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What to Do in the First 48 Hours After a Motorcycle Accident — A Guide for Riders and Their Loved Ones

By Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq.
The Biker Law Blog | https://bikerlawblog.com

Motorcycle_Accident_48_Hours_Guide

As a motorcycle accident attorney and rider myself, I’ve seen firsthand how critical the first 48 hours after a motorcycle crash can be. Whether you’re the injured rider, a passenger, or a family member trying to help, what you do—or fail to do—during this crucial window can have a lasting impact on your health, your legal rights, and your ability to receive compensation.

This article will walk you through the essential steps that should be taken within the first 48 hours after a motorcycle accident, and why it’s vital to retain a motorcycle accident expert like myself, Norman Gregory Fernandez, as soon as possible.

Step 1: Get Immediate Medical Attention

The first and most important step after any motorcycle accident is to seek immediate medical care. Even if you feel fine or think your injuries are minor, get evaluated by emergency medical personnel or go to the nearest emergency room. Adrenaline and shock can mask serious internal injuries, including concussions, organ damage, and spinal injuries.

If you’re unable to make decisions for yourself due to your injuries, a family member or representative should step in to ensure you receive the necessary treatment and that all injuries are documented properly.

Why It Matters:

• Medical records create a critical link between the accident and your injuries.

• Delays in treatment can give insurance companies a reason to deny your claim.

• Proper care can prevent complications and long-term disabilities.

Step 2: Document the Scene (If You Can)

If you’re physically able—and it is safe to do so—take pictures or videos of the accident scene, your motorcycle, the other vehicle(s), skid marks, road conditions, traffic signs, and your injuries. If you’re not able, ask a witness or a loved one to do this for you.

Be sure to gather:

• Names and contact information of witnesses

• Driver’s license and insurance details from the other party

• Police officer’s name, badge number, and report number

Why It Matters:

• This evidence may disappear quickly—vehicles are towed, road debris is cleared, and physical injuries begin to heal.

• Visual evidence is often more persuasive than testimony in court or negotiations.

Step 3: File a Police Report

In California, you must report a motorcycle accident involving injury or death to the police and the DMV. Make sure an official police report is filed and obtain a copy as soon as it’s available. The report will often include the officer’s initial findings regarding fault, witness statements, and more.

If you were transported to a hospital and unable to speak to the officer at the scene, make arrangements to provide a statement as soon as possible. Again, if you’re incapacitated, a family member or legal representative can assist in obtaining this report and ensuring your version of events is recorded.

Step 4: Preserve Evidence

Don’t repair or dispose of your damaged motorcycle, helmet, clothing, or any other gear. These items could be vital evidence in proving the severity of the crash, the nature of your injuries, or product liability issues.

Store them in a secure location and take photos of everything. If there was a GoPro or similar camera on your bike or helmet, back up the footage immediately.

Step 5: Avoid Speaking to Insurance Companies

You may be contacted quickly by the other driver’s insurance company. Do not give a recorded statement, accept any settlement offer, or admit fault without speaking to a motorcycle accident lawyer first. What you say can and will be used against you.

Tell any insurance adjuster that you are seeking legal representation and refer all communications to your attorney.

Step 6: Contact a Motorcycle Accident Expert Immediately

This is where I come in.

The sooner you hire a qualified motorcycle accident attorney—like myself, Norman Gregory Fernandez—the better your chances of receiving full and fair compensation. As both an attorney and an experienced biker, I understand the unique challenges riders face both on the road and in the courtroom.

Here’s Why Timing is Everything:

• Preservation of Evidence: We can act quickly to secure surveillance video, black box data from other vehicles, and accident reconstruction experts if needed.

• Witness Statements: Memories fade fast. Early statements are often more detailed and credible.

• Insurance Navigation: We handle all communication with the insurance companies so you can focus on healing.

• Medical Treatment Coordination: We can help you find qualified doctors and ensure your treatment is documented properly.

• Litigation Preparation: If your case needs to go to trial, early involvement means we’re building your case from day one.

Hiring me early can also prevent costly mistakes that could hurt your case, such as posting on social media, delaying treatment, or failing to document expenses.

Step 7: Notify Your Own Insurance Company

Even if you were not at fault, notify your motorcycle insurance carrier about the accident. Be factual but concise. Do not speculate about fault or the extent of your injuries. Let your lawyer handle the details.

Failure to notify your own carrier in a timely manner could jeopardize coverage under your policy, including MedPay or uninsured motorist benefits.

Step 8: Keep a Recovery Journal

Start a journal documenting your injuries, pain levels, treatments, emotional distress, and how the accident has impacted your daily life. Include:

• Missed work

• Activities you can no longer do

• Sleep disturbances

• Mood changes

This journal can serve as powerful evidence for your pain and suffering claim.

Step 9: Don’t Wait to Act

California has a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims—but waiting can weaken your case long before that deadline. Delayed treatment, lost evidence, and unrecorded witness statements can all significantly reduce your settlement or verdict.

Final Thoughts from Attorney Norman Gregory Fernandez

Motorcycle accidents are traumatic and often life-changing events. As a rider myself, I know what it’s like to hit the road and trust that others will share it responsibly. When that trust is broken by a negligent driver, you deserve justice—and someone who will fight like hell to get it for you.

The first 48 hours after a crash are critical. If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident, don’t wait. Contact me immediately at https://thepersonalinjury.com or through the Biker Law Blog at https://bikerlawblog.com. I’ve helped countless riders and their families get the compensation they deserve—and I’ll do the same for you.

Ride safe. Ride smart. And if the worst happens, call someone who rides—call me.

About the Author
Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq.
Founder, The Law Office of Norman Gregory Fernandez
Motorcycle Accident Attorney | Rider | Advocate

Norman Gregory Fernandez is a seasoned California personal injury attorney with over 28 years of experience. As a passionate biker himself, he has dedicated his career to fighting for the rights of injured motorcycle riders and their families. He is the founder of the Biker Law Blog and the nationwide resource InjuredBikers.com.

Contact:
📞 (800) 816-1529
🌐 www.thepersonalinjury.com
✉️ Click here to contact Norman

The post What to Do in the First 48 Hours After a Motorcycle Accident — A Guide for Riders and Their Loved Ones first appeared on Biker and Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog.

