Salinas Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

Table of Contents

• Motorcyclists in Salinas
• Accident Risks for Motorcyclists
• Life-Changing Motorcycle Crash Injuries
• Seeking Compensation From Liable Drivers

Motorcyclists in Salinas

Motorcyclists in Salinas have many options for scenic riding in beautiful weather.

California State State Route 1 (SR 1 or CA 1) to Ragged Point is incredibly scenic. Highway 1 offers Ragged Point’s Black Swift Falls Beach, San Simeon’s Hearst State Beach, Cambria’s Moonstone Beach, Cayucos State Beach, Spooner’s Cove, Sandspit Beach, Avila Beach, Olde Port Beach, Pirate’s Cove at Avila, and Arroyo Grande’s Lopez Lake.

California State Route 99 (SR 99 or CA 99) is another popular ride. Nacimiento-Fergusson Road was a driving tour in Big Sur territory on a hairpin turn-filled road with stunning, elevated views of the coastline and the Pacific Ocean on the only driving route traveling all the way through and over the Santa Lucia range. The road is now closed indefinitely because of mudslides and flooding.

Some people choose motorcyclists as a convenient way to get around Salinas, commuting to work and appointments on their bikes. No matter why someone chooses to ride, they should arrive at their destination safely. When they don’t, they should call us to discuss their legal right to compensation.

Accident Risks for Motorcyclists

Motorcycles only account for 3 percent of all registered vehicles but 14 percent of all traffic fatalities. A significant number of motorcycle accidents stem from the negligence of other drivers, often those who are not paying attention and fail to notice smaller vehicles.

Because motorcyclists have no restraints or safety features, cars or trucks can collide directly with their bodies. A collision can cause them to fly from their bikes, hit the pavement or another object, or even get run over by a passing vehicle. With multiple traumatic impacts, motorcyclists often suffer multiple traumatic injuries.

Motorcyclists might wear helmets and full safety gear, follow all traffic laws, and even take training courses to stay safe. However, they cannot control how other drivers behave or how the road conditions will be. A motorcyclist can do everything right and still wind up in the hospital with a paralyzing spinal injury or in a coma in the ICU due to a severe traumatic brain injury.

The fact that motorcycles come with accident and injury risks does not mean people should avoid them. The law respects a motorcyclist’s right to ride in the open air. When another driver carelessly causes a motorcyclist’s injuries, you want Silva Injury Law on your side.

We know that insurance companies often mistreat motorcyclists. We see the initial offer as a jumping-off point, and we tirelessly negotiate for the justice you deserve.

Seeking Compensation From Liable Drivers

People filing motorcycle accident claims must prove that another driver was at fault for their crash to recover compensation. Such claims rely on negligence, which is the legal principle that people have a legal duty to one another to avoid causing harm. When a breach of duty occurs and causes injuries, such as in a motorcycle crash, the negligent party is liable for the harm they caused.

Many different types of driver negligence can injure motorcyclists, including:

• Driving under the influence (DUI)
• Distracted driving
• Speeding
• Tailgating
• Improper lane changes
• Failing to yield
• Violating other traffic laws

Insurance companies will not simply take your word about what the other driver did. You need to work with a motorcycle accident lawyer who can obtain sufficient evidence to prove another driver was at fault for a motorcycle accident.

Once you prove liability, it is only the first half of the motorcycle accident claim process. You then must prove your damages to support the compensation you seek. Insurance companies will also not trust your calculations of what your claim is worth. When your lawyer demands a specific value, they must provide evidence to support that number.

Economic damages are the actual bills you can prove in court and often include:

• Medical bills
• Lost wages
• Property damage

Non-economic damages are far more subjective and do not have inherent financial values. Your attorney will have methods for calculating the value of these intangible damages.

Non-economic damages can include:

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Disfigurement
• Disability
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Loss of consortium (spousal companionship)

Additional types of damages following motorcycle crashes include wrongful death damages. These apply in tragic situations when a motorcyclist dies from their injuries. Certain authorized family members can file claims to seek financial recovery. While money cannot replace a human life, it can provide financial security and a sense of justice for the devastating loss.

Punitive damages might apply to some motorcycle accident cases that make it to litigation. A court awards these damages in rare cases to punish a negligent party for wanton disregard for human life or extreme cruelty.

The best way to know your damages is to have Silva Injury Law evaluate your losses.

Why You Want to Hire a Salinas Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Immediately

The first reason to reach out and find a motorcycle accident attorney is that they might need to investigate what happened in your motorcycle accident. An investigation helps identify all sources of compensation and gather evidence to prove liability.

An attorney can obtain a police report and knows how to speak to police officers to get answers to specific questions about an accident. When witnesses saw your crash, the lawyer can hunt them down to see if they will make statements about what caused the accident.

Your attorney can manage your medical records. When you have difficulty paying your bills, a lawyer might negotiate a medical lien that allows you to receive treatment now if you agree to pay all your bills from your settlement or jury award.

You may also need help with certain employment documents when you are out of work for an extended time. Once an investigation is complete, your attorney can prepare a demand letter to send to the negligent party’s insurance company.

An insurance company will not simply pay what you demand, so a lawyer must negotiate a settlement. People who negotiate their own settlements routinely walk away with far less money than those with legal representation. Even after paying legal fees, you will likely receive much more with a lawyer negotiating your claim.

There can be times when settlement negotiations will stall or become unproductive, and a lawyer in these cases may have to file pleadings in court for a complaint against the negligent party establishing why they were at fault for a motorcycle accident. The complaint will also specify the amount of damages.

An insurance company will often favor settling a case pre-trial because a settlement can be cheaper than the costs and time involved in taking a case to trial. Even though trials are rare in motorcycle accident cases, they happen, so you need a motorcycle accident attorney with litigation experience to represent you at any trial.

Choosing the Right Motorcycle Accident Law Firm

Anybody involved in a motorcycle accident in Salinas can choose whichever attorney they want to represent them. Still, people must exercise caution and work with a lawyer who will serve their best interests.

Silva Injury Law stands out because we make our clients feel like family as soon as we meet them for the first time.

You will know as soon as we speak that we are committed to helping you recover as much money as possible in your case. Our firm will take the time to explain all of your rights to you and then determine the best path forward for our handling of a case.

Many people worry about how they will afford a lawyer to handle their motorcycle accident case. But know that you will not have to worry about this when you hire Silva Injury Law. We represent our injured clients on a contingency fee basis. You do not pay anything upfront because we only get a predetermined portion of your settlement or jury award. You owe us nothing if we do not win or settle your case. That agreement alone should indicate how seriously we will fight to win or settle your case.

Our firm will take an active role in overseeing your financial recovery and ensuring that you can get as healthy as possible following your crash. Silva Injury Law takes great pride in the number of people we have helped, and we are always looking for new ways to assist accident victims.

Speak With Our Salinas Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Today

Michael Joe Silva, Motorcycle Accident Attorney

Did you suffer serious injuries or lose a loved one in a motorcycle accident in the greater Salinas area? Do not wait to get in touch with Silva Injury Law because we can immediately step in and make a real difference in helping you recover all the compensation you deserve.

Our firm has offices right here in Salinas, so we maintain a solid commitment to helping residents of our community. Call (831) 204-7152 or contact our Salinas motorcycle accident lawyer online right now to take advantage of your free consultation.

Testimonial

“I cannot say enough good things about Silva Injury Law. Everyone starting with the front desk were very professional, honest and hardworking. Michael and his team worked diligently to make sure everything went as quickly and as smooth as possible. Silva Injury Law genuinely care about their clients and I would highly recommend them.”