North Hollywood Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Were you injured in a motorcycle accident in North Hollywood?

At Cohen Injury Law Group, we encourage injured riders to contact our office for a free, confidential case review with a North Hollywood motorcycle accident lawyer.

If a driver turned left in front of your motorcycle on Lankershim Boulevard or drifted into your lane on the 101 Freeway, you may be facing surgery, a totaled bike, and an adjuster who assumes you were riding too fast. That assumption can shape every offer that follows.

Our founding attorney has represented injured people for more than 35 years, and our firm prepares each rider’s claim with the insurer’s likely arguments in mind. A North Hollywood, CA motorcycle accident lawyer at our firm can review your crash in a free consultation.

Motorcycle Accident Lawyer North Hollywood, CA

California recorded 583 motorcyclist deaths in 2023, down from 649 in 2022 but nearly 19 percent higher than in 2019, according to the Office of Traffic Safety.

A motorcycle accident claim seeks compensation from a driver, company, or public agency whose negligence caused a crash involving a rider or passenger. These claims often turn less on whether a driver made a mistake than on whether an insurer can persuade a jury that the rider shared the blame.

Types of Motorcycle Accident Cases We Handle in North Hollywood

Most of the claims our North Hollywood, CA motorcycle accident attorneys handle begin with a driver who did not see the rider in time. Witness accounts and the final positions of the vehicles often show how that failure happened.

• Car accidents. A passenger car that pulls out of a driveway, runs a stop sign, or closes the gap on a lane-splitting rider can leave the motorcyclist with nowhere to go, even though riding between lanes is legal according to the California Highway Patrol. The car driver’s liability policy is usually the first source of compensation, and the rider’s own underinsured motorist coverage may add to it.
• Scooter accidents. Riders of mopeds and motorized scooters face the same blind-spot and left-turn hazards as motorcyclists, often with less protection. Claims may involve the other driver, a rental company, or the maker of a defective scooter.
• Pedestrian accidents. A rider who has stepped off a disabled motorcycle on the shoulder becomes a pedestrian, and a passing driver who strikes the rider may be responsible. People on foot who are struck by a motorcycle can also pursue a claim against the rider’s insurer.
• Construction accidents. Loose gravel, steel road plates, and uneven lane edges in work zones can cause a rider to lose traction. The contractor responsible for the work zone may be liable when those hazards are left unmarked or unsecured.
• Bike accidents. Cyclists and motorcyclists are hurt by many of the same driver errors, including right hooks, unsafe lane changes, and opened car doors. A driver who fails to check for two-wheeled traffic may be liable to anyone riding beside the lane.
• Truck accidents. Wide turns, blind spots, and long stopping distances make commercial trucks especially dangerous to motorcyclists. The trucking company may share liability with its driver.
• Rideshare accidents. A rideshare driver changing lanes to reach a pickup can strike a rider without warning. The rideshare company’s coverage may apply depending on the driver’s app status.

Why Choose Cohen Injury Law Group as my Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in North Hollywood, CA?

Ride Data Used to Answer Speed Accusations

Insurers often assume a rider was speeding or weaving, even when no evidence supports it. Nicholas E. Cohen began building websites for his family’s law practice by age 12, and that early start in technology now goes toward gathering helmet camera video, ride-tracking app logs, and, where available, the motorcycle’s own electronic data. Cohen Injury Law Group, which represents riders as a personal injury lawyer in North Hollywood, CA, charges no attorney fee unless compensation is recovered. Paired with the damage pattern on the bike and the rider’s gear, those records can show how fast the motorcycle was actually traveling.

Rider Bias Confronted Directly

Some jurors share the same assumptions about motorcyclists that insurers rely on. Wayne R. Cohen earned his law degree cum laude at the Miami School of Law and has represented injured people for more than 35 years, recovering millions of dollars for his clients. A motorcycle accident lawyer in North Hollywood, CA from our firm addresses that bias openly, from the first demand letter through jury selection.

What Is Important to Understand About a Motorcycle Accident Case?

What Are Important Aspects of a Motorcycle Accident Case?

Insurers handle motorcycle claims with a few recurring arguments. A North Hollywood motorcycle accident lawyer prepares for each of them.

1. Insurers may argue that a missing or improper helmet worsened a head injury, but California’s pure comparative fault rule reduces compensation by the rider’s share of fault rather than eliminating it.
2. Lane splitting is legal in California, so riding between lanes does not by itself make a rider responsible for a crash.
3. Head and spinal injuries are common even with protective gear, and brain injuries may not be diagnosed until days after the crash.
4. Potholes and broken pavement on city streets can throw a rider, and residents can report those hazards to StreetsLA, which creates a record of what the city knew.
5. Many at-fault drivers carry only minimum insurance, so the rider’s own underinsured motorist coverage often becomes part of the recovery.

What Is the Motorcycle Accident Case Timeline?

A motorcycle accident attorney in North Hollywood, CA generally works through these stages, though serious injuries can extend the timeline.

• Treatment comes first, along with a report to the LAPD for a surface street crash or the CHP for a freeway crash.
• The motorcycle, helmet, and riding gear should stay unrepaired and unwashed, because their damage can help reconstruct the impact.
• A North Hollywood motorcycle accident attorney gathers witness statements, video, and ride data, and identifies every party and policy involved.
• A crash caused by a road defect requires a written claim to the city or state within the six-month claim deadline.
• Once treatment stabilizes, we present a demand and evaluate any first settlement offer against the full cost of the injuries, filing suit within California’s injury deadlines if needed.

What Should You Bring to Your Motorcycle Accident Consultation?

Evidence about the crash itself carries special weight in a motorcycle case, because it answers the speed questions insurers raise. Missing items do not need to delay a first meeting with a motorcycle accident lawyer in North Hollywood.

• Photographs: Pictures of the motorcycle, the other vehicle, the roadway, and your injuries preserve conditions that change quickly.
• Ride data: Helmet camera footage or records from a ride-tracking app can confirm your route and speed.
• Crash report: The LAPD or CHP report number identifies the investigating officers and the other driver.
• Repair estimates: Estimates for the motorcycle and replacement costs for damaged gear document your property losses.
• Medical and wage records: Treatment records and pay stubs show the cost of your injuries and the work you have missed.

A rider who was traveling far above the speed limit may see compensation reduced substantially. We review the speed evidence with you before any claim is presented to an insurer.

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Motorcycle Accident Cases

California’s money damages statute allows anyone harmed by another’s wrongful act or omission to recover compensation. Economic damages include medical bills, rehabilitation, lost income, reduced earning capacity, and the cost of repairing or replacing the motorcycle and gear. Non-economic damages compensate for pain, scarring, emotional distress, and the loss of activities such as riding itself.

Liability may extend beyond the other driver. A public agency can be responsible under the dangerous public property rule when a road defect it knew about, or created, caused the crash. When a driver acted with malice, such as by choosing to drive while intoxicated, the punitive damages statute allows an additional award meant to punish that conduct. If a rider does not survive, a family member may bring a wrongful death claim, and a North Hollywood motorcycle accident attorney can pursue it alongside the estate’s claim.

Most Dangerous Locations for Motorcycle Accidents in North Hollywood

Several North Hollywood streets have been the scene of serious motorcycle crashes.

• Lankershim Boulevard at Magnolia Boulevard was the site of a fatal left-turn crash in 2014, when a suspected drunk driver turning onto Magnolia struck a southbound rider and tried to flee.
• Vineland Avenue near Vanowen Street was where a driver struck and killed a motorcyclist in 2019, throwing the rider about 100 feet.
• Laurel Canyon Boulevard at Mount Olympus Drive, just over the hill from the Valley, was the scene of a crash that left a motorcyclist seriously injured.

The freeways bordering and crossing North Hollywood carry riders at much higher speeds.

• The southbound 101 Freeway near Lankershim Boulevard was the site of a deadly motorcycle crash in October 2024 that closed lanes for hours.
• The northbound 170 Freeway near Sherman Way was where a motorcyclist was killed in a late-night crash in August 2024.

Reach Out to Cohen Injury Law Group to Schedule a Consultation

During a free review, a motorcycle accident attorney in North Hollywood will go over the crash report, your injuries, and any ride data you have, then explain which insurance policies may apply. Our firm charges nothing up front and collects a fee only if your claim recovers compensation. Contact us whenever you are ready to talk.