Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Los Angeles

Experienced Representation Following Serious Injuries

Motorcycle riders experience both joys and threats not met by most other motorists. They are able to enjoy the freedom that a bike brings, but they are also exposed to a variety of dangers that car and truck drivers rarely worry about.

According to the Insurance Information Institute, more than 80 percent of motorcycle accidents cause injuries or death. In 2017, approximately 5,100 motorcycle crashes resulted in fatalities and more than 89,000 resulted in injuries according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Severe head and brain trauma is the leading cause of fatal motorcycle accidents and serious injuries.

If you or someone you love has suffered this type of crash in Southern California and don’t believe it was your fault, you might want to consult with a motorcycle accident attorney in Los Angeles.

What Should I Do After A Motorcycle Accident in Los Angeles?

Do:

• Collect evidence & info. Get photos of the accident and injuries (mobile phone photos are fine). Get names and insurance info from all drivers involved. Obtain contact info from any witnesses.
• Call your insurance company. Reporting the accident to your insurance agent is extremely important to your case.
• Get legal help. An experienced personal injury attorney can help you understand your legal options.
• Obtain medical care. If you or a loved one was hurt, make sure to get proper medical treatment right away.

Do not:

• Panic. Being in an accident is a horrible experience, but help is available. Take a deep breath and focus on completing the DO items.
• Talk openly at the scene. Be careful about what you say. It is possible to damage your case by making a statement like, “I’m fine” or “I’m OK.”
• Talk to neighbors about the case. Insurance investigators are trained to look for discrepancies in a story. Their job is to deny or minimize your claim.
• Leave an accident scene. Unless there is a medical emergency, collect information if you are able, and wait for police to arrive.

Where Do Motorcycle Accident Injuries Occur Most Frequently?

Accidents involving motorcycles frequently happen:

• On freeways. Tens of thousands of cycles are on our interstates at any given time.
• Making lane changes. California law allows motorcycles to move between lanes in heavy traffic. But other vehicles often refuse to yield right of way. Cycles get caught between vehicles and serious injuries occur.
• At intersections. Making a left-hand turn in Los Angeles is an adventure night or day. Either the turning vehicle or the oncoming vehicle may be at fault. After you are injured during one of these perilous moments, you need to hire astute, experienced representation.

Being hit by an Uber driver or colliding with a Lyft vehicle is increasingly likely due to rideshare cars’ prevalence on the road.

Don’t be ground down by a prejudicial legal system. Los Angeles motorcycle accident lawyer Scott J. Corwin protects the rights of injured riders throughout Southern California. Designated as a member of The National Trial Lawyers Association, Scott Corwin seeks maximum compensation for injuries and wrongful deaths on the highway.

How Do Motorcycle Accidents Happen?

Common causes of accidents between motorcycles and cars include:

• Drugs and alcohol: Driving under the influence causes hundreds of accidents on Southern California roadways each year. If you suspect that the driver who struck your motorcycle was under the influence, call the police and then contact an experienced lawyer.
• Sudden stops: When drivers follow too close and rear-end motorcycles, motorcyclists can be seriously injured.
• Open doors: Drivers are responsible for checking to see that the path is clear when they open car doors into traffic. If an open car door caused your accident, you may be entitled to personal injury compensation.
• Left turns: The law requires motorists making left turns to yield to other vehicles that have the right of way. This includes motorcycles. If you had the right of way in your motorcycle accident case, the driver making the left turn was at fault.
• Intersections: Intersections are dangerous places for motorcyclists. If the other driver was speeding, failed to notice you at a red light or did not yield, we are prepared to take aggressive legal action on your behalf.

In some situations, the party at fault is not an individual driver. The liable party may be a municipality that failed to keep a street or road safe. Or it may be the manufacturer of a motorcycle part that failed at a pivotal moment.

