Los Angeles Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

Los Angeles is filled with lawyers claiming to be experts in handling motorcycle accidents. Many claim to have special empathy because they too are riders. Some claim to have handled tens of thousands of cases. Some attorneys depict themselves on a motorcycle to grab the injured motorcyclist's interest. In my opinion, these are cheap tricks to get a client.

If you, a loved one or a friend has been injured in a motorcycle accident, you or your loved one or friend need a competent lawyer. There are probably numerous components to being a competent lawyer but none of them have anything to do with being a motorcycle rider, sitting on a motorcycle or any such nonsense. Competence has to do with knowledge and skill in the law of personal injury law.

Competence includes knowing which experts to hire, how to reconstruct an accident, how to prepare pleadings, handle litigation discovery and law motion matters before the case goes to trial. Competence has to do with being able to present a case to a jury or a judge, knowing the rules of evidence that govern a trial, and knowing how to make a record in the event an appeal is taken by either side.

Don't be misled. Hire a competent attorney to handle your motorcycle accident case or help your loved one or friend hire a competent attorney. Meet with more than one attorney. Interview the attorneys. Concentrate on the attorney's legal experience and competence, not on gimmicks that are being offered to get you to sign up. Make sure the attorney will personally handle the case, keep you informed, and will be willing to fight and even go to trial or handle an appeal if necessary. No one would pick a surgeon based on whether or not the surgeon rode a motorcycle or not. And, no one should choose a personal injury attorney based on whether or not the attorney rides a motorcycle.

By the way, I am licensed by California to ride motorcycles and did as a young man and then again much later in life. Personally I stopped riding because my son-in-law was in a horrific motorcycle accident and suffered pervasive brain injury even though he wore one of the best helmets on the market. The doctors didn't expect him to survive Intensive Care; but if he did, they said he would be in a permanent vegetative state. Fortunately for him and our family, the doctors were wrong. He is making a full recovery which we anticipate will take about 5 years.

Whether the motorcycle accident/personal injury attorney rides a motorcycle or not, is irrelevant to his competency as a lawyer. Use good judgment and sound criteria when you retain your motorcycle accident attorney.

Motorcycle accidents are common in the Los Angeles area. Listen to the news stations and inevitably you will hear "Motorcycle Down". To anyone who has ever ridden a motorcycle or one who has been involved in a motorcycle accident, those word make you shudder. Experienced riders have fewer accidents, but even the best riders can be hit by a negligent motorist.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident, you may have legal remedies if the accident was caused by the negligence of another. Sometimes there are eye witnesses to an accident. Occasionally, someone will admit fault. But don't count on it. Likely, the injured motorcyclist will not even remember what happened. So, the injured party is dependent on witnesses and traffic reports.

Unfortunately, many motorcyclists involved in a collision with a car, are seriously hurt or killed. Traumatic brain trauma is a common injury. In California, motorcyclists are required to wear helmets. Beware, not all helmets are equal. If a rider is willing to spend $20,000.00 on his ride, he or she ought to be willing to buy the safest and best helmet on the market. It's your brain we are talking about.

Obviously, good medical care is the first priority for one injured in a motorcycle accident. Once that is taken care of, determining liability for the accident is in order. Liability is another way of saying fault. If someone other than the motorcyclist caused the accident, the next thing to determine is whether or not the negligent driver has insurance and the amount of that insurance. I realize no amount of money can ever make right the injuries and pain and suffering that follow a motorcycle accident. But that is what the law offers - financial compensation for one injured by the negligence of another.

In California, a lawsuit to recover damages for personal injuries must be filed within two years of the accident; however, don't wait that long to consult with an experienced attorney. The other guys insurance company will often try to swoop in and get a statement from the injured motorcyclist before he or she is represented. Don't talk about the accident, your injuries, or your state of recovery with the insurance company for the negligent driver. They are trained professionals and what you say could be an harmful admission which could be used in court.

Don't go it alone, get legal help.

Author : Bruce Abel, Esq.
Email : bruceabelesq@yahoo.com
Website : www.bruceabel.com