Trusted motorcycle accident lawyers with over 42 years of experience.
If you’ve been hurt in a motorcycle crash in Northridge, you may be dealing with severe and painful injuries, while worrying about the cost of your recovery. Our Northridge, CA motorcycle accident lawyer has represented injured riders across the San Fernando Valley for over four decades. At Goldberg Injury Lawyers, we know exactly what these cases require. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Northridge, CA
What does it mean to hire a motorcycle accident attorney in Northridge, CA? It means having someone in your corner who understands why these cases are harder than ordinary car accident claims. Riders face a persistent and unfair bias in California courts and insurance negotiations. Even when another driver clearly caused the crash, adjusters frequently argue that the motorcyclist was speeding, weaving, or riding recklessly.
Our firm has handled hundreds of these cases, so we know how insurers build their defenses. We use our own strategies to negotiate with insurance companies and dismantle their angle through evidence, witness testimony, and decades of courtroom experience.
Types of Motorcycle Accident Cases We Handle in Northridge
Our firm represents riders injured in a wide range of crashes throughout Northridge and the surrounding communities. Every case is different, but certain scenarios are part of what we frequently handle.
- Car accidents involving motorcycles. Left-turn collisions are among the most common, where a driver turning across traffic simply fails to see the approaching rider. These crashes often cause catastrophic injuries and frequently involve disputed liability. We investigate fault thoroughly and push back hard against attempts to shift blame onto the rider.
- Rear-end motorcycle crashes. A motorcyclist stopped at a light or slowing for traffic can be hit from behind with devastating force. Unlike a car-on-car rear-end collision, there’s almost nothing protecting the rider. We understand how to document the full impact of these injuries.
- Lane change and sideswipe accidents. Drivers changing lanes without checking mirrors or blind spots cause serious crashes. Motorcycles are harder to see. That doesn’t reduce a driver’s obligation to look, and it doesn’t reduce your right to recover.
- Hit-and-run motorcycle accidents. Some drivers flee the scene, and these cases require a different legal strategy, often involving uninsured motorist coverage. Barry P. Goldberg is widely recognized as one of California’s leading authorities on uninsured and underinsured motorist law, a background that matters significantly in hit-and-run claims.
- Wrong-way DUI crash. Wrong-way drivers are among the most dangerous hazards a motorcyclist can encounter. A driver traveling in the wrong direction, often impaired by alcohol or drugs, can leave a rider almost no time to react, and a resulting head-on collision.
- Road rage. Anger is a real and documented cause of motorcycle accidents in California. An aggressive driver who tailgates, cuts off, or deliberately forces a rider out of a lane can be held liable for the resulting injuries.
- Road hazard and defect accidents. Potholes, debris, missing signage, crumbling pavement are conditions that are minor inconveniences for a car but can be deadly for a motorcyclist. When a government entity or property owner is responsible for a hazardous road condition, we pursue that claim.
- Drunk and impaired driver accidents. Riders struck by drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs often sustain the most severe injuries. These cases can support claims for punitive damages in addition to compensatory.
- Lane splitting accidents. California is the only state that permits lane splitting, and disputes about whether a rider was doing it legally come up often. We handle these cases and understand how to address the nuances of California’s lane splitting rules.
- Multi-vehicle motorcycle collisions. When more than one vehicle is involved, determining how liability is allocated becomes far more complicated. Our firm has handled multi-party motorcycle accidents and knows how to pursue every responsible party.
- Wrongful death. If you lost a family member in a motorcycle collision, we can help you understand your rights and pursue a wrongful death claim in Northridge.
Why Choose Goldberg Injury Lawyers for Motorcycle Accidents in Northridge, CA?
42 Years of Personal Injury Litigation in California
Barry P. Goldberg founded his firm in 2005 and has been practicing California personal injury law since 1984. He earned his J.D. from Loyola Law School Los Angeles and has appeared before the United States Supreme Court. He is admitted to practice in all California state courts, the U.S. Federal District Courts in California, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. When you hire Goldberg Injury Lawyers, you’re hiring a personal injury lawyer in Northridge, CA with 42 years of experience navigating California courts and insurance companies.
Barry P. Goldberg has been named to the Super Lawyers Top 100 Southern California list and earned the Super Lawyers designation for 10 consecutive years as of 2021. He holds an AVVO “Superb” rating of 10 and the AVVO Client’s Choice Award. He has tried numerous jury trials and handled hundreds of arbitrations and mediations across California. He is also a former President (2020) of the San Fernando Valley Bar Association and a member of the Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles.
