Motorcycle Accident Representation in Bakersfield and Kern County

A local motorcycle accident lawyer investigates the crash, finds who may be responsible, handles talks with insurers, and presents your injury claim. Colvin Accident Lawyers is based in Bakersfield, California, and represents motorcycle riders, passengers, and families in Kern County and nearby communities.

Who This Page Is For: A Local Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Bakersfield

This page is for injured riders, passengers, and families who lost a rider in a crash. A denied, delayed, or low offer from an insurer leaves many people unsure what to do next.

A motorcycle accident lawyer’s work usually includes four tasks:

• Looking into how the crash happened.
• Finding who may be at fault.
• Handling contact with insurance adjusters.
• Building and presenting the injury claim.

Colvin Accident Lawyers is a personal injury firm based in Bakersfield, California. Donald Norman Colvin is the responsible lawyer for this page. Our team includes assistants and office staff who support the firm’s client work. The firm also handles car, truck, bus, bicycle, pedestrian, dog bite, premises liability, catastrophic injury, and wrongful death cases.

When you’re ready to talk about your crash, call Colvin or send us a request for a free case consultation.

What a Motorcycle Accident Claim Can Cover in California

A California motorcycle injury claim can seek medical costs, lost income, pain and suffering, and property damage. For the breach of an obligation not arising from contract, California law measures damages as the amount that compensates for all the detriment proximately caused, even harm that could not have been anticipated (Civil Code § 3333).

Civil Code § 1431.2 addresses how non-economic damages are allocated among defendants in personal injury, property damage, and wrongful death actions based on comparative fault. It defines “economic damages” as objectively verifiable monetary losses and “non-economic damages” as subjective, non-monetary losses.

• Economic damages: objectively verifiable money losses, such as medical bills, lost earnings, and repair or replacement of your motorcycle.
• Non-economic damages: subjective losses, such as pain, emotional distress, and loss of companionship.

Catastrophic injuries need more work. A spinal cord injury between the C1 and C4 levels can affect breathing, because those nerves control the diaphragm (NINDS). A motorcycle crash can also cause a traumatic brain injury. These cases often involve long-term medical care and detailed records.

After a fatal crash, certain family members can bring a wrongful death claim. California law lists who may sue, including a surviving spouse, domestic partner, children, and some dependent relatives (Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60).

Fault can rest on a driver who turns left in front of a rider, changes lanes unsafely, or follows too closely. It can also rest on a commercial truck or bus operator, or on a road defect such as a pothole.

How the Claim Process Works, Step by Step

A motorcycle claim usually moves from a first consultation to investigation, insurer demand, negotiation, and, if needed, a lawsuit.

1. First consultation. You share the crash facts, your injuries, and your insurance details. We review your options with you.
2. Investigation. The team gathers the police report, photos, witness contacts, vehicle information, and medical records. Evidence can disappear, so early action matters.
3. Insurer contact and demand. The firm handles talks with adjusters and prepares a demand that documents your damages.
4. Negotiation or lawsuit. Many claims resolve through negotiation. If they don’t, a lawsuit may be filed.

Timing matters. California’s general deadline for a personal injury lawsuit is two years (Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1). Claims against a public entity, such as a city, county, or state agency, for a death or an injury to a person must be presented not later than six months after the cause of action accrues (Government Code § 911.2). Exceptions can change these deadlines, so act early.

First Steps After the Crash and What to Tell Your Lawyer

After a crash, get medical care, report it to police, and share the full facts with your lawyer. For a crash with injuries or an emergency, the California Highway Patrol advises calling 9-1-1 and giving the dispatcher the location and basic details.

• See a doctor, even if the pain seems minor.
• Photograph the scene, your motorcycle, your gear, and your injuries.
• Keep every bill, receipt, and record of lost work time.
• Tell your lawyer about prior injuries and every fact of the crash. Surprises can hurt a claim.
• Send insurer calls and requests to your lawyer. Recorded statements and early offers can affect your claim.
• Limit social media posts about the ride, the crash, and your physical activity. Insurers can review public content.

Helmet rules also matter. We review how any helmet or equipment question relates to your injuries, based on the facts of your crash.

How Much Can You Sue For, and What Affects a Settlement?

A settlement reflects documented losses, the strength of fault evidence, how lasting the injury is, and the insurance available. Insurers have duties too. California’s Insurance Code lists, as an unfair claims practice, knowingly failing to try in good faith to settle claims promptly and fairly when liability is reasonably clear, if done with such frequency as to indicate a general business practice (Insurance Code § 790.03).

Common inputs include:

• Medical records and treatment history.
• Medical opinions about how lasting the injury is.
• Wage records and proof of lost time.
• Evidence about how the crash happened.

When several defendants share fault, non-economic damages work differently. Each defendant pays non-economic damages only for its own percentage of fault (Civil Code § 1431.2).

This page gives no dollar figures. The amount in any claim turns on that case’s facts, and different facts can produce different results. Payment timing varies with the claim, the insurers involved, and whether a lawsuit is filed.

Why Contact Colvin Accident Lawyers for Your Motorcycle Case

Colvin Accident Lawyers is a personal injury firm in Bakersfield, California, that handles motorcycle cases alongside other injury claims.

• Responsible lawyer: Donald Norman Colvin.
• Support team: assistants and office staff who support the firm’s client work.
• Practice areas: motorcycle, car, truck, bus, bicycle, pedestrian, dog bite, premises liability, catastrophic injury, and wrongful death cases.
• Service area: Kern County and nearby communities, including Fresno, Visalia, Lancaster, Palmdale, Delano, and Tehachapi.

The first consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation to continue.

No lawyer can predict the result of a claim. Our approach is to explain your options and the facts of your case clearly, so you can decide what fits you.

Frequently Asked Questions About Motorcycle Accident Claims

Talk With Colvin Accident Lawyers About Your Motorcycle Crash

If a crash has left you hurt and an insurer is slow or offering too little, you may have a claim worth reviewing. Maybe you were hit on a Highway 58 route near Bakersfield, or lost a family member on a Kern County road. Those moments raise hard questions, and you don’t have to answer them alone.

For related reading, see our motorcycle accident lawyer hub, the Highway 58 Bakersfield motorcycle crash page, and the paralysis motorcycle accident page.

To start, contact Colvin Accident Lawyers through the online form or by phone, and set up a time to talk about your crash.