A Good friend of mine who is also a San Francisco motorcycle accident lawyer used to advertise to motorcyclists, using the slogan “Because they just can’t see you.” And of course, lawyers defending drivers who have injured motorcycle riders often try to exploit the prejudice that many jurors and judges have against motorcyclists by subtly asking jurors to forgive the offending drivers because “these motorcycle riders are just so hard to see.”
While we cannot honestly argue that motorcycles are as easy to see as automobiles or trucks or buses, we do know that the motorcycle and the rider…
The California Rider Legal Review was created by Choulos Choulos and Wyle, L.L.P., motorcycle lawyers and life-long motorcycle riders, to help explain California motorcycle laws in a short and easy to understand way. Hopefully, by helping riders to better understand the law, we can reduce California motorcycle accidents and injuries.
California Law on Motorcycle Headlamps
So, let’s talk about the California law on motorcycle headlamps, meaning the white light on the front of your motorcycle. Is a headlamp required? The short answer is YES, mostly. California Vehicle Code, Section 25650 says that every motorcycle during darkness shall have at…
Helmets are very important for motorcycle safety. Motorcyclists lack the same protections as a motor vehicle, and any collisions between the two can be catastrophic. As a result, motorcyclists need as much protection as they can, and helmets play a crucial role.
Not only are helmets effective at preventing serious injuries after a collision—wearing a helmet is required under California motorcycle laws. Failure to wear a helmet could result in hefty fines and make it difficult to recover compensation after an accident.
The Mandatory Helmet Law in California
According to California Vehicle Code Section 27803, all motorcycle drivers and…
After a California truck accident, you may wonder how long you need to wait before you receive a settlement. These types of collisions often result in extensive property damage and very severe injuries, leading to significant financial hardship. In many cases, however, it can take several months to one or two years to reach a settlement in a truck accident claim. However, the length of your case will depend on the circumstances surrounding your accident.
Legal Options for California Truck Accident Victims
California is a fault car accident state, meaning that parties who are responsible for collisions must pay for…
Truck accidents can be catastrophic. A commercial truck is much larger and heavier than the average passenger car, and collisions between the two types of vehicles can lead to very severe injuries, significant property damage, and psychological trauma.
California is a fault-based accident state. If you are injured in a San Francisco truck accident, you have the right to file a lawsuit or insurance claim against the person or entity responsible for the collision. However, multiple parties may be liable for your truck accident, depending on the cause and circumstances surrounding the crash.
The Truck Driver
In many accident…
