Our Bakersfield motorcycle accident lawyers know that insurance companies and other parties often hold biases against motorcyclists, making it difficult for motorcycle accident victims to recover fair compensation.
That bias can lead to low settlements or denied claims, even when you have a right to recover damages for your medical expenses and other losses.
Our Bakersfield personal injury lawyers help injured motorcyclists pursue compensation for injuries, medical bills, lost wages, and more. At Omega Law Group, we put our clients first. Always. Your first case evaluation is free, ensuring you understand your legal rights without upfront costs.
I’ve Been Hit on My Motorcycle. What Do I Do Next?
The hours after a crash feel like a blur. Your body is in shock. Your bike is wrecked. People are talking at you, and none of it quite lands. Here are the steps that protect your health and your case, in order.
- Get medical help first. Even if you feel fine, see a doctor. Adrenaline hides pain, and some injuries show up days later. Visiting a trauma center like Kern Medical on Mount Vernon Avenue creates a record tying your injuries to the crash.
- Call the police. In Bakersfield, officers from the Bakersfield Police Department at 1601 Truxtun Avenue will respond and write a report. That report becomes a key piece of evidence later.
- Document the scene. Photos of the road, the vehicles, skid marks, traffic signals, and your gear all tell a story. So does the weather and the lighting.
- Get contact details. If you’re able, get contact information, full names, insurance information, and license plates from everyone involved. Don’t be afraid to talk to witnesses and ask for their information as well.
- Say little at the scene. Do not apologize or guess about fault. A simple “I’m not sure what happened” is enough.
- Keep everything. Hold onto your damaged helmet, torn clothing, and the bike itself. These items can show the force of impact.
- Call a lawyer before the insurance company calls you. The sooner someone is in your corner, the harder it is for an insurer to twist your words.
Do what you can. Skip what you cannot. Your main job right now is to heal.
How Insurance Companies Try to Pay You Less
The insurance company is not on your side. It is a business, and its profits grow when payouts shrink. The friendly adjuster who calls after your crash has a job to do, and that job is to resolve your claim for as little as possible.
They are well trained and know which tactics to use to save their companies the most money.
- The fast, low offer. They reach out early with a check that looks helpful but barely covers your first bills. Once you accept, the case is over.
- The recorded statement. When you agree to a recorded statement, you put your claim at risk. The recording can be taken out of context and used against you to reduce your claim.
- The blame game. Riders face a stereotype that they are reckless. Insurers lean on that bias to shift fault onto you.
- The medical gap argument. If you waited to see a doctor or missed an appointment, they claim your injuries are not that bad.
- The delay. Insurance companies know that people need the money to pay for medical bills and other living costs, especially when injuries have kept victims out of work. They drag things out, hoping financial pressure pushes you to settle for less.
None of this means your claim is weak. It means you are up against a system built to protect money. A motorcycle accident attorney in Bakersfield makes sure you’re treated fairly and protects your rights and interests. When an insurer knows a prepared firm is ready to go to court, the conversation changes.
Have you been involved
in a motorcycle wreck?
Our motorcycle accident lawyers in Bakersfield are here to help.
(310) 526-8383
How a Bakersfield Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Helps
You do not have to become a legal expert to get a fair result. That is the lawyer’s job. You will have time to heal and recover while your attorney handles your claim and the details.
Here is what that looks like day to day:
- Investigation. Gathering the police report, scene photos, witness statements, and sometimes crash reconstruction to show what really happened.
- Medical coordination. Making sure your injuries are fully documented and your future care is accounted for.
- Valuing your claim. Adding up current bills and the costs still to come, so no part of your loss is left out.
- Dealing with insurers. Taking their calls, answering their letters, and shutting down the pressure tactics.
- Negotiation. Pushing for a fair settlement backed by evidence.
- Litigation. Filing suit and arguing your case in the Kern County Superior Court, Metropolitan Division, when the insurer will not play fair.
Omega Law Group handles each of these steps so you can rest. If you cannot come to us, we come to you, and we use Rapid Sign so you can handle paperwork from your phone without a trip across town.
Why Choose Omega Law Group
Choosing a Bakersfield motorcycle accident lawyer is personal. You want someone who treats your case like it matters, because to you, it does. Here is what sets Omega Law Group apart.