Results That Matter
Goldberg Injury Lawyers has recovered millions of dollars for clients suffering brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, fractures, and other serious injuries. These are the exact types of trauma that occur in motorcycle collisions. We work these cases the way they deserve to be treated, with firm advocacy for the victim and their recovery.
Understanding Motorcycle Accident Cases in Northridge
Damages, Liability, and Compensation
California law allows injured motorcyclists to pursue both economic and non-economic damages after a crash caused by another party’s negligence. Recoverable damages typically include:
- Medical expenses, future and current
- Lost wages and benefits
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
- Loss of enjoyment of life
California follows a pure comparative fault system. If you are found to be partially at fault, your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault, but it is not eliminated. Insurers routinely try to exaggerate a rider’s share of fault, but we push back on those arguments with evidence.
Important Aspects in Your Motorcycle Accident Case
Several factors determine how strong a motorcycle accident claim is and what recovery looks like. Before we file anything for your case, we assess:
- Evidence preservation. Surveillance footage, skid marks, debris fields, and witness accounts disappear quickly.
- Helmet and gear use. California requires all riders to wear a DOT-compliant helmet under Vehicle Code Section 27803. Whether you were wearing one can become an issue in litigation.
- The insurer’s early strategy. Adjusters sometimes call injured riders within hours of a crash asking for recorded statements. You are not required to give one, and doing so before speaking with an attorney is a mistake we see regularly.
- The severity and permanence of injuries. Motorcycle accident injuries, such as road rash, fractures, spinal injuries, and traumatic brain injuries, are often severe and long-lasting. Documenting them fully from the start shapes the value of your claim.
- Third-party liability. In some cases, a vehicle manufacturer, a government agency responsible for road conditions, or an employer whose employee caused the crash may share liability.
Motorcycle Accident Case Timeline
No two cases follow exactly the same timeline, but most motorcycle accident claims move through a recognizable sequence of the following steps to take:
- Immediately after the crash: Seek medical care, document the scene if you can, and contact an attorney before speaking with any insurance company.
- Investigation phase: Your attorney gathers evidence, including the police report, witness statements, traffic camera footage, medical records, and any available accident reconstruction data.
- Medical treatment and documentation: Cases are generally not resolved until the injured person has reached maximum medical improvement, so the timeline often tracks the course of treatment.
- Demand and negotiation: Once damages are fully documented, a demand package is submitted and negotiations begin.
- Litigation: If the insurer refuses to make a fair offer, we can file suit. Motorcycle accident cases in California are subject to a two-year statute of limitations under Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1, measured from the date of the crash.
- Trial or arbitration: Cases that don’t settle go to trial or, in uninsured motorist matters, to binding arbitration.
What to Bring to Your Motorcycle Accident Consultation
Being prepared for your first meeting helps us get started working on your case faster. We recommend bringing the following to your consultation if you have them:
- Photos of your injuries, your motorcycle, and the crash scene
- The police or traffic collision report, if one was filed
- Any correspondence from insurance companies, yours or the other driver’s
- Medical records and bills related to the crash
Don’t worry if you don’t have everything, as we can help obtain most of these documents or evidence. What matters most is that you tell us what happened and the injuries you sustained. From there, we assess your claim, explain your options, and tell you honestly what we think the case is worth.
California Legal Resources for Motorcycle Accident Cases
Riders injured in Northridge operate under California law, and several statutes are directly relevant to how these cases unfold.
- California Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1: Gives injured parties two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. Claims against government entities require a government tort claim within six months and carry different deadlines.
- California Civil Code Sections 1714 and 1431.2: Establishes the state’s pure comparative fault system and rules on allocation of non-economic damages among defendants.
- California Civil Code Section 3333: Governs the measure of damages in tort cases, allowing recovery for all detriment proximately caused by the defendant’s conduct.
- California Civil Code Section 3294: Allows courts to award punitive damages when a defendant’s conduct constitutes oppression, fraud, or malice, which is applicable in cases involving drunk drivers or deliberate road rage.
Reach Out to Goldberg Injury Lawyers to Schedule a Consultation
If you or someone you care about was injured in a motorcycle crash in Northridge, CA, please don’t wait to get legal assistance. Evidence fades and deadlines are strict. We represent injured riders on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing unless we recover for you. Contact Goldberg Injury Lawyers for a free consultation.