For motorcycle riders across California, the open road is more than a means of transportation—it’s a way of life. But when the unthinkable happens and a motorcycle accident occurs, choosing the right attorney can make the difference between justice served and being left in the dust. That’s where Biker Lawyer Norman Gregory Fernandez stands out—not only as an experienced personal injury attorney but also as a dedicated rider who has lived the biker lifestyle for over 50 years.

The Man Behind Biker Law Blog and Injuredbikers.com

Attorney Norman Gregory Fernandez is the founder of the popular Biker Law Blog at https://bikerlawblog.com, a hub for motorcycle law, safety tips, and rider rights. He is also the force behind Injuredbikers.com (https://injuredbikers.com), a platform exclusively created to help injured motorcycle riders get the representation they deserve.

With a passion for both the law and motorcycles, Fernandez built his practice around the unique needs of motorcycle accident victims. Unlike generic personal injury firms, his approach is rooted in firsthand riding experience and an unwavering commitment to biker justice.

A Record of Success in California

Over nearly 28 years of legal practice, Norman Gregory Fernandez has handled thousands of personal injury cases in California. His experience spans motorcycle accidents, auto collisions, slip and falls, dog bites, and wrongful death cases. But what truly sets him apart is his 98% success rate in personal injury claims—a testament to his skill, determination, and dedication to his clients.

Fernandez has obtained millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts on behalf of injured clients. These aren’t just numbers—they represent real people who have been able to rebuild their lives after devastating injuries. For bikers, having someone who truly understands what they’re going through can make all the difference.

Riding for Over 50 Years

Before he was known as Biker Lawyer, Norman Gregory Fernandez was a biker. He has been riding motorcycles and two-wheeled motor vehicles for over five decades. From vintage Harleys to modern touring bikes, Fernandez is a lifelong rider who knows exactly what it’s like to be on two wheels in California traffic.

His deep understanding of motorcycles extends beyond just riding. He knows how bikes handle, how crashes typically occur, and how the road—and other drivers—pose risks to motorcyclists every day. This unique combination of legal and practical motorcycle knowledge gives him a huge advantage in litigation and negotiations.

Why Ordinary Personal Injury Attorneys Fall Short for Motorcycle Cases

Many accident victims think any personal injury lawyer will do. But when it comes to motorcycle accident cases, ordinary personal injury attorneys often miss critical details. Why?

• They don’t understand how bikes operate.
• They fail to appreciate the severity of injuries riders sustain.
• They overlook jury bias against motorcyclists.

Let’s face it: some jurors think riders are reckless. It takes an attorney who understands these biases to overcome them—someone who can explain to a jury that the rider wasn’t at fault, but the victim of another driver’s negligence.

Norman Gregory Fernandez does exactly that. As a biker himself, he connects with injured riders on a personal level, and he brings that authenticity into the courtroom. Jurors can tell he’s the real deal.

Not Just a Personal Injury Attorney—A Motorcycle Injury Expert

Attorney Fernandez isn’t just a seasoned litigator—he’s a motorcycle injury expert attorney. From accident reconstruction to helmet and gear analysis, he understands the science and strategy behind motorcycle cases. This expertise ensures that no detail is overlooked, and no insurance company lowball offer goes unchallenged.

Whether you’ve suffered a traumatic brain injury, broken bones, road rash, or emotional trauma from your accident, Attorney Fernandez will fight for full and fair compensation—including medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and future care needs.

Almost 28 Years of Legal Experience

Norman Gregory Fernandez brings nearly three decades of legal experience to every case. His in-depth knowledge of California personal injury law, court procedures, and insurance company tactics makes him a formidable advocate for injured motorcyclists.

His firm handles cases across all of California, from Los Angeles and San Diego to San Francisco and Sacramento. If you’ve been in a motorcycle accident anywhere in the state, Fernandez and his team are ready to take your call.

The Right Choice for California Bikers

Motorcycle accidents can change lives in an instant. Don’t trust your case to a lawyer who doesn’t ride, who doesn’t understand the biker lifestyle, or who treats your claim like just another file on the desk.

With Attorney Norman Gregory Fernandez, you get:

• A fellow biker who truly understands you
• A proven track record of success
• A motorcycle-specific legal strategy
• Personal attention from start to finish

Whether you’ve been hit by a distracted driver, run off the road, or injured due to poor road conditions, Biker Lawyer Norman Gregory Fernandez is the advocate you want in your corner.

Call or Click Today 800-816-1529

If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident, don’t wait. Visit https://injuredbikers.com to learn more or call the Law Offices of Norman Gregory Fernandez for a free consultation. You’ll speak directly with an experienced motorcycle accident attorney who rides—and who gets results.

The post Why Biker Lawyer Norman Gregory Fernandez Is the Motorcycle Accident Attorney You Need first appeared on Biker and Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog.

The worst possible scenario has happened. You are out with your friends having a great day riding your motorcycles, you are in a pack, next thing you know, some idiot in a car cuts into your lane and takes you out.

Next thing you know you’re lying on the pavement, in a state of shock with people standing over you, asking if you’re okay, telling you not to move. You ask, “how is my motorcycle,” something almost every down motorcycle rider asks after an accident.

Next thing you know you are in an ambulance on the way to a trauma center, you are in pain, you are scared, you ask how bad you are hurt, but the paramedic simply tells you to stay calm and everything will be okay.

Thousands of motorcycle riders each year face this same scenario. Most motorcycle accidents result in severe to catastrophic injuries. Many motorcycle accidents result in relatively minor injuries compared to those who have suffered catastrophic injuries. However most relatively minor injuries for motorcycle riders are not the same as for victims of car accidents.

A relatively minor motorcycle accident might involve having road rash and a jacked-up knee, arm, shoulder or something like that. I have handled hundreds of motorcycle accident cases, and it is very rare that there will be minor injuries like what you can expect in a rear end or small impact car accident.

Before 2010, there were just a few of us real motorcycle accident lawyers advertising for motorcycle cases in California, who specialize in motorcycle accident cases.

Now let me get one thing straight, the California State Bar has certain specialties where attorneys with a minimum amount of practice time, can take a special test, and become a certified specialist pursuant to the California State Bar. The California State Bar does not certify personal injury, or motorcycle accident cases as a State Bar certified specialty. So, when I talk about specialize in motorcycle cases, I am not talking about State Bar certified specialty. What I am talking about is someone who has an expertise in a certain area of personal injury.

Someone like me who specializes in motorcycle cases, not only handles a ton of motorcycle cases, but they are also experts in all aspects of motorcycle accident cases. I have been riding motorcycles since I was a kid. I started riding Street motorcycles legally on the street at 17 years old and have ridden all types of motorcycles on the street.

