Category Archives: Motorcycle Accident
Watch Out for These Motorcycle Crash Settlement Traps
In California, out-of-court settlements resolve over 95 percent of motorcycle crashes and other personal injury claims. These resolutions benefit victim/plaintiffs in several ways. For example, a settlement is a final resolution. If an insurance company loses a court verdict, it could keep the matter tied up in appeals for several years. However, if the… Read More »
Outlining a Motorcycle Crash Claim
Almost all motorcycle crash claims end the same way, with an out-of-court settlement. A settlement is a process, not a result. Although this process varies in different cases, it usually goes through three stages. Sometimes the three-stage process is relatively fast and sometimes it takes forever, or at least it seems like it takes… Read More »
What is the #1 Cause of Motorcycle Accidents?
Driver error is the number one cause of motorcycle accidents in SoCal. Bad weather and other such factors often contribute to accidents, but they hardly ever cause them. Some of the major causes of motorcycle crashes are discussed below. Motorcycle wrecks usually cause catastrophic injuries. The motorcycle rider accident fatality rate is thirty times… Read More »
Motorcycle Accidents and the Helmet Defense
California is one of the few states with a universal helmet law. All motorcyclists must wear protective headgear, regardless of age or other circumstances. Many times, criminal law establishes the standard of care in negligence cases. For example, drivers with a BAC level over the legal limit are intoxicated as a matter of law… Read More »
Deadly Chula Vista Motorcycle Crash Leads to Murder Charge
CHP investigators claim that a Tesla driver deliberately rear-ended a motorcycle on June 30, 2025. The rider fell off his bike and died at the scene. The crash occurred on the southbound 805, north of Telegraph Canyon Road. Investigators say a 22-year-old San Diego man was speeding in a red 2023 Tesla Model Y… Read More »
Comparative Fault and Motorcycle Crashes
Driver error, as opposed to motorcycle rider error, substantially causes over 90 percent of the motorcycle wrecks in California. However, driver error may not be the exclusive cause. In these cases, California’s comparative fault law could apply. If the judge determines that the victim and tortfeasor (negligent driver) were jointly responsible for a crash,… Read More »
Fatal Motorcycle Wreck in Oceanside
A 20-year-old Marine is dead after a woman turned in front of his motorcycle as she was pulling into a local gas station. According to OPD Traffic Services Unit Sgt. Clint Bussey, the collision occurred when a Volkswagen made a left turn from northbound Douglas Drive into the AMPM gas station, striking the right… Read More »
What is the Main Cause of Motorcycle Accidents?
Driver error, which causes over 98 percent of the motorcycle crashes in California, is the main cause of motorcycle accidents. Motorcycles make up only a small percentage of vehicle traffic, and they’re small to see, especially in a sea of large vehicles. So, drivers aren’t looking for hard-to-see motorcycles. These facts don’t excuse negligence,… Read More »
Formal and Informal Defenses in Motorcycle Wreck Claims
Legal defenses in motorcycle crash claims rarely succeed. The burden of proof in a civil claim is only a preponderance of the evidence, or more likely than not. That’s one of the lowest standards of proof in California courts. So, a little evidence goes a long way. Plus, in most cases, jurors sympathize with… Read More »
What to Expect in a Motorcycle Accident Claim
Motorcycle accident survivors can almost always expect a settlement. About 95 percent of personal injury matters settle out of court. Generally, lawyers don’t settle claims because they’re afraid to go to trial. Instead, they settle claims because a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Typically, people shouldn’t give up a… Read More »
