Maison Law represents injured motorcycle accident victims in the Plumas National Forest area. If you’ve found yourself injured in a motorcycle accident, you’re most likely looking at extensive medical bills, property damage, and ongoing treatment costs. Just the financial toll alone can be overwhelming, especially when you’re unsure how to manage the aftermath on your own. But that’s where we can help.
At Maison Law, we will manage your motorcycle accident claim and recover all your costs, as well as additional compensation needed to get your life back on track. So, while you focus on your recovery, we’ll take care of all your legal, medical, and financial needs. Don’t let a motorcycle accident define the rest of your life. Get the help you need by contacting Maison Law today for a no-cost, no-obligation case review.
Do I Need a Lawyer for a Motorcycle Accident?
Plumas National Forest’s scenic mountain roads, like Tioga Pass and the Lake Tahoe Loop, is what make a trek through Plumas National Forest so attractive to avid motorcycle riders in California. However, these mountainous roads present many hazards like inclement weather and dense traffic when thousands of Californians attempt to flock up the mountain for a quick getaway. These factors present a serious risk of injury for motorcyclists. When a motorcyclist is injured in an accident on steep, curvy mountainous roads, they will usually face severe injuries and property damage that can be life-altering. For that reason, it is recommended to consult with one of our Motorcycle Accident Attorneys at Maison Law.
If you were injured in a motorcycle accident, you can pursue compensation through the at-fault driver’s insurance. However, insurance companies are notorious for being difficult to work with and will most likely offer you a low settlement or even deny your claim. But at Maison Law, we stand up for injured motorcycle accident victims like yourself and ensure you receive fair compensation from the insurance companies. The damages we secure for injured riders include:
- Economic damages: The financial damages you incurred due to the accident.
- Medical bills
- Lost Wages
- Loss of future potential earnings
- Loss of property
- Cost of property repair or replacement
- Non-economic damages: These are subjective, non-compensatory damages.
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Loss of consortium
- Punitive damages: These are damages awarded to serve as punishment to the at-fault party.
- Reckless behavior (DUI, street racing)
- Actions performed out of spite
What You Will Need When Consulting with a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer for the First Time
The initial process of speaking with our law firm for the first time usually starts off with a questionnaire to assess the merits of the case. This questionnaire will provide us with key information to help determine if a case is worth pursuing or not. However, if you’d like to speak directly to one of our attorneys, you can set up a brief meeting to discuss the details of your situation prior to answering a questionnaire. The following data is what potential clients will need when they first sit down with us:
- Employment details: current or former employer, job title, dates of employment, and compensation information.
- Nature of the complaint: type of carelessness that led to your injury (premise liability, reckless driving, defective equipment)
- Timeline of events: dates of key incidents, formal complaints filed, relevant communications with the employer
- Witnesses: names and contact information of potential witnesses to the alleged misconduct
- Documentation: list of relevant documents (x-rays, MRIs, doctor’s diagnosis, physical therapy appointments, workers’ compensation forms)
- Prior legal action: if you’ve filed previous personal injury claims, then the details of your previous case may be relevant to your new case
- Medical information: details about your medical diagnosis and treatment plan
- Social media presence: your injury may be documented online, as well as you discussing the details of your personal injury
Some of these elements may seem irrelevant to your case, but trust us, they are not. Most defense lawyers will use anything they can to diminish the damage done to your life after a motorcycle accident. For example, if your social media account has videos of you speeding on your motorcycle or riding dangerously, they will most likely attempt to use that against you to say you’re a dangerous rider, even if you were safely riding when the accident occurred.
Understanding How Motorcycle Accident Law Protects Injured Riders
Other drivers on the road owe a “duty of care” to the other drivers around them, including motorcyclists. Duty of care isn’t just a suggestion for drivers driving in the Plumas National Forest area; it is a law they must follow. According to Civil Code 1714, people are responsible for their actions and for preventing their property from harming others. This includes motorcyclists. The statute states:
“Everyone is responsible, not only for the result of his or her willful acts, but also for an injury occasioned to another by his or her want of ordinary care or skill in the management of his or her property or person, except so far as the latter has, willfully or by want of ordinary care, brought the injury upon himself or herself. The design, distribution, or marketing of firearms and ammunition is not exempt from the duty to use ordinary care and skill that is required by this section. The extent of liability in these cases is defined by the Title on Compensatory Relief.”
To establish the actions of a careless driver caused your motorcycle accident, you would need to prove the following:
- Duty of care: the other driver has a legal obligation to drive with caution and prevent any hazardous incidents that could injure someone
- Breach: the other driver failed to uphold their duty of care toward other drivers
- Cause: the other driver’s carelessness was a direct cause of the accident
- Damages: You suffered verifiable damages and incurred heavy losses due to the injuries sustained from the accident
How Does Fault Work in a Motorcycle Accident Injury Claim?
