Recent headlines in the Los Angeles area underscore the dangers facing motorcyclists today. Motorcycle crashes and fatalities continue to be an epidemic of tragic proportions in the LA metro area, with at least four deaths reported in the last few weeks. Police investigations commonly find reckless driving, road hazards and excess speed to be contributing factors in motorcycle-vehicle crashes, though distracted driving and alcohol impairment are often cited as well.
When careless motorists cause serious injury or death on California’s roads, victims have the law on their side. Los Angeles motorcycle accident attorney Sean F. Salamati discusses liability issues and some of the more recent fatal crashes that made the news.
Recent motorcycle crashes claim lives
In late September, a left turn accident claimed the life of two people in Riverside. Police say that a 61-year-old woman was waiting to make a turn onto Kearney Street, and as she turned her SUV left from Columbia Avenue, a motorcyclist and his passenger crashed into the vehicle. The impact of the collision ejected the biker and his passenger from the motorcycle, killing both.
Just two days later, downtown Los Angeles was the scene of a separate fatal motorcycle crash. According to the LA County Sheriff’s Department, a motorcyclist was struck by the Metro Expo Line train around 1:30 a.m. on Washington Boulevard and Flower Street. Investigators claim the motorcyclist was traveling at a high rate of speed at the time of the fatal collision, which marks the first traffic fatality on the light-rail line.
Just two weeks ago, another motorcyclist died in a North Hills van accident, which happened in the 5100 block of Nordhoff Street. Officials say that the 28-year old victim, David Villatoro, smashed into the side of a passenger van that was carrying three people. Investigations are still pending, but police say that the biker’s speed was a definite factor in the accident.
Determining fault in accidents
Driver error is one of the most common causes of motorcycle and vehicle accidents. Motorists who fail to obey traffic laws, blow through a stop light, fail to yield the right of way, or make lane changes without checking their blind spot are at high risk of being involved in serious accidents.
More often than not, personal injury actions arising from motorcycle crashes are based on theories of negligence. When the driver of a passenger vehicle operates their car in a negligent manner and their actions or omissions cause injury to another, the motorcyclist has a valid claim for compensation.
Liability may also be assigned to defective or malfunctioning vehicle parts that caused the motorcycle rider to lose control and crash. Poorly designed or defective brakes and tires contribute to dozens of motorcycle accidents every year. In cases like these, victims may sue for damages in a product liability claim.
To discuss your options for legal recourse in the wake of a motorcycle accident, call Salamati Law at 888-259-4060. You may be entitled to seek damages for medical expenses, lost income, permanent disability, emotional hardships and other losses. All consultations are free and without obligation — call today!
Resources:
- NBC Los Angeles, Motorcyclist Killed in Collision With Metro Expo Line Train http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Motorcycle-Crash-Metro-Expo-Line-Train-394802861.html
- Los Angeles Daily News, North Hollywood motorcyclist dies in North Hills van crash http://www.dailynews.com/general-news/20161017/north-hollywood-motorcyclist-dies-in-north-hills-van-crash
