Palm Springs Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Built by Riders. Fighting for Riders Across the Desert.
Riding through the Coachella Valley is about as free as it gets — wide open desert roads, blue skies, wind in your face. Whether you’re carving through the switchbacks of Highway 74, rolling along Dillon Road, or cruising past windmills on Indian Canyon, it’s hard to beat two wheels out here.
But when a motorcycle crash happens — and it does happen, far too often — everything can change in an instant. What should’ve been a sunny Sunday ride turns into an ambulance, an ICU stay, and months (or years) of recovery. Or worse.
At McCarthy Motorcycle Law, we represent riders and families who’ve been hit hard by motorcycle crashes in Palm Springs, Indio, Palm Desert, and throughout the Coachella Valley. We don’t just understand the roads — we understand the culture, the risk, and the heartbreak that follows when something goes wrong. We're here to help you make it right.
Riding in the Desert Isn’t Like Riding Anywhere Else
The desert calls to a different kind of rider. If you ride in and around Palm Springs, you already know:
You can go from 50 degrees in Idyllwild to 100 degrees in Palm Desert in an hour
Tourists flood the roads during festival season, unaware of bikes or local driving habits
Wind gusts around the San Gorgonio Pass make high-speed riding tricky, especially near the wind farms
Some of the most scenic routes are also the most dangerous — like the Palms to Pines Highway (SR-74), Highway 111, and Thousand Palms Canyon Road
What most people don’t see is the hidden danger: distracted drivers, uninsured drivers, and people who treat motorcycles like they don’t belong on the road.
We see those cases every day. And we fight them — every time.
Where Motorcycle Crashes Happen Most in the Coachella Valley
Here’s the thing: most motorcycle accidents happen in broad daylight. They happen at intersections. They happen when the rider is doing everything right — and someone else isn’t.
We’ve helped riders who were hit at:
Highway 111 through Palm Springs and Cathedral City
Gene Autry Trail at Ramon Road
Washington Street in La Quinta
Varner Road through Thousand Palms
Cook Street and Fred Waring in Palm Desert
Monroe Street and Highway 86 in Indio
And of course, Ortega Highway, Highway 74, and Box Canyon Road are all stunning — and dangerous — when the wrong driver comes around the bend.
We know the roads. We know how crashes happen out here. And we know how to prove that you weren’t the problem.
The Most Common Motorcycle Crashes We Handle in the Desert
1. Left-Turn Accidents at Intersections
A driver turns in front of you while you’re going straight through a green light. Happens constantly in Palm Desert, Indio, and on 111 through Rancho Mirage. Often fatal.
A driver doesn’t see you stopped at a light or waiting to turn. You’re launched over the bars or pinned between vehicles. These happen all over — even in low-speed areas like downtown Palm Springs.
3. Head-On Crashes in Rural Areas
Especially on Highway 74, Highway 62, or Joshua Tree backroads, where tourists cross the line or speed around corners. These crashes are usually catastrophic.
Legal in California, but drivers here aren’t always used to it. Some get angry or careless. Others swerve without signaling. We’ve seen this happen on the I-10 through Banning and the 111 corridor alike.
5. Drunk, High, or Distracted Drivers
Especially dangerous late at night near casinos, resorts, and music venues. We’ve helped people injured in crashes after Stagecoach, Coachella, and even local bar events where drivers get behind the wheel when they shouldn’t.
Serious Crashes. Serious Injuries. Real Representation.
Motorcycle accidents in the desert aren’t fender benders. They’re violent, high-force impacts that leave people changed forever. We’ve helped riders with:
Crush injuries from pinned limbs
We’ve also represented families in wrongful death cases, including single-vehicle crashes where the rider wasn’t at fault — the road design, another driver, or defective equipment was.
We don’t shy away from tough cases. We lean in.
How McCarthy Motorcycle Law Can Help
When you hire us, you get a firm built from the ground up to serve riders. We know the desert. We know how insurance companies try to shift blame. And we know how to tell a jury what it means to be a rider — the risk, the responsibility, and the reality.
We can help you:
Pay medical bills and coordinate ongoing care
Get your bike repaired or replaced
Recover lost income and future earnings
Pursue compensation for pain and emotional distress
Take on uninsured drivers using your UM/UIM policy
Hold at-fault drivers, companies, and even cities accountable
Whether your case settles or goes to trial, you’ll have a rider in your corner — not a case manager in an office park two counties away.
You’re Not the One Who Should Be on Trial
Here’s the harsh truth: riders in the Coachella Valley often get blamed for crashes they didn’t cause. Police reports are rushed. Witnesses get it wrong. Insurance companies assume you were speeding or taking risks.
That’s where we come in.
We:
Hire accident reconstruction experts
Pull surveillance or traffic cam footage
Download crash data from vehicles
Analyze helmet and gear damage
Dig into road design and lighting
Challenge biased police assumptions
We've taken “no case” cases and turned them into six- and seven-figure recoveries. Because when you understand motorcycles, you understand the truth — and how to prove it.
We Represent Riders Across the Coachella Valley
Wherever you live, ride, or crashed — we’ve got your back:
Palm Springs
Cathedral City
Palm Desert
Indio
La Quinta
Rancho Mirage
Coachella
Desert Hot Springs
Thousand Palms
Bermuda Dunes
Mecca and Thermal
Joshua Tree / Yucca Valley
We’ll meet you at your home, your hospital, or wherever works best for you.
Our Fee Structure: No Win, No Fee
You’ve got enough to deal with. The last thing you need is a lawyer bill.
That’s why we work on contingency:
30% if we resolve your case before filing a lawsuit
33% if we file a lawsuit
40% if we’re 100 days from trial or after summary judgment is filed
You pay nothing up front. If we don’t win, you don’t owe us a thing. We front all case costs, including investigators, court fees, and expert witnesses.
After the Crash: What You Should Do
If you’ve been in a motorcycle accident in the desert — or someone you love has — take these steps:
Seek medical attention immediately — even if you “feel okay”
Don’t speak with the insurance company — their job is to pay you less
Preserve your gear and damaged bike
Take photos if possible — injuries, skid marks, vehicles, scene
Contact a motorcycle attorney who knows the desert
Why Riders and Families Choose McCarthy Motorcycle Law
There’s a reason we’re considered California’s Motorcycle Law Firm. Because we’re not just here to collect a fee and move on. We ride. We’ve lost people. We’ve sat with grieving families. We’ve fought insurance companies that said our clients didn’t matter. And we’ve won.
We don’t hand you off to a junior attorney or hide behind voicemail. When you contact us, you talk to John McCarthy — a nationally respected trial lawyer who rides, fights, and shows up.
Get a Free Case Evaluation — Straight to a Rider’s Inbox
Your story matters. And it shouldn’t be filtered through a receptionist or a chatbot.
Fill out our case evaluation form. It goes directly to John’s inbox. He typically responds same business day. If we can help, we’ll schedule a free consultation. If we can’t, we’ll point you in the right direction.
The Desert Doesn’t Forgive. But We Fight for the People Who Ride It.
The Coachella Valley is beautiful — but unforgiving. One moment of distraction from a careless driver can change everything. You deserve a lawyer who gets that. Someone who respects the ride and understands the risk. Someone who rides for justice when you can’t.
McCarthy Motorcycle Law
Built by riders. Fighting for yours.