No matter what you are told, there is no way a generic personal injury attorney advertising for motorcycle accident cases, will be able to argue a motorcycle accident case, unless they are experts at riding motorcycles. It’s just not possible because without the first-hand expertise of starting a motorcycle, dressing for the ride, starting from a dead stop, shifting gears, riding in city traffic, freeway traffic, mountain roads, etc., you have no idea from a first-person perspective what a motorcycle rider faces. Therefore, there is no way you can be as good as an attorney who rides motorcycles, it’s as simple as that.

Imagine hiring an attorney for a car accident case, who does not drive cars. How is the car accident attorney supposed to understand what happened in the car accident, without having a perspective of being an expert car operator.

You may be able to fake it in court, and try to imagine what it’s like to be able to drive cars if you cannot drive a car, but the jury is pretty smart and they will know you are faking it.

It’s the same thing with motorcycles, but even more complicated because with motorcycles there are no extra layers between the motorcycle rider other than what they are wearing, and the road. The only way to know how that feels is to actually be a motorcycle rider.

I’ve discussed this many times before, there is also a certain prejudice against motorcycle riders by not only law enforcement, but by the general public, and jurors. Many of them think that riding motorcycles is a dangerous activity, and motorcycle riders taking the risk, should bear the responsibility of what happens to them.

It takes an expert to be able to cut through the prejudice and get the motorcycle rider what they are entitled to in court.

I am an expert in motorcycle accident cases. I have been riding motorcycles for over 40 years. I have handled countless motorcycle accident cases. I am not a poser pretending to be a motorcycle rider.

I will tell you flat out that there are fake poser attorneys all over the place in California, having their picture taken next to motorcycles, claiming to be motorcycle attorneys, who have never ridden a motorcycle, or maybe have ridden a motorcycle once or twice in their life. I am among one of the original few motorcycle attorneys in the state of California that existed before 2010.

The American Bar Association asked me to give a speech at their 2010 convention about my motorcycle accident practice. The actual speech I gave is actually on the Internet and it is kind of an embarrassment to me. After that speech where I told the attorneys in the audience to pick something they like and apply it to their law practice. Instead, the American Bar Association put the speech on the Internet, and every Tom Dick and Harry rather than take their own hobby and apply their practice to it, instead claimed to now handle motorcycle accident cases because they saw my speech as a marketing niche for them. They totally missed the point of my speech. I actually created a bunch of competition for myself by giving that speech. I wish I could take it back, because unfortunately many motorcycle riders out there have been suckered into signing up with these guys. It’s most probable that they did not get the settlement or judgment they should have gotten because they were with an attorney that wasn’t an expert motorcycle attorney.

As I have stated in previous articles you will see a couple of big firms advertising all over motorcycle rallies, motorcycle publications, and at motorcycle venues. They have hot young paid models at their booths. They give out trinkets, promise roadside assistance, etc. They are all just big marketing outfits. A couple that I know of simply either farm cases out to regular attorneys in return for a referral fee, or they charge regular attorneys for a geographic region for advertising purposes. Do you really want to put your life in the hands of one of these marketing outfits? Would not it be better for you to have an expert motorcycle attorney on your side that you can count on?

Giving out trinkets that cost a couple of bucks does not make you an expert motorcycle accident lawyer. Stating you provide roadside assistance should be left to the experts like AAA Roadside Assistance who you know for sure will take care of you when you need help. Why would a motorcycle accident attorney be trying to lure clients by purporting to give out roadside assistance. Why don’t they make french fries and juggle as well. A real expert motorcycle accident attorney does not need to hire models and put on a carnival show at events and venues.

I have never put up a booth at a rally or venue, nor do I need to advertise in Biker and Motorcycle Publications. I am known all over California for my Motorcycle accident expertise, and the riders come to me through word of mouth through the biker community. I think it is bad Karma to advertise like the other outfits do, it kind of makes me sick.

My name is California Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Norman Gregory Fernandez, and I am an expert in handling motorcycle accident cases. I am the founder of injuredbikers.com, and my firm if we believe we can help you, will give you the best possible representation on your case by an actual motorcycle rider who is an expert in motorcycle accident cases, and personal injury.

We will help get you medical attention if you don’t have medical insurance, even if you do have medical insurance, we will help get your motorcycle fixed or replaced, we will get you compensation for your loss of wages, medical bills, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, emotional distress, and loss of consortium for your spouses if you’re married.

Many of you may not know what the damages I mentioned above mean. Call me at 800-816-1529 and you will get to talk to me personally, and I will explain everything to you.

You’re not going to talk to a paralegal, you’re not going to talk to a non-attorney case manager, you’re not going to talk to a legal assistant, the consultation will be done by me, and I will direct all aspects of your case. If we go to trial, I will be the one that does the trial.

Check out some of the pictures on this site, my Motorcycle and Biker experience is all over the place and is not like some poser who does not ride posing next to a motorcycle to con you in to thinking he or she rides.

For motorcycle accident riders whose life is on the line unlike minor car accident victims, it is critical you pick the right attorney. We do not play games in my office, we are real bikers who specialize in motorcycle accidents, and we are experts at what we do. I am a top rated nationally recognized lawyer.

God forbid if you’re in an accident either as a rider of a motorcycle, or a passenger on a motorcycle, give us a call at 800-816-1529, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and we will give you a free consultation. Most of our clients are jacked up. We can sign you up electronically anywhere in the state seven days a week 24 hours a day. You will get an account on our client portal system so that you can send and receive secure messages to us, upload and download case documents, and more. We are one of the few law firms that offer this service to our clients in the nation. We are a modern law firm, and we are mean and lean. We know that you are hurt so everything is done to make life easier for you.

When you pick biker lawyer Norman Gregory Fernandez to handle your motorcycle accident case, the only thing you will have to worry about is getting better, telling us where the bike is so that we can have an adjuster come out and take a look at it, letting us know when you’re better, and cooperating with us when we are fighting for you. We make it easier for you to go on with your life as we prosecute your case. At the end of the case, we try to get you as much money as possible.

Hopefully we will not hear from you which means that you are safe and not in a motorcycle accident. But if you are in a motorcycle accident call us now at 800-816-1529.

By California Motorcycle Accident Attorney Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq., December 22, 2019.

