Motorcycle Accidents matters in Sacramento
Sacramento's wide freeways and busy surface streets make for fast, flowing traffic — and that speed is unforgiving for riders. The W-X freeway through downtown, Highway 50 heading east toward Folsom, and the river-area routes that draw weekend riders all see their share of serious crashes. Too often the driver who caused it says the same thing: "I never saw the motorcycle."
Riders are routinely blamed for crashes that were not their fault. We push back with a careful reconstruction of what really happened and a clear account of the other driver's negligence.
Why these crashes happen here
- Left-turning drivers who fail to yield to oncoming riders
- Lane-change and merge collisions on the W-X freeway and Highway 50
- Drivers misjudging a motorcycle's speed and distance
- Higher-speed river-area and recreational routes
- Distracted, impaired, or following-too-closely drivers
Lane-splitting is legal in California
California is one of the few states where lane-splitting — riding between rows of stopped or slow traffic — is expressly lawful. Vehicle Code section 21658.1 authorizes the practice and directs the CHP to develop safety guidelines. That matters because insurers love to claim a lane-splitting rider was automatically at fault. They were not. Lane-splitting itself is legal, and fault still turns on whether each party acted reasonably. Under California's pure comparative negligence rule, you can recover even if you share some blame, with your award reduced by your percentage of fault.
Injuries we see in motorcycle cases
- Traumatic brain injuries, even with a helmet
- Road rash and serious skin and soft-tissue damage
- Fractures, especially legs, wrists, and collarbones
- Spinal injuries and paralysis
- Wrongful death claims for grieving families
What a claim can recover
A motorcycle injury claim can pursue economic and non-economic damages. Economic losses include hospital bills, surgeries, rehabilitation, future care, lost wages, and diminished earning capacity, plus the cost of your damaged bike and gear. Non-economic damages compensate for pain, suffering, disfigurement, and loss of the activities you love. Every case is different, and we never promise a specific amount — the outcome depends on the facts, the injuries, and the available coverage.
The deadline and the Sacramento courthouse
Under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, you generally have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit in California. Waiting too long can permanently bar your claim. Sacramento County motorcycle cases are filed in the Sacramento County Superior Court and heard at the Gordon D. Schaber Courthouse downtown.
How MMG Law Firm helps from Glendale
MMG Law Firm is based in Glendale and represents injured riders throughout California, including Sacramento. We handle cases remotely through phone, email, and a secure client portal, and we appear in Sacramento County court whenever a case calls for it. Attorney Mihran M. Ghazaryan offers free consultations in English, Armenian, and Russian, and we work on contingency — no fee 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.