Maison Law helps injured motorcyclists after drivers trying to merge cause dangerous accidents.
Our Modesto Motorcycle Accident Lawyers protect injured riders and secure support to help them pay for their hospital bills and replace their lost paychecks. We provide a free, no-obligation case consultation to all injured Stanislaus County victims. We want to offer victims hope after a frightening accident and make sure they have everything they require to return to their bikes as soon as possible.
When to Turn Your Case Over to a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Off the top, know that riders who suffer very minor injuries or just motorcycle damage can usually handle their claims themselves and get fair treatment.
It’s when motorcyclists suffer a more serious injury, and a merging driver is to blame, that the protection and settlement boost a lawyer contributes can greatly benefit injured riders.
These are a few of the types of injuries that might leave victims in need of a motorcycle accident attorney:
- Broken bones
- A Traumatic Brain Injury, including a serious concussion
- A neck or spine injury, including a serious case of whiplash
- A back injury with pain that lingers
- Skin damage such as a serious case of road rash or a degloving injury (skin peeled away)
- A permanent physical disability or disfigurement
- Face and mouth injuries
- A fatal motorcycle accident that claimed a loved one’s life while they were riding on the back of a motorcycle
Car insurance companies suddenly become much more stingy when they hear that victims will need care beyond a quick trip to the ER at Doctors Medical Center with something like a broken wrist.
This means the medical bills will run higher, and the rider will miss more time on the job. The high costs trigger insurance adjusters to look for ways to reject claims or limit what they have to pay. A skilled attorney fully investigates what happened. Then the evidence is ready to go when an insurer uses its tactics to try to avoid responsibility. A Maison Law attorney has a great chance to earn you much more in a settlement.
Winning Compensation for Motorcycle Accident Victims
An experienced lawyer would take action right away to secure surveillance video, gather witness testimony, and snag all important medical documents. Maison Law also works with accident reconstruction teams and forensics experts when insurers try to confuse the facts about how an accident occurred.
The evidence is used to put a halt to shady insurance tactics, and then to show how long riders will require financial support.
The evidence also puts a Maison Law attorney in a position of strength when it comes time to negotiate for these and other benefits from an auto insurance company:
- Support for all current and future medical bills
- Lifelong support if you are left with a permanent physical disability
- Support for the pain you endure
- Support for the emotional trauma of a scary crash and long recovery
- Replacement of past and future lost wages
- Wrongful death benefits for a victim’s family after a fatal crash that claims a motorcyclist’s life
The Responsibility of Merging Drivers in Modesto
California vehicle codes hold motorists trying to merge responsible for any accidents that occur while attempting to join traffic. California Vehicle Code CVC 21804. explains that the motorist (motorcyclist) already on the highway has the right-of-way.
The rider already on a busy highway like Highway 99 or out on I-5 isn’t required to move or slow down to allow the merging driver in. It’s up to the merging driver to safely find a place to join traffic and to do so in a safe manner.
Unfortunately, there are several mistakes merging drivers can make that can put riders in danger:
- Failure to check mirrors and blind spots. This is especially important for merging drivers, because they may not realize they are alongside a motorcycle. Merging drivers can think they have an opening to jump onto Route 99, only to change lanes into a defenseless rider.
- Speeding drivers. The California Driver’s Handbook explains that drivers wanting to merge should try to match the speed of highway traffic as closely as possible. If they go to fact, they can end up rushing a lane change and missing an important factor, such as a rider in the lane beside them.
- Slow drivers. The handbook also warns drivers against going too slow to safely merge. Drivers should never come to a stop unless and absolute emergency. Making a rash lane change at a slow speed in front of a rider going highway speeds may not allow time to slow the motorcycle down enough to avoid a devastating rear-end collision.
Unfortunately, merging drivers can get jumpy and make errors in judgment that cause scary impacts and chain reaction collisions.
And unfortunately, proving a driver merged in an unsafe manner can be difficult in some cases. If a motorcyclist can grab photos right after a collision, as long as the scene is safe, it can provide some strong evidence for an accident claim.
As long as riders feel strong enough, they should try to get photos of the damage to their motorcycles and the cars involved. Clearly show where vehicles ended up. They can also get pictures of the skid marks left on the road and their own injuries if they are visible.
Contact a Modesto Motorcycle Accident Attorney
If you’ve suffered a serious injury after being struck by a driver who didn’t merge safely, you may earn more for your recovery with the help of a skilled lawyer. Contact us to set up a free consultation with a real lawyer to find out what’s possible.
If you feel you need a lawyer’s help to earn everything you’ll need to recover and get back on a motorcycle, you don’t have to worry about how you’ll pay a lawyer. Maison Law works 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 a car insurance company must write for you.
Martin Gasparian, the founder of Maison Law of Modesto, takes special care with motorcycle accident cases and never wants to see motorcyclists made to wait for recovery help. He also wants to make sure victims don’t give up hope. Mr. Gasparian has a long track record of helping motorcyclists earn full support that allows them to afford the care they need and to get back to their rides again.