The post You have had a motorcycle accident; which attorney are you going to pick? By California motorcycle accident lawyer Norman Gregory Fernandez first appeared on Biker and Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog.

Everybody has heard that as of January 2019, California went from giving fix it tickets, for motorcycles that were deemed to be too loud by law enforcement, to outright tickets resulting in fines for motorcycles which they deemed to be too loud.

Before January 2019 you can simply fix the problem, take your motorcycle to a law enforcement inspection center, where they would either approve of the correction and write off the ticket, or require you to do additional work to get the problem corrected. You were not issued any fine.

Now after January 2019 law enforcement can simply give you a ticket in which you can be fined up to 00, whether or not you fix the problem. They can still require you to fix the problem, but the fine will still stand.

As with any ticket, or infraction, you may fight the ticket in court, but I would not do so unless you have a competent attorney like myself at your side in court. There are many ways to beat such a ticket in court.

Although I handle personal injury and motorcycle accident cases all over the state of California, I will limit my excessive noise ticket legal defense practice to courts in Los Angeles and Orange county, California. I will provide consultations to people outside of the area where I am defending these tickets.

The general rule for motorcycles manufactured after 1985 is that the motorcycle cannot emit noise above 80 dB, the exhaust system must not be modified, and all aftermarket replacement parts must have EPA certifications on the equipment. Many aftermarket exhausts will not have EPA certification markings on them. Some will say for off use only; others will say for racing only.

There are many jurisdictions in California that do not put up with loud pipes either from motorcycles, or cars. You can do a Google search on which cities do not like loud exhausts to get an idea of where to be careful.

Frankly, it is really easy for me to determine whether or not a motorcycle is too loud. Before I became an attorney, I was an engineer, and I dealt with decibel readings. If a motorcycle is obnoxiously loud, most people including motorcycle riders can tell right away. There are motorcycles just above 80 dB that you might not be able to tell without a decibel meter.

A decibel meter measures the loudness coming from the exhaust.

If you are pulled over, and law enforcement is alleging that your motorcycle is too loud, and they try to measure the loudness of your exhaust with the decibel meter, try to videotape them if you can, but do not get yourself arrested for obstruction. Try to remember everything that you see. Any facts and details you can remember, will help us defend your case in court.

As I stated previously, law enforcement can still require you to fix any exhaust problem they allege you have, but the monetary fine is not fixable unless you fight it in court and win. Many courts will require you to pay the fine as a bail, before they will allow you to appear before a judge.

Hopefully law enforcement is not going to use the new law to try to line their coffers with money, or to harass bikers and motorcycle club members. This type of law which even with a decibel meter is subjective, meaning it really is up to law enforcement judgment to determine if you are in violation, unless your exhaust system flat out does not comply with EPA regulations.

I recommend that if you’re going to modify your exhaust system, that you keep the stock exhaust system in your garage or other storage location, just in case you have to go back to a stock set up. I myself have my entire stock exhaust set up just in case law enforcement thinks my motorcycle is too loud. I myself believe I am in full compliance.

Another rule of thumb is to not be a frigging idiot on the road. When you pull up to an intersection, do not sit there like a moron and rev your motorcycle. If you’re going through a town on city streets layoff the throttle and rev the engine at the minimum required to not draw attention to yourself.

Modern motorcycles do not have to be reeved when the motorcycle is stopped, with fuel injection and modern engines, you are just wasting gas, and being a noisemaker by revving your motorcycle at a stop sign or light. Now if you have an old pan head you may have to rev it to keep it from stalling, that is a different story.

There are guys on touring motorcycles, cruisers, sport bikes, you name it running open pipes, who have basically ruined it for all of us. Do not give law enforcement an excuse to pull you over for a noise violation because let me tell you something, at a 00 a pop, you will be back to running stock exhaust very shortly if you run up 1 or 2 of these violations. This would suck for guys who have paid thousands of dollars for performance modifications on their engines that require a more open exhaust system.

If you use common sense, I doubt law enforcement is going to mess with you, unless you’re in one of those jurisdictions that harasses bikers and does not tolerate any excessive noise.

If you’ve got dinged with an excessive noise ticket after January 2019, and they are coming after you for a fine, and you want representation in Los Angeles or Orange County, give me a call at 800-816-1529. If you’re anywhere else in the state, you may call me for a consultation.

If you have had a motorcycle accident anywhere in California, give me a call at 800-816-1529. We will take care of you. As usual, don’t be fooled by fancy advertisements from non-riding personal injury attorneys, they have no clue how to ride motorcycles, or deal with the prejudice we motorcycle riders face in court.

By California motorcycle accident attorney Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq., April 2019.

The post What is the real truth about the new California 2019 motorcycle noise law; will you get a $1000 fine? By California biker lawyer Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq. first appeared on Biker and Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog.

Recently, I have spoken with several people seeking legal advice, or clients trying to get a discount or gain some other advantage in their relationship with me, wherein I was told that either the person had recorded their conversation with me, or the person recorded their conversation with somebody else.

I advised them that what they did was illegal under California Penal Code section 632, which makes it unlawful for a person to record another person without their permission on a phone call or in another setting where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy. There is an exception for law enforcement.

With the advent of modern technology, it has become really easy to record telephone conversations. In some states it may be legal to record phone conversations. However, if you speak to someone in California, and you do not get their permission to record the conversation, you could be either charged with a misdemeanor, or felony, for not obtaining their permission first.

As a California attorney, it blows my mind every time somebody admits to me that they illegally recorded a phone call with me without my permission. What do these people expect will happen when they threaten an officer of the court?

With respect to people who seek legal advice from me telling me that they have recorded other people without their permission, the short answer is not only is the recording illegal, but the recording is not admissible for any purpose because it was illegally obtained and it is considered fruit of the poisonous tree.

With modern technology, it is very easy to edit a recording using digital software on a personal computer to make a conversation totally different than what actually occurred, or to edit out certain words, to change the context of a conversation. Therefore, the phone recordings are not reliable without a credible chain of evidence.

A solution to this problem is to inform people that the call may be monitored or recorded for quality of service. This is why almost every company you call has this admonition when you call in to them. They are basically telling you the call is being recorded, and by you continuing to call, you were consenting to being recorded.

On services such as Google voice, or ring central, when you hit the record button, the service will announce that the call is being recorded to prevent any illegal acts.

Therefore, in a nutshell, unless you are law enforcement, or acting on behalf of law enforcement, you should not record telephone conversations, or in person conversations with people in California, without the consent of the other person unless you are law enforcement, or acting on behalf of law enforcement, or you could be charged with the crime. I advise you to look up California Penal Code section 632.

