California Injury Lawyer Blog

LA HABRA - A 20-year-old La Habra man was very tragically killed in a motorcycle accident Monday night, the San Gabriel Valley Tribune and Orange County Register reported. The motorcyclist, Bryan Hodges, died at the scene of the 5:22 p.m. crash on Euclid Street and Country Hills Drive, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Department press release. The initial investigation by law enforcement indicated that Hodges, along with another motorcyclist, was riding southbound on Euclid Street when a vehicle making a left turn from northbound Street Avenue onto Country Hills Drive pulled into the path of his motorcycle.

Cause of the La Habra Motorcycle Accident

The cause of this accident remains under investigation. However, if news reports of this July 11th incident are accurate, it appears that the teen driver making a left turn may be responsible for this accident. Under California Vehicle Code Section 21801: "The driver of a vehicle intending to turn to the left or to complete a U-turn upon a highway, or to turn left into public or private property, or an alley, shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching from the opposite direction which are close enough to constitute a hazard at any time during the turning movement, and shall continue to yield the right-of-way to the approaching vehicles until the left turn or U-turn can be made with reasonable safety."

Motorcycle Accident Wrongful Death Liability

If the investigation confirms that this fatal motorcycle accident was caused by the driver of the vehicle making a left turn, the family members of the victim may consider filing a wrongful death claim for the loss of the loved one. Following any fatal motorcycle accident, where negligence of another driver may have been a cause or factor, the family members of the victim would be well-advised to consider speaking with a California motorcycle accident attorney. A lawyer who understands the legal issues of left-turn accidents such as this one can advise the family of their legal rights told hold the responsible parties accountable, and their best course of action should they wish to pursue a wrongful death claim for damages, including funeral and burial expenses, future anticipated earnings the decedent would have earned over a lifetime, and loss of love, care, affection and companionship.

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VALLEJO - A motorcyclist was taken to the hospital with moderate injuries Friday night following a collision with a car in Vallejo, the Times-Herald reported. The motorcyclist, who was not identified, was riding southbound on Broadway Street at about 8:30 p.m. when a car made a left turn into the former Walmart parking lot on Sonoma Boulevard. The driver of the car told police she did not see the motorcycle. The motorcyclist was wearing a helmet. The cause of the April 29th Vallejo motorcycle accident remains under investigation.

California Law Regarding Left Turns

Under California Vehicle Code Section 21801 (a), "The driver of a vehicle intending to turn to the left or to complete a U-turn upon a highway, or to turn left into public or private property, or an alley, shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching from the opposite direction which are close enough to constitute a hazard at any time during the turning movement, and shall continue to yield the right-of-way to the approaching vehicles until the left turn or U-turn can be made with reasonable safety."

Motorcycle Accident Personal Injury Liability

If the driver of the vehicle is found to be responsible for this accident, the motorcyclist may be entitled to compensation for his injuries, including medical care expenses, lost earnings, pain and suffering, and other damages. Following this Solano County motorcycle accident, the injured victim or his family members would be well-advised to speak with a California motorcycle accident attorney about his legal rights and options to receive compensation for his injuries.

Continue reading "Motorcyclist Injured April 29th in Left-Turn Crash in Vallejo " »

A 42-year-old Oakland motorcyclist died Wednesday afternoon when a 1974 Chevrolet pickup truck turned into the path of his vehicle, the Contra Costa Times reported. The accident occurred at the intersection of Concord Avenue and California Street, at about 12:50 p.m. According to news reports, the motorcyclist, Tschum Boykin, was riding eastbound on Concord Avenue, and the pickup truck, driven by a 20-year-old woman, was travelling westbound. The driver of the pickup truck attempted a left turn from Concord Avenue onto California Street, and collided with Boykin's bike. Boykin was rushed to a local hospital and died a short time later. The driver of the pickup truck was not hurt.

Cause of the October 6th Concord Motorcycle Crash

Authorities are continuing to investigate the cause of the accident. However, if news reports are accurate, it appears that the driver of the pickup truck may have violated the right of way of the motorcyclist. The law that applies to left turns is located in California Vehicle Code Section 21801: "The driver of a vehicle intending to turn to the left or to complete a U-turn upon a highway, or to turn left into public or private property, or an alley, shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching from the opposite direction which are close enough to constitute a hazard at any time during the turning movement, and shall continue to yield the right-of-way to the approaching vehicles until the left turn or U-turn can be made with reasonable safety."

