Motorcycle accident claims in Los Angeles
The Ledger Law Firm represents riders and passengers hurt in motorcycle crashes in Los Angeles. A case evaluation is free.
Call (800) 300-0001
The firm works on a contingency fee: the fee is a percentage of what is recovered. If there is no recovery, you owe no attorney fee, but you may still be responsible for court costs and case expenses.
In Los Angeles the firm meets clients by appointment at 811 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1000, Los Angeles, CA 90017. The firm’s office is in Newport Beach.
What to do after a motorcycle crash in Los Angeles
- Call 911 if anyone is hurt, and get medical care before anything else. Trauma centers in Los Angeles are named on our Los Angeles page.
- See a doctor soon even if you feel fine, and keep every record and bill.
- Leave your helmet and riding gear as the crash left them. Do not wash, repair or throw away the helmet, jacket, gloves or boots, and have the motorcycle photographed before it is repaired.
- Photograph the vehicles, the road and your injuries. Write down the names, phone numbers and insurance details of the other driver and of any witnesses.
- After a crash, write down the street, the direction you were riding and the nearest cross street while you still remember them.
- Get the collision report. Whether the Los Angeles Police Department or the California Highway Patrol took it, how to order a copy is on our Los Angeles page under How to get your collision report.
- Talk to an attorney before you give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer or sign a release.
California rules that matter in a motorcycle claim
Helmets
A driver and any passenger must wear a safety helmet when riding on a motorcycle. Cal. Veh. Code section 27803.
Riding between lanes
California law defines lane splitting as driving a motorcycle with two wheels on the ground between rows of stopped or moving vehicles in the same lane, and that section does not prohibit it. Cal. Veh. Code section 21658.1. Our guide to lane splitting in California says more.
The deadline to sue
Generally two years to file a lawsuit for an injury caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another person. Cal. Code Civ. Proc. section 335.1. One exception is a claim against a public body: a written claim for death, for injury to a person or for damage to personal property such as a vehicle must be presented to it not later than six months after the claim arises. Cal. Gov. Code section 911.2.
Shared fault
Your damages are reduced by your share of the fault, and there is no cutoff. The California Supreme Court adopted this rule, which it called pure comparative negligence, in Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804.
Riding uninsured
An owner whose vehicle was not insured as the law requires, and a driver who cannot show the required insurance, cannot recover damages for pain and suffering. The section has an exception for an uninsured owner who is hurt by a driver convicted of driving under the influence. Cal. Civ. Code section 3333.4.
Minimum liability insurance
$30,000 for the injury or death of one person, $60,000 for two or more people in one accident and $15,000 for damage to the property of others, for a policy issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025. Cal. Veh. Code section 16056.
This is general information and not legal advice. Every deadline has exceptions. Ask a lawyer about the dates and rules in your own case.
How The Ledger Law Firm handles a motorcycle accident claim
- The facts and the records. It starts with a free case evaluation: you tell us what happened, and we tell you whether the firm can help. If the firm takes the claim, we collect the collision report, photos, witness statements, and your medical records and bills.
- The insurers. We deal with the insurance companies for you.
- The losses. We add up what the crash has cost you, such as medical bills, lost income and damage to your motorcycle and gear, and we send a written demand to the insurer.
- A settlement or a lawsuit. We bring every offer to you, and the decision to accept is yours. If no offer is acceptable to you, a lawsuit can be filed in a California court before the deadline.
The firm does not promise any result.
Who is licensed in California
The firm has attorneys licensed in California: Emery Brett Ledger and Sabrina Sabbagh. The Ledger Law Firm was founded in 1998 by Emery Brett Ledger. Its office is at 5160 Birch Street, Suite 200, Newport Beach, CA 92660.
- Motorcycle accident claims
- Personal injury claims in Los Angeles
- Car accident claims in Los Angeles
- Lane splitting in California
- Contact the firm
Call The Ledger Law Firm at (800) 300-0001 for a free case evaluation.