Motorcycle Accidents matters in Santa Monica
Santa Monica is a gateway to some of the best riding in the region. Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1) hugs the coast at the city's northern edge, the I-10 runs straight to its terminus at the beach, and surface streets like Ocean Avenue and Lincoln Boulevard carry steady traffic year-round. That scenery comes with risk: drivers distracted by the view, sudden lane changes, and cars that simply fail to see a motorcycle.
When a crash happens, riders face a double battle, serious physical injuries and an insurance industry that often assumes the motorcyclist was reckless. The law, however, gives riders the same rights as any other road user.
Why motorcycle crashes happen here
- Drivers turning left across traffic on Ocean Ave and Lincoln Blvd who fail to yield
- Sudden lane changes and merging conflicts where the I-10 meets surface streets
- Tight curves and heavy weekend traffic along PCH
- Car doors opening into traffic and vehicles pulling out of beach parking
- Drivers who claim they never saw the motorcycle
The law on lane-splitting and fault
Lane-splitting, riding between lanes of slower or stopped traffic, is legal in California. Vehicle Code section 21658.1 authorizes the practice and directs the CHP to develop safety guidelines, so a rider who was lane-splitting is not automatically at fault. California's pure comparative negligence rule means that even if you are found partly responsible, you can still recover, with your award reduced by your share of fault. Insurers routinely overstate a rider's fault to cut their payout, and we push back with the facts.
Injuries and case types
- Road rash, deep lacerations, and severe scarring
- Traumatic brain injuries, even with a helmet
- Broken bones, especially legs, wrists, and collarbones
- Spinal injuries and paralysis
- Loss of limbs in severe collisions
What you may be able to recover
A motorcycle accident claim can include economic damages for emergency and ongoing medical care, future treatment, lost income, lost earning capacity, and damage to your bike and gear. It can also include non-economic damages for pain, disfigurement, and the loss of activities you once enjoyed. We cannot promise a specific outcome because every case turns on its own facts, but we work to present a complete and honest picture of how the crash changed your life.
Deadlines and the courthouse
Under California Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, you generally have two years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit. Santa Monica motorcycle accident cases are usually filed in the Los Angeles County Superior Court at the Santa Monica Courthouse on the Westside. Acting before the deadline protects your right to be heard, even though most claims ultimately settle.
How MMG Law Firm helps
From our Glendale office, attorney Mihran M. Ghazaryan represents injured riders throughout Santa Monica and all of California. We investigate the scene, secure witness statements, and confront the bias that riders so often face from insurers. Consultations are free, we work on contingency so there is no fee unless we win, and we assist clients in English, Armenian, and Russian.
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.