San Diego Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

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Brad Nakase, Attorney

Sunny San Diego is an excellent place to ride our motorcycles. I am a San Diego motorcycle accident lawyer who rides a Honda CBR. I especially enjoy getting off the I-5 at SeaWorld Drive and heading west towards Pacific Beach. Other times, I head east on the I-8 towards Cleveland National Park, where I press open the throttle into the curves and bends around Julian. The fun is not without its dangers while riding a motorcycle.

I want to hear your story.

2 + 2 = ?

Figures from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration motorcycle safety show motorcycle drivers have a 500% higher likelihood of sustaining injuries than drivers of automobiles. We cannot ignore the severity of San Diego motorcycle accidents. Even the slightest accidents can result in major injuries given the lack of safety features on a motorcycle.

To illustrate this, consider a motorcycle going slowly and hitting another vehicle. The driver of the bike could be thrown from their bike and get cut, bruised, or even break some bones. There are certain safety precautions they can take.

According to CHP motorcycle safety, motorcycle helmets, weighted boots, thick gloves, and clothing covering all exposed areas can help. However, these will not help in every accident. If a motorcycle gets hit by a truck, it will be impossible to avoid serious injury. Still, helmets are the most useful piece of safety gear a motorcyclist can use. They will often be able to protect your head from physical trauma, although not every time. San Diego Motorcycle accident lawyers often see severe injuries from the clients.

Let’s look at the most common injuries for motorcyclists

Traumatic Brain Injuries

A traumatic brain injury occurs when a victim’s head gets hit hard by another object. In the case of a San Diego motorcycle accident, this could even happen when a motorcyclist has a helmet on. You can sustain a traumatic brain injury in several ways. However, they usually occur when a motorcyclist hits their head into the body of another vehicle. They also can get them from hitting the ground after being ejected from their bike.

Minor brain injuries can also leave behind lasting symptoms lingering for several months. When a traumatic brain injury is more severe, it can end up disabling a motorcyclist for a long time. Their physical and mental functions can become critically handicapped. A San Diego motorcycle accident lawyer must know how to litigate traumatic brain injuries.

Spinal Cord Injuries

Motorcyclists are also prone to getting their spinal cords injured. This injury is considered the most severe for motorcycle riders. The spinal cord is the central channel of nerves relaying information back and forth to the brain from the body. Whenever there is damage to it, there can be serious problems.

Your San Diego motorcycle accident lawyer must understand spinal cord injuries. For example, there can also be partial spinal cord injuries that do not entirely stop communication through the spinal cord. This injury will enable an accident victim to still have some feeling in the injured area. When a spinal cord injury is a complete one, the brain cannot speak with the rest of the body. The result is paralysis.

Severe Injuries to Soft Tissue

Soft tissue injuries include skin cuts, as well as damage to muscles, ligaments, and tendons. An example of this type of injury is a scraped knee. Doctors call this a laceration. You probably would not go to an emergency room for a cut. However, many soft tissue injuries require medical attention. When you’re looking for a San Diego motorcycle accident lawyer, the attorney will seek the assistance of a spinal cord physician.

When you get into an accident on a motorcycle, any damage to your soft tissue can turn dangerous quickly. You may even need to get evacuated to the emergency room at Scripps Mercy Hospital. Unforeseen complications can arise, such as permanent scarring and sharp pain.

Injuries to the Head and Face

Sometimes bike riders decide not to wear a helmet that has a face guard. Others will not even wear a helmet at all. In some cases, a motorcycle rider gets ejected from their bike and thrown over the handlebars into another vehicle. The most common situation this occurs in is a rear-end collision. The driver of the motorcycle crashes into another car or the ground. Their face will usually be the first point of contact, leading to injuries on their head and face. Your San Diego motorcycle accident lawyer must have access to physicians who specializes in head trauma.

Other Injuries to the Head/Face:

  •  broken jaws
  •  fractured nose
  •  fractured cheekbone
  •  damaged or missing teeth

Extensive surgery may be necessary if these injuries occur. Their physical appearance may be changed forever as well. 

Fractures

A fracture may seem minor at first, but prompt medical attention is necessary. A medical professional will look at the area where the fracture is. Doctors will then choose a way to stabilize the area as the bones heal. A San Diego motorcycle accident lawyer should know information on bone fractures and stabilization methods.

Standard stabilization methods include casts, splints, boots, and braces. A minor fracture can take up to a few months to fully heal. Some may only take a few weeks. When motorcyclists get fractures, they can be very serious. Multiple fractures require immediate surgery, as well as ones that break the skin. This surgery will keep any infections away and place the bones in their proper positions.

Additional surgical implants such as screws, plates, or pins may be necessary. The road to recovery from fractures can be a long one. Pain is a normal part of the healing experience. There are also instances where the bones never heal completely. These situations can lead to physical impairments and handicaps.

