Have you or a loved one been injured in a motorcycle accident in Monterey County, California? Don’t hesitate to call Mercado Kramer, LLP at (888) 311-4050 for a free consultation. You have rights as an injured rider, and our Monterey County motorcycle accident lawyers are ready to help you fight for the financial compensation you deserve.
We are a personal injury law firm dedicated to helping everyday people stand up to insurance companies and bad actors after life-changing accidents. Justice is our passion, and as award-winning California trial lawyers with decades of collective experience, we’ve helped clients win millions of dollars in important monetary awards.
Now, we’re here to fight for you and your future after a costly motorcycle crash, too. Contact our Monterey County law office to get started with a free consultation.
Why Choose Mercado Kramer, LLP for Help After a Motorcycle Accident in Monterey County, CA?
Every second counts when you’ve been hurt in a motorcycle crash. The sooner you hire an experienced Monterey County personal injury lawyer to help you pursue compensation, the better. That’s why you shouldn’t hesitate to call Mercado Kramer, LLP for help.
We’re trusted by injured motorcyclists and their families because of our genuine commitment to justice. Our smart and aggressive legal strategies help us win millions for our clients.
Our personal injury law firm can offer the attentive, focused legal representation you deserve as a person, and the kind of resources your case needs to be successful. There’s no charge for an initial case review, so contact our law office today for a free consultation with an experienced Monterey County personal injury lawyer.
How Much is My Motorcycle Accident Case Worth?
With limited protection, it’s possible to suffer catastrophic injuries if you’re involved in a motorcycle accident. The types of injuries you suffer as a rider and their severity will tend to have the most impact on any financial award you might be able to recover.
For instance, even if you’re wearing a motorcycle helmet as required by California state law, you’re still susceptible to catastrophic injuries, including spinal cord damage and broken bones. Over the course of a lifetime, these types of injuries can generate millions of dollars in medical expenses, lost wages and earnings, out-of-pocket costs, rehabilitation, and suffering.
Even moderate motorcycle accident injuries can be expensive, costing a rider and their families thousands to get their lives back on track.
Ultimately, your motorcycle accident claim’s value will rely on:
- Changes in your ability to work and earn a living
- Shared responsibility for the motorcycle crash
- Steps taken to mitigate your injuries (e.g., wearing a helmet and seeking timely medical care)
- Your age and life expectancy
- Temporary and/or permanent disability
- Changes in your overall quality of life
- Costs of repairing your motorcycle or replacing it if it’s a total loss
Working with an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer near you in Monterey County can ensure you know what your case is worth and empower you to make informed decisions throughout the claims process.
What Causes Most Motorcycle Crashes?
Simply put, most motorcycle wrecks happen because someone is careless.
Leading causes of motorcycle accidents include:
- Speeding
- Overtaking
- Unsafe lane changes
- Following too closely
- Failing to signal before changing lanes
- Blind spot errors
- Distracted driving
- Drunk driving
- Drugged driving
- Lane splitting
- Illegal turns
- Braking errors
- Aggressive driving
- Road rage
- Running red lights and stop signs
There are also situations where auto defects, poor road conditions, road hazards, road construction, or bad weather conditions contribute to motorcycle accidents in Monterey County.
What Compensation Can I Recover for My Motorcycle Accident Injuries?
When you’ve suffered injuries in a motorcycle accident because someone else was negligent, you can file a legal claim for compensatory damages.
Compensatory damages can include two types of awards: economic and non-economic.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are paid to cover the current and future financial consequences of your motorcycle collision, which can include:
- Emergency room care, hospitalization, medication, diagnostic tests, surgery, and other necessary medical expenses
- Rehabilitation and therapy
- Short-term and/or long-term disability
- Diminished earning capacity
- Property damage
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Nursing care
- Funeral expenses if a loved one is killed in a fatal Monterey County motorcycle accident
These damages ensure that you are compensated for the measurable financial impact of the accident, helping you recover both now and in the future.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are paid to acknowledge and compensate for harder-to-value struggles you endure as an injured motorcyclist, which might include:
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Emotional distress
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Embarrassment
- Chronic physical pain
- Loss of consortium
While these losses cannot be measured in dollars alone, compensation for non-economic damages seeks to recognize the profound personal impact your motorcycle accident has had on your life.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages can be awarded on a case-by-case basis if a lawsuit goes before a jury. In these situations, California law permits a jury to award punitive damages as punishment when a defendant’s conduct was clearly malicious, oppressive, or fraudulent.