What to Expect from Your Motorcycle Accident Insurance Claim

Unfortunately, lawyers hired by insurance companies to defend the drivers who injure motorcyclists are difficult to deal with. These attorneys invariably try to place the blame upon the motorcyclist, even when liability is clearly the fault of the other driver. In trials involving motorcycle accidents, such lawyers try to convince the judge and jury that the motorcyclist is at fault for not reacting sooner to an illegal left turn or failure to yield.

Making a strong case against these outrageous claims requires a high level of skill and expertise.

Also, remember that motorcycle accident data and statistics have a prejudicial effect against motorcyclists involved in an insurance claim or lawsuit. Sadly, insurance companies’ attorneys take advantage of this data against motorcycle riders.

Insurers attempt to assess fault on the motorcyclist any way possible. The purpose of such finger pointing is to divert the jury’s attention from the real issue of who caused the crash and, therefore, responsible to pay for the devastating injuries suffered by the motorcyclist and passenger.

Make no mistake, this is the goal of all insurance companies — to pay out as little as possible. If you or a loved one is involved in a motorcycle accident claim or litigation, motorcycle accident lawyer Scott J. Corwin can help you fight for the maximum compensation you are entitled to.

Do I Really Need a Motorcycle Accident Attorney?

It is always best to have an attorney represent you in an injury claim. For those involved in a motorcycle accident, the insurance claims process and potential for a lawsuit are greater, and therefore even more complicated and confusing for the injured motorcyclist.

There is much more to handling a motorcycle accident case than simply negotiating a dollar figure with an insurance company.

Many legal details and statutes may bar you from any recovery for your damages. Furthermore, an injured rider often deals with medical liens from healthcare providers and emergency rooms. California lien laws are complicated and confusing, and those who are unaware of these laws often pay far more money from their settlement or judgment to their healthcare providers than is necessary.

Likewise, a person’s own insurance carrier may try to take a piece of their judgment or settlement, through a process known as subrogation. Without an attorney, people often pay far too much money to their insurance carriers. Scott J. Corwin fights for you not only to recover the maximum settlement, but also fiercely negotiates and settles any insurance subrogation claims or medical liens to minimize their effect on your recovery.

Be careful when deciding on your motorcycle accident lawyer — many lawyers look at insurance claims or medical liens as “your problem.” These lawyers consider their job complete once they get their fee from a settlement or judgment. Scott J. Corwin stays with his clients every step of the way — even after settlement or judgment — and ensures that his clients receive, and keep, the largest recovery possible for their motorcycle accident.

Why choose just any lawyer when you can have one of the most honored lawyers in Los Angeles on your case? Call (310) 683-2300 to discuss your case with Scott J. Corwin, A Professional Law Corporation in a free consultation.

Choosing the Right Motorcycle Accident Attorney

If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, are undergoing a painful recovery, and are out of work, you will probably need help to get through your day-to-day obligations. Managing your injury claim will be even more difficult if you are feeling much worse for wear.

This is why finding the right motorcycle accident lawyer is the most important decision you can make following a wreck.

You should hire the person best qualified to handle a motorcycle accident claim with a proven record of accomplishment. But who will that be? Make a checklist of questions to ask a motorcycle accident attorney during an initial consultation so you can be confident you are making the right choice.

We suggest you include these questions in your checklist:

• How long will my case take to settle?
• How can I get medical treatment if I do not have health insurance?
• How often will you communicate with me?
• How long have you practiced law, and how many people have you represented?
• What experience do you have handling motorcycle accident cases?
• Are there any liability issues in my case, and how will you handle those?
• How will my potential recovery be determined?
• Is my spouse or partner to be involved in my case?
• Do I continue to communicate with my own insurance company regarding property damage or my medical injuries?
• Should I return phone calls, inquiries, and contacts from the other insurance company?
• Will you send me regular written status reports or client questionnaires regarding the status of my case or claim?
• Will you give me adequate written notice of any important dates, medical examinations, or court appearances?
• Can I receive a copy of my file if requested?
• What am I expected to do when I receive a settlement offer on my motorcycle injury claim?

