Motorcycle Accidents matters in Bishop
Riding the Eastern Sierra and US-395
For motorcyclists, US Highway 395 through Bishop and the Owens Valley is a destination, not just a route. The sweeping curves, dramatic mountain scenery, and open road draw riders from across the state and beyond, especially in the warmer months when group rides and solo tourers fill the highway. US Highway 6 heading east out of Bishop adds another popular stretch. But the same features that make these roads thrilling also make them dangerous. Long mountain drives invite high speeds, blind curves hide oncoming traffic, and drivers unfamiliar with the area may misjudge a pass or fail to see a motorcycle in their mirror before turning across its path.
Riders here face hazards that drivers in enclosed vehicles do not. Loose gravel and rockfall on mountain segments, sudden temperature and weather shifts, wildlife crossing the highway at dawn and dusk, and gusty winds in the open valley can all upset a bike in an instant. When a collision happens, the rider has little protection, and crashes far from town mean a longer wait for help, with the nearest trauma care at Northern Inyo Hospital in Bishop. A delay in reaching care can make serious injuries worse, which is one more reason these crashes deserve careful attention.
Overcoming Bias Against Riders
Motorcyclists often face an unfair assumption that they must have been speeding or riding recklessly. Insurance companies sometimes use that bias to shift blame onto the rider and reduce what they pay. We push back with evidence. We gather the California Highway Patrol report, document the scene and road conditions, identify witnesses, and reconstruct the crash when needed to show what actually happened. The facts, not stereotypes, should determine fault, and we make sure your side of the story is fully told.
How We Handle Inyo County Motorcycle Claims
Motorcycle injuries tend to be serious, involving fractures, road rash, head and spinal injuries, and long recoveries that can keep you off work for months. We work to document the full extent of your medical care and the lasting effect on your life and earning ability, drawing on your treating providers and outside experts when needed. Under California's comparative fault rule, you may still recover even if you are assigned part of the blame, with your award reduced by your share. If the at-fault driver carries little or no insurance, we pursue your own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage so that a thin policy does not leave you without options.
Local Knowledge, Glendale Base
Being based in Glendale does not weaken our representation of Bishop riders. We manage much of the case by phone, email, and video, and we travel to the Eastern Sierra when an in-person meeting matters. A motorcycle accident lawsuit arising in Inyo County is filed at the Inyo County Superior Court in Independence. We never guarantee a result, but we fight to counter rider bias and pursue the full compensation the facts support.
Our attorney
How Mihran M. Ghazaryan helps with motorcycle accidents
Riders walk in facing a built-in bias, and Mihran M. Ghazaryan's job is to dismantle it. He documents the mechanics of the crash — often with reconstruction — to show what actually happened, presents your injuries in full, and pushes back hard when an insurer tries to blame the rider. You deal directly with the attorney building that narrative, not a rotating intake team.
Types of motorcycle accidents we handle
Left-turn and right-of-way collisions
The classic cause: a car turning across the rider's path. Witness statements and timing analysis are key.
Lane-change and unsafe-merging crashes
California lane-splitting is legal — but reasonable. We document compliance with CHP guidelines to defeat shared-fault claims.
Road-defect and dooring claims
Government-entity claims have a six-month presentation deadline. Dooring claims involve California Vehicle Code §22517.
Damages
What compensation can cover
Every motorcycle accident claim is different, but California law allows injured plaintiffs to seek several categories of damages. We build each one with documentation — medical records, wage statements, expert opinions — so nothing is left on the table.
Medical expenses
Emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation, and the future treatment your providers say you'll need.
Lost wages
Income you lost while recovering — and, where the injury affects your ability to work, diminished future earning capacity.
Pain and suffering
Compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, and the ways the injury has changed how you live day to day.
Property damage
Repair or replacement of your vehicle and other property damaged in the incident.
Out-of-pocket costs
Transportation to appointments, medical equipment, household help, and the other expenses an injury forces on you.
How we work
- 1
Free, no-pressure consultation
We listen first. We answer your questions. There is no fee for the initial conversation — and you decide whether to engage us at the end of it.
- 2
Investigation and evidence preservation
Police reports, scene photos, witness statements, vehicle data, surveillance video, medical records. The earlier we collect, the harder it is for the other side to reshape the story later.
- 3
Treatment, demand, and negotiation
We coordinate with your providers, document the full extent of damages — medical, lost income, pain — and present a demand backed by evidence. We push back firmly when an insurer lowballs.
- 4
Litigation when necessary
Most matters settle. When an insurer refuses to be reasonable, we file. Preparing every case as if it will be tried is what makes the settlement number move.
What to do right away
- Get medical care immediately — adrenaline and gear can hide serious injury.
- Photograph the bike, your gear, and the scene before anything moves.
- Preserve your gear — helmet, jacket, gloves — without cleaning it.
- Identify any witnesses; bystanders often vanish quickly after motorcycle crashes.
- Call us before talking to either insurer.
The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.
Deadlines that matter
Most California personal-injury claims must be filed within two years of the injury (Code of Civil Procedure §335.1). Miss the window and the court will almost always dismiss the case, no matter how strong it is.
Claims against government entities are much shorter — generally a written claim within six months (Government Code §911.2). Crashes involving city vehicles, public buses, or dangerous public-road conditions can fall under this rule.
Exceptions exist in both directions — discovery rules, minors, continuing violations, out-of-state defendants — so don't assume your deadline has passed or that you have time to spare. Call (818) 539-7969 and we'll tell you exactly where you stand.