Punitive damages can be awarded on a case-by-case basis if a lawsuit goes before a jury. In these situations, California law permits a jury to award punitive damages as punishment when a defendant’s conduct was clearly malicious, oppressive, or fraudulent. These damages are meant not only to penalize the wrongdoer but also to deter similar misconduct in the future.
Can Shared Fault Affect My California Motorcycle Accident Settlement?
Yes, any role you played in contributing to a motorcycle accident in which you were injured will affect your ability to get compensation.
Under California’s pure comparative negligence doctrine, damages will be reduced based on your degree of shared fault. The more you’re to blame for the motorcycle crash, the less compensation you can get when your case is settled or resolved at trial.
For example, let’s say you were hurt in a motorcycle crash and suffered damages valued at $500,000. However, you’re allocated 10 percent of the blame for the crash. When the state’s comparative negligence rule is applied, your maximum financial recovery is limited to $450,000.
Our Monterey County personal injury attorneys will be ready to challenge any claims of shared fault that might be raised by the driver who caused your motorcycle accident or their insurance company. Many times, these claims are made without any facts or evidence to support them, with the hope that they’ll scare you away from litigation. That won’t happen when you’ve trusted our experienced legal team to fight for you.
Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries
Whether you’re involved in a single-vehicle motorcycle crash or a collision with another vehicle, you can suffer debilitating and life-threatening injuries.
At Mercado Kramer, LLP, we’ll be here to help you fight to get compensation for all of your motorcycle accident injuries, including:
- Burn injuries
- Road rash
- Degloving injuries
- Amputation injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Paralysis injuries
- Back injuries
- Knee injuries
- Leg injuries
- Broken bones
- Chest injuries
- Crushing injuries
- Head injuries
- Concussions
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Whiplash
- Neck injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Nerve damage
- Soft tissue injuries
- Eye injuries
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
Every second counts when you’ve been hurt in a motorcycle crash in Monterey County. Make sure you report the incident to the local police, and then don’t hesitate to seek immediate medical attention. These two steps will be vital to the success of any future legal claims you pursue—not to mention your long-term health and well-being.
What Does it Cost to Hire a Motorcycle Accident Attorney in Monterey County?
Our Monterey County motorcycle accident attorneys represent injured riders on a contingency fee basis. You won’t pay a dime to our law firm unless we win your motorcycle accident case.
Our attorney fees won’t come out of your pocket, either. Instead, our fees are a pre-determined percentage of the settlement or jury award we obtain on your behalf.
If we don’t win, you pay nothing. That’s our promise to you.
How Long Will I Have to File a Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit in California?
While there can be exceptions, the standard statute of limitations for California motorcycle accident lawsuits is two years.
The two-year window begins to run on the date you’re hurt in a motorcycle wreck or the date of a loved one’s passing.
If you miss the filing deadline, you’ll allow the at-fault party or their insurance company to walk away without consequence. Don’t let that happen. Call us for help.
Schedule a Free Case Review With a Trusted Monterey County Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
You should not be expected to deal with the costs and consequences of a motorcycle accident on your own. You deserve to be compensated, and Mercado Kramer, LLP wants to make sure you get every cent you deserve.
We’re top-rated California litigators with an undeniable track record of success. We want to make things as easy as possible for you in the aftermath of a devastating accident. We’ll handle all aspects of your motorcycle accident case, giving you the time you need to invest in yourself and your recovery.
There’s no charge for an initial case evaluation, so contact our Monterey County motorcycle accident attorneys today for a free consultation.
