Left-turn motorcycle
crash lawyers.
A driver turned left in front of you. It's the most common — and most legally one-sided — motorcycle crash in California. We build the case fast and pursue every dollar the law allows.
Left-turn motorcycle crashes
The most common motorcycle crash. Also the clearest on liability.
A left-turn crash happens when a driver making a left turn — at an intersection, a driveway, or a mid-block gap — turns directly into the path of an oncoming motorcycle. California Vehicle Code § 21801 requires any driver turning left to yield the right-of-way to oncoming traffic close enough to constitute an immediate hazard. A rider proceeding straight through the intersection, within the speed limit, generally has the right-of-way — and the turning driver who pulls in front of them has violated a clear statutory duty.
The reason these crashes happen so often comes down to a documented perceptual gap: drivers scanning cross-traffic for a gap are conditioned to look for car-sized objects, and a motorcycle's narrower profile is disproportionately likely to be missed even when directly visible. "I never saw them" is the single most common statement drivers make after these crashes — and it is not a legal defense. The duty to yield exists regardless of what the driver actually perceived.
Because liability is often clear, insurers shift their strategy toward disputing speed, minimizing your injuries, or delaying a fair offer while your medical bills accumulate. We counter each tactic with independent accident reconstruction, intersection camera footage secured before it's overwritten, and a documented medical build that reflects the true impact severity of a broadside collision.
Under California's pure comparative fault rule (Civil Code § 1431.2), even an inflated fault allegation against you only reduces your recovery proportionally — it does not eliminate your claim. Contact us today — intersection camera footage disappears fast, and the sooner we start, the more evidence we preserve.
Step-by-step
What to do after a left-turn crash.
Left-turn crashes usually happen at intersections — meaning cameras are often nearby. Acting fast to secure that footage is the single most valuable thing you can do.
Free case review →Get the responding officer's name, badge number, and report number. In left-turn crashes, officers frequently cite the turning driver on the spot — and any citation is powerful evidence in the civil case. Note whether the driver made any statement about not seeing you.
Document the traffic signal phase, any turn-arrow signage, skid marks, debris field, and the exact resting position of both vehicles. The angle and location of impact often tells the whole story of who had the right-of-way.
Traffic signal cameras, nearby business surveillance, and doorbell cameras frequently capture intersection crashes. Most systems overwrite footage within 24 to 72 hours. Note every camera you see and tell us immediately so we can send preservation letters before it's gone.
Left-turn crashes are typically broadside impacts — among the most dangerous angle of impact for a rider. Adrenaline can mask serious injury. A same-day medical visit creates the causation record your claim depends on.
Impact damage to your bike and helmet documents the force and direction of the collision. Do not repair or discard anything until we've had it examined. This evidence often resolves disputes over speed and impact severity.
The turning driver's insurer will call quickly, often trying to shift blame onto your speed or lane position. Do not give a recorded statement. We investigate independently and build the case around the driver's statutory duty to yield.
What broadside impacts do
Left-turn crashes are
direct, high-force impacts.
A left-turning vehicle typically strikes a rider broadside or head-on, with little to no braking distance. The injury pattern reflects that severity.
Liability is clear. So they attack something else.
When fault is hard to dispute, insurers pivot to other angles. Here's what they typically try in left-turn cases.
Questions & answers
Left-turn crash FAQ.
Two years to file. Camera footage disappears in days.
California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1 gives you two years from the crash date to file a personal injury lawsuit. But intersection camera footage — often the single best evidence in a left-turn case — is typically overwritten within 24 to 72 hours. If a government vehicle or road defect contributed to your crash, the deadline is six months under Government Code § 911.2. The sooner we start, the more evidence we secure.