Santa Barbara and the surrounding areas boast some of the most beautiful scenery anywhere. One of the great ways to enjoy this beauty is aboard a motorcycle. Unfortunately, traveling by motorcycle also places you at risk of a serious or fatal collision. When you're hurt in a motorcycle crash -- whether due to someone else's negligence or your own -- you need a powerful legal team to help you get the compensation you're owed, and time often can be of the essence. For those reasons, don't delay in contacting a knowledgeable Santa Barbara motorcycle accident lawyer to discuss your circumstances.
A fatal Ventura County crash from October is just one of the latest motorcycle-involved tragedies in our area.
The accident occurred along Highway 150 near Lake Casitas. According to the California Highway Patrol, J.D., who was driving eastbound aboard a Harley Davidson motorcycle, drifted into the westbound lane and crashed head-on with a Land Rover driven by a 64-year-old Ojai man.
The driver of the Land Rover suffered no injuries. The motorcyclist died at the scene and his passenger endured severe injuries, including multiple fractures.
An Unfavorable Police Report Isn't a Dealbreaker
A police report stating that you were to blame for causing your motorcycle crash does not automatically mean that you have no hope of recovering anything. When it comes to civil litigation, you should keep in mind that California is a "pure comparative negligence" state. That means that, as long as you were not 100% to blame for the crash, you have the possibility of securing an award in a civil case. For example, if a jury looks at your evidence and decides you were 75% at fault, the other driver was 25% at fault and you endured $600,000 in damages, you can still recover an award of $150,000.
Additionally, there's the insurance claims process, where auto insurers make their own determinations based on their own standards when it comes to issuing payouts. (In the past, one Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos, LLP client obtained a $3.8 million insurance payout even though the police report identified the client as the at-fault driver.)
Success involves completing several tasks with speed, diligence, and attention to detail. Getting full compensation often is the result of having all the documentary proof you need, which is where legal counsel can help. We can obtain any video footage that captured the crash, the police report, and eyewitness statements. If necessary, we can secure an accident reconstruction expert to prove the respective parties' degrees of liability.
We can also gather all of your medical bills and take testimony from your doctors (to establish your medical expenses,) gather your wage information and take testimony from your employer (to establish lost income damages,) and also take testimony of your loved ones (to establish pain and suffering damages.)
Your motorcycle accident case involves a lot of details. Count on the personal injury attorneys in Santa Barbara at the law firm of Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos, LLP to guide you throughout the process and be the effective advocate you need for success. Contact us at 805-617-1365 or through our website to get a free case consultation today. In California, the statute of limitations says that you only have a limited time to file your lawsuit in court, so don't delay; get started today.
