Long Beach Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

A motorcycle crash in Long Beach usually ends the same way. You are on the pavement, and the driver is already telling the officer the bike came out of nowhere. Moe Abdallah Law, P.C. helps riders hurt on Pacific Coast Highway, Orange Avenue and Artesia Boulevard, and on the I-710, the freeway that carries truck traffic from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. We know how an insurer twists lane-splitting, speed and a missing helmet into a reason to pay less. Whether you search for a bike accident lawyer or a motorcycle crash lawyer, the work is the same. We protect the evidence, document your injuries and fight for what your recovery will really cost. Moe takes your call himself and keeps you updated by call and text. You focus on healing. Your review is free, available 24/7, and you pay nothing unless we win.

Left turns, lane changes and the streets where riders go down

Most car-versus-motorcycle crashes follow one script. A driver turns left across a rider's path, merges into the rider's lane or pulls out from a side street, then says they never saw the bike. California law is clear. A left-turning driver must yield to oncoming vehicles close enough to be a hazard (Vehicle Code section 21801(a)), and a driver passing another vehicle must leave a safe distance (Vehicle Code section 21750(a)). In Long Beach, these collisions play out on Pacific Coast Highway, Orange Avenue, Artesia Boulevard and the grid around Downtown, Belmont Shore and Bixby Knolls. They also happen on the on-ramps and merges of the I-710, I-405, I-605, SR-91 and SR-22. The state's traffic safety office ranked Long Beach 3rd of 15 comparable cities for motorcycle crash victims in 2022, with 173 riders hurt or killed. That ranking does not blame any one road, and we do not say it does. It does tell you this city sees a lot of rider injuries. We start by fixing the facts in place: scene photos, skid and gouge marks, witness names and any camera that covered the intersection. Then we build a timeline that shows where the car was, where you were and what the driver should have seen. Riders hurt a few miles west can find the South Bay version of this on our motorcycle accident lawyer in Torrance page.

Lane-splitting, speed and the blame game

If a driver or adjuster says you were splitting lanes, they want you to believe you caused the crash. They are wrong about the law. No California statute prohibits lane-splitting. Vehicle Code section 21658.1 defines it and lets the CHP issue safety guidelines. You must still change lanes only when it is reasonably safe (Vehicle Code section 21658(a)) and ride at a safe speed for the conditions (Vehicle Code section 22350). So the question is never whether you were between lanes. The question is whether anyone acted unreasonably, and a driver who swung into your space without checking a mirror often did. Speed gets the same treatment. Insurers guess your speed from the damage, and a guess is not proof. We pull data from the bike when it exists, study your lane position and brake marks, and check whether traffic was stopped or flowing. California follows pure comparative negligence. Even if a jury gives you some share of fault, your award is cut by that share but not erased (Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804). Under Proposition 51, each defendant also pays non-economic damages only in proportion to their own fault (Civil Code section 1431.2), which matters when more than one driver is involved.

Motorcycle on its side after a crash in Long Beach

Helmets, gear and your damaged bike are evidence

Every rider and passenger on a California motorcycle must wear a helmet that meets state standards (Vehicle Code section 27803). If you were not wearing one, or the strap was loose, expect the insurer to bring it up. Riding without a helmet does not bar your claim. At most, the defense can argue that a helmet would have lessened a head injury and ask to cut that part of your damages. That argument should not reach injuries a helmet would not have prevented, such as a broken leg. If you wore one, it is strong proof of how hard you were hit, so do not throw it away. Keep your jacket, gloves, boots and pants too, and do not wash them. Do not repair the bike or sell it as salvage until we have photographed it and, when it makes sense, downloaded its data. The damage shows the angle and force of impact, which can wreck a story about your speed. Keep your phone records and messages from the day of the crash, and write down what you remember while it is fresh. Small details can shift fault in a rider's favor: a turn signal that was on or off, a driver looking at a phone, a car that crept forward.

When a truck near the harbor puts a rider down

Riders on the I-710, the Long Beach Freeway, share lanes with heavy truck traffic moving cargo between the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and inland railyards and warehouses. A truck driver with blind spots on all four sides can change lanes straight into a motorcycle. These cases look different from a car crash. When a commercial truck is involved, liability can reach the company that employs the driver, not just the driver, and the insurance is often larger. Evidence also disappears faster. A carrier can overwrite onboard camera footage, and electronic logs and engine data can vanish if no one asks for them. We send preservation letters right away. A rider hit by a truck often has the worst injuries: crush injuries, amputations, spinal cord damage and brain trauma. California's minimum auto liability limits rose to $30,000 per person and $60,000 per crash for policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025. That does not come close to covering a major injury. Federal rules require for-hire interstate carriers hauling general freight in trucks of 10,001 pounds or more to carry at least $750,000 in liability coverage (49 CFR 387.9), and your own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage can add to it. We review every policy early. If a driver hit you and fled, call us the same day. An uninsured motorist claim for an unknown driver has a 24-hour police report rule.