Internal Injuries

Motorcyclists can sustain injuries that are not immediately apparent. When someone is subject to severe physical trauma, they will usually suffer from internal injuries. Pelvic fractures and broken ribs sometimes get missed by the doctor’s careful eye. As a San Diego motorcycle accident lawyer, attorney Brad Nakase has successfully litigated internal injuries.

Physical trauma can severely damage internal organs such as the liver, lungs, kidneys, spleen, and heart. Internal bleeding can occur, leading to critical blood loss. Your life may be on the line when faced with internal injuries. Getting to the emergency room becomes more crucial.

You can miss seeing an internal injury for days after an accident took place. Therefore, you should always get immediate medical assistance if you are in a motorcycle accident. The sooner you get to medical professionals, the sooner doctors can accurately diagnose what is wrong with you. They will offer the required treatments very quickly. You will also have the injuries documented in your medical records. Your San Diego motorcycle accident lawyer will use these records to build your case and help you receive money in a settlement.

Significant Losses Can Occur for Victims of Motorcycle Accidents

Depending on what kind of injuries a motorcyclist has sustained, their losses will differ. They can become disabled and see huge increases in the costs of dealing with their injuries. The costs can sometimes be thousands or millions of dollars. Remember that for any expenses or losses you may have, you should get the fair compensation you deserve. Your San Diego motorcycle accident lawyer can help. It was not your fault that someone crashed into you and injured you.

Depending on the accident, the losses will differ. To get an idea of what your claim will be valued at, contact Nakase Law Firm for a case evaluation.

The following are a few examples of the kinds of losses you would find in a motorcycle accident.

Medical Costs

If you are riding a motorcycle and have an accident, seek medical assistance immediately. The best-case scenario would be that you would receive it where the accident took place in San Diego. Your San Diego motorcycle accident lawyer can help you find a physician. Some injuries will require an ambulance to take you to a hospital. In rare cases, a helicopter will have to medevac you there. Treatment usually begins if they admit you to the hospital. You might need to stay overnight, or longer if you sustained an injury requiring surgery.

There are several different costs associated with injuries sustained in motorcycle accidents. These include surgery, post-operation care, physical therapy, at-home care, medical equipment, drugs, and more. Your San Diego motorcycle accident lawyer should have access to San Diego physicians that can help you.

Lost Wages

You can end up with injuries that keep you from working for days, weeks, months, or forever. After surgery, your doctor will sometimes tell you to avoid working for a certain amount of time to recover properly. There are specific jobs that require physical activity that you may no longer be able to do. Even desk jobs may no longer be possible if you suffered neck and back injuries. Your paid time off can run out fast, and you may have to resort to taking unpaid leave from work. Depending on how much you have saved up, this could be financially devastating.

Future Losses

Medical bills will only be some of the financial losses you will incur. You will also miss out on all the money you would have made in the future had you still been able to work. You should consider future losses as part of your overall losses from an injury resulting from an accident. Just because your insurance claim or legal case was approved and won does not mean your costs have ended.

As a San Diego motorcycle accident lawyer, Brad Nakase understands how to calculate your future needs and losses. This total would also include future medical bills, lost income, as well as any future earning power lost. If you are no longer able to work, you have sustained a permanent injury and should be compensated for these future losses.

Non-economic Losses

Financial losses might not be the only losses you experience. By law, you are allowed to receive non-economic losses you suffered. These could involve any emotional suffering you endured from the accident. You might not be able to enjoy your life because of your activity-restricting injuries. Other non-economic losses to consider are permanent disfigurement, disabilities, and physical pain.

You are entitled to receive compensation for any losses you have incurred from an accident. Insurance companies, as well as the at-fault driver, will do whatever they can to avoid paying you. It helps to collect as much evidence in your favor to support your case. It is sometimes easier said than done.

It is easy to provide proof of previous medical costs and wages lost. You can get copies of bills and payment statements indicating exact amounts. However, when it comes to future and non-economic losses, it is more difficult to provide accurate figures.

San Diego motorcycle accident lawyer, Brad Nakase, regularly works with clients who have been through severe accidents and have had future and non-economic losses. We specialize in obtaining advice from medical, occupational, and financial advisors. We do this to determine your future costs and earnings. We will assess your unique case and find your due damages.

There are other essential actions to take besides calculating losses in a motorcycle crash. There is also the need to provide proof of the liable individual for an accident. Brad Nakase and his team of attorneys and legal professionals understand how to deal with every aspect of your motorcycle accident claim. Give Nakase Law Firm a call today (619) 550-1321 and receive a case evaluation.

Understanding Who Is Liable for Your Motorcycle Injuries

If you become involved in a motorcycle accident, you will likely have massive medical bills. Since you will probably be losing out on income by not working, your financial situation can look desperate. Find out whether someone else could and should be paying for your losses.