By California Personal injury Lawyer Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq., March 2019

The post In California it is illegal to record somebody on the telephone without their permission first appeared on Biker and Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog.

The first thing they teach us in law school is to not make any guarantees as to the outcome of a case, because there is no way to predict the outcome of a case no matter how much experience you have. It is like trying to guess what the lottery numbers will be.

An experienced attorney can kind of predict what may happen, and make an educated guess based upon their experience, but they cannot know for sure what will definitely happen.

I recently had a motorcycle client of mine switch to another attorney who was a female attorney with literally no motorcycle experience whatsoever, although she swore up and down that she was a motorcycle accident expert attorney. I could tell within 5 minutes of talking to her on the phone that she had no clue what she was talking about. She was bragging about how she worked for a so-called famous attorney, but she had no idea what lane splitting was, or how to shift gears on a motorcycle, she was obnoxious, and she was of the same racial heritage of the client that went to her, and I believe that my ex client bought into her bullshit lies to his peril. His loss ?

I laughed, put a lien on the case for my time, and called it a day. His case happened to be a lane splitting case, with denied liability, which will require an attorney that not only knows motorcycle cases in depth, and how motorcycle accident victims can become seriously injured even in low-speed accidents, but who can also explain to a jury why motorcycles have the right to lane split, and how the accident was not the clients fault even though the police report showed him to be at fault. I venture to guess this client with this new attorney will get zero money out of the case. He was the victim of a good con job by an inexperienced attorney who talked him in to switching probably with promises of great riches, etc.

I have noticed on the Internet many attorneys violating their ethical duty when it comes to advertising to clients. Many of these attorneys are promising the world, and frankly it is just plain bullshit.

The best thing you can look for when you are looking for an attorney is years of experience, trial records, awards, publications, and so forth.

You can’t really trust reviews, because they can be spoofed. On one lawyer rating site, almost every attorney has all perfect reviews, and you know full well that nobody gets all perfect reviews. These guys are probably just giving themselves good reviews.

On another rating site, if you don’t advertise with them, they won’t display good reviews.

On all rating sites, companies can simply purchase good reviews.

So, for something like attorneys, that are not like TVs, or restaurants, or plumbers, you can’t really go by consumer reviews, you need something more reliable, something more objective.

If you have a lawyer with 5 years of experience yet they have 100 positive reviews, I can assure you that there is something wrong. 5 years’ experience is nothing in the legal world, and it is doubtful that any lawyer with 5 years of experience has had 100 cases, let alone 100 cases that all did reviews. Even 10 years’ experience is nothing in the legal world. When you get a lawyer with around 20 years of legal experience, and no record of discipline, then you are talking to a real attorney.

Another thing to go by when looking for a lawyer, is whether or not the attorney has done trials. Many personal injury firms are nothing but settlement mills. A settlement mill is a law firm or lawyer who never goes to trial, and all they do is try to settle cases. If they do not settle the case, then they drop the case.

The vast majority of personal injury firms are settlement mills.

See if the attorney you are looking at has won any awards from actual trial review organizations. Ask what their trial record is.

With respect to promising the world, if an attorney makes promises to you, hang up the phone, you are being lied to.

The only reason why an attorney would make a promise to you is to trick you into signing up with them.

There is a ton of competition in the personal injury market. It seems like every Tom Dick and Harry coming out of law school thinks that personal injury is really easy, which it is certainly not, and they try to do personal injury cases, along with 2 or 3 other areas of the law. Most of these people soon find out that it is very hard to actually make money in personal injury unless you know what you’re doing, and secondly there is a ton of competition.

Many lawyers resort to making fabricated promises to try to lure customers. This is not only unethical, it could lead to potential discipline against the attorney, and a potential breach of contract action against the attorney by the client that does not get the result they were promised.

I myself tell the my potential clients I will do the best I can for them. I tell them what they are entitled to, and I always tell them that there are no guarantees.

In the case of my client who went to that obnoxious female attorney above, I am quite sure that she promised him the world. He will soon find out he was the victim of a con job.

Caveat emptor is a Latin term that means left the buyer beware. If you are being promised something that sounds too good to be true it usually is.

In the legal game, if you are looking for an attorney, who will tell you the truth about your case, who will fight for you, who will stand with you every step of the way, who is competent, experienced, and ethical, that is how you will get the best result in your case.

If you need help with any type of help with your personal injury matter anywhere in California, give me a call at 800-816-1529. I am here for you.

By Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq., February 2019

The post Beware of attorneys whose promises sound too good to be true because they probably are. first appeared on Biker and Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog.

As a motorcycle accident and a personal injury attorney, I run across people all the time who just want to pick my brain for information thinking that they will try to handle their personal injury or motorcycle accident case without an attorney. I always think to myself, “what an idiot.”

First off, I can pretty much tell when somebody wants to retain an attorney as opposed to when someone just wants to pick my brain for information.

Let’s say you need an appendectomy or knee surgery; would you try to do the surgery on yourself? Of course not. What makes you think you can handle a complex motorcycle accident case, or a personal injury case on your own? We attorneys are Juris Doctors, who have gone to Law School for 3 to 4 year, then passed the hardest Bar exam in the nation and then specialize in different areas of the law just like medical doctors specializing in different areas of medicine. Attorneys who specialize in personal injury and let’s a motorcycle accident cases are different from attorneys who specialize in real estate.

Personal injury law is a highly complex area of the law which is not something that you can just willy-nilly do a Google search on and figure out without a high degree of education and training. The insurance company will never take you seriously, and when you approach them without an attorney,  they will know they have a sucker on the hook when you call them without an attorney.

Everything you say can and will be used against you in your case. You can completely blow your case and not even know it by talking to the insurance company on your own.

In almost every instance you will get more money with a personal injury attorney than trying to handle a case on your own. Don’t be a fool, get a lawyer on your personal injury, motorcycle accident case, or other injury case.

We at the law offices of Norman Gregory Fernandez are here to help you on your personal injury or motorcycle accident case you may call us anytime at 800-816-1529. You may go to our personal injury website at www.thepersonalinjury.com . If you had a motorcycle accident you may call us at 800-816-1529, or you may go to our website at www.injuredbikers.com .

By California Personal Injury Attorney Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq.

The post Don’t Be the Fool Who Tries to Represent Themselves in A Personal Injury Case first appeared on Biker and Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog.

