Motorcyclist Suffers Major Injury in South Watt Avenue Crash
A major injury accident occurred in Sacramento on April 6 when a motorcyclist crashed his bike. The collision occurred near Rosemont, along South Watt Avenue just north of Folsom Boulevard, around 8:42 in the evening. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) received a call that a rider was down in the slow lane along South Watt, and emergency responders with the Sacramento Fire Department were sent out to check for injuries.
Authorities Investigating to Determine Cause of Accident
After determining the rider had suffered a major injury, they transported the motorcyclist to UC Davis Medical Center for evaluation and additional care. Authorities are conducting an investigation into the crash to determine what happened.
Recovering Damages Following a Motorcycle
Motorcycle riders often suffer a major injury in a crash because of their basic lack of protection, and a negligent motorist or other entity is often the cause. In many cases, they are ejected from their bike, which can end up causing serious head trauma and broken bones. Because of a serious injury, they may end up hospitalized for an extended period of time and face high medical costs and lost time at work in addition to their pain and suffering. A personal injury lawyer can help an injured client obtain compensation to avoid those mounting bills and be reimbursed for the trauma the accident caused.
Negligence in a Major Injury Accident
Some of the ways in which negligence can result in a motorcycle collision include:
- Road hazards: Road hazards are a common cause of a major injury accident. Because a motorcycle is less stable and smaller than a motor vehicle, it is more subject to crashing if a road hazard is in the bike’s path. In some cases, the rider does not see the hazard. In others, they spot the hazard too late to avoid it. Some roadway hazards include potholes, poor lighting, uneven pavement, gravel, an object that was lost from a load, expansion joints, and edge breaks. If the government entity charged with maintaining the roadways is responsible, they may be held financially accountable.
- Mechanical defects: A defect in a tire, brakes, motor, or accelerator can lead to a major injury accident. If this is the case, the manufacturer and others in the production line can be held responsible through a product liability lawsuit. Negligence does not have to be proven in these cases, only that the defective part wasn’t altered and was used as intended.
- An aggressive or hit-and-run driver: Sometimes, a motorcyclist may suffer an injury, even though the other vehicle isn’t found at the scene. That doesn’t mean they weren’t there originally but may have fled. An aggressive driver can cause a motorcyclist to have an accident by crowding them or tailgating and even going so far as to force them off the road. By examining witnesses and searching for traffic, roadway and business surveillance cameras, a lawyer can prove that another vehicle was the cause of the collision. When that driver is located, they may be held responsible.
If you suspect a road hazard, mechanical defect, or hit-and-run driver caused your injuries, a personal injury lawyer can conduct an investigation to uncover the truth. This is one of the reasons it is so important to retain the motorcycle, even if it is severely damaged, so our engineers can inspect it for evidence.
Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer
I am Ed Smith, a Sacramento personal injury lawyer. Motorcycle accidents can occur for a number of reasons, and if negligence by another party or entity was involved, the injured rider may be able to place a compensation claim. Reach out to me for my free, friendly advice at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400, or you can contact me online.
I’m honored to belong to the Million Dollar Advocates and the Top 1 Percent.
Our Sacramento law firm has helped many local residents and other Northern Californians in getting the compensation they deserve for motorcycle accidents, other traffic collisions, and wrongful deaths since 1982.
The following links show how my law office has helped others:
Attributed photo: https://pixabay.com/photos/motorcycle-road-lake-travel-4016329/
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