Who Is Liable for a Motorcycle Accident in Granada Hills?

Arya Firoozmand, Esq.

Local Granada Hills Injury Attorney · UCLA Law

Arya Firoozmand is the founding partner at L&F Brown. He attended nearby El Camino Real High School, graduated from UCLA Law School, and has spent his career representing injured clients across the north Valley communities including Granada Hills.

Determining liability in a motorcycle accident in Granada Hills follows the same legal principles as any vehicle accident, but the practical reality is different. Insurance companies and sometimes juries start with assumptions about motorcycle riders that can unfairly shift blame to the injured rider. Understanding how liability works, and how to counter the bias against riders, is essential to protecting your claim.

The Other Driver Is Usually at Fault

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data consistently shows that in collisions between motorcycles and passenger vehicles, the other driver is at fault in the majority of cases. The most common scenario is a driver who fails to see the motorcycle. This is not the rider's fault. Drivers have a legal duty to look for and yield to all traffic, including motorcycles.

In Granada Hills, the most common liability scenarios in motorcycle accidents include left-turn accidents on Chatsworth St or Zelzah Ave, where a driver turns left across the path of an oncoming motorcycle. The driver either did not see the motorcycle or misjudged its speed. The turning driver is liable for failing to yield the right of way.

Rear-end collisions on Balboa Blvd, where a distracted or tailgating driver strikes a motorcycle from behind, are also common. The rear driver is presumed at fault for failing to maintain a safe following distance.

Lane-change accidents on the 118 freeway, where a driver changes lanes into a motorcycle, occur because the driver failed to check their blind spot. The lane-changing driver is liable.

Intersection accidents at crossroads throughout Granada Hills, where a driver runs a red light or stop sign and hits a motorcycle, produce clear liability against the driver who violated the traffic control.

How Comparative Fault Affects Motorcycle Cases

California uses a pure comparative negligence system. If you share some responsibility for the accident, your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault, but you can still recover. This system becomes particularly important in motorcycle cases because insurers aggressively assign partial fault to riders.

Common ways insurers try to shift blame to motorcyclists include claiming the rider was speeding, arguing the rider was lane splitting unsafely, alleging the rider was following too closely, and claiming the rider was not visible enough. Each of these allegations must be supported by evidence. Your attorney challenges unfounded blame-shifting with physical evidence from the crash scene, witness testimony, data from the police report, and expert analysis.

Lane Splitting and Liability

Lane splitting is legal in California under Vehicle Code Section 21658.1. If you were lane splitting on the 118 freeway or Balboa Blvd when the accident occurred, the other driver may still be primarily liable. A driver who opens a door into traffic, changes lanes without signaling, or deliberately blocks a lane-splitting motorcycle is negligent regardless of the rider's position.

However, if your lane splitting was done at excessive speed or in unsafe conditions, you may share some liability. CHP guidelines recommend lane splitting at no more than 10 mph faster than surrounding traffic. Your attorney presents evidence that your lane splitting was reasonable and lawful to minimize any comparative fault assignment.

Proving Liability in a Granada Hills Motorcycle Case

Proving liability requires thorough evidence gathering. The LAPD police report documents the officers' observations, driver statements, and any citations issued. CHP handles accidents on the 118 freeway. Beyond the police report, your attorney gathers surveillance footage from businesses near the crash site on Chatsworth St, Balboa Blvd, or Zelzah Ave. Dashcam footage from other vehicles can capture the crash. Witness statements from other drivers and bystanders provide independent accounts. Accident reconstruction experts can analyze physical evidence like tire marks, vehicle damage patterns, and road conditions to determine fault.

Medical records from Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills document the severity of your injuries and connect them to the crash, which is important for proving damages once liability is established.

Government Liability for Road Conditions

In some motorcycle accidents, poor road conditions contribute to the crash. Potholes, uneven pavement, missing manhole covers, debris, and gravel on the road surface are all more dangerous for motorcycles than for cars. If a road defect on a Granada Hills street contributed to your accident, the government entity responsible for maintaining the road may share liability.

Claims against the City of Los Angeles for road defects on local streets require filing a government tort claim within six months. Caltrans is responsible for the 118 freeway. An attorney familiar with government claims will file the administrative claim to preserve your right to sue.

Contact a Granada Hills Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Granada Hills, a Granada Hills motorcycle accident attorney at L&F Brown will investigate the crash, establish liability, and fight the bias that riders face. We work on a contingency fee basis. Contact our Granada Hills office today for a free consultation.

Why Motorcycle Accident Claims Are Treated Differently

Motorcycle accident victims in Granada Hills face unique challenges that car accident victims do not. Insurance companies and juries often carry an implicit bias against motorcyclists, viewing them as risk-takers who contributed to their own injuries simply by choosing to ride. This bias affects how claims are evaluated and how settlements are offered.

Crashes on Balboa Blvd, Chatsworth St, Zelzah Ave, and Rinaldi St involving motorcycles produce more severe injuries than comparable car accidents because motorcyclists lack the structural protection of an enclosed vehicle. Common motorcycle accident injuries include road rash, fractures, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and limb amputations. Treatment at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills is often just the beginning of a long recovery process involving multiple surgeries and extensive rehabilitation.

California is one of the few states that permits lane splitting, where motorcyclists ride between lanes of slow or stopped traffic. While lane splitting is legal under California Vehicle Code Section 21658.1, insurance adjusters frequently argue that lane splitting contributed to the accident. An attorney who handles motorcycle cases understands how to counter this argument and protect your claim from unfair fault assignments.

Helmet use also affects motorcycle cases. California requires all motorcyclists to wear DOT-approved helmets. If you were not wearing a helmet at the time of your crash, the defense will argue that your head injuries would have been less severe with a helmet. This argument can reduce your damages even if the helmet would not have prevented your specific injuries. If your case reaches Chatsworth Courthouse, having an attorney who can address these motorcycle-specific issues is essential.

Reach out to a Granada Hills injury lawyer at L&F Brown today. We offer free consultations for motorcycle accident victims and work on contingency, meaning you owe nothing unless we secure compensation on your behalf.