Best Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Santa Monica

If you’re a motorcycle rider, there are precautions to take to keep you safe. Wear a helmet and protective clothing, stay alert, and follow the traffic laws. Of course, there is only so much you can do to avoid a crash. If you have been in an accident, contact a Santa Monica motorcycle accident lawyer.

Being located by the beach and the famous Pacific Coast Hwy., Santa Monica is a motorcycle rider’s dream location. Santa Monica motorcyclists ride for a quicker commute, as well as for recreation.

Regardless of the reason, one thing is certain. Taking to the open road is dangerous. Motorcycle accidents are the worst types of accidents and commonly involve severe injuries. If this occurs, it is important to seek legal counseling from a personal injury attorney in Santa Monica.

Why Contact a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Santa Monica?

If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, it’s imperative to get help immediately. This means getting medical treatment and picking the right personal injury attorney.

Choosing an attorney can seem like a daunting task. However, selecting the right one with extensive experience can literally change your life overnight.

There is so much to deal with after you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, and the last thing you want to worry about while you are recovering from your injuries is a prolonged legal battle as the medical bills pile up.

At The Law Offices of Daniel Kim, we have been fighting for the rights of motorcycle accident injury victims in Santa Monica for many years. We are very proud of the 1,000 positive reviews on Yelp, Facebook, and Google from previous satisfied clients.

Dealing with insurance companies can be incredibly frustrating and time-consuming. If you don’t have an experienced motorcycle accident attorney on your side, the process is overwhelming.

Daniel Kim and his legal team are available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day to help you. We have a 99% success rate and will do everything in our power to get you the maximum compensation available.

Do not fight the insurance companies alone. Call Santa Monica motorcycle accident lawyer, Daniel Kim, today for a free consultation.

Practice Areas We Specialize In

At The Law Offices of Daniel Kim, our personal injury attorneys in Santa Monica exclusively handle motor vehicle accident cases. This sets us apart from other law firms that take any case just to make a quick dollar. Our outstanding attorneys focus on motor vehicle accidents. This allows us to offer the best service to our clients who want real experience and knowledge.

Car Accidents – This can involve any type of crash from an Uber wreck, to maybe a teenage driver hitting you, or maybe an old lady ran a red light and rear-ended your car. Call us for any automotive-related accident. 

Truck Accidents – there are actually quite a few semi-truck accidents in the area, but our law firm knows what needs to be done to protect your legal rights.

Pedestrian Accidents – These are always bad accidents because a pedestrian has no chance against a 2,000 lb. car that runs them over.

Bike Accidents – Bike accidents always lead to a serious injury, even if you are wearing a helmet. Broken bones and road rash are common in bike accidents.

Uber Accidents – Uber and Lyft have become so popular that sometimes it seems like every other car on the road is an Uber or Lyft driver.  Uber has a unique commercial insurance policy. Uber passengers and other cars who were hit by an Uber driver can file a claim.

Car Accident Lawyer Daniel Kim – 다니엘김 교통사고 변호사
Address: 600 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 500, Los Angeles, CA 90017
Phone: (213) 839-3442

Santa Monica Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Legal Fees

The Law Offices of Daniel Kim is so confident in our work, that we work on a contingency basis. That means no fees until we win your case. There are attorneys who bill upfront. Avoid them. There is no reason to charge victims upfront while they’re already undergoing financial burdens from medical costs.

We work diligently to negotiate with the insurance companies to maximize your compensation.

Don’t fight the insurance companies alone. They are big corporations that are notorious for denying injury claims. Additionally, they will turn the tables and claim the victims are at fault for the crash.

Don’t put your health and financial future in the hands of the insurance companies. We know the shock and pain that a motorcycle crash can do to a rider.

When you hire Daniel Kim, you are working with a top-rated personal injury lawyer.

Common Causes for Motorcycle Accidents

Riding a motorcycle naturally brings inherent danger. There is always the possibility of being hit by another vehicle. Because of a rider’s exposed nature, the injuries from an accident are more damaging.

Motorcycles are often small and difficult to see, especially at night or if the other driver is not paying attention.

Studies from the California Office of Traffic Safety have shown that the primary cause of motorcycle accidents is motorists’ failure to respect the right of way of motorcycle riders.