Motorcycle Accidents and Wrongful Death Claims

A left-turn motorcycle accident is one of the most common and most deadly type of motorcycle accident. If the woman driving the truck is determined to have caused this fatal motorcycle accident, she may be cited for negligent driving. Additionally, she may be held liable for the victim's death in a civil wrongful death claim. In situations such as this accident in Contra Costa County, where a driver is suspected of making a left turn into the path of a motorcyclist, the family of the victim may benefit from talking to an experienced and knowledgeable northern California motorcycle accident lawyer. A skilled lawyer can help the victim's family understand and protect their legal rights, and advise them of their best course of action should they wish to pursue compensation for their loss. Damages awarded in a wrongful death claim may include money for final medical expenses, funeral and burial expenses, anticipated future lifetime earnings of the victim, and loss of love, care and companionship.

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A Porterville woman riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle suffered major injuries Tuesday afternoon when a car made a U-turn in the path of her motorcycle. According to news reports, a 43-year-old woman driving a 2006 Chevrolet sedan northbound on Plano Street when she began to make a U-turn near Scranton Avenue. The Chevy collided with a 2007 Harley Davidson driven by Joyann Williams, 38, of Porterville. The impact forced the motorcycle into an open field on the corner of Scranton Avenue. Williams was flown to Community Regional Medical Center with major injuries. The driver of the Chevy was not injured.

Cause of the Plano Street Motorcycle Accident

The Tulare County motorcycle accident is under investigation by the California Highway Patrol. Based on the limited information available in news reports, it appears that the driver of the Chevy failed to yield to the motorcyclist's right-of-way and pulled into the path of the Harley Davidson. The CHP will look at speed of the vehicles, whether or not the driver of the sedan was making a legal U-turn, and other factors to determine how this accident occurred.

Motorcycle Accidents and Personal Injury Liability

If it is determined that the driver of the Chevrolet caused this crash, she may be liable for the major injuries sustained by Joyann Williams. Compensation awarded in a personal injury claim may include damages for hospitalization and medical treatment, lost earnings, and pain and suffering. While this crash remains under investigation, the family of the victim may benefit from seeking a consultation with an experienced California motorcycle accident attorney about the victim's rights to compensation from this accident. A lawyer familiar with the unique legal issues of motorcycle accidents can help the victim protect her legal rights and recover maximum compensation for her serious injuries as a result of the crash.

Continue reading "Motorcyclist Seriously Injured in Crash with Car Making U-Turn in Porterville" »

A motorcyclist died Monday night after suffering critical injuries in an intersection collision in Taft, the Midway Driller reported. The Kern County accident occurred at the intersection of Kern Street (West Side Hwy / CA-33, and 8th Street, at about 8 p.m. According to news reports, a motorcycle was travelling eastbound on Kern Street, while at the same time an SUV was making a left turn from northbound Eighth Street to westbound Kern Street.

The motorcycle and the SUV collided at the intersection. The driver of the SUV was not hurt; the motorcyclist suffered major injuries and was rushed to Kern Medical Center, where he died at 9:29 p.m. The Kern County Sheriff-Coroner identified the victim as Steven Mason, 22, of Bakersfield. Mason was wearing a helmet, authorities reported.

Cause of the Crash

Based on the news reports, it appears that the driver of the SUV pulled out into the path of the motorcyclist. The motorcyclist did not have a stop sign at the intersection, while the driver of the SUV did. However, the official cause of the accident is still under investigation.

Motorcycle Accidents Involving Left-Turns

This type of collision involving a motorcycle with the right of way and a vehicle making a left turn is fairly common. On June 28th, a motorcyclist died in a Butte County motorcycle accident when a teen made a left turn in front of him. In May, a motorcyclist died in a similar motorcycle crash in Madera County involving a pickup truck making a left turn on Highway 41. While these failure-to-yield motorcycle accidents are common, unless excessive speed is involved, they are almost always the fault of the driver of the vehicle making a left turn.

Continue reading "Bakersfield Man Killed In Taft Intersection Crash " »