- We work on contingency. There are no upfront fees and no hourly bills. You pay nothing unless we recover for you.
- Free consultations. Your first conversation costs nothing. You get answers and a clear sense of your options before you decide anything.
- We travel to you. Injuries make driving hard. We meet clients where they are, at home or in the hospital.
- Rapid Sign. Document signing happens electronically, so paperwork never slows down your recovery.
- A client-first approach. Putting our clients first, always, is not a slogan we picked at random. It is how we work.
Founded in 2016, our Bakersfield motorcycle accident lawyers have spent years representing injured people across California. You can review our verdicts and settlements on our Results page. When you work with us, you are not a file number. You are family, and we take care of family.
Injured in a motorcycle crash?
Our motorcycle accident lawyers in Bakersfield are here to help.
(310) 526-8383
Damages You Can Recover After a Motorcycle Crash
Compensation is meant to make you whole, as much as money can. In California, your damages generally fall into two groups.
Economic Damages
These are the costs with a dollar figure attached:
- Medical bills, from the ambulance ride to future surgeries and therapy.
- Lost wages for the time you could not work.
- Lost earning capacity if your injuries limit the work you can do going forward.
- Property damage to repair or replace your motorcycle and gear.
- Out-of-pocket costs like transportation to appointments and medical equipment.
Non-Economic Damages
These cover losses that are real but harder to price:
- Pain and suffering from the injury and its treatment.
- Emotional distress, including anxiety and the fear many riders carry afterward.
- Loss of enjoyment of life when you can no longer do the things you love.
- Disfigurement from scarring, burns, or amputation.
In rare cases involving extreme recklessness, such as a drunk driver, a court may add punitive damages. These damages are meant to punish someone for egregiously reckless behavior. Every case is different, and the right amount depends on the facts. Our goal is a settlement that reflects the true weight of what the crash took from you.
Hurt in a
motorcycle accident?
(310) 526-8383
How Long Do I Have to File an Injury Claim After a Motorcycle Crash?
Under California Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, you generally have two years from the date of the injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. Miss that window, and the court can throw your case out, no matter how strong it is.
Claims against a government agency are different. If a city or state entity, like a municipal agency in charge of roads or traffic signals, shares part of the fault, you may need to file a formal claim within six months. That is a tight deadline.
Two years pass quickly when you are focused on healing and bills. The simplest way to protect your rights is to talk with a lawyer soon after the crash. That keeps every option open while you concentrate on recovery.
How Much Does a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Bakersfield Cost?
A motorcycle accident lawyer in Bakersfield at Omega Law Group costs you nothing upfront. Our attorneys work on a contingency fee. That means our fee comes as a percentage of the recovery only if we win, and if we do not recover for you, you owe no attorney fees.
This lets injured riders get legal help without worrying about money. Your first consultation is free. You can learn your options and decide what feels right with no pressure and no financial risk.
Causes of Motorcycle Crashes That Lead to Personal Injury Claims
Most motorcycle crashes are not caused by reckless riders. They are caused by drivers who did not see the rider or did not look. A motorcycle is small, quick, and easy to miss in a mirror. That visibility gap is at the heart of many wrecks.
Here are the causes we see most often on local roads:
- Left-turn collisions: A car turns left across traffic and cuts off a rider going straight. These are among the deadliest crashes for motorcyclists.
- Unsafe lane changes: A driver drifts into a lane without checking the blind spot, right where a motorcycle sits.
- Distracted driving: A glance at a phone on State Route 99 is all it takes to miss a rider in the next lane.
- Speeding and tailgating: Fast, heavy traffic on State Route 58 and the 178 gives drivers little time to react to a slowing bike.
- Driving under the influence: Impaired drivers have slow reflexes and poor judgment, a dangerous mix near motorcycles.
- Dooring and parking-lot crashes: When a person opens their door into you, or a car backs out without looking.
Knowing the cause matters. It points to who was at fault, and that shapes everything about your claim.
Motorcycle Injuries We Commonly Claim
Riders do not have a steel frame, airbags, or seatbelts around them. When something goes wrong, the body absorbs the force. That is why motorcycle injuries tend to be more severe than car-crash injuries, and why recovery can take months or years.
