Bakersfield Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Hurt in a Motorcycle Crash in Bakersfield? Talk to Colvin Accident Lawyers
Motorcycle riders face serious injury risks on Kern County roads. Colvin Accident Lawyers, based in Bakersfield, represents injured riders and the families of riders who have died in crashes.
By Donald Norman Colvin · Published October 22, 2026
A motorcycle accident lawyer investigates the crash, identifies who may be responsible, handles insurers, and files a lawsuit when needed. Colvin Accident Lawyers is a Bakersfield personal injury firm that handles motorcycle crash cases for riders and families in Kern County. This page explains how these claims work, what insurers often argue, and what to expect after you call.
Who This Page Is For and What a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Does
A motorcycle accident lawyer works for the injured rider or family, so they don’t have to face the insurance company alone. This page is for riders, passengers, and families of riders hurt or killed in crashes in Bakersfield and Kern County. Many readers are still in pain, worried about bills, and unsure whether a helmet or fault argument will hurt their case.
A motorcycle accident lawyer’s work usually includes:
- Investigating how the crash happened
- Identifying who may be liable, such as another driver, a company, or a property owner
- Handling communication with insurers
- Valuing the claim based on injuries and losses
- Filing a lawsuit when a fair resolution is not reached
Motorcycle claims differ from car claims. Insurers often focus on the rider’s speed, lane position, gear, and helmet use. Our team, including our lawyers and support staff, works on these questions together.
If you're dealing with injuries, a damaged motorcycle, and insurer calls after a crash, we're here to talk through your options with you. Talk it through with our team — the first consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation.
What Colvin Accident Lawyers Handles in Motorcycle Cases
Colvin Accident Lawyers handles motorcycle collisions with cars, trucks, and buses. The firm also handles wrongful death claims after fatal crashes.
Some crashes involve road hazards or property owned by a public agency. Claims against a city, county, or other public entity follow shorter notice rules, explained in the FAQ below.
Investigation usually centers on:
- Crash reports and scene evidence
- Witness statements
- Records of the motorcycle, gear, and property damage
- Medical records that link injuries to the crash
Compensation in a typical claim can include medical bills, lost income and reduced earning ability, and pain and suffering. Uninsured motorist coverage under Ins. Code § 11580.2 addresses damages for bodily injury or wrongful death. Cal. Ins. Code § 11580.2 requires an insurer to provide uninsured motorists coverage in each bodily injury liability policy it issues for the ownership, maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle, with limits at least equal to those in subdivision (m) and not less than the financial responsibility requirements in Section 16056 of the Vehicle Code. However, the insurer and the applicant may agree to a lower amount that is still not less than the financial responsibility requirements, or may delete the coverage completely or when the vehicle is operated by a person designated by name. Often, the medical timeline and crash photos shape how the claim is presented.
In a wrongful death case, California law sets who may bring the claim under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 377.60. Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 377.34 limits the damages recoverable in an action by a decedent’s personal representative or successor in interest on the decedent’s own cause of action. Under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 377.34(a), in an action by a decedent’s personal representative or successor in interest on the decedent’s own cause of action (a survival action), the recoverable damages do not include damages for pain, suffering, or disfigurement, except as subdivision (b) allows: where the action was granted a preference under Section 36 before January 1, 2022, or was filed on or after January 1, 2022, and before January 1, 2026.
When a fair resolution is not reached, a lawsuit may be filed within California’s deadlines.
Helmet Defenses: What Insurers Argue and How the Claim Is Evaluated
California law requires a driver and any passenger to wear a safety helmet that meets state standards on a motorcycle on the highway. Cal. Veh. Code § 27803
Insurers may argue that helmet use, or the lack of it, changed the injuries or the amount owed. Helmet use is also a separate question from who caused the crash.
California’s evidence rules can create a presumption that a person who violated a safety statute failed to use due care. Cal. Evid. Code § 669 That presumption applies only if the person violated a statute, ordinance, or regulation of a public entity, the violation proximately caused death or injury to person or property, the harm was of the nature the statute was designed to prevent, and the injured person was within the class of persons the statute protects. The rider can rebut it by showing they did what might reasonably be expected of a person of ordinary prudence, acting under similar circumstances, who desired to comply with the law.
Fault works differently.
Steps that can answer these arguments include reviewing injury records with medical professionals, reconstructing the crash when the facts call for it, and documenting how the other driver caused the collision.
One step to avoid early is giving a recorded statement to an insurer before speaking with a lawyer.
How a Motorcycle Injury Claim Moves: Step by Step
A claim usually starts with a consultation. It then moves through evidence gathering, medical treatment, a demand to the insurer, and negotiation or a lawsuit.
- Free first consultation. Your first consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation to continue.
- Early evidence work. The firm requests crash and medical records and preserves scene and vehicle information.
- Medical treatment tracked alongside the claim. Organized treatment records support the injury details.
- Demand to the insurer. A written demand goes to the at-fault party’s insurer with supporting records.
- Negotiation or lawsuit. If talks stall, a lawsuit may be filed within California’s deadlines.
Timing varies with injury severity, insurer response, and court schedules. Keep medical bills, photos, repair estimates, and witness names in one place from the start.
Common Causes and Injuries in Motorcycle Crashes
Common causes include a driver turning left across a rider’s path, unsafe lane changes, failure to yield, and distraction.
Common injuries include fractures, road rash, internal injuries, and head and spinal injuries. A motorcycle crash can cause a traumatic brain injury, including severe brain damage.
The spinal cord has three layers of protective tissue and is cushioned by cerebrospinal fluid.
Riders who feel fine after a crash should still get a medical evaluation. Medical records are central to proving injuries, and gaps in treatment give insurers something to question.
Why Riders Choose Colvin Accident Lawyers
Colvin Accident Lawyers is a Bakersfield personal injury firm. Donald Norman Colvin is the responsible lawyer for this page.
- Licensed lawyer: Donald Norman Colvin is licensed to practice in California.
- Practice focus: motorcycle, car, truck, bus, pedestrian, bicycle, dog bite, premises liability, catastrophic injury, and wrongful death cases.
- Support staff: assistants and office staff handle documents and scheduling so the claim keeps moving.
- Bakersfield base: the firm is based in Bakersfield, California, and serves riders across Kern County.
Our team works with you through each step, from the first call through any lawsuit.
Not sure what your next step is?
Talk it through with our team — the first consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are short answers to common questions riders and families ask after a motorcycle crash.
Can I still recover if I wasn’t wearing a helmet?
Helmet use is one factor. Whether a helmet changes a claim depends on the facts of each case.
How long do I have to file?
California generally allows two years to file most injury and wrongful death lawsuits under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1. A claim against a public entity must be presented within six months for injury or death under Cal. Gov. Code § 911.2.
Should I talk to the other driver’s insurer?
It helps to speak with a lawyer before giving a recorded statement or signing a release.
What if the driver who hit me was uninsured?
Your own auto policy should include uninsured motorist coverage. Under Cal. Ins. Code § 335.1 (https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=INS§ionNum=335.1.), insurers must provide it in each bodily injury liability policy, and the insurer and the applicant may delete it completely, or delete it when a motor vehicle is operated by a natural person or persons designated by name. Under Cal. Ins. Code § 335.1, a qualifying step must be taken within two years from the date of the accident.
Can a family file after a fatal crash?
Under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 377.60, a surviving spouse, domestic partner, children, and issue of deceased children may bring the claim, or, if there is no surviving issue of the decedent, the persons entitled to the decedent’s property by intestate succession; certain dependents may also bring it. The personal representative may also bring it on their behalf.
Talk With a Bakersfield Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Today
If you’re still dealing with injuries, a damaged motorcycle, insurer calls, and a choice about speaking with a lawyer, you don’t have to sort it out alone. Call Colvin Accident Lawyers or reach out through the contact page and describe what happened.
Colvin Accident Lawyers, Bakersfield, California — responsible for this site. Responsible lawyer: Donald Norman Colvin.
Why Contact Colvin Accident Lawyers
Free first consultation
Your initial consultation is free, confidential, and comes with no obligation to continue.
Focused on injury claims
Our practice focuses on motorcycle, car, truck, bicycle, pedestrian, bus, dog bite, premises liability, wrongful death, and catastrophic injury cases.
Based in Bakersfield
Our office is in Bakersfield, and we represent clients in Kern County and nearby communities.
Plain-language answers
We explain your options in clear terms so you can decide what comes next.
Be Careful With Insurance Calls
Insurance adjusters may contact you soon after a crash. Before you give a recorded statement or sign any documents, consider speaking with a lawyer about your situation.
What to Do After a Motorcycle Crash
Get medical care
Seek medical attention even if your injuries seem minor. Some injuries, including head and back injuries, may not show symptoms until hours or days later.
Document the scene
When it is safe, photograph the scene, your motorcycle, your gear, and any visible injuries. Note the location, weather, and road conditions.
Keep your records
Save medical bills, repair estimates, receipts, and notes about missed work and daily limitations.
Call Colvin
Contact Colvin Accident Lawyers for a free, confidential consultation about the facts of your case.