San Bernardino Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

The city of San Bernardino reports hundreds of motorcycle accidents every year. Many of these crashes result from other motorists being careless or reckless, and they sometimes involve alcohol, speeding, and hit-and-runs.

If a motorcyclist gets into an accident with a larger passenger vehicle or commercial truck, they can suffer severe injuries that will require extensive medical treatment and perhaps long-term care. In worst case scenarios, motorcyclist die because of the injuries they sustain.

If you suffered serious injuries or lost a close family member in a motorcycle accident someone else caused, you could obtain compensation to help with your medical bills and other related expenses.

The San Bernardino motorcycle accident attorneys at Bentley & More LLP have years of experience helping clients just like you throughout San Bernardino County and across Southern California. Our lawyers have the skills, knowledge, and resources to help you build a strong, effective personal injury claim, and we can help you with a wrongful death lawsuit if the accident claimed the life of your loved one.

Contact our law firm today at (949) 870-3800 or online to schedule a free case review.

Why Choose Bentley & More LLP for Your Motorcycle Accident Case?

At Bentley & More LLP, we offer personalized attention to each client’s case, and you can trust us to handle all aspects of your claim so you can focus on your physical recovery. Other items to consider about our law firm:

• We take pride in working closely with clients in order to deeply understand their lives so we can tell their stories to insurance carriers and personal injury juries.
• You will always have direct contact with an attorney to ask any questions or raise concerns about your case.
• We handle motorcycle accident claims in San Bernardino on a contingency fee basis. This means that clients pay no legal fees until we successfully recover the compensation they are entitled to.

Our lawyers have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in total compensation for our clients, and we are committed to helping you get the maximum compensation you deserve.

To discuss your injury claim with a member of our team, you can contact Bentley & More LLP to request a free consultation.

How Dangerous Are Motorcycle Accidents?

Motorcycle crashes can wreak havoc on unprotected riders, resulting in injuries such as fractures, severe road rash, and brain injuries. Some motorcyclists will never fully recover from their injuries, suffering permanent disabilities, while others won’t make it out of the hospital alive at all.

Common types of motorcycle accidents include other cars making left-hand turns, head-on collisions, T-bone accidents, merge accidents, and single-vehicle motorcycle crashes. Talk to our San Bernardino injury attorneys if your motorcycle crash was a hit-and-run. We can help you recover damages even if you can’t locate the at-fault driver.

Also, if a death resulted from an accident, our wrongful death lawyers in San Bernardino are here to help.

Common Types Of Motorcycle Accidents In San Bernardino

Unfortunately, motorcycle accidents occur in a wide variety of ways. Some of the most common types of motorcycle accidents that we assist clients within the San Bernardino area include the following:

• Rear-end collisions. Unfortunately, vehicle drivers often follow motorcyclists too closely. If a motorcyclist must stop quickly, the vehicle behind them may not be able to stop in time. This can result in a disaster for those involved. Motorcyclists have very little protection from the force of a vehicle slamming into them, and a rear-end collision can lead to catastrophic injuries.
• Head-on collisions. Motorcycle head-on collisions can occur in a variety of ways but often happen around intersections or when another driver is traveling down the wrong side of the roadway. Studies indicate that head-on collisions involving motorcycles account for more than half of all motorcyclist fatalities on the roadways.
• Driver intoxication incidents. Unfortunately, the intoxication of vehicle drivers or motorcycle operators is a leading cause of accidents, despite laws in place to prevent drunk driving. Vehicle drivers or motorcyclists under the influence of alcohol or drugs are much more likely to be involved in fatal or injury-causing collisions. If you were a passenger on a motorcycle and suffered injuries in a crash caused by the motorcycle operator’s intoxication, you may file an injury claim against them.
• Lane changing incidents. Changing lanes is a common practice for all motorcyclists and motorists on the roadway. Unfortunately, if a vehicle driver fails to signal their intention to change lanes, and if they do not check their blind spots for a smaller motorcyclist, it can result in a severe accident.
• Speed-related incidents. Speeding and driving too fast for conditions have been a leading cause of injuries and fatalities on California roadways for decades. Unfortunately, the more speed involved with either a vehicle or a motorcycle, the more likely it is that those involved will sustain a severe injury.
• Corner turning accidents. A corner-turning accident occurs when a motorcyclist turns around a corner at a slower speed than their typical riding speed. It can be challenging to maintain balance when turning, especially if a motorcyclist encounters loose gravel, sand, water, or other obstacles.

Motorcycle Accident Injuries 

According to the most recent data available from the California Office of Traffic Safety, the state saw more than 10,000 total motorcyclist injuries resulting from traffic collisions. Over the last five years of recorded data in the California, there have been approximately 541 motorcyclist fatalities each year caused by traffic collisions.

Some of the most common motorcycle accident injuries that we help individuals with in San Bernardino include the following:

• Traumatic brain injuries and concussions
• Whiplash and other back injuries
• Spinal cord trauma with paralysis
• Severe road rash, lacerations, or puncture wounds
• Amputations or crush injuries
• Major internal injuries, such as organ damage or internal bleeding
• Broken bones or dislocated joints
• Significant burn injuries
• Scarring and disfigurement

In addition to these physical and visible injuries, our team also understands that motorcyclists may sustain various unseen injuries, including significant stress and anxiety along with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Our goal is to account for every injury a motorcyclist sustains, including the visible and less visible injuries, so that they can recover the most compensation possible for their situation.

Motorcycle Accident Laws in San Bernardino and CA

Obeying the law during claims filing is imperative for the health and success of your claim. You must not only follow the rules for bringing your claim but also map your argument around laws you followed or broke leading up to the crash. Our firm can help you navigate California and local motorcycle accident laws during a civil claim, such as:

• Universal helmet laws. Every motorcyclist in California must wear a helmet at all times.
• Lane-splitting laws. Motorcyclists may lawfully drive between two lanes traveling in the same direction (lane-split) in California.
• Comparative fault. A common defense is that the motorcyclist contributed to his/her own injuries. We can help combat this defense.

Motorcycle crash victims need legal representation in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area to help them stand up for their rights and seek fair compensation awards for their damages. Only a San Bernardino motorcycle accident lawyer can deftly navigate the law in a way that bodes well for survivors. We can help you with the claim process from start to finish.

Who Is Liable For a Motorcycle Accident?

The other driver is liable for many motorcycle accidents. A vehicle driver might not look both ways before entering a roadway or misjudge the distance and speed of an oncoming motorcycle.

Other potentially liable parties may include the team in charge of keeping the roads safe for motorists and a motorcycle part manufacturer. Contact our law firm for assistance determining fault.

What To Do After A Motorcycle Accident  

Individuals involved in a motorcycle accident can take various steps in the days, weeks, and months following the incident to help ensure their well-being along with the integrity of their motorcycle accident claim. Some of these steps include the following:

1. Get medical treatment. Regardless of how minor or major an injury may seem at the scene of an incident, individuals must seek medical treatment. For severe injuries, this may seem obvious, but even those who have no symptoms after an incident should go to the doctor for an evaluation right away. This helps to ensure that you establish a timeline of receiving prompt medical care, which is something the insurance carriers will look out for. Additionally, you may have an injury that you are not aware of right away at the scene of the incident, and a doctor can help.
2. Involve the police. The police need to come to the scene of any motorcycle accident that occurs in the San Bernardino area. Not only does the law require that nearly every accident be reported, but you need the police report in order to move forward with your motorcycle accident claim with the insurance carriers.
3. Document the scene. It may or may not be possible to document the scene of the incident. Individuals may be able to use a phone to take photographs or video surveillance of everything at the accident scene, including vehicle damage, injuries, debris, skid marks, causes of the incident, and more. If there are any eyewitnesses at the scene of the incident, you should get their names and contact information as soon as possible.
4. Contact a motorcycle accident lawyer. A motorcycle accident lawyer in San Bernardino can get involved quickly and begin an investigation into the incident. The attorney will take over all communication with the insurance companies and other parties so you can focus on recovering from your injuries.

How To Prove Liability In A San Bernardino Motorcycle Accident

Proving liability in a motorcycle accident can be challenging, and you can be sure that insurance carriers and other parties involved will try to shift some or all of the blame onto you for the accident. That is why it is crucial to gather as much evidence as possible at the scene. Some of the most common types of evidence gathered right away include the following:

• Photographs taken of everything present, including vehicle damage, injuries, debris, skid marks, and any other relevant factor or evidence that could have played a role in the incident.
• Surveillance from nearby video cameras, including dash cams, cameras on homes, or business cameras.
• Statements from eyewitnesses. In some cases, it may be necessary to gather the names and contact information of eyewitnesses to speak to them at a later time.
• The police report or accident report. Police officers will be responsible for conducting a preliminary investigation and filling out an accident report, and this report can be obtained soon after the incident.

In addition to this evidence, a skilled motorcycle accident lawyer in San Bernardino will investigate the accident. A lawyer will not only gather the evidence from the scene but will also look into the driving record of any at-fault drivers, vehicle recording device data, mobile data, and more.

How Much Compensation Will You Receive from Your Motorcycle Accident Claim?

There is no set amount of compensation that individuals receive after sustaining an injury or property damage in a motorcycle accident caused by another driver’s negligence. However, several factors can influence the amount of compensation you could receive, including:

• The severity of your motorcycle accident injuries
• The level of property damage
• How long it takes you to recover
• Your total amount of missed work and lost income
• Your level of physical and emotional pain and suffering
• Whether or not you shared any fault for the accident

When working to calculate the correct amount of compensation you should receive, an attorney will likely use testimony from trusted medical and financial experts who can accurately assess the situation.

If you are found to be partially at fault, you can still recover compensation for your losses. We strongly encourage you to work with a skilled motorcycle accident lawyer if the other party tries to blame you for causing the crash. Your attorney can push back against these allegations of the fault and work to secure more compensation on your behalf.

Will You Have to Go to Court?

Most motorcycle accident claims in San Bernardino are settled without having to go to court. The motorcycle crash victim will make a claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance and could receive a payment within a few weeks or months after the insurance company accepts their claim. However, that is a best-case scenario. In some cases, the at-fault driver’s insurance carrier will put up a fight against having to pay a fair amount of compensation, or they could even deny the claim altogether.

It may be necessary to file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver and their insurance carrier. However, this does not mean that you will have to actually go to court, at least not yet. After your attorney files a lawsuit, they will typically continue to negotiate a favorable settlement, and if they settle your claim before trial, you won’t have to go to court.

Sometimes, simply filing a lawsuit in court can speed up the negotiation process because insurance companies do not want the expense and public relations issues associated with trial. If you do have to take your case to court, California allows you only two years from the date of the crash to file a claim in civil court. Therefore, you have no time to lose in working with an attorney to build your motorcycle accident case and file suit.

Contact the Best San Bernardino Motorcycle Accident Lawyer for Your Case

Motorcycle accidents can be especially gruesome and destructive. Victims and family members need assistance from responsible, proven personal injury attorneys in San Bernardino to fight for fair compensation.

Choose the San Bernardino personal injury lawyers at Bentley & More LLP for your motorcycle accident case. We have a proven track record of success and a passion for helping others. We will always place your needs first as we fight hard to help you get the largest financial recovery possible. Call (949) 870-3800 or get in touch online today to request a free consultation.