Beautiful Tara posing on a Chopper

It seems that a bunch of conservative nut jobs are writing in to Biker and Motorcycle Magazines complaining about beautiful sexy women strutting their stuff next to motorcycles in the various biker and motorcycle related magazines that are on news stands.

Where the heck are these asshats coming from?

I have been in the biker community no less than 34 years. Part of the whole Biker and Motorcycle scene is for good looking people of both sexes strutting their stuff, doing their thing, and being free.

Now all of a sudden these social prudes are trying to get the magazines to stop showing pictures of beautiful women in their magazines.

Maybe a strong sexy female is somehow scary to these prudes.

I have always thought of the Biker world as a world of staunch Americanism, freedom, and open roads. It is alien to me to think of social prudes trying to intervene into a vibrant scene in order to censor our freedom.

Any enemy of freedom, is an enemy to our nation, and the Biker and Motorcycle world.

To be frank, this has been going on for some time in America. There are a small very loud group of religious conservatives trying to take us into a kind of nation ruled by religion, where you must abide by this group’s religion and its rules.

They are trying to censor what we watch, what we read, what we see, what we hear, how we act, etc. Maybe these morons should start up a new nation in Antarctica where like the Taliban, they can force everyone to abide by their rules or else…..

No way, Jose. I do not care whether you are a republican or democrat, we in the Biker World consider ourselves to be free on the open road. We enjoy looking at sexy people, we like dressing the way we want to dress, and we don’t need you people coming in to our world to censor it.

For the publishers who read my blog, and who are actually in the Biker and Motorcycle World. There is something called freedom of expression, and freedom of speech in our nation.

If you bow down, or kowtow to those who would take away our freedom to see and read what we want, we Bikers and Motorcycle Riders will stop buying your rags, you know who your market is, and we are getting sick of it.

Those few who are trying to censor what the rest of us like to see and read, will always be there, they will not take away our freedom.

I myself, did not serve in the U.S. Air Force, so that a vocal minority could take away our collective freedom.

Could you imagine going to a motorcycle rally like Sturgis, and seeing everyone covered up like some Afghanistan nightmare? Neither can I!

I am publishing this article a day after our nation’s Independence Day celebration for a reason.

By California Motorcycle Accident Attorney and Biker Lawyer, Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq., © July 5, 2013

The post The Great Biker Rag Sex Debate first appeared on Biker and Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog.

California Personal Injury Attorney Norman Gregory Fernandez at age 16, before going surfing

Here it is March 13, 2013, and it has been a while since I posted my last article here on the Biker Law Blog.

I have moved to Huntington Beach.

My phone number and fax number are the same, 800-816-1529.

So whether your case originates in San Francisco, Eureka, Redding, Sacramento, or San Diego, my firm will handle your case.

We handle the entire State of California. We welcome all of our new and existing clients to the new law firm. We look forward to kicking ass for you on your cases.

I think I have what most would call one of the most high tech law firms in the nation. The technology we have employed at our firm is mind blowing.

I am a Southern California native, but I have lived in many places during my life. I would say that the move to Orange County for me will be permanent, in that I cannot see living anywhere else.

I love Huntington Beach. I have taken up walking on the pier each night around sunset, the people are great, the lifestyle is fantastic, and the motorcycle riding is good as well.

When I was younger, I used to surf. As a matter of fact, as a teenager I lived at the beach. I learned to surf at Topanga, my home beach was Zuma. Back then, the wave break was much different at Zuma and Point Dume, then it is now.

Believe it or not, I just bought a brand new 9’ Greco Longboard surfboard. It will be delivered this Friday. I got a new full wetsuit to go along with it. Hell, at 49 who says you are too old to start surfing again. I figure a longboard, will help me to ease back into it, and on those days with a small surf, I will be catching waves while the guys on short boards will be watching me ride. I figure if I start surfing each morning at 5am, I can still get to the office easily by 9am.

I wonder if they make a surfboard rack for a Harley Davidson. Once I get used to surfing again, I will have a custom Harley Davidson themed surfboard made for me.

So there it is. As you can imagine, I am swamped with work right now. As I type this article, I have spent the last 4 days out of 5 days in Court. I am still at the office catching up. Nonetheless I wanted to let you all know what is going on.

Looking forward to the Laughlin Biker Rally coming up next month. This will first year I take “Bessie,” my motorhome, (the same one I rode around the country with) to a major motorcycle rally this year.

I hope you are all well.

By California Biker Lawyer and Motorcycle Accident Attorney Norman Gregory Fernandez, © March 13, 2013

The post Getting settled in to the O.C. lifestyle. first appeared on Biker and Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog.

*** June 4, 2012 Update –

I received a cryptic email from “The Retail Equation” telling me that if I wanted a copy of my return activity report to call a phone number. This was in response to an email that I sent them threatening legal action.

I called their number and talked to a rep. She wanted the last 4 digits of my drivers license number.

I asked her how she would have my drivers license information since I have not filled out any credit applications with their firm, nor did I authorize any company to give it to them. She told me that when I gave a merchant my drivers license number that the merchant gave it to them. Very interesting.

I played along. It turns out they have me down for 3 return items in 6 months, including 2 defective items. So they blacklisted me from being able to make returns at stores that use their service.

I requested to speak to a manager and was told that there was no one to talk to.

I am now contemplating a class action lawsuit, or an individual lawsuit. I will write a follow-up article very soon.

If you have been a victim of Home Depot or “The Retain Equation” I would like to hear from you, I need plaintiffs for a class-action lawsuit.

*** June 3, 2012 Update –

I reported Home Depot to the Better Business Bureau.

I also called Home Depot’s Corporate Office and spoke to a lady named Evon who opened ticket # 513849.

She told me that There is absolutely nothing Home Depot can do to resolve the problem. I asked to speak to her manager, she told me that there was nothing he could do either. She stated that “The Retail Equation” was entirely responsible for the situation. Moral to the story, DO NOT SHOP AT HOME DEPOT. IF THEY WILL DO THIS TO AN ATTORNEY WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY WILL DO TO YOU?

I sent an email to “The Retail Equation” requesting to get their side of the story before I take any further action.

Read about what happened to me below.

I am an Attorney at Law. I have been shopping in stores for over 35 years. God only knows how much money I have spent shopping.

I have spent probably tens of thousands of dollars in Home Depot over the years.