Some of the most common motorcycle accidents include:

• Cars turning – When the car does not see a motorcyclist properly and turns sharply in front of them, quite often the motorcyclist collides with the side of the vehicle.
• Rear-ended – While this is a common minor fender bender situation for most cars, being rear-ended while on a motorcycle can cause serious injuries.
• Speeding – This is the leading cause of all motor vehicle accidents across the board. Speeding vehicles have a harder time seeing motorcycle riders and are often not able to stop quickly.
• DUI – Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is always dangerous, but even more so when it comes to those riding motorcycles.
• Sudden stops – If a car or truck in front of a motorcycle stops quickly, there is not be enough distance between them and the motorcyclist to avoid collisions.
• Distracted driving – Texting, talking on the phone, looking at GPS, and even scrolling through social media profiles are leading causes of distracted driving-related accidents. Put the phone down and pay attention, it can wait until you stop.
• Dangerous roads – Potholes, debris, oil spills, and other road hazards can be extremely troublesome for motorcycles as they are on two wheels and less stable than a car.

Common Injuries from Motorcycle Accidents

Being on a motorcycle can be a way of life, very liberating, and give a sense of freedom for many riders that live for being up on two wheels.

With that being said, the unprotected nature of a motorcyclist causes more serious injury. Injuries that are common from a motorcycle accident include:

• Neck and back injuries – Spinal cord injuries are unfortunately common. Surgery is required to fix this. Also, the back trauma results in permanent disability, like paralysis.
• Head injury – Concussion or TBI (traumatic Brain Injury) is especially common after a motorcycle accident, especially in cases where the rider was not wearing a helmet. The worst-case scenario is permanent brain damage.
• Internal injuries – Internal bleeding, punctured lungs, and ruptured organs are all very serious and require immediate and ongoing medical treatment.
• Broken bones – Given that there is no steel cage around them like there is in a car, broken ankles, wrists and collarbones are all common complaints after an accident.
• Road rash – When a rider drops their bike and slides across the road or pavement, it will usually result in a very painful series of cuts and friction burns where the skin has simply rubbed off.

Santa Monica Motorcycle Accident Statistics

California has over 800,000 registered motorcycles in the state, which is substantially more than other states in the US. A very large percentage of these bikes are registered in Southern California.

This is not terribly surprising as Southern California has not only the best year-round riding climate in the nation but also has the most roads listed in the “Top 100 Motorcycle Roads” in many publications.

With so many motorcycles on the road, it is no surprise that California has more reported injury crashes than any other state. Approximately 75% of all reported motorcycle accidents involved collisions with other vehicles, usually cars and small trucks.

In multi-vehicle accidents, 66% of accidents were caused by another driver violating the motorcycle riders’ right of way.

Motorcyclists between the ages of 16 and 24 are more likely to be involved in a serious motorcycle accident. Additionally, motorcycle riders without adequate training and experience are also at high risk for accidents.

In fact, more than half of all motorcycle accidents involved riders with less than 5 months of riding experience.

Injuries and Deaths From Motorcycle Accidents

Unfortunately, motorcycle accident fatalities have more than doubled in California since 1997. In 2017 there were 16,505 motorcycle accidents reported in California, which included 15,527 injuries and 541 deaths.

Los Angeles County had the most with 4,493 injuries and fatalities. In 2013, studies show that motorcycle riders were killed in collisions 26 times more often than those just in automobiles.

Deaths as a result of not wearing a helmet increased 9% between 2015-2016. Always wear a helmet. August is the most dangerous month of the year for motorcycle accidents, with most collisions occurring between May and September.

Most Dangerous Roads and Intersections in Santa Monica

Being located on the coast, Santa Monica has some of the most scenic and dangerous roads in Southern California and is a popular starting place for weekend rides up the coast on PCH through Malibu and the canyons.

But it certainly has some danger zones where accidents commonly occur, the worst offender being Main Street and Ocean Park Blvd.

Some of the others include:

• Santa Monica Blvd. and 4th Street.
• Ocean Ave. and Colorado Blvd.
• Lincoln Blvd. and Pico Blvd.
• Santa Monica Blvd. and Lincoln Blvd.
• Pacific Coast Highway and California
• 17th Street and Pico Blvd.
• Wilshire Blvd. and 3rd Street

Stay safe when riding your motorcycle in Santa Monica or anywhere for that matter. Always wear a helmet, obey traffic laws, stay alert, don’t drink and ride, and watch for road obstacles.

If you are injured in a motorcycle accident, contact The Law Offices of Daniel Kim. Top-rated Santa Monica motorcycle accident lawyer, Daniel Kim, is here to help.

We also serve the following Los Angeles County cities from our Los Angeles office: Agoura Hills, Alhambra, Bell, Bell Gardens, Beverly Hills, Bradbury, Burbank, Calabasas, Commerce, Cudahy, Culver City, El Segundo, Glendale, Hidden Hills, Huntington Park, Inglewood, La Cañada Flintridge, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Maywood, Monrovia, Montebello, Monterey Park, Pasadena, Rosemead, San Fernando, San Gabriel, San Marino, Santa Clarita, Santa Monica, Sierra Madre, South Gate, South Pasadena, Temple City, Vernon, West Hollywood, Westlake Village.