Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Sherman Oaks

There are many joys that come with owning a motorcycle in Sherman Oaks. The thrill of trekking through the open road and taking in the perfect SoCal weather is indescribable. Unfortunately, the experience can be taken away in an instant. If you were involved in a traffic accident while riding your bike, contact a Sherman Oaks motorcycle accident lawyer immediately.

Why Contact a Sherman Oaks Motorcycle Accident Lawyer?

If you’re injured in a motorcycle accident, you need to prepare yourself for what comes next.

First, the most important thing is getting proper medical care. It’s important to focus on your health and make recovery your first priority. Of course, this is easier said than done.

Between battling with the insurance companies and withstanding the new trauma you sustained from your injuries, the aftermath of an accident is not a walk in the park. This is why it’s so important to hire a Sherman Oaks motorcycle accident lawyer.

There are recommendations for choosing the best personal injury attorney in Los Angeles to take on your case. However, be careful in going with a firm that simply claims to be experienced in the field.

Daniel Kim and his legal team specialize in motor vehicle accidents. Therefore, we are seasoned in the Los Angeles County traffic laws. In addition, we are aware of insurance companies’ tricky tactics to avoid fairly compensating victims.

The Law Offices of Daniel Kim is persistent and unfazed by big insurance companies. We will continue to fight for you until we reach a desirable settlement.

The main difference between us and other personal injury lawyers is that we’re available to address your questions 24/7. This, along with our 99% success rate, has earned us over 1000 positive reviews on Yelp, FB, and Google.

Begin with our no-obligation and free consultation to learn more about our services.

Common Causes for Motorcycle Accidents

Riding a motorcycle is a lot of fun and an exhilarating experience but can also be highly dangerous.

The vulnerability of a motorcycle rider can make riding risky especially when you mix in larger motor vehicles and other traffic.

There are multiple factors that can create a dangerous situation for the motorcyclist and injuries often result if an accident does occur.

Quite often the accident is caused by human error of the automobile driver and when an accident does occur it is the motorcyclist that will sustain the most of the injuries.

Listed below are some of the most common reasons below that lead to a motorcycle wreck.

1. Lane splitting – This happens when a motorcyclist rides between lanes often by unsuspecting vehicles. This is legal but dangerous and not recommended.

• Left hand turns – This turn is one of the most dangerous ones that can cause accidents. These types of accidents are common with cars, but the motorcycle’s smaller size makes it even less visible to the turning vehicle.

• Speeding – This is always a leading cause of accidents. Speeding makes it very hard to see a motorcycle rider and the higher the speed the worse the impact and injuries.

• Road hazards – Motorcycles face higher risks from road hazards than do other types of vehicles. Because of the size and stability of the motorcycle, potholes, cracks, bumps, oil slicks, standing water etc. can be a serious safety threat to motorcycles.

• DUI – This continues to be a major reason for motorcycle accidents and all types of crashes. Whenever anyone is on the road intoxicated or under the influence the risk of an accident increases.

• Weather conditions – In Sherman Oaks the most inclement weather is usually rain and fog which can lead to serious accidents. Visibility issues arise and slick roads can create disaster.

• Distracted driving – When a motorist is unfocused and multi-tasking while driving, opportunity for an accident will increase. Often drivers are texting, talking or checking GPS which will take their attention off the road. All it takes is a split second for an accident to occur.

• Taking a turn – Going into a turn to quick can be dangerous for the rider. Riders should always proceed with caution as they approach any turn and be aware of the dangers.

Common Injuries From a Motorcycle Accident

Motorcycle accidents don’t necessarily happen more frequently than other types of auto accidents, but are more likely to result in serious injury or death when they do occur.

Wearing a helmet and thick clothing as well as padding, gloves and proper eyewear can be helpful to lessen the severity of an accident, but the fact remains that injuries are bound to happen when a motorcyclist collides with a vehicle or falls to the road.

It is crucial to always follow all the motorcycle laws in Sherman Oaks and drive with caution.

If you do get hit by a motorist, these 3 injuries are probably what you’ll be dealing with:

• Head injuries – Motorcycle accidents with head injuries are not uncommon compared to vehicle accidents, but they can be more distressing and devastating. When a motorcyclist hits his head on an object or on the ground it makes for serious consequences. Loss of motor skills, seizures and even paralysis can occur from Traumatic Brain Injury.

• Road rash – When a motorcyclist lands on the pavement or on the surface of the road the skin can be damaged and torn as the skin is dragged across the ground. If the rider is not protected with proper thick clothing the results can be extremely harmful. If not properly treated the skin can later be infected and permanent scarring can occur.
• Bone fractures – Broken bones are common in motorcycle accidents and all types of bones can be affected if in a crash. The spinal cord, pelvis, arms, legs, and wrists are some of the most common. Bone breaks can become compound fractures which often lead to long recovery time and surgery in many instances.

Sherman Oaks Motorcycle Accidents

California has the highest amount of registered motorcycles than any other state in the US, which means there are more motorcycles on California roadways than anywhere else in the nation.

The major Los Angeles metropolitan area has a considerable amount of motorcycles registered as well, with plenty of people cruising up and down the streets and neighborhoods of Sherman Oaks on two wheels.

All of this traffic inevitably leads to a decent amount of motorcycle accidents, and in 2017 there were more than 2100 motorcycle accidents throughout the LA Metro region.

Injuries and Fatalities Caused by Motorcycle Accidents

While motorcycle accidents only account for 3% of all traffic accidents in Sherman Oaks (and throughout the rest of the LA community, for that matter) they are responsible for a little more than 15% of all traffic-related fatalities.

As highlighted earlier, there are more than 800,000 motorcycles registered to individuals in the state of California – the most amount of motorcycles registered anywhere in the United States by a wide margin.

The California Highway Patrol has a lot of leeways and a lot of latitudes when it comes to assessing penalties for individuals operating motorcycles without wearing protective helmets.

The fine for this penalty (for first offenders) can be for anything between $10 and $250, with 12 months of probation also possible as well.

Accidents Involving Drugs and Alcohol

You’d like to think that individuals driving along Sherman Oaks roads on two wheels, with a lot less protection than those driving traditional automobiles, would never get on top of their motorcycle after consuming drugs or alcohol.

This unfortunately isn’t the case.

Arrests for driving while under the influence of alcohol are up 30% in the last half-decade throughout the state of California. Worse, 11% of every automobile fatality in the state can be traced back to individuals driving their vehicle after consuming some kind of drug.

Most Dangerous Intersections in Sherman Oaks

If you are going to be driving a motorcycle in and around the Sherman Oaks community of Los Angeles you will want to be sure that you are particularly careful when traveling near or through the following intersections:

• Kester Ave. and Weddington St.
• Kester Ave. and Clark St.
• Riverside Dr. and Van Nuys Blvd.
• Woodman Ave. and Ventura Blvd.
• Coldwater Canyon Ave. and Moorpark St.
• Burbank Blvd. and Fulton Ave.
• Magnolia Blvd. and Van Nuys Blvd.