In most states, the at-fault party’s insurance is responsible for damages. In California, however, the fault is determined by a “comparative negligence” system. Comparative negligence allows an injured party who shares fault for their injuries to receive compensation, a legal action covered by the Comparative Negligence Law, which states:
“Under the pure comparative negligence rule, the state allows the plaintiff to claim damages for the 1% they are not at fault even when they are 99% at fault.”
So, being found partially at fault for a motorcycle accident doesn’t mean you can’t be compensated for your injuries. At Maison Law, we specialize in reducing liability or eliminating it entirely. To see what legal options are available for your situation, contact us today for a free case review.
Common Dangers that Cause Motorcycle Accidents in the Plumas National Forest Area
In 2017, according to Berkley University, nearly 22% of all motorcycle accidents were fatal or ended in severe injuries. These horrific accidents are common in the Plumas National Forest area due to the lack of awareness from other motorists and the amount of risk involved with using a motorcycle on curvy, mountainous roads. The following dangers are the leading causes of motorcycle accidents:
- Absence of barriers: motorcyclists are not protected by metal, airbags, or seat belts like a typical car. The only preventative barrier is their helmet.
- Reduced Stability: Motorcycles can travel at high speeds, but at the cost of stability, making them susceptible to other vehicles, harsh weather, and hazardous road conditions.
- Reduced Visibility: Motorcyclists are less noticeable to other vehicles, especially at night.
- Poor Road Conditions: debris and other objects on the road might be easy for a car to ride over, but a motorcyclist is at a much higher risk if the road surface has been compromised.
Most Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in California
According to SAFETrec, 13% of all accidents in the United States involved motorcycles. This mainly due to careless drivers failing to share the road safely with motorcyclists. The most common vehicle collisions with motorcycles include:
- Distracted Driving: even momentary glances can cause devastating accidents. Distracted driving can be proven through camera footage, cell phone records, and collision investigations.
- Speeding: speeding only increases the severity of accidents and is a leading contributor to fatal motorcycle accidents every year in California. A driver’s CPU data can potentially reveal their speed before an accident.
- Moving violation: running red lights, illegal U-turns, or failing to yield can disrupt the flow of traffic, leading to major accidents. These illegal actions can typically be proven by traffic camera footage and eyewitnesses.
- Driving under the influence (DUI): this action is one of the leading causes of fatal motorcycle accidents in California.
- Lane-splitting: occurs when motorcyclists ride between lanes of traffic, which can lead to accidents if drivers are not aware of the motorcyclist.
How to Maximize Your Motorcycle Accident Settlement
Maximizing your settlement is perfectly normal, as most motorcycle accident victims will suffer major medical costs, vehicle repairs, and serious changes in their lifestyle. Motorcycle accident injuries can be life-altering, which is why accident victims are entitled to the maximum amount of compensation for all the damages they’ve been forced to endure. While an experienced Motorcycle Accident Attorney will handle the legalities of your case, you can help maximize your settlement after an accident by:
- Seeking medical treatment: Nothing is more important than your health. After an accident, you should always get seen by a doctor, even if you feel fine. Not seeing a doctor will only hurt your chances of receiving fair compensation.
- Reporting the accident: After a motorcycle accident, it is important to get a police report. Police reports typically cover who was involved in the accident and who was at fault. It’s okay if you’re unable to get it yourself. A lawyer can subpoena that information if necessary once a lawsuit is filed with the courts.
- Gathering evidence: take your own photos of the scene and get witness statements, as well as their information. Accidents can get cleaned up quickly, and cars can get moved, so it is important to capture the damage of all the vehicles involved.
- Following up on your injuries with a doctor: Any injuries you’ve sustained from your accident will become a part of your case and you will need a doctor to corroborate your injuries.
- Contact Maison Law: protect your legal right to compensation. Most accident victims find themselves overwhelmed after a motorcycle accident and fail to realize the enormous impact a serious injury can have on their lives. Our experienced attorneys can help you understand your options and get you the compensation you need
Contact Maison Law | Plumas National Forest Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
At Maison Law, we understand that injured victims only have one chance at securing financial relief after a serious accident. That’s why we focus on getting your case resolved and getting you paid as quickly as possible. Our firm has proudly managed numerous motorcycle accident cases, successfully protecting riders from liability and reaching fair settlements quickly and efficiently on their behalf. So, don’t wait until it’s too late to take legal action for your motorcycle accident injury. Contact Maison Law today for a free, no-risk consultation and case evaluation. There are no upfront fees and you don’t pay a cent until your case is won.
