Motorcycle Accidents

Woman Killed in 405 Freeway Motorcycle Accident

January 22, 2014 | by Robert Walch

A woman was killed early this morning in a Los Angeles 405 Freeway motorcycle accident. The Los Angeles motorcycle accident occurred in the Sepulveda Pass. It is unclear at this time what caused the motorcycle crash, but the Los Angeles Times is reporting that the motorcycle and another car collided on the freeway and the female motorcyclist was killed. The woman who was killed in the crash, Fallon Naccarato, is from Newbury Park, California.

Due to this motorcycle accident fatality, the investigating officers closed all five lanes of the 405 Freeway, near the Getty Center. However, by nine o’clock in the morning, all lanes were open for traffic. Any witnesses to this motorcycle accident in Los Angeles should contact the California Highway Patrol and provide any information they may have.

Authorities will have to investigate whether the motorcycle or the vehicle caused this crash. Often, we see that the motorcycle rider is blamed, even when the driver of the car is actually at fault for the crash. This is often due to misconceptions about motorcycle riders, including that they speed, weave between lanes and drive recklessly.

Man Killed in Calabasas Motorcycle Accident Wrongful Death

June 17, 2013 | by Robert Walch

A 25 year old man from Calabasas, John Westerlund, was killed in a Calabasas motorcycle accident on Wednesday. According to The Acorn, the Calabasas accident occurred on Las Virgenes Road, when the driver of a pick up truck pulled out in front of the motorcycle, attempting to make a u-turn from a parked spot on the street.

Our Calabasas accident lawyers have seen this scenario over and over again. A car will be parked parallel to a street and then, without noticing a car coming in the same direction, will attempt a u-turn when the driver thinks it is safe to enter the opposite direction of travel. Many of these collisions result in a t-bone collision, where the car or motorcycle traveling straight broadsides the vehicle attempting the illegal u-turn.

Oftentimes, the auto insurance company for the vehicle making the illegal turn will try to deflect their liability (fault) by arguing that the vehicle traveling straight was trying to go around the turning vehicle. Insurance companies will often make up these bogus arguments in order to make it more difficult for the victim to get his or her vehicle repaired right away, which causes much frustration and inconvenience. These are among the many reasons to hire an experienced Calabasas car accident lawyer right away after an accident when you are not at fault.

Van Nuys Motorcycle Accident Results in Possible Wrongful Death

March 12, 2013 | by Robert Walch

A man was killed on Monday in a Van Nuys motorcycle accident. The motorcycle accident in Van Nuys occurred on the 405 Freeway. The motorcyclist was headed southbound on the 405 freeway, at around eight in the morning, when he collided with at least one other vehicle.

The 405 freeway accident caused the closure of three lanes near Sherman Way. According to the Los Angeles Daily News, the victim of the 405 freeway motorcycle accident was an adult male, but he has not yet been identified. Many drivers who passed by this tragic accident scene reported that the motorcyclist passed away at the scene and was not transported to a hospital.

We have not yet heard if the California Highway Patrol has determined who was at fault for this Van Nuys motorycle crash. It will be necessary to interview witnesses and the drivers of the other vehicle or vehicles involved in the crash, before determining fault. Unfortunately, as we have written about before, and seen in many of our own cases, many witnesses typically blame the motorcycle rider, even when the driver of a car is at fault for causing the crash.

Motorcycle Lane Splitting – Not Illegal – CHP Guidelines

March 8, 2013 | by Robert Walch

Contrary to the beliefs of many people in California, it is not illegal for motorcycles to lane split, meaning to pass between cars in adjoining lanes of a roadway. According to the Los Angeles Times, a survey found that 78% of motorcyclists admit to lane splitting. In order to help prevent California motorcycle accidents, the CHP has issued guidelines for motorcycle riders to follow when lane splitting.

First, the most important thing is that any lane splitting be done safely. Then, when lane splitting, the motorcyclist should not exceed 10 miles per hour over the speed of the traffic he or she is passing. Next, when traffic is flowing at more than 30 miles per hour, the motorcyclist should not split lanes. Finally, the motorcyclist should use the area between lane number 1 and lane number 2 when splitting lanes.

It is important to note that the above guidelines are not the law. Motorcyclists may get a ticket if they are deemed to be driving recklessly, even though they are following the CHP guidelines. Steve Guderian, of ABATE, the American Brotherhood Aimed Toward Education, argues that lane splitting should be called “lane sharing” and when driving in traffic, a lane splitting motorcyclist is actually less likely to get into a California motorcycle accident, by a rate of over two to one, compared to vehicles that are not lane splitting.