I had a little project I wanted to do over the weekend, so on Friday evening I went in to Home Depot and spent a few hundred dollars on parts.

I started my project yesterday and discovered that one of the parts was the wrong part.

I brought the part, placed in its packing, one day after purchase, back to Home Depot along with the receipt. They asked me for my ID which I thought was kind of odd.

To make a long story short, they told me that my return was rejected and they gave me a receipt type printout that has an 866 number on it to call.

Further, the printout says that I will not be able to return any items at Home Depot for the next 90 days, and that after 90 days it will be re-evaluated.

Of course, I called the number and they are only open Monday – Friday, etc.

It appears to be a 3rd party company that Home Depot is using called “The Retail Equation,” that was responsible for Home Depot not allowing me to do a valid return. I found their website at http://www.theretailequation.com/ .

Apparently retailers are now hiring this company to determine whether they will allow returns to be made at the retailer.

I have never heard of such a service or thing.

I suspect they have me on some kind of list. I know they have made a mistake, or there might be identity theft going on.

Whatever it is, can you imagine if I made a several thousand dollar purchase and this happened?

Who wants to shop at a store that may not allow you to return anything for any reason?

I asked to speak to the manager, he refused to do anything. Basically Home Depot ruined my weekend project and I may be out a hundred dollars because they are refusing to allow me to return an unopened, undamaged product which I have the receipt for, the next day.

The blatant refusal of Home Depot to return something a day later with a receipt at least to me is unheard of.

I am warning all of you here and now, not to shop at Home Depot because based upon my experience, you may get stuck not being able to return something that may be defective, or something that may be the wrong size, the wrong type, etc.

You too could get stuck holding the bag for hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Unless this is made right, I will take my money to Lowes and to other stores. I will never set foot in Home Depot again.

Home Depot and the Retail Equation just pissed off the wrong attorney. I am going to first start off by warning all consumers not to shop and Home Depot because they may not be able to do a return.

I will then take any and all appropriate legal action against anyone involved in this fiasco so that ordinary consumers do not have to go through what I went through.

You have been warned about Home Depot.

By California Consumer and Personal Injury Attorney Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq., June 3, 2011

The post Warning Do Not Buy Anything from Home Depot, You may lose your Money. first appeared on Biker and Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog.

Taking your life in your hands at California Indian Casinos

As a California Personal Injury Lawyer I feel I have a duty to inform all about California consumers lack of any real legal remedy if you suffer a Personal Injury at anyone of California’s numerous Indian Casinos.

If you have been the victim of a Personal Injury, or if you suffer a Slip and fall at an Indian Casino, you may have a potential court case, you may have a claim that will be headed to the tribal council, you may have a case that will go to private arbitration, you may have a case that will be determined by a private insurance company claims adjuster, or maybe you have a case that will literally give you no legal remedy.

Just 14 years after Gov. Pete Wilson signed the first compact with a tribe allowing Las Vegas-style slot machines in California, personal injury and property damage consumer protections in Indian casinos are all over the place respect to consumer rights and remedies in personal injury cases.

Every one of the 56 Class III gaming tribes within the State of California features its own specific tort liability ordinance spelling out how it will process personal injury cases.

The California State Bureau of Gambling Control states that many tribes authorize risk managers or their insurance companies to decide a claim’s validity. Some allow patrons to appeal case denials to tribal courts or to councils of tribal elders. Some others will take disputes to arbitration. Almost all do not recognize a role for California’s trial courts.

Each Indian Tribe is basic its own sovereign government. They do not have to follow California law on personal injury and most if not all don’t.

Due to this problem there are very few of us California Personal Injury Lawyers that will take on Personal Injury cases that occur on Indian Casinos.

I myself reject the vast majority of cases that come to me involving Indian Casinos, because without a standardized arbitration ordinance or something to that affect, they are too much of a hassle to deal with.

I have heard stories of Indian Casino cases taking many months or even years to get resolved, much longer than cases in the normal California court system. Many of the elderly victims who are claimants in these cases either give up or die before having their cases resolved.

Another issue with Indian Casino cases is that the people being sued are also the ones who are deciding the merits of the case. It is analogous to suing a Judge and then having that same Judge determine the outcome of the case in which he is being sued. How you do think that is going to turn out?

Appeals Courts have rejected Indian Casinos being sued in State Court stating that sovereign immunity precluded it from being sued in State Court.

What is bizarre to me is that the State of California negotiated compacts with the Indian Casinos allowing them to place Las Vegas style slot machines in the casinos, yet they did not provide a standard legal path for patrons of these casinos to take if they are injured within the Indian Casino.

I myself think it is time to either re-negotiate these compacts, or boycott the Casinos until the Indian Tribes themselves agree to standardized legal remedies for persons injured at their casinos.

I am calling on all California Indian Casinos to come sit at a table and discuss this situation so that a resolution can be reached to ensure California consumers that they are safe at your establishments.

By California Personal Injury Attorney Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq., © May 18, 2012

The post BEWARE; You take your life in your hands at most California Indian Casinos first appeared on Biker and Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog.

I have noticed a marked increase of persons contacting me to get advice on how they can represent themselves in their own personal injury case.

Some of these winners get on websites that allow consumers to ask questions of attorneys, then they go and try to handle cases on their own without an attorney.

Do these people realize why we personal injury attorneys exist? We exist because for profit insurance companies will simply not give you what you are entitled to 99.9% of the time without an attorney.

The first thing they teach us lawyers in law school is never to represent yourself in a legal matter because you are emotionally biased, and the emotions will adversely affect your ability to handle the case. It is always best to have an independent person represent you in a case.

Aside from the emotional aspects of representing yourself, do these people who want to play attorney and that try to represent themselves realize how complicated a real personal injury case is? Of course not they don’t. It would be close to impossible for an untrained person on their own, to prosecute a personal injury case through the court system without an attorney.

I have been practicing 15 years and I can assure you that I have seen some lawyers who need to go back to school, let alone an untrained person actually doing it.

Personal Injury cases are complicated and no self-help book is going to give you the knowledge you need to handle one of these cases.

I see non-lawyers in Court all of the time getting hammered by Judges and getting sent packing because they did not do their cases right. In some instances non-lawyers get dinged with monetary sanctions against them because they do not know the law.

Then there is the matter of the cheapskates. These are winners who figure in their mind, hell; I am not going to give an attorney a third of my case, so I will take all of the ,000 the insurance company is going to give me.

