The Oakland area has some of the world’s most scenic routes for motorcycle riding. However, these highways are also some of the most dangerous. In California, motorcycles make up 3% of all registered vehicles, yet 13% of traffic fatalities were motorcyclists.
California has had a significant increase in motorcycle accidents over the past few years. It is estimated that per mile traveled, the number of deaths from motorcycle accidents was 24 times that of car accidents.
Motorcycle accident victims are likely to suffer much more severe injuries and death than a driver or passenger of any other type of vehicle. This disparity is due to the motorcycle’s small size and weight and the lack of protection compared to vehicle occupants.
Motorcycle accidents frequently cause life-altering injuries that require long-term medical care and lead to permanent disabilities. You may be overwhelmed by the stress of your recovery process, the mounting bills, and worrying about how you will support your family.
You must ensure you secure the maximum compensation possible for your injuries. You need the help of an experienced Oakland motorcycle accident lawyer with a proven track record of winning big for their clients. You need Jacoby & Meyers by your side.
With more than five decades of experience protecting California injury victims, we know how to negotiate with large insurance companies who try to deny or devalue your claim. Our attorneys work tirelessly to investigate your accident thoroughly, identify all possible causes and potentially liable parties, and maximize your compensation.
Call us at (510) 616-9169 or visit our contact page to schedule a free consultation. We will listen to you, answer your questions, explain your rights, and help you take the steps to get the justice and compensation you deserve.
Common Causes For Oakland Motorcycle Accidents
California has more than 800,000 registered motorcycle riders. We have great weather for riding and lots of beautiful routes to explore.
However, motorcycle riders are at an increased risk of serious injury in a crash. Some of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents in the Oakland area include:
- Head-on collisions with passenger vehicles make up more than half of motorcycle deaths.
- Speeding causes about one-third of all motorcycle accident fatalities.
- Lane splitting is legal in California but frequently causes crashes.
- Left-turn accidents makeup over 40% of all motorcycle accident crashes.
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a major cause of motorcycle crashes.
- Road hazards such as slick pavements, potholes, and debris on the road can cause motorcycle accidents much more often than car accidents.
Of course, motorcycle accidents can have numerous causes. In many crashes, the passenger vehicle driver reports not seeing the motorcyclist. It’s important to remember that motorcycles can easily be in a driver’s blind spot or may be overlooked due to size.
Regardless of the cause of your motorcycle accident, you should seek the advice of an experienced Oakland motorcycle accident attorney. Even if you think you are partially at fault in the accident, you may still be able to recover from other at-fault parties.
Proving An Oakland Motorcycle Accident Claim
You must prove four specific legal elements to succeed in an Oakland motorcycle accident case. By a preponderance of the evidence, you must show that:
- The defendant owes you a duty of care.
- The defendant breached the duty of care by negligent, reckless, or intentional actions or inactions.
- The defendant’s breach proximately caused your injuries.
- You sustained actual damages caused by the defendant’s breach.
These elements can be challenging to prove. However, an experienced Oakland motorcycle attorney can prove each element with solid evidence.
The attorneys at Jacoby & Meyers carefully evaluate motorcycle accidents to identify all possible causes and potentially liable parties. We work quickly to gather and preserve essential evidence before it is lost, destroyed, or diminished.
Some of the types of evidence we may use to prove your case include:
- Medical records to substantiate the severity of your injuries
- The official police report of the accident
- Photographs and video footage of the accident scene and your injuries
- Dashcam video
- Area surveillance video
- Eyewitness testimony
- Expert witness reports and testimony (such as accident reconstructionists, medical experts, or economic experts)
- The electronic data recorder (EDR), also known as the black box
- Pay stubs or tax returns to prove lost wages
- Your helmet, clothes, and bike that were involved in the accident
These are just some evidence we may use to prove your injuries. Each motorcycle accident is unique, and our attorneys will determine the most helpful evidence for your specific case.
What If You Are Partially At Fault?
Many motorcycle accident victims believe they can not recover compensation if they are partially at fault in the accident. However, this is not true in California.
Since 1975, California has followed a pure comparative negligence rule. Parties in a California motorcycle accident may each be assigned a percentage of fault, and you can still recover compensation for your damages from the other at-fault parties.
Your damages award will be reduced by any amount of fault assigned to you. For example, if you are found to be 40% liable for an accident and your damages award is $100,000, you would receive $60,000 because the percentage of your assigned fault (40%) was deducted from the total.
Insurance companies will try to assign you as much fault as possible to deny or devalue your claim. Our experienced and aggressive Oakland motorcycle lawyers know all the insurance companies’ tactics and how to overcome them.
We work tirelessly to reduce any fault assigned to you and maximize your claim.
Schedule a Free Consultation With An Oakland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Motorcycle accidents can quickly devastate lives. When not fatal, they often result in life-altering injuries.
You need to have the help of an experienced, skillful Oakland motorcycle accident lawyer. You need Jacoby & Meyers fighting for your rights.
Our attorneys have over 50 years of experience protecting California motorcycle injury victims. We have a proven track record of winning big for our clients and want to do the same for you.
Contact us at (510) 616-9169 or complete the short form on our contact page to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case. We will listen, answer your questions, and explain your rights.
If we represent you, we will leave no stone unturned, identifying all causes of your accident and all potentially liable parties to get the maximum compensation you deserve.
Call or text 888-522-6291 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form