California Welcomes Motorcyclists and a Lane Splitting Motorcycle Accident lawyer from Compass Law Group Protects Them
Not only does California have the spectacular scenery and mild climate conducive to motorcycling, it is the only state that makes lane splitting legal. These two factors make our state a haven for those who want to take to the open road. Unfortunately, too many drivers are unaware or dismissive of motorcycles sharing the road with them, particularly those sharing their lanes. This can and does lead to hazardous lane splitting accidents.
What exactly is lane splitting and how is it dangerous?
California law defines lane splitting as the practice of a motorcyclist riding (with both wheels in contact with the ground) between stopped or slowly moving lanes of traffic. While the ability to share a lane with another vehicle is a distinct advantage for California bikers, allowing them to avoid traffic jams and travel at a normal speed while motorists remain stuck, in spite of statistics to the contrary, the practice does carry some risk.
For one thing, the bikers are closer to larger vehicles on both sides; for another, they may be less visible because of their size or position relative to the other drivers’ blind spots. Also, motorcyclists are always less protected if there is a collision since they are not enclosed by the metal cage of a car. Motorcycles are also less stable than other vehicles because they have two wheels rather than four. These factors combine to increase the risk of biker injury.
Serious or Catastrophic Injuries Motorcyclists May Suffer in Lane Splitting Accidents
Clearly, with no enclosure around them, motorcyclists are more likely to suffer traumatic injuries if a lane splitting accident occurs. Far too frequently, bikers may suffer:
- Fractures, particularly of the legs and feet
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Internal injuries to soft tissue and organs
- Spinal cord injuries
- Puncture or crush injuries
- Road rash or burns
Whether the person whose negligence caused you such misery was another driver, the manufacturer of a defective part on your motorcycle or on a driver’s car, or the road crew that neglected to clean the oil slick that led to your downfall, any lane splitting accident lawyer at Compass Law Group is prepared to hold the responsible party (or parties) accountable.
Damages Our Talented Lane Splitting Accident Attorneys Will Fight To Win
At Compass Law Group, we are painfully familiar with the life-altering nature of many motorcycle injuries. We are prepared to fight tenaciously to obtain the resources you need to restabilize yourself physically, emotionally, and financially, both now and as you reimagine your future. Depending on the particular injuries you’re dealing with, we will uses our considerable negotiation and litigation talents to obtain damages to cover:
- Medical, surgical, and rehabilitation costs
- Lost income, present and future
- Property damage
- Alterations to your home to make it accessible to you
- Pain and suffering
- Permanent disability
- Extended nursing care
- Permanent scarring or other disfigurement
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
If you and your family have suffered the tragic loss of a loved one to wrongful death in a lane splitting accident, we will work hard to bring you some sense of justice by providing you with money to cover your relative’s final medical costs, funeral costs, and your loss of financial and emotional support.
What happens if you were partially responsible for the accident?
In a great many accidents more than one party was responsible for the collision. If this is what happened in your case, you shouldn’t feel that you, therefore, don’t deserve compensation. The law has a principle known as comparative negligence to cover just such situations. Comparative negligence means that you can still collect compensation, but your award will be decreased by the percentage of your responsibility. Thus, if the court finds that you were 10 percent at fault for an accident and awards you $100,000 in damages, you will actually receive $90,000.
As a matter of fact, in California you are at a distinct advantage in regard to comparative negligence because California is a “pure comparative negligence.” This means that no matter what percentage of fault the court assigns to you, you will still be able to collect damages.
What a Compass Law Group’s Outstanding Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Will Do
While you’re doing your best to recover from severe lane splitting accident injuries, you need rest and as much peace of mind as possible. Compass Law Group’s experienced attorneys will take over all paperwork, investigate the accident, police and your medical records, interview witnesses, speak to experts in related fields — all in our effort to make your case as airtight as possible so that you can win every dollar you deserve.
More than this, we will develop a powerful strategy to defend you from attorneys and insurance adjusters of the party responsible for your injuries. While the opposing team will undoubtedly seek to discredit you and blame you for the accident, don’t worry. A lane splitting accident lawyer will seek to amass evidence to prove that, at the time of the accident, you were:
- Riding safely — not speeding or weaving
- Wearing a helmet and all appropriate gear
- Driving with your lights on
- Signaling any lane changes
- Undistracted by any electronic device
- Unimpaired by alcohol or drugs
- Fully awake and alert
We will also be accumulating any available evidence of wrongdoing on the part of the driver who hit you. A lane splitting motorcycle accident lawyer may be able to prove that the motorist who collided with you was texting or otherwise distracted, impaired by alcohol or drugs, driving without making adequate use of mirrors, speeding, weaving, tailgating, failing to signal, or engaging in some other type of misconduct.
Contact Compass Law Today So We Can Begin Moving Your Case in the Right Direction
Because we are well aware of your financial burdens at this difficult time, your initial consultation with us will be free and we will not charge you any attorneys’ fees until we win your case. Get in touch with us as soon as possible so we can begin fighting to bring you the substantial settlement you deserve.
Contact an experienced lane splitting motorcycle accident lawyer to schedule a free, initial consultation.
This list isn’t all-inclusive many personal injury suits have been raised based on different factors that aren’t included above. Our team of Los Angeles car accident attorneys can work on cases without anything out of pocket.
We’re old enough to have the necessary experience, yet young enough to use the most cutting-edge technology and tactics, and are determined enough to fight and outsmart the other side, every time.