Man Killed in 405 Freeway Motorcycle Accident

July 1, 2012 | by Robert Walch

This morning, a Los Angeles 405 freeway motorcycle accident, near LAX, resulted in the death of the 39 year old motorcyclist. The Los Angeles Times reports that the 405 freeway accident apparently occurred when the motorcyclist collided with the rear end of a pick up truck. The Los Angeles rear end accident caused the motorcycle and truck to spin out of control and the cyclist was thrown from the cycle.

The cyclist, who hit the median of the freeway, was pronounced dead at a Los Angeles hospital. The driver of the pickup truck apparently was not injured in the Los Angeles rear end collision. The California Highway Patrol is still investigating the cause of the motorcycle accident in Los Angeles.

If the driver of the pick up truck was at fault, the heirs of the motorcycle rider may make a Los Angeles wrongful death claim against the insurance company for the pickup truck driver. However, legally, it is usually very difficult to prove that the vehicle that was rear ended actually caused the rear end collision. This is because there is usually a presumption that the vehicle that was rear ended was struck because the vehicle in back was not keeping a safe distance.

Man Killed in Simi Valley Motorcycle Accident Wrongful Death

March 9, 2012 | by Robert Walch

A Simi Valley motorcycle accident on Wednesday night caused the wrongful death of the male motorcycle rider and caused serious injuries to the female passenger of the motorcycle. The motorcycle crash apparently occurred when the motorcycle, driven by a Chatsworth resident, struck a Honda CRV that was making a left turn from the eastbound direction of Cochran Street to the Northbound direction of Stearns.

Both the man and woman were thrown from the motorcycle. The man died at the scene and the woman was taken to Los Robles Medical Center in Thousand Oaks. The woman suffered serious neck, rib, pelvis, and head injuries. We wish her the best in her recovery from these motorcycle accident injuries.

According to the Ventura County Star, police said the driver of the Honda CRV did not appear to be impaired at the time of the Simi Valley motorcycle crash. It is also unlikely that the Honda driver suffered injuries, but it is possible.

There are many possible causes to this Ventura County motorcycle accident. One possible cause is that the driver of the CRV did not see the motorcycle coming and made the left turn in front of the motorcycle, causing this accident. In this case, the driver would be responsible for the motorcycle accident wrongful death damages. However, the driver of the CRV may claim that when he started the left turn it was safe, but the motorcycle was speeding and unable to stop, which caused the collision.

Motorcyclist Killed in Downtown Los Angeles Motorcycle Accident

September 10, 2011 | by Robert Walch

A motorcyclist was killed early this morning in a Los Angeles motorcycle accident on the Harbor Freeway. According to the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles motorcycle crash occurred at about 3:45 in the morning, south of downtown on the Harbor Freeway north, near Adams Blvd.

The California Highway Patrol is in charge of investigating the cause of the motorcycle accident in Los Angeles. One possible cause was apparently that a driver may have been attempting to avoid hitting a mattress which was on the freeway.

Police Officer Injured in Glendale Motorcycle Accident

September 7, 2011 | by Robert Walch

This morning, a Glendale police officer was injured in a Glendale motorcycle accident. According to the Los Angeles Times, the motorcycle officer was apparently hit by a Mercedes that was coming out of a driveway.

Matt Bolton is the Glendale police officer who was hit by the car. Officer Bolton sustained motorcycle accident injuries, but the extent of those injuries is currently unknown.

Sheriff Deputy Injured in Mission Viejo Motorcycle Accident

August 31, 2011 | by Robert Walch

A Mission Viejo motorcycle accident resulted in minor injuries to a Sheriff Deputy from Orange County. According to the Los Angeles Times, the motorcycle accident in Mission Viejo occurred when the deputy, who was on duty at the time, swerved to try not to collide with a Toyota Camry, which was stopped at a light. The deputy was unable to avoid the Camry and struck the rear of the car.

The impact from the Mission Viejo motorcycle collision caused the deputy to be ejected from the motorcycle. Fortunately, the deputy’s injuries were reported as only minor. He was transported to Mission Hospital where a leg injury was diagnosed and treated. The driver of the Camry did not apparently suffer any injuries.

Two Motorcycle Riders Killed in Silverado Canyon Motorcycle Accident

August 23, 2011 | by Robert Walch

A motorcycle accident in Silverado Canyon caused the death of both the driver and passenger on the motorcycle. According to the Los Angeles Times, the motorcycle crash occurred when the motorcycle slid down an embankment and crashed into trees off the road.

The driver of the motorcycle, Donn LaVigne, was from Anaheim Hills, California. The woman passenger on the motorcycle who was also killed in the California motorcycle accident has not yet been identified by the California Highway Patrol.