Rider's scuffed helmet and jacket after a motorcycle crash in Long Beach

Surgery, trauma care and what a rider case is worth

Riders have no frame around them, so injuries run heavy: complex and open fractures, road rash that needs skin grafts, spinal injuries, traumatic brain injury and amputations. Long Beach has two Level II trauma centers, MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center and St. Mary Medical Center. If you went to either one, those records anchor your claim. Facing surgery, you may be wondering who will take a high-cost injury case on contingency. We will. Moe works these cases with no fee unless we win. The mistake we see most is a quick lowball. An adjuster calls days after the crash and offers a check before your second surgery is scheduled, before anyone knows how a brain injury will settle. Once you sign, the case is over. We wait until your doctors can describe your outlook. Then we work with your treating providers to price future surgeries, therapy, lost income and the cost of changing how you live. Past results do not predict a similar outcome, but we have recovered $105,000 for an uninsured client with a broken sternum, and $30,000 in policy limits for a client hurt in a head-on crash with femur and ankle fractures and surgery. Value depends on your injuries, your records and who is responsible.

Police reports, the city claim and the Long Beach courthouse

Long Beach has its own police department, so Long Beach Police, not LAPD, documents a crash on a city street. You request the collision report by mail. Send the department's release application and a copy of your photo ID to Long Beach Police Department, 400 W. Broadway, Long Beach, CA 90802, ATTN: Information Management Division. The fee is $30, and processing can take up to about six months, so we do not wait on it to start work. If a city road condition may have played a part, such as a broken signal or a hazardous surface, the city is a possible defendant, and that changes your deadline. You must present a written claim to the City of Long Beach within six months of the crash (Government Code section 911.2), through the City Clerk at 411 W. Ocean Blvd. After a written rejection, you have six months to file suit (Government Code section 945.6). A claim against a private driver generally has a two-year deadline under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. The Los Angeles Superior Court hears civil cases at the Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse, 275 Magnolia Ave., in Long Beach, and we work out where your lawsuit belongs if you need one. We handle the paperwork, the claim forms and the filing, so a calendar never costs you your case.

Talk to a Long Beach motorcycle accident lawyer

Call (323) 716-1992 for a free, no-obligation case review. You pay nothing unless we win, and we'll handle the insurance companies for you. Learn more about our motorcycle accidents representation →

Crash numbers for all of Los Angeles: motorcycle accident statistics.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. No California statute prohibits lane-splitting, and Vehicle Code section 21658.1 only defines it. You still must change lanes safely and ride at a safe speed. The real question is whether either side acted unreasonably. Even if a jury puts some fault on you, California's comparative negligence rule lowers your award by your share instead of ending the claim.

Usually yes. California requires a helmet under Vehicle Code section 27803, but riding without one does not bar your claim. The defense can argue a helmet would have reduced a head injury and ask to cut that part of your award. That argument should not reach injuries a helmet would not have prevented, such as a broken leg. We work to limit that argument and protect the rest of your case.

Often more than the driver. When a commercial truck puts a rider down, liability can reach the company that employs the driver, and the insurance is often larger. Camera footage, engine data and driver logs can disappear fast, so we send preservation letters early. Your own UM and UIM coverage may also apply if the truck's limits fall short.

Yes. Moe Abdallah Law, P.C. takes motorcycle injury cases on contingency, so you pay no fee unless we win. Keep treating, follow your surgeon's plan and sign nothing from an insurer before your doctors know your outlook. Moe will explain how we handle medical bills while the case is pending. Call (323) 716-1992 any hour for a free case review.

There is no fixed formula. Value depends on your medical costs, future care, lost income, how lasting your injuries are and how clearly the other driver was at fault. Severe injuries such as spinal damage, brain injury and complex fractures carry larger claims. We document your losses with your treating doctors before we name a number.

Generally two years from the crash under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. If a public entity may share fault, you must present a written claim within six months (Government Code section 911.2), then sue within six months of a written rejection. If an unknown driver hit you and fled, you must also report to police within 24 hours.

Yes, right away. Adrenaline hides pain, and head, spine and internal injuries can stay quiet for hours or days. Long Beach has two Level II trauma centers, MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center and St. Mary Medical Center. A gap between the crash and your first treatment is a common reason insurers say you were not really hurt.

Mail the Long Beach Police Department's release application, with a copy of your photo ID, to 400 W. Broadway, Long Beach, CA 90802, ATTN: Information Management Division. The fee is $30, and processing can take up to about six months. Keep the officer's name and your report number, and we will check on the status for you.

Get medical care right away, even if you feel okay. Long Beach has two Level II trauma centers, MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center and St. Mary Medical Center. Get the officer's name and report number, the other driver's insurance, and photos of your bike, your gear and the scene. Keep your helmet and damaged gear as evidence. Do not give the other driver's insurer a recorded statement or sign anything until you have talked to a lawyer.

As soon as you can after you get medical care. Camera footage and vehicle data can disappear within days, and the insurer starts building its case right away, often by blaming the rider. You generally have two years to file under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, but only six months to present a claim if a public entity may share fault. The first case review is free, and you pay no fee unless we win.