Motorcycle Accidents matters in Bakersfield
Bakersfield's wide, fast surface arterials and high-speed freeways make it a demanding place to ride. Highway 99 carries heavy traffic at freeway speeds, the 178 Crosstown Freeway moves vehicles quickly across the city, and arterials like Rosedale Highway invite the kind of speed and sudden lane changes that leave motorcyclists with no margin for error. When a driver fails to look twice at an intersection or drifts across a lane, a rider has almost nothing between them and the pavement.
Insurance adjusters frequently assume the motorcyclist was speeding or weaving. Our job is to replace that assumption with evidence.
Why Bakersfield Riders Get Hurt
- High-speed travel on Highway 99 and the 178 Crosstown Freeway
- Fast surface arterials such as Rosedale Highway with frequent turning conflicts
- Drivers who turn left across a rider's path or misjudge a motorcycle's speed
- "Looked but did not see" failures at busy intersections
- Unsafe lane changes and tailgating that leave riders nowhere to go
Lane-Splitting Is Legal in California
California is one of the few states that expressly permits lane-splitting. Vehicle Code section 21658.1 authorizes a motorcyclist to ride between rows of stopped or moving vehicles, and the practice is legal when done in a reasonable manner. Insurers often try to blame a rider simply for splitting lanes, but lane-splitting itself is not negligence. We use that statute, along with witness accounts, roadway evidence, vehicle damage, and any available video, to show what actually happened on the road and to counter the reflexive assumption that the rider was at fault.
Injuries, Case Types & Compensation
Motorcycle crashes tend to produce severe, lasting harm, including traumatic brain injuries even when a helmet is worn, spinal cord damage and paralysis, road rash that requires skin grafts, fractures, amputations, disfigurement, and wrongful death. These are not minor fender-benders, and the recovery often involves long rehabilitation and permanent change.
An injured rider in California may seek economic damages such as medical bills, future treatment, lost wages, and diminished earning capacity, along with non-economic damages for pain, suffering, scarring, and loss of life's enjoyment. A wrongful-death claim may compensate surviving family after a fatal crash. California's pure comparative negligence rule means that even if a rider is found partly at fault, the claim is reduced by that percentage rather than barred entirely. Helmet use, protective gear, and a rider's conduct can all become disputed issues that insurers exploit, which is why early, thorough investigation matters. We never promise a specific result or amount, because every case turns on its own facts.
The Two-Year Deadline & Kern County Court
Under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, you generally have two years from the date of a motorcycle crash to file suit in California. Missing that window usually ends the case. Bakersfield motorcycle lawsuits are typically handled by the Kern County Superior Court, with its main courthouse on Truxtun Avenue in downtown Bakersfield.
How MMG Law Firm Helps
Led by attorney Mihran M. Ghazaryan, MMG Law Firm represents injured riders across California from our Glendale office, about 110 miles from Bakersfield via I-5 and the Grapevine. We investigate the crash, gather the evidence, identify every source of insurance coverage, deal with the adjusters, and appear in Kern County court when needed, all while you focus on healing. You will not have to drive to Glendale to work with us, and we keep you informed at every stage. Consultations are free in English, Armenian, and Russian, and we work on contingency, so you owe nothing unless we win.
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.