California Motorcycle Nerve Damage Lawyer
Fighting for Those Living with Permanent Nerve Injuries
Motorcycle crashes don’t always leave visible scars. Sometimes the damage runs deeper — in the nerves that carry signals between your brain and body.
If you’ve been in a motorcycle accident and are still dealing with pain, numbness, weakness, or tingling long after the bruises faded, you may have sustained a nerve injury. And if that injury was caused by someone else’s negligence, you have every right to hold them accountable.
At McCarthy Motorcycle Law, we help riders and families across California who are living with permanent nerve damage after motorcycle crashes. We understand how frustrating it is when doctors say “just give it time” — and time doesn’t fix it. We know what it’s like to live with constant pain or lose the ability to do what you love.
And we fight to make sure the people responsible pay for it.
We’re California’s Motorcycle Law Firm — built by riders, for riders — and we stand with every rider whose life has been changed by nerve damage.
The Hidden Cost of Nerve Damage After a Motorcycle Crash
Nerve damage can happen in almost any type of motorcycle collision — even those that don’t seem catastrophic at first.
When a rider hits the pavement, gets pinned under a vehicle, or suffers a severe twist or stretch injury, nerves can be crushed, severed, or scarred. In some cases, swelling or pressure from broken bones or soft tissue injuries can cause secondary nerve damage days or weeks later.
Unlike bones or muscles, nerves heal slowly — if at all. Once damaged, they can cause chronic pain, loss of sensation, weakness, or even partial paralysis.
For riders, that can mean losing the ability to grip the handlebars, shift gears, or even walk without pain. It can mean giving up the very thing that made you feel alive.
Common Types of Motorcycle-Related Nerve Injuries
Every nerve in your body serves a