Motorcycle Accident on Van Nuys Blvd: What Riders Need to Know
Van Nuys Blvd is one of the most dangerous streets in the San Fernando Valley for motorcyclists. Running north-south through the heart of Van Nuys, this boulevard carries heavy traffic through a mix of commercial zones, strip malls, residential cross streets, and government buildings near the Van Nuys Civic Center. For riders who use it daily to commute, run errands, or connect between the 405 and neighborhoods to the east, the dangers are familiar but no less serious when a crash actually happens.
If you were injured in a motorcycle accident on Van Nuys Blvd, this article explains what you need to know about the road's hazards, your legal rights, and the steps you should take to protect yourself.
Why Van Nuys Blvd Is Dangerous for Motorcycles
The problems with Van Nuys Blvd are structural. The road serves as both a major commuter artery and a local commercial street, which creates constant conflicts between through traffic and vehicles turning into or out of driveways, parking lots, and side streets. For motorcyclists, these turning movements are the primary threat.
Left-turning vehicles are the single most common cause of motorcycle accidents on this road. A driver waiting to turn left across oncoming traffic looks for gaps between cars but does not see the motorcycle, which presents a narrower visual profile and is harder to judge for speed. The rider has the right of way and is traveling at the posted speed. The driver turns directly into the rider's path. This crash pattern repeats at virtually every major intersection on Van Nuys Blvd, including the crossings at Sherman Way, Victory Blvd, Vanowen Street, and Oxnard Street.
Vehicles pulling out of driveways and parking lots without looking create similar hazards. The commercial strip between Sherman Way and Victory Blvd has dozens of driveways serving fast food restaurants, auto repair shops, and retail stores. Drivers exiting these lots often pull directly into the travel lane without checking for motorcycles, particularly during busy afternoon hours.
Road surface conditions add another layer of risk. Sections of Van Nuys Blvd have uneven pavement, patches, and utility covers that a car absorbs without difficulty but that can cause a motorcycle to lose traction. Oil deposits at intersections where vehicles idle and leak are especially hazardous for two-wheeled vehicles.
Common Injuries from Van Nuys Blvd Motorcycle Crashes
The speed limit on most of Van Nuys Blvd is 35 mph, but actual traffic speed often exceeds that. At those speeds, a collision between a motorcycle and a turning vehicle produces serious injuries. The most common injuries we see from crashes on this road include fractures of the wrist, forearm, and collarbone, injuries that occur when the rider goes over the handlebars or tries to brace against impact. Road rash from sliding across pavement, which can require surgical debridement and skin grafting depending on severity. Knee and ankle injuries from the motorcycle falling on the rider's lower body. Shoulder injuries, particularly rotator cuff tears and AC joint separations. And traumatic brain injuries, which occur even with a helmet if the head strikes the pavement or the turning vehicle with enough force.
Initial treatment for these injuries typically happens at Valley Presbyterian Hospital on Vanowen Street, the closest major hospital to the Van Nuys Blvd corridor. Emergency room care, imaging, and stabilization often produce bills of $15,000 to $50,000 before any surgery or rehabilitation even begins.
LAPD Handles Van Nuys Blvd Crashes
Because Van Nuys Blvd is a city street within Los Angeles, motorcycle accidents here are investigated by the LAPD rather than CHP, which handles freeway crashes on the 405. The LAPD's Valley Traffic Division responds to serious injury collisions and produces traffic collision reports that become key evidence in your case.
Obtaining the LAPD traffic collision report is one of the first things your attorney will do. The report documents the officer's assessment of the scene, statements from both parties, witness information, and the officer's opinion on the primary collision factor. While the report is not conclusive on the question of fault, it carries weight in negotiations and at trial.
What to Do After a Motorcycle Crash on Van Nuys Blvd
Stay at the scene. California law requires all parties to remain at the scene of an injury accident. If you can do so safely, move out of the travel lanes to avoid secondary collisions.
Call 911. Request both police and medical response. Even if you think your injuries are minor, an ambulance can provide initial evaluation and transport to Valley Presbyterian Hospital if needed. The 911 call also creates a timestamped record of the accident.
Document everything you can. If your injuries allow it, use your phone to photograph the accident scene, the positions of vehicles, damage to your motorcycle, damage to the other vehicle, your injuries, and any road hazards or conditions that contributed to the crash. Get photos of the intersection, traffic signals, and any skid marks.
Exchange information. Get the other driver's name, insurance information, driver's license number, and license plate. If there are witnesses, ask for their contact information as well.
Do not admit fault or minimize your injuries. Adrenaline masks pain. Telling the other driver or the police that you are "fine" can come back to haunt your case. Report accurately what happened and describe your symptoms honestly.
Get medical treatment the same day. If the ambulance does not transport you, drive yourself or have someone take you to Valley Presbyterian Hospital or an urgent care facility. A same-day medical record is the foundation of your injury claim. Gaps between the accident and your first medical visit give the insurance company room to argue that your injuries were not caused by the crash.
Proving Liability on Van Nuys Blvd
In most Van Nuys Blvd motorcycle accidents, the at-fault driver violated the rider's right of way. Proving this requires the LAPD traffic collision report, witness testimony, physical evidence from the scene, and potentially traffic camera footage from city-operated cameras at major intersections.
Your attorney can also subpoena the at-fault driver's cell phone records to determine whether they were distracted at the time of the crash. If the driver was texting, scrolling social media, or talking on a handheld phone, that evidence can establish clear liability and potentially support a claim for punitive damages.
For crashes caused by road conditions rather than another driver, your attorney can obtain road maintenance records from the City of Los Angeles to establish that the city knew or should have known about the hazard and failed to repair it. These claims require filing a government tort claim within six months of the accident.
Your Legal Options
If you were injured in a motorcycle accident on Van Nuys Blvd, you have the right to pursue compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and any long-term consequences of your injuries. Your case will be handled through the Van Nuys Courthouse on Sylmar Ave if it proceeds to litigation.
A Van Nuys motorcycle accident lawyer can investigate the crash, identify all liable parties, calculate the full value of your damages, and negotiate with the insurance company or take your case to trial if necessary. The consultation is free, and representation is on contingency.
Our Van Nuys personal injury team has handled motorcycle accident cases on Van Nuys Blvd and throughout the surrounding area. Contact us today to discuss what happened and learn what your options are.
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