How The Wyatt Law Corp Car Accident Attorneys Can Help You

With over 40 years of experience helping clients injured in accidents and on the job, the father and sons legal team of the Wyatt Law Corporation are experts at recovering compensation for people who have been injured in an accident in Northern California.

How The Wyatt Law Corp Can Help You

With over 40 years of experience helping clients injured in accidents and on the job, the father and sons legal team of the Wyatt Law Corporation are experts at recovering compensation for people who have been injured in an accident in Northern California.

Sacramento Motorcycle Accident Attorneys

Motorcycles are an important part of California’s cultural landscape. California is home to more motorcyclists than any other state in the country, with over 800,000 motorcycles registered with the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles. But with the thrill of traveling the open road comes the risk of serious injury or even death in a motorcycle accident.

According to figures compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motorcycle accidents were 27 times more likely to result in death than other types of motor vehicle crashes. It is not hard to understand why. Motorcyclists are exposed to the road, usually with only a helmet for protection. In a collision between a motorcycle and a car or truck, it is the motorcyclist who will generally end up on the losing end.

How Can I Avoid a Motorcycle Accident?

Statewide, Sacramento ranks in the middle-of-the-pack with respect to motorcycle accidents. For 2014, the last full year for which the California Office of Traffic Safety has published data, there were 421 victims killed and injured in Sacramento County, which ranked 22nd out of 58 counties.

If you are a motorcyclist, the best way to prevent a potentially catastrophic accident is to follow good safety practices. Especially if you are relatively new to motorcycling, it is important to remember a motorcycle is not a car. The State of California requires a special driver’s license to operate a motorcycle. There are actually two kinds of licenses: An M1 license, which lets you operate any 2-wheel motorcycle, and an M2 license, which is restricted to motorized bicycles and mopeds.

California also enforces a strict motorcycle helmet law. All motorcyclists–and their passengers–must wear a helmet that complies with current federal safety standards. The helmet must be on the person’s head at all times and fastened securely.

Will I Be Held Responsible for My Motorcycle Accident?

While many motorcyclists bristle at California’s helmet law, it is in your best interest to follow it. Aside from the fact a helmet will protect you in the event of an accident, if you are not wearing a helmet, that fact could be used against you if you subsequently bring a personal injury lawsuit against the negligent driver that hit you.

California is a “pure comparative fault” state. This means in any personal injury case, a jury may decide the plaintiff was at least partially responsible for his or her own injuries. Fortunately, California law still permits the plaintiff to recover damages even if the defendant was only 1 percent at fault.

But your own comparative fault will reduce the final damage award. This means if you are not wearing a helmet or following other safe motorcycling practices, the defense can call attention to those facts. And while it may not seem fair, California juries tend to be less sympathetic to motorcycle accident plaintiffs than other kinds of accident victims. They may be looking for any excuse not to award you damages, even if you did nothing wrong.

Why Do I Need a Sacramento Motorcycle Accident Attorney?

Insurance companies and defense attorneys know there is a bias against motorcycle accident victims. They will not hesitate to exploit this bias. Defense attorneys often portray accident victims as out-of-control “renegades” who take unnecessary risks. Similarly, insurance companies tend to lowball settlement offers to motorcycle accident victims–even when their client is clearly at fault–because they are confident they can sway a jury.

This is why you need skilled representation at your side. At the Law Office of Russ Wyatt, we have the knowledge and experience to help motorcyclists who have been injured due to another driver’s negligence. We can take over every aspect of your claim, starting with the insurance companies and working our way through trial if necessary.

How Much Are My Injuries Worth?

One of the first things we can help you with at the Law Office of Russ Wyatt is assessing the potential value of your personal injury claim. This is often the most difficult thing for inexperienced accident victims to deal with. Obviously you know you incurred costs to repair or replace your motorcycle and treat your injuries, but this may not reflect the total damages you sustained. Among other items you need to consider:

• Traumatic Brain Injuries. Motorcycle accidents often result in head and brain injuries. Concussions, hemorrhages, and hematomas–i.e., bleeding in the brain–are common following an accident. Such injuries are often life-threatening and require emergency surgery. Even then, there may be permanent neurological impairment.
• Leg and Foot Injuries. Severe fractures and even amputation of limbs may be necessary following a motorcycle accident. This can permanently impair the victim’s ability to return to work or even perform basic activities of daily living.
• Road Rash. Getting thrown from a motorcycle following a collision often leads to “road rash,” as the motorcyclist’s body scrapes against pavement. This is more than simple bruising: road rash can lead to severe infections and nerve damage.
• Long-term rehabilitation and care. Medical expenses are not just about hospitalization and emergency care. It may take weeks, months, or even years after a motorcycle accident to fully heal. A victim may require significant physical therapy and rehabilitation, as well as in-home care.
• Wrongful death. If you have lost a spouse, parent, or child due to a motorcycle accident, you may have a wrongful death claim against the negligent party. Wrongful death is a special type of personal injury claim recognized under California law. If successful, the victim’s family may recover funeral expenses, final medical bills, and any lost income and financial support provided by the deceased.

Why Should I Contact the Wyatt Law Corporation?

Personal injury cases are always complicated. Motorcycle accidents present additional challenges due to the severe nature of the injuries and the relative difficulty in getting a jury to sympathize with a motorcyclist. At the Law Office of Russ Wyatt, we will zealously represent your interests when dealing with insurance companies and defense attorneys. Contact us today at 916-277-8820 if you have been in a motorcycle accident in Sacramento, Placer, or El Dorado counties and need to schedule a free consultation right away.