You have nothing to lose and lots to gain by discussing what your rights are with an attorney at Nakase Law Firm.

If the actions of someone else is the reason for your injuries, you can sometimes place liability onto them.  There are several different types of parties that can be negligent. There are also several different causes of motorcycle accidents. These include the following:

  • Drivers who are distracted
  •  Drivers who are impaired in some way
  • Drivers who are driving aggressively
  • Drivers who are not obeying traffic signs
  • Businesses that are selling malfunctioning motorcycles
  • Transportation departments that are not maintaining roads properly

One of the most common causes of accidents today is a distracted driver. It is difficult to see a motorcycle, especially if it is in a car’s blind spot. It is even easier to become distracted today because of people looking at their smartphones while driving. Although state laws tell drivers to watch out for all vehicles on the road, motorcycles are the hardest to spot.

You have a few options once you find out who the responsible parties are for an accident. First, you should file a claim with the insurance company of the negligent party. Insurance claims are confusing by design and can be shocking to you. These companies will do what they can do to minimize payments by challenging the legitimacy of your injuries or liability coverage. When you hire a San Diego accident lawyer skilled in motorcycle accidents, you will ensure your rights are protected.

Insurance companies are known for evaluating claims and only providing a trivial amount compared with what was requested. Do not feel like this is what you deserve. These companies are greedy. They will do whatever they can to increase their bottom line, even if it means doing so at your expense. They will intentionally offer small amounts of money, hoping you are not well-informed. They are hoping you will take their minute offer and accept it.

Once you settle with them, you give up your right to any further legal course of action. Even if you figure out you were given an unfair amount, there will be nothing you can do. You need a skilled attorney to look over settlement offers before you agree to anything. Nakase Law Firm will do whatever they can to make sure you get the amount you deserve.

If an insurance claim will only cover some of your losses, Brad Nakase’s legal team will file a lawsuit for you for any personal injuries you sustained. They will handle any, and all, aspects of your case. Only the most favorable settlement agreement will be accepted. The attorneys at Nakase Law Firm will offer to represent you at a trial if necessary. Contact Nakase Law Firm for a consultation at (619) 550-1321.

Protect Your Rights If You Have Been in a Motorcycle Accident

You will not get compensated for damages right after being in a motorcycle accident. It would be nice, but the reality is more complex. Even if the other driver’s fault for the accident is clear, it will be a process to get damages awarded to you. If you desire to have the best chance of recovery, you should do the following:

Compile any, and all, information you can on the accident.

Following an accident, gather as much data and information you can about the nature of the accident. You will have an easier time doing this if you have not sustained severe injuries. Take photographs of every aspect of the accident. Make sure you document the damage done to your motorcycle. Capture any hazardous road conditions which may have led to the accident. Obtain contact information from witnesses of the crash for additional support.

Put together information on how you were injured.

Write down how the injuries you sustained from the accident affect you daily. Make sure you are very detailed in describing the issues you are dealing with. Include pain you feel, the activities you can no longer participate in, and any emotional issues you have gotten.

Avoid using social media.

You may feel the desire to share the news of your motorcycle accident with your friends and the world. However, if you do share information and photos of the accident, all of that can be used against you. The opposing party will use all of it as evidence that you were somehow to blame for the accident. They may even insist you were not as injured as you have been stating you were. Until your case is closed, abstain from using social media.

Postpone accepting a proposed settlement from an insurance company.

Until you speak to an attorney at Nakase Law Firm, avoid accepting any settlement offers from an insurance company. These companies offer money to motorcyclists injured in an accident very quickly. They do this so that they get you to make an uninformed decision. These initial offers will be for way less than what you should be receiving. Without proper legal counsel, it will be hard to calculate the value of your personal injury. Certain aspects of a claim could be easier to figure out, like specific property damage. However, other losses, such as non-economic ones, will be challenging to figure out on your own. This is why you should have Nakase Law Firm review facts of your case before agreeing to any settlement.

Why Should You Choose Brad Nakase as your San Diego Motorcycle Accident Lawyer?.

Brad Nakase is acutely aware of the numerous dangers motorcyclists face daily. He has experience in claiming large financial recoveries for many motorcyclists who were injured. He has the skills and knowledge to obtain the highest compensation possible for the injuries you have sustained.

Beyond understanding and appreciating motorcycle culture, the following are other factors which enable Nakase Law Firm to stand out from other firms:

· Brad Nakase and his team and respectable, believe in integrity, and adhere to family values.

· Nakase Law Firm’s team will be there for every step of your journey.

· Brad Nakase and his team will work without stopping so that they can obtain as much as possible for your claim.

· A motorcycle case is often complicated and benefits from an experienced law firm.