ensure you understand your options and can make the best choice to meet your needs.
What Is a Los Banos Motorcycle Accident Case Worth
As you see your medical bills piling up after a motorcycle accident and other expenses mounting, you are sure to have questions about the potential value of your case. What you need to understand is that while each motorcycle accident case is a bit different, certain expenses or categories of expenses are typically common among them all. You can begin to sort out your economic or monetary costs and losses easily and have an idea of the amount you will seek in compensation for these common losses that include:
- All current and projected medical expenses related to the injuries sustained in the motorcycle accident
- Your lost wages if you are unable to work because of the injuries suffered in the motorcycle accident in Los Banos
- Decreased earning capability if the injuries sustained in the motorcycle accident will result in limitations that negatively impact your future earning potential
- Repairs or replacement of your motorcycle and other personal property that was damaged or destroyed in the accident
The less tangible items that can increase the amount of your compensation in a motorcycle accident claim include:
- Your pain and suffering due to the accident and injuries
- Emotional distress and depression because of the incident
- Loss of enjoyment of various aspects of your life such as riding a motorcycle or participating in daily activities with your family and friends
- Scarring and disfigurement from the injuries
Who is Liable for My Los Banos Motorcycle Accident
It can be shocking to review all the possible people or entities that could be responsible for a motorcycle accident. You can usually think of the few common examples like other vehicle drivers. But the list of liable parties is much longer and includes:
- The City of Los Banos, Merced County, or the state if damage to the road’s surface was the cause of the motorcycle accident or if there were traffic signs that were damaged or missing and caused the accident
- Property owners near the accident location could be to blame if there were obstructions blocking traffic lanes or preventing the rider from seeing the road and lanes clearly
- A delivery service in the area if they dropped items on the roadway and created an obstruction
- A local landscape company if they were working in the area and left obstructions in the road
- The company that recently serviced your motorcycle if they failed to provide the proper care and the bike failed, causing your accident
- The manufacturer of the motorcycle if there was a defect in the bike that caused a failure and the accident
To better understand whom to hold accountable for your motorcycle accident and injuries, reach out to the motorcycle accident lawyers at Maison Law for a free consultation and case evaluation.
When deciding who was responsible, it helps to consider whether a party breached a duty of care.
Common Types of Motorcycle Accidents in Los Banos
Sadly, many drivers in Los Banos and the entire state are not fully focused on the road and their fellow travelers when they are operating a vehicle. As a result of this lack of attention and focus that should keep others on the roadways safe, some common types of accidents are upsettingly common and involve motorcycles, which include:
For statewide motorcycle crash data and safety trends, see UC Berkeley SafeTREC’s 2024 motorcycle safety facts and 2023 motorcycle safety facts.
- Vehicle lane change accidents or sideswiping a motorcycle
- Turning left in front of a motorcycle
- Opening a car door in front of a motorcycle
- Rear-ending a motorcycle
- Head-on collisions with a motorcycle
- Failing to yield to a motorcycle
- Motorcycle accidents caused by falling objects
- Not driving at an appropriate speed for the road or weather conditions
- Running a motorcycle off the road
Statute of Limitations for a Motorcycle Accident Case
In California, the victim of a motorcycle accident typically has two years from the date of the injury incident to file their lawsuit with the court. This time limit is strictly enforced, and once it has expired, the victim loses the right to pursue legal action related to that specific incident. The time limit is drastically shorter if the liable party is a government entity or agency, such as a city or state. In these cases, the victim will have only six months from the date of the incident to file the case with the court.
Common Insurance Company Tactics
If you are working toward settling your motorcycle accident claim with an insurance company on your own, there are a few common ploys you need to be aware of to avoid a poor outcome for your settlement. The first is that the insurance company can intimidate you by scheduling meetings with a large number of legal professionals and trying to force you to accept a lowball offer instead of a reasonable settlement for your losses and expenses.
It is also common for the insurance company to be very slow to respond or to make a settlement offer. This is often motivated when you are reaching the end of the Statute of Limitations for the case. The insurance company is trying to force you to wait until after the time limit to take legal action has expired, knowing that your only option will be to accept its low settlement offer.
If you are having issues dealing with an insurance company to settle your Los Banos motorcycle claim, make time today to reach out to the legal team at Maison Law for a free case evaluation. It might be the right time for you to hire a motorcycle accident lawyer to resolve this matter swiftly and with your best interests in mind.
Frequently Asked Questions About Los Banos Motorcycle Accidents
Can I file a motorcycle accident lawsuit if I did not have insurance at the time of the incident?
Yes, you do not need to have insurance coverage to pursue legal action when you are injured in a motorcycle accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence.
Can I file a lawsuit for a motorcycle accident where I was partially to blame?
Yes, you can. California is a comparative negligence state. That means you can file a lawsuit for the portion of your losses and expenses that is equal to the percentage of liability assigned to other parties. For example, if another driver was 80% liable for the motorcycle accident, you can seek compensation for 80% of your damages caused by the incident.
I was lane splitting when a car changed lanes and hit me. Can I still pursue legal action?
Yes, lane splitting is legal in California, and it is the driver's obligation to ensure there are no vehicles in the space where they are about to change lanes.
Contact A Los Banos Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been hurt in a motorcycle accident in Los Banos, contact the legal team at Maison Law for a free case evaluation and consultation. After this meeting, you will understand if your case has legal merit and the steps you can take to secure compensation for your losses and expenses.
If you decide to move forward with litigation and want to hire Maison Law to handle the matter, we will take on any case with legal merit and never require any upfront payments. We work solely on contingency, which means that the cost of your legal services is included in the compensation sought by the lawsuit. We only get paid after we win the lawsuit, and you get that compensation that includes our payment.
