Rodney Tate Sr., 50, sustained major injuries in a Lodi motorcycle accident after his motorcycle collided in the merge lane on Highway 99 on Monday. According to the police report Mr. Tate was riding a 2008 Harley Davidson southbound, trying to merge onto Highway 99 from Turner Road. Around 3:40 p.m. the driver of a  Acura Integra moved into the merge lane and crashed into the motorcyclist. .  Mr. Tate  suffered serious personal injuries and was taken by  helicopter to the trauma center. The driver of the Acura, Maria Serreira, 31, of Galt, and her passenger suffered minor injuries and were both taken to the hospital for treatment.  It appears that Ms. Serreira doesn’t  have a California driver’s license. The Police could not track down her driving record.

We wish  all the victims of the Lodi crash a  speedy and complete recovery from their injuries and hope the extent of  Mr. Tate’s injury are not as severe as they initially appear.

Motorcycle Accidents in California

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System there were 11,764 injure in motorcycle accidents.  In San Joaquin County as a whole, motorcycle accidents claimed one live and injured 10 people in 2008.

The Lodi motorcycle accident remains under the investigation although it appears as if  alcohol or drugs were a factor. Thorough investigation is required in such cases to determine all other possible contributing factors, including the involvement of another vehicle, road conditions, including any ongoing construction in the area, and even manufacturing defects in the motorcycle itself.  When the negligence of someone other than the injured or deceased party contributes to an accident, that negligent party is responsible for paying his or her share of medical bills, lost income and pain and suffering.

Seek a Qualified California Injury Attorney

In such cases, families and friends of deceased accident victims are highly advised to contact an experienced California Personal Injury Attorney who will stay abreast of the investigation, hire expert accident reconstruction experts and investigators to thoroughly evaluate the cause of the collision and make sure every angle is examined, including possible claims for defective roadway conditions. A reputed Sacramento Car Accident Attorney will also be able to advise the victims’ families about how their car insurance policy applies to an incident where the at-fault motorist is uninsured or underinsured.

The Demas & Rosenthal personal injury law firm is not currently representing anyone mentioned in this article at the time it was posted. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your legal rights and options, call us or another well recognized and respected personal injury law firm. Please do not rely or act solely upon the information provided in this article. Please consider getting a consultation immediately. The best California personal injury law firms will provide a free consultation.