They don’t realize that their case might in fact be worth ,000 to ,000, and even on the low end, they would have got two thirds of ,000 or ,675 with an attorney, as opposed to the ,000 they got sucked into accepting by the insurance company.

One of my sayings is that it is better to get two thirds of something instead of all of nothing.

To me this is plain stupidity, and there is a lot of it out there lately.

It does not make sense to me why a person would try to handle their own personal injury case without an attorney, when an attorney like me can be retained with no money out of your pocket whatsoever until a recovery is obtained.

The insurance companies are constantly on the lookout for idiots who will accept the half payment of medical bills, or a token 1k to 2k to settle a case that might be worth tens of thousands of dollars, without an attorney.

Any insurance adjuster worth their weight in gold, loves talking to the stupid amongst us who for whatever reason, does not mind screwing themselves out of what they are entitled to by not retaining a personal injury attorney like me.

Don’t be stupid, if you have been injured due to the negligence of another call an attorney, heck, call me.

If you or your family has been injured anywhere in the State of California, you may contact our law firm for a free consultation at 800-816-1529 ext. 1, or submit your case through our website at http://thepersonalinjury.com

California Personal Injury Attorney Website

The post An Epidemic of Stupidity first appeared on Biker and Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog.

California Accident App Icon

The Law Offices of Norman Gregory Fernandez & Associates is proud to introduce our new California Accident App ™ for the iPhone, iPod, and iPad, and for Android Phones Tablets, and devices.

Best of all it is FREE for all users worldwide.

Our California Accident App™ is available on Apple iTunes by clicking here, and on the new Google Play Market (replacement for the Android Marketplace) by clicking here.

We developed this mobile application to assist all California drivers in the event that should be in a car, motorcycle, truck, or other motor vehicle accident. The California Accident App can also be used in Slip and Falls, and other California Personal Injury cases.

Here is a description of the California Accident App™ right from iTunes and Google:

Why download the California Accident App™?

The California Accident Application™ is one of those things you don’t think you will ever need, until you do. And when you do, you’ll be glad you took a few seconds to download it. the California Accident App provides straightforward to-do’s, fact and evidence gathering tools to ensure you or your loved one are informed and protected when moving vehicle accidents happen. None of us like to think about it, but car accidents do happen.

Here are some screen shots, click on each image to see a bigger image:

California Accident App™ features:

– Camera, video recorder and text notepad provide all you will need to record all of the pertinent data about any moving vehicle accident.
– Invaluable FAQ section containing important information about the appropriate procedures to prepare for and handle any moving vehicle accident.
– Time saving forms to clearly collect accident information from the other parties (drivers, witnesses, passengers etc.)
– Automatic GPS locator which aides in recording critical accident facts like traffic patterns and driving conditions.
– Emergency Services Locator.

Here are the QR Codes to help you find our California Accident App easier:

QR code for the California Accident App on iTunes for Apple Products

QR code for the California Accident App on the Google Android Play market for Android devices

By motorcycle, truck, or other motor vehicle accident. The California Accident App can also be used in Slip and Falls, and other California Personal Injury cases. Here is a description of the California Accident App™ right from iTunes and Google: Why download the California Accident App™? The California Accident Application™ is one of those things you don’t think you will ever need, until you do. And when you do, you’ll be glad you took a few seconds to download it. the California Accident App provides straightforward to-do’s, fact and evidence gathering tools to ensure you or your loved one are informed and protected when moving vehicle accidents happen. None of us like to think about it, but car accidents do happen. California Accident App™ features: – Camera, video recorder and text notepad provide all you will need to record all of the pertinent data about any moving vehicle accident. – Invaluable FAQ section containing important information about the appropriate procedures to prepare for and handle any moving vehicle accident. – Time saving forms to clearly collect accident information from the other parties (drivers, witnesses, passengers etc.) – Automatic GPS locator which aides in recording critical accident facts like traffic patterns and driving conditions. – Emergency Services Locator. Go ahead and install the California Accident App™ on your mobile device now, and hopefully you will never need to use it. However, if you do, remember the logo and use it. By California Accident App™ Developer, California Personal Injury Law Firm, The Law Offices of Norman Gregory Fernandez & Associates ” href=”http://www.thepersonalinjury.com”>California Accident App™ Developer, California Personal Injury Law Firm, The Law Offices of Norman Gregory Fernandez & Associates

The post Introducing our new California Accident App first appeared on Biker and Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog.

California Pink slip and tear off change of ownership form sample

A common issue that is brought to my attention over and over again to such an extent that it is almost routine is the following scenario;

A person sells a car to another person, and that person gets into a car accident, commits a crime, or incurs a massive amount of parking tickets, before the person who sold the car notifies the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) of the sale or giveaway, or before the new owner registers the car in their name, and they are now getting sued, or having law or parking enforcement coming after them as though they were the responsible party.

I literally get at least 5 calls a week with this exact same scenario.

In the State of California you MUST notify the DMV within 5 days when you sale or transfer ownership of your vehicle.

I am not going to discuss what you need to do if you screwed up and are in this nightmare scenario because it is situation specific.

What I will tell you is this; in the State of California, and I assume other States as well, there is an attachment sheet that is connected to your Certificate of Vehicle Title (Pink Slip) that is to be torn off only upon selling or giving away the car, filled out, and sent to the DMV to notify them that you have sold or given away your car.

The simple act of filling out this form and sending it to the DMV can and will save you a lot of time, hassle, and potentially tens of thousands of dollars.

This is not rocket science folks. You have to assume the person that you are selling or giving the vehicle to may not change the title in their name, thus leaving you on the hook.

Another thing I recommend is creating a bill of sale, or a giveaway agreement that the new owner signs upon receiving the car and the pink slip, which will give you further proof that you sold or gave away your vehicle.

If for some reason you lost the sheet that is attached to the Pink Slip, the DMV has an online system that is available here, to notify them of the change in ownership.

Don’t be a fool, when you sale or change ownership of your vehicle, notify the DMV or it could cost you big time.

If you or your family have been the victim of a truck crash, car crash, or other motor vehicle accident anywhere in California call us for a free consultation at 800-816-1529 x. 1, or go to http://www.thepersonalinjury.com.

By California Personal Injury Attorney Norman Gregory Fernandez, © April 25, 2012

The post Make Sure you Notify the Department of Motor Vehicles if You Sell or Give Away your Car, Motorcycle, or other Motor Vehicle or You could Los Big Time first appeared on Biker and Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog.