Man Injured in Motorcycle Accident in Rancho Murieta
A motorcycle accident occurred on October 20, just north of Rancho Murieta sent the rider to the hospital with major injuries. The accident was reported by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) as happening along Scott Road, where it intersects with Latrobe Road at around 7:39 in the evening. Emergency responders from the Sacramento Fire Department arrived at the scene to assess the injured rider, who was then taken to Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento Medical Center for additional evaluation and treatment. The accident is under investigation by the CHP to determine how it occurred. It is unknown whether alcohol or drugs contributed to the crash.
Reasons Motorcycle Accidents Happen
While there are many reasons for a motorcycle accident, let’s take a look at the 10 most common causes:
- Speeding: This behavior causes a motor vehicle to lose control or to be unable to stop in order to prevent a motorcycle accident. Keeping to the speed limit is often not good enough. When roadway conditions are bad or if there is inclement weather, the existing speed limit may be inadvisable from a safety standpoint.
- Car doors: Opening car doors are a critical problem for cyclists. This often happens on an urban street where cars are parked along the road in a horizontal pattern. This happens when a motorist opens his or her car door to exit the vehicle and does not check for a motorcycle approaching. Traumatic injuries often result.
- Driving drunk: Motorists who are driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs experience a loss of cognitive ability and judgment. This loss can result in risky behavior and reckless driving.
- Lane changing: motorists have blind spots that disrupt their ability to see clearly around and behind them. If the driver wishes to change lanes and does not check to see if the lane is clear, they will cause an accident. Because of the motorcycle’s lack of conspicuity, it is likely the motorist will not see them.
- Rear-end accidents: When a motorist is following a biker too closely, they may not be able to stop in time. Hitting a motorcyclist from behind can result in serious injury or death.
- Lane splitting: While legal in California, lane splitting where the biker drives between two lanes of traffic, can be dangerous for the inexperienced. It is important to only use this technique when traveling at a slow speed.
- Left-hand turns: Motorists who are making a left turn must be clearly aware of the distance between their vehicle and the motorcyclist. If this is misjudged, an accident can happen. Since such accidents commonly happen at intersections where traffic is heavy, motorists are often too busy to see the motorcycle.
- Inexperience: The lack of experience is sometimes a deadly foe on the road.
- Dangerous roads: Motorcycle accidents can occur due to poor road conditions. This can include potholes, crumbling pavement, debris in the road, or poorly maintained signs and nonfunctioning traffic signals. A government entity is responsible for road maintenance. If this obligation is ignored, a dangerous and negligent situation has been created. You can file a claim against the government entity. It is important to remember that the time limit to file this claim is different from ordinary personal liability claims. An attorney will ensure that all documents are filed in a timely manner.
- Defects: Bikers can be in a motorcycle accident due to mechanical defects. If this occurs, the biker has every right to file a claim against the manufacturer.
What an Attorney Can Do to Help in a Motorcycle Accident
At our firm, we make sure that all evidence pointing to the at-fault driver or other entity is amassed as quickly as possible before it is lost or covered up. We dispatch our investigative team immediately to the accident site to look for signs of negligence by using accident reconstructive techniques, obtaining video footage of the accident from traffic surveillance cameras, and reviewing police reports for mistakes. We also interview witnesses. Once the evidence is gathered, we turn it over to our legal team, who use it to build a strong case in our client’s favor.
Rancho Murieta Personal Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Rancho Murieta personal injury lawyer. Not all motorcycle accidents are because of negligence on the part of the rider. If you or a loved one was injured, call me at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for my free and friendly advice. An online form is available also if you prefer to get in touch with me this way.
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I’ve helped Rancho Murieta residents since 1982 receive fair compensation for their accident injuries. Areas I work in include wrongful deaths, all types of traffic collisions, and traumas such as brain injuries.
Find out more about my law practice by clicking on the following links:
Photo Attribution: Depositphotos_46253511_l-2015
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