Recent Posts in Motorcycle Accidents Category

In San Jose, emergency crews were called to the scene of a serious motorcycle accident on southbound Interstate 880, which is north of Montague Expressway.  The accident took place earlier this week during early afternoon hours.

After the motorcycle accident occurred, a Sig Alert was issued and all southbound lanes were ordered closed.  The traffic was then diverted onto Montague Expressway.

Police say that the accident led to the death of one individual and that another person suffered injuries during the crash.  Two ambulances were called to the scene, where 15 motorcyclists were gathered.  The California Highway Patrol (CHP) said the motorcyclist was part of a Swedish tour group, which consisted of multiple bike riders.

If you were involved in a motorcycle accident in Arizona that caused you to suffer injuries and pain, you should consider speaking with a Phoenix personal injury lawyer at the Knowles Law Firm.  We would welcome the opportunity to speak with your about your case.  Simply contact us to schedule an initial consultation.

A motorcyclist was killed last week when he collided with a van near 35 ^th Avenue and Lower Buckeye in Phoenix.

The accident occurred early Tuesday morning. Details of the accident still haven’t been released, but video footage from a local news station showed the motorcycle under the front part of the van.

The van was being driven by an employee of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office at the time of the accident. There were a total of four MSCO employees in the van, but none were injured.

At this time, police are still investigating the accident and trying to determine who is at fault. If the investigation turns up evidence that the driver of the van was responsible for causing the accident, the family of the motorcyclist woul be entitled to file a wrongful death lawsuit against both the driver and the sheriff’s office.

A man is dead after he crashed into the side of a woman’s car while riding his motorcycle.

The fatal accident occurred around Dobson and Broadway roads in Mesa. Silvia Guzman, 31, was driving an Isuzu Rodeo on the northbound side of Dobson Road when she turned left into a private driveway. At the same time, Dalon Marcum, 36, was traveling southbound on Dobson Road on his Kawasaki motorcycle.

According to police, Guzman turned right in front of Marcum, giving him no time to stop or swerve out of the way. He ended up crashing into the passenger side of Guzman’s vehicle.

Even though he was wearing a helmet, Marcum still suffered severe head injuries. He was taken to Scottsdale Osborn Hospital, where he died a short time later.

Police are still trying to determine whether Guzman just didn’t see Marcum or if she was driving under the influence or was somehow distracted. If it is determined that Guzman was negligent, she could be held liable in a wrongful death lawsuit if Marcum’s family decides to file a claim. Arizona personal injury laws state that when an accident is caused by the reckless, careless, negligent, or wanton actions of another, the victims have the right to be compensated for their pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, and more.

If you or a loved one has recently been involved in a motorcycle accident, it’s in your best interest to talk with an attorney about your available options. To arrange a consultation with a knowledgeable and well-practiced Phoenix motorcycle accident lawyer, please contact the Knowles Law Firm today!

When a person is involved in a motor vehicle accident, they could be eligible to recover damages in a personal injury lawsuit. However, in order to win an injury or accident lawsuit to recover those damages, the victim must prove the accident was caused by the negligence or reckless actions of another.  As you can imagine, this can be difficult to prove. Often times the people involved in the accident don’t remember exactly what happened, and then it usually turns into a matter of he said she said.  And while the police do their best to write their reports as accurately as possible, sometimes it takes an advanced investigation to determine who or what really is a fault for the accident.

One way of investigating the accident is by recreating the accident. Accident reconstructionists are trained to recreate the course of events that eventually lead to the accident based on testimony from the parties and any witnesses, as well as other facts the police gathered during their investigation. By recreating the accident itself police are often able to identify the root cause of the accident and who is at fault.

As you can imagine, having a highly trained accident reconstruction team is invaluable to any police force. Well, thanks to an $11,395 grant from the state Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, the Chandler Police Department now has the money to fund advanced traffic crash reconstruction training. Officers in the department’s traffic unit accident investigation team will now be able to take courses on advanced investigative techniques in motor vehicle accidents involving pedestrians and motorcycles.

If you have been involved in a motorcycle accident or pedestrian accident in Chandler or any of the surrounding cities, a Phoenix personal injury attorney at the Knowles Law Firm can help you pursue an injury claim for maximum compensation. To learn more, contact the Knowles Law Firm today to schedule a FREE consultation!

An El Mirage man was killed after a being struck by a motor vehicle while riding his motorcycle.

Russell Rhoads was just shy of turning 77 years old when his motorcycle was hit at the intersection of Dysert Road and Acoma Drive.

According to El Mirage Police, Rhoads was not wearing a helmet when the accident took place. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration strongly advocates the use of helmets, and has estimated that helmets save close to 2,000 lives a year.  The NHTSA also estimates that 823 more lives could have been saved if all motorcyclists wore a helmet.

Rhoads was taken to the hospital in extremely critical condition and was later pronounced dead.

Police are not recommending filing charges against the driver, 25-year-old Ashley Marie Harris.  Harris told police that she was getting ready to turn left onto Dysart Road when a large SUV obstructed her view. As she was making the left turn she saw Rhoads but it was too late.

For police to recommend charges against Harris they would need to prove negligence.

It is unanimously agreed that driving a motorcycle is much more dangerous than driving a car, truck or SUV.  Motorcycles simply do not provide the same level of protection that other vehicles provide. Where as a car, truck or SUV has a full metal frame, seat belts, airbags, etc., motorcycles leave their riders completely exposed.  The only form of protection motorcyclists have is their helmet and their riding gear, which as you can imagine is no match against hard asphalt or the impact of getting struck by a motor vehicle.

If you ride a motorcycle, whether as your everyday form of transportation or just for fun, it is important to exercise extreme caution at all times. The following are just some of the most recent motorcycle injury and accident statistics provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

• 5,290 motorcyclists were killed nationwide
• 96,000 motorcyclists were injured nationwide
• 133 motorcyclist were killed in Arizona alone
• The NHTSA estimates that wearing a helmet saved 1,829 motorcyclists’ lives
• The NHTSA estimates that if all motorcyclists wore a helmet, 823 lives could have been saved
• Helmets are estimated to be 37% effective in preventing fatal injuries to motorcycle riders, and 41% effective for motorcycle passengers
• Per vehicle mile traveled, motorcyclists were approximately 37 times more likely to die in a traffic accident than a passenger in a car, and 9 times more likely to be injured
• Motorcyclists accounted for 14% of total traffic fatalities, 17% of all occupant fatalities, and 4% of all occupants injured
• Motorcycles are more likely to be involved in a fatal collision with a fixed object than any other type of vehicle
• 43% of motorcyclists who died in an accident had a BAC level of .08 percent or more