Attorney Scott J. Corwin is an experienced and qualified motorcycle accident lawyer who helps clients throughout the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. He takes pride in providing personalized and compassionate legal counsel that puts your worries at ease. Scott is also a tenacious opponent when dealing with insurance companies. This combination of talents is exactly what you need to obtain the maximum recovery for your injuries.

Scott has recovered over $125 million and represented more than 3,000 injured victims. He has been recognized as a Southern California Super Lawyers® member every year since 2007. His peers have honored him for his skills, assertiveness, and commitment to helping injured clients.

Let Scott J. Corwin Help You Recover What You Deserve

In any motorcycle accident – whether in Los Angeles, Long Beach, San Bernardino, Riverside, or anywhere else in Southern California – involving someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing, it is important to know what you need to do in order to protect the legal rights of yourself and your loved ones.

The motorcycle accident law firm of Scott J. Corwin, A Professional Law Corporation is here to help you understand the necessary steps to take to defend your legal rights and obtain the compensation you need for medical bills, lost wages, and other damages.

Scott J. Corwin is a distinguished member of the Motorcycle Injury Trial Lawyers Association (MITLA).

You can count on Scott J. Corwin to give you the one-on-one attention you need and deserve after your accident. Your case will never be passed off to a less-qualified associate. Our attorney will listen to your story, explain your legal options, and then fight on your behalf to obtain the maximum compensation for your injuries. For a dedicated motorcycle accident lawyer in Los Angeles, call our Los Angeles motorcycle injury law firm at (310) 683-2300.

How Much Will It Cost to Hire a Lawyer?

California law requires a written fee agreement between any motorcycle accident lawyer and their client. This agreement describes the actual terms for retention of the attorney working on your case. The written fee agreement will contain language specific to payment of attorney’s fees, payment of expenses and any other factors that are necessary for adequate representation.

It is important that you read and understand all the retainer agreement’s terms before signing.

Our motorcycle accident law firm will fight aggressively for your case. We represent injured victims based on a “contingency” fee. There are no upfront attorney fees, and you won't pay anything until we win your case and receive the successful settlement or judgment. If there is no recovery, there is no fee. Our success rate is substantial. We do not take on cases unless we know we are likely to make you a recovery for your case.

Seeking Full Compensation for Motorcycle Injuries

During a motorcycle accident, the rider’s body is susceptible to many types of serious injuries:

• Amputation injuries: Amputation can involve the loss of an arm, leg, hand, or digit during the accident itself or as a necessary surgical operation as a result of the injury.
• Head and brain injuries: Impact to the head can result in traumatic brain injury (TBI), concussion, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other serious problems.
• Back and spinal cord injuries: This category can include spinal compression fractures, broken vertebra, paraplegia or quadriplegia, neck injuries, cervical and lumbar herniations, disc injuries, nerve damage, whiplash injuries, and more.
• Burn injuries: Collision-related explosions and fires can easily result in life-changing burns on body parts.
• Broken bones: Bone fractures may be categorized as simple, complex, comminuted, or avulsion. Common types of breaks affect arms, hands, legs, feet, ribs, and other areas.
• Soft tissue injuries: A motorcycle accident can cause significant injury to internal organs and body structures. These injuries may not be visible at first.
• Abrasions and lacerations: Cuts, scrapes, and lacerations can occur from contact with glass, roads, and other objects and surfaces.

For a Free Consultation, Call Today

Was another driver too distracted to see your motorcycle? Did they fail to afford you an equal right to the road? Our motorcycle accident attorneys handle cases in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, San Diego, Ventura, and Santa Barbara counties and throughout the state of California.

Learn more about your legal rights by requesting a free case evaluation from a Los Angeles motorcycle accident attorney. Call Scott J. Corwin, A Professional Law Corporation at (310) 683-2300 or fill out our online contact form today.