Bias is the first thing we fight in a motorcycle case
Motorcyclists start every claim at a disadvantage. Drivers who turn left across a rider’s path say they never saw the bike. Adjusters assume speed. Jurors picture a reckless rider before they hear a word of evidence. A San Dimas motorcycle accident lawyer’s first job is to replace assumptions with proof: the physical evidence, the physics, the video, and the witnesses who saw the car cut across the lane.
Morales Law Firm represents riders, and we know how these cases are actually won: fast evidence work, a clear reconstruction, and a demand the insurer cannot dismiss as a “motorcycle case.”
How motorcycle crashes happen around San Dimas
- Left-turn collisions. The most common and most deadly. A driver turns left across a rider with the right of way on Arrow Highway, Foothill Boulevard, or San Dimas Avenue.
- Lane-change and merge crashes on the 210, 57, and 10. A driver drifts into a rider they never checked for.
- Rear-end crashes at lights and in stop-and-go traffic. A rider has no bumper.
- Canyon and foothill roads. Glendora Mountain Road and the routes above the 210 draw riders and drivers who cross the center line.
- Road hazards. Gravel, potholes, and uneven pavement that would not matter to a car can put a rider down. The public entity responsible may be liable, with a six-month claim deadline.
Lane splitting is legal in California
California is the only state that expressly allows lane splitting. Vehicle Code section 21658.1 authorizes it, and the CHP’s safety guidelines describe how to do it safely. An adjuster who argues that a rider was automatically at fault for splitting lanes is wrong on the law. Fault still turns on whether the rider and the driver each acted reasonably, and we build that case with the evidence, not the stereotype.
Damages in a motorcycle injury claim
Rider injuries are severe by nature: fractures, road rash requiring grafts, traumatic brain injury even with a helmet, and spinal injuries. Your claim includes all medical care, past and future, lost wages and earning capacity, the bike and gear, and pain and suffering, which California does not cap. Because most at-fault drivers carry only the $30,000 state minimum, we look immediately at your own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, which is often where a serious motorcycle claim is actually paid.
California’s pure comparative negligence rule means a rider found partly at fault still recovers, reduced by that share. We push back hard on inflated fault allocations, because in motorcycle cases they are the insurer’s main lever.
In our practice, the motorcycle cases that fall apart are the ones where the bike was released to the tow yard and crushed before anyone photographed it. The bike is evidence: the impact points, the tire wear, the position of the controls. Tell the tow yard not to release it, and call us. We will send an investigator before it is gone.
Motorcycle accidents in San Dimas and the foothills
San Dimas is a rider’s town. Foothill Boulevard and Bonita Avenue connect to the canyon roads above Glendora and San Dimas, and the 210 is the fastest way to the mountains. That also means left-turn crashes at busy surface intersections and lane-change collisions on the freeway. We know the Sheriff’s San Dimas Station deputies and CHP officers who write these reports, and we know how to challenge a report that assumed the rider was at fault.
What to do after a motorcycle crash
- Get medical care immediately, and tell the doctor everything that hurts, including anything that seems minor.
- Do not let the tow yard release or scrap the bike. Photograph it, your gear, and the scene.
- Get witness names. Drivers who saw the car turn in front of you are the case.
- Say nothing to the driver’s insurer. Refer them to your attorney.
- Call Morales Law Firm before you accept any offer.
Read our guide on why the first settlement offer is low, and what a release waives, before you talk to any adjuster.
Frequently asked questions
Is lane splitting legal in California?
Yes. Vehicle Code section 21658.1 makes California the only state that expressly permits lane splitting. A rider who was splitting lanes is not automatically at fault; the question is whether each party acted reasonably under the circumstances.
The police report says I was at fault. Do I still have a case?
Often yes. Officers frequently arrive after the vehicles have moved and rely on the driver’s account. A report is not the final word. We reconstruct the crash from damage patterns, skid marks, video, and witnesses, and we regularly reverse fault findings.
What if I was not wearing a helmet?
California requires helmets, and the insurer will raise it. But a helmet does not prevent a leg fracture or road rash, so it only affects head-injury damages, and only by the share a jury attributes to it. You still have a claim.
What if the driver who hit me has minimum insurance?
Most do. We recover the driver’s full policy limit and then pursue your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage for the rest. If you carry UM/UIM, that is often where a serious motorcycle case is paid.
How much is a motorcycle accident case worth?
It depends on the injuries, the treatment, the lost income, the available insurance, and the fault allocation. There is no formula, and anyone who quotes one online is guessing. We give you a real range after reviewing the records.
How long do I have to file?
Two years from the crash under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. If a road hazard or public agency is involved, a government claim is due within six months. Evidence disappears far sooner, so call early.
