Our Chula Vista law offices have everything you need to feel confident in the success of your motorcycle accident case. We know exactly how to handle these cases, and to hold negligent drivers and others responsible for their actions. We’ve secured millions of dollars for our clients. Rely on us when you need help from a law firm of hardworking professionals after a serious motorcycle accident. Our Chula Vista San Diego Motorcycle Accident Lawyer can help if you have broken bones, road rash, traumatic brain injury, and other injuries because of someone else’s negligence. Contact our personal injury attorneys now for more information about your case.
Why You Should Hire a Chula Vista San Diego Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
The Law Offices of Howard Kitay take motorcyclist rights seriously. We support the Chula Vista motorcycle community and want to help any way we can after an accident. We’re proud to offer free consultations, personalized legal services, and representation on a contingency-fee-basis. We won’t charge you anything for our services if we don’t win you a monetary award. We offer our services purely with the desire to help injured motorcyclists when they need it most. Our Chula Vista motorcycle attorneys can help you with the following tasks:
- Accident investigation
- Eyewitness interviews
- Copies of police reports and medical records
- Insurance claim filing
- Communications with insurance agents
- Medical bill organization
- Evidence collection
- Personal injury claim filing
- Insurance settlement negotiation
- Key witness testimony
- Personal injury trial, if necessary
Many Chula Vista residents and citizens across California enjoy motorcycling as a reliable means of transportation and as a leisure pursuit. While motorcycles are fantastic for enthusiasts, it’s important for riders to understand the inherent risks of riding. Additionally, it’s important for Chula Vista motorcyclists to know what to do after suffering injury and damage in an accident caused by someone else.
Safety Concerns for Motorcycles
Motorcycles are quick and maneuverable, but they are also less stable, less visible, and far less protective than typical passenger cars. Enclosed vehicles’ sturdy frames and exteriors protect their passengers, whereas motorcycle riders are all but unprotected from external forces. In serious crashes, motorcycles afford their drivers little to no protection. Based on recent data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the number of deaths on motorcycles per mile traveled is more than 27 times higher than the rate for cars. Nearly 5,000 American motorcyclists died in crashes in 2015 alone.
Many states have specific laws geared toward motorcycle safety. California requires that drivers and passengers of all ages and skill levels must wear Department of Transportation– (DOT) approved helmets. DOT-approved motorcycle helmets are proven to reduce the likelihood of fatalities and traumatic brain injuries in motorcycle accident victims. In Chula Vista, a helmet is not only a wise choice for every rider, but it’s also the law.
Visibility is another serious issue facing motorcyclists. Motorcycles are smaller, more narrow, and therefore harder to see than typical cars and trucks. When other drivers fail to stay vigilant for nearby motorcyclists, they risk causing serious accidents. Additionally, when motorcyclists take unnecessary risks or operate their vehicles unsafely, they are putting themselves in harm’s way.
Damages in Motorcycle Accident Lawsuits
If you’re a Chula Vista motorcyclist who has been in an accident and believe the other driver is to blame for your damages, it’s vital to meet with an attorney as soon as possible. The attorneys of the Law Offices of Howard Kitay are here to represent our clients in Chula Vista who have suffered injuries and damages due to the irresponsible acts of others.
Victims in motorcycle accidents often suffer serious injuries. Typically, motorcycles are irreparably damaged in serious crashes due to their smaller size and more frail construction than that of larger cars. Motorcycle accidents often involve damages including:
- Traumatic brain injuries. Although a DOT-approved helmet can minimize the damage from a head injury, it cannot prevent all traumatic brain injuries. Blunt force trauma, concussions, and penetrating head wounds from debris are common injuries sustained in motorcycle accidents that can leave permanent effects.
- Broken Bones. Motorcyclists are not secured to their vehicles and will typically be thrown a distance from the accident site due to momentum. The impact and landing can cause serious bone fractures, including compound fractures requiring extensive reconstruction.
- Lacerations from debris.
- Road rash, or friction burns from sliding across the rough asphalt. Although riding leathers and body armor may mitigate road rash, it’s a serious concern when riding at higher speeds.
Common Causes of Chula Vista Motorcycle Accidents
Your motorcycle accident case is unique, but that doesn’t mean you’re the first person to experience the type of crash. Many common factors cause motorcycle accidents in Chula Vista. Victims just like you have obtained significant compensation for their accident-related injuries and damages by holding drivers and other parties accountable. The first step is finding out what caused your wreck. The most common causes are as follows:
- Negligent drivers. Bad drivers can speed, roll through stop signs, ignore traffic signals, fail to yield the right-of-way, fail to use turn signals, and commit a number of other wrongdoings that increase the risks of motorcycle accidents. A driver who drives drunk, distracted, or negligently will be liable for causing a motorcycle crash in California. A common type of accident is a left-turn collision, in which drivers don’t see oncoming motorcyclists.
- Poorly designed roads. Roadways and intersections with dangerous, confusing designs can contribute to motorcycle collisions. It is the city’s job to design roadways that are reasonably safe for all road users. It is also the city’s responsibility to ensure the proper maintenance of its roads. Loose gravel, dangerous construction zones, unsafe detours, potholes, and debris in the road can all cause motorcycle crashes. The city could be liable for these premises liability accidents.
- Defective vehicle parts. The safety of a motorcycle trip depends largely on the function and performance of the vehicle’s parts. Part failure during a ride is more dangerous for motorcyclists than it is for other drivers. A breakdown could be fatal for a motorcyclist. It is the motorcycle manufacturer’s legal duty to design and create parts and bikes that are reasonably safe for consumers. A manufacturing defect, design flaw, or marketing error could point to manufacturer liability for an accident.
Some motorcycle accident injuries have more than one cause and responsible party. In California, two or more parties can share fault for a single accident. If the motorcyclist was partially at fault for his/her injuries (i.e., for not wearing a helmet), he or she can still recover partial compensation under the state’s comparative negligence laws. Don’t assume you can’t recover compensation if you broke a law or contributed to your crash. Our Chula Vista motorcycle accident lawyer has the power to help you work through complex questions of cause and liability.
Know Your Personal Injury Rights
Chula Vista motorcyclists who have suffered injuries due to negligent drivers need reliable legal representation to secure the compensation they deserve. At the Law Offices of Howard Kitay, our attorneys understand that every case is unique, and we go the extra mile to get to know our clients and explore all avenues to get them fair compensation.
We believe in aggressive legal representation for each of our clients, so don’t hesitate to reach out to us with questions about California motorcycle laws or to discuss a motorcycle accident case in Chula Vista. We take all our cases on a contingency fee basis and offer free, no-obligation consultations to new clients. Reach out to a Chula Vista motorcycle lawyer at the Law Offices of Howard Kitay today to see how we can help you secure compensation for your motorcycle accident damages.