- Broken bones: Bone breaks are common after a bike crash. Fractures or breaks involving arms, legs, ribs, and pelvis are common and may require surgery or rehabilitation.
- Spinal cord injuries: Damage to the spinal cord can cause long-term harm. These injuries can range from herniated discs to severe spinal cord damage, potentially causing partial or complete paralysis.
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and head trauma: Even with helmets, riders are at risk for concussions, TBIs, and skull fractures.
- Road rash: Abrasions from sliding across the road surface; can range from mild to third-degree road rash requiring skin grafts.
- Soft tissue injuries: Soft tissue damage is often not visible, but can be very painful and limiting. Damage to muscles, tendons, and ligaments can cause pain, swelling, and reduced mobility.
- Internal organ damage: Injuries to organs such as the lungs, liver, or kidneys due to the impact.
Motorcyclists face real danger on the road. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 6,228 motorcyclists were killed in 2024, which was 16% of all traffic deaths.
Per mile traveled, riders were almost 27 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a crash. This study explains why insurers and juries take rider injuries seriously, and why your claim deserves careful handling.
California Motorcycle Laws Every Rider Should Know
The rules of the road shape your claim. Insurers often use them to argue a rider was partly at fault, so it helps to know where you stand.
- Helmets are required. Under California Vehicle Code section 27803, every rider and passenger must wear a DOT-compliant helmet. This is a universal law, meaning it applies to all ages.
- Lane splitting is legal. California is the one state that allows it. California Vehicle Code section 21658.1 defines lane splitting as riding between rows of stopped or moving vehicles in the same lane, and the California Highway Patrol issues safety guidelines for it. A driver cannot blame you simply because you were lane splitting.
- Comparative fault applies in the State of California. If you share part of the blame, your compensation drops by your share of fault, but you can still recover. Being 20% at fault does not end your claim, but the insurance company may try to push more of the blame on you to save money.
Who Can Be Held Responsible for Your Crash
Fault is rarely as simple as “the other driver.” Several parties can share responsibility, and finding all of them is often the difference between a thin settlement and a fair one.
- The other driver. The most common at-fault party, especially in left-turn and lane-change crashes.
- An employer. If the at-fault driver was working, such as a delivery or commercial driver, the company may be on the hook.
- A government agency. When a dangerous road defect or missing signage caused the crash, a public entity may bear fault. These claims come with shorter deadlines, so timing is critical.
- A vehicle or parts manufacturer. A defective brake, tire, or motorcycle component can trigger a product liability claim.
- A repair shop. Faulty work on your bike or another vehicle can contribute to a wreck.
Pinning down every responsible party takes investigation. Omega Law Group looks past the obvious to find the full set of insurance policies that may cover your losses, because more coverage can mean a more complete recovery.
How Long Do I Have to File a Motorcycle Accident Claim in California?
In California, you generally have two years from the date of the crash to file a motorcycle accident claim, under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. However, there can be circumstances that shorten that timeline. For example, if you intend to sue a municipal agency that is responsible for a malfunctioning traffic light, you may have as little as six months to act.
Because evidence fades and deadlines vary, it is advisable to talk to a motorcycle accident lawyer in Bakersfield as soon as possible so evidence can be preserved and no deadlines are missed.
Can I Still Recover Money if I Was Partly at Fault?
Yes, you can still recover money if you were partly at fault for a motorcycle crash. California follows a comparative fault rule. The percentage of fault you are assigned reflects the compensation you recover. So if you were 20% at fault, you can still recover 80% of your damages.
Insurers often try to pin extra blame on riders to cut their payout, which is one reason having a lawyer matters. We fight allegations of fault against you so you have the best chance of recovering full and fair compensation.
Contact a Bakersfield Motorcycle Accident Law Firm
At Omega Law Group, we understand the bias riders face, and we know how to fight back with evidence, preparation, and genuine care for the people we represent. From investigating your crash to standing firm in negotiations or the courtroom, we handle every detail so you can focus on healing.
You pay nothing unless we win, and your first consultation is always free. When you work with us, you are not a case number. You are family. Call Omega Law Group today for your free consultation and let us protect what matters most.
