A 44-year–old Elk Grove man died after his motorcycle collided with the rear of a pickup truck on Interstate 80 in Davis. Donlad J. Halverstadt and his wife were riding on their Harley Davidson on Interstate 80. As reported by the California Highway Patrol, around 11:15p.m. the couple on the motorcycle was traveling behind and slightly to the right of a Toyota Tundra pickup. Suddenly and  for unknown reasons the motorcycle veered left and collided with the rear of the Tundra. The driver was instantly ejected from the motorcycle. Mr. Halverstadt was taken to the U.C. Davis Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. Dana Halverstadt, suffered major injuries to her hands, knees and hips. The driver and the passenger of the pickup were not injured.  The Davis crash remains under investigation. Alcohol and drugs do not appear to be a factor. The motorcycle and the pickup appear to have been  traveling at a safe speed.

We are sending our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Halverstadt. We hope his wife will have a fast and complete recovery.

Motorcycle Accidents in California

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System there were 11,764 people injured  in motorcycle accidents. In Yolo County as a whole, motorcycle accidents claimed three lives and injured 51 people in 2008

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.

Hiring a California Personal 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.

Sacramento Injury Lawyers

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.