Motorcycle Accident Attorney

For over 45 years, I've been a motorcyclist. I've ridden over 200,000 miles on a bike. It used to be my primary means of transportation in the city, and one of the ways that I would really enjoy getting out on the weekends in the country. I've ridden from Maine down to Daytona, Florida for Bike Week, across the Southern US to Santa Barbara, and up to Washington State, something we call the Four Corners Run. I've not only ridden them and have the knowledge from being a motorcyclist, unfortunately, I was a motorcycle accident victim because of the fault of another. I had my motorcycle go out from underneath me because of grease on the roadway in a parking lot. I high-sided, went over the bike and shattered my right arm, my shoulder, and my pelvis. I spent four months in a wheelchair, so I know what it means to have to call your way back. On average, 12,000 motorcycle accidents happen a year with 570 motorcycle fatalities. According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, 76% of collisions are from vehicles being struck in the front. The highest percentage is from vehicles making turns left or right. We've handled hundreds of motorcycle accident cases, and the special knowledge that I can bring to bear as it relates to being a rider and the experience I have in writing helps me analyze these cases from the perspective of a motorcyclist. I can't tell you how many police reports that I've seen that have blamed the motorcyclist for a collision. Recently, we handled a case where in downtown San Francisco, a left-turning vehicle hit the side of a motorcycle and amputated his leg. The police officer blamed the motorcyclist. I thought it was insane. A number of other attorneys turned the case down. I took the case to trial, and I was able to show that the driver of the car was 90% responsible. It resulted in a $12 million verdict that otherwise would have gone unaddressed because lawyers sometimes just accept what the police say. I've picked dozens of motorcycle juries, and it's a very, very strategic thing to do. There's a bias against motorcyclists. People don't like the fact that they lane split. They think that they're reckless or the people who get hurt, they deserve it because they decided to take risk with body. There's some frequently asked questions that I get. First, do I need a motorcycle license? Yes, you need an M1 license in California. Is lane splitting legal? It is. However, you still have to exercise due care. If there's a collision with a vehicle changing lanes, oftentimes the juries hold the lane splitting motorcyclist responsible because when they ride in their cars, let's face it, they get jealous and sometimes they get scared. The car driver has to give a signal with sufficient time to allow a motorcyclist to change their driving behavior. People ask, "Do I have to wear a helmet?" Yes, you have to wear a DOT-approved helmet. The failure to do so, is considered as comparative fault, such that if a motorcyclist suffers a head injury without a helmet, the defense can tell the jury that that head injury is the result of their negligence in not following the law and wearing a helmet. Motorcyclists who are injured because of the fault of another have the right to recover damages. That includes economic damages for things such as medical bills, lost wages, damage to the motorcycle, and importantly, non-economic damages. That includes pain and suffering, emotional distress, discomfort, anxiety, fear, disfigurement, scarring. As a motorcyclist, I got road rash all over me. I know that one too well. If you've been injured in a motorcycle accident, contact lawyers who have the skill, knowledge, and experience to handle these cases. Contact the Dolan Law Firm, dolanlawfirm.com.