Practice Areas Motorcycle Accidents

Santa Ana Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

According to data from the California Highway Patrol, there were a total of 3,664 serious-injury and fatal motorcycle crashes in California in 2023. Nationally, the NHTSA reports 6,228 motorcyclist deaths in 2024—about 16% of all traffic fatalities—while motorcycles make up only 3% of vehicles. If you or a loved one has been hurt, the impact on your family can be substantial.

When you’re injured in a motorcycle crash caused by someone else, you may be entitled to compensation. The Santa Ana Motorcycle Accident Lawyers from our firm can evaluate your situation, help coordinate medical and occupational experts, and pursue the best possible outcome. Explore examples of our results on our case results page. We offer a free consultation and case evaluation so you can learn about your recovery options at no cost or obligation.

Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents

All drivers owe a duty of care to others—whether fellow motorists, bicyclists, or pedestrians. Frequent causes we see include:

• Distracted driving — In a report released in April 2026, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration warned that distracted driving caused over 315,000 injuries in a single year. 14% of those crashes involved cell phone use.
• Drunk driving — Completely preventable; impaired drivers are liable for the harm they cause.
• Drowsy driving — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s MCSA’s Large Truck Crash Causation Study found that about 13% of commercial drivers in crashes were fatigued (FMCSA). When a large truck is involved, injuries to a motorcycle rider can be catastrophic.
• Equipment/vehicle defects — Defective brakes, tires, or steering can shift liability to manufacturers or maintenance providers.

Types of Compensation Available

Once your Santa Ana motorcycle accident attorney has evidence that another person caused the accident, you may be able to recover compensation for numerous physical, emotional, and financial consequences.

Economic Damages

Your attorney will work to recover compensation to cover past medical bills and future medical care you are expected to need. You may also receive compensation for wages lost while you were unable to work and any reductions in future earnings you may experience because of your injuries. The cost to repair or replace your bike should also be included in the award. These are all known as economic damages because they have a direct monetary value.

Non-Economic Damages

The injuries impact your life in many negative ways, and non-economic damages provide a way to make up for these negative impacts, such as:

• Pain
• Emotional distress
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Damage to the quality of life caused by permanent disability or disfigurement

In addition, your spouse or partner may be able to recover loss of consortium damages. Non-economic losses are often valued much higher than economic losses.

Your Santa Ana Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Proves Fault and Builds Your Case

You aren’t paid automatically after a motorcycle crash. You must file a claim with the at-fault party’s insurer. They may offer too little or deny the claim, which may require filing a lawsuit.

To pursue compensation after your motorcycle crash, you (and your attorney) will:

• Gather evidence to prove fault. Do this as soon as possible after the crash because evidence becomes harder to find over time.
• Collect medical bills and proof of lost wages.
• Estimate long-term medical and mental-health costs.
• Assess reduced earning capacity and life-impact losses.

Once the extent of the damages has been determined, your legal team can send a demand letter to the insurance company explaining what you should receive and why. They will likely reject the demand, but that opens the door to negotiations, which may continue throughout the process.

If the insurance company offers money to settle the case, we will communicate the offer to you so you can compare it with your expected needs and losses. You will decide whether to accept the offer or continue negotiating for a more complete recovery.

At the Law Offices of Benjamin Arsenian, we use medical and occupational experts and formal discovery (records requests, depositions) to build strong claims. We will be prepared for trial if needed, but we try to convince the insurance company that we are likely to win in court so that they will offer a reasonable settlement quickly.

Common Injuries After Motorcycle Crashes

Without the protection of a vehicle frame, riders face severe, long-term injuries even with proper helmets and gear. Common injuries include:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI): Blunt or penetrating head trauma can cause bleeding, bruising, and diffuse injury. TBIs can lead to permanent changes in brain chemistry that affect memory, mood, and motor function.
• Neck and back injuries: Herniated discs and soft-tissue damage often require therapy, pain management, or surgery and can cause lasting limitations.
• Spinal cord injuries and paralysis: Complete or incomplete SCI can alter sensation and movement below the injury site and often requires lifelong care.
• Limb loss or loss of function: These injuries have profound physical and psychological impacts and demand careful valuation.
• Wrongful death: If a loved one was killed, eligible family members may pursue a wrongful death claim.

Crashes can also occur on dangerous properties—poor lighting, potholes, or debris—potentially supporting a premises liability claim against the property owner.

Connect with Our Santa Ana Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

If you or a loved one was hurt—or a family member was lost—in a motorcycle crash, we can help. We handle insurer negotiations and litigation so you can focus on recovery. Your initial consultation is free, and if we take your case, we only get paid if we win.

Call 714-400-2000 or contact us to schedule your consultation. Learn more about us and review our case results.

FAQs

How much is my motorcycle accident worth?

When another party is responsible, you may recover medical costs (present and future), lost wages and earning capacity, and, in some cases, pain and suffering.

How do I collect what I’m entitled to?

By proving your losses with evidence and filing a claim with the at-fault party’s insurer. If necessary, we file suit and pursue your case in court.

Is lane splitting legal in California, and how does it impact a motorcycle accident claim?

California is one of very few states that allows motorcycles to ride between two lanes of traffic, a practice known as lane splitting. Sometimes, when motorcycles are moving between lanes of stopped traffic, this practice is called lane filtering. While it is legal, the California Highway Patrol has issued cautionary warnings about lane splitting at high speeds or when inexperienced riders use it. If a rider does not exercise reasonable caution when lane splitting, they could be considered negligent, which could reduce or even prevent them from recovering compensation in an accident, depending on the factors that caused the accident.

What if I wasn’t wearing a helmet during my motorcycle crash in Santa Ana?

While helmet use is required in California, a rider is not prevented from recovering compensation for injuries in a motorcycle accident solely because of the failure to wear a helmet. However, if not wearing a helmet contributed to the injuries, the failure to wear a helmet may be treated as comparative fault and reduce the damages recovered.

How do personal injury lawyers overcome insurance “biker bias”?

A skilled Santa Ana motorcycle accident attorney will present solid, persuasive evidence to counter the unfair, inaccurate stereotype of bikers as reckless thrill-seekers. Most motorcyclists are keenly aware of the dangers they face when they operate negligently, and they tend to be more conscientious than other motorists. Evidence to demonstrate safety consciousness may include:

• Safety classes and certifications
• Wearing approved safety gear
• Analysis of the accident scene explaining how skid marks and vehicle damage indicate the safe riding practices of the motorcyclist at the time of the crash
• Demonstrating how other motorists were negligent in operation

What damages can I recover for road rash, scarring, or permanent disfigurement in California?

When you prove that someone else was responsible for causing a motorcycle accident that resulted in road rash, scarring, or permanent disfigurement, California law allows you to recover damages for both economic and non-economic factors. Economic damages can cover medical expenses and lost wages from time missed during recovery. 

Damages for non-economic factors would include amounts for the physical pain of your injuries and the emotional anguish caused by the change in your appearance. It can help to document how your life has changed since the accident. For instance, if you used to go to karaoke every Friday but now stay home because you don’t want people to look at you, that may be considered the loss of enjoyment of a favorite activity and can be compensated.

How can a motorcycle accident lawyer help?

After a free consultation, if we accept your case, we handle everything from evidence gathering to negotiation and trial, on contingency—no out-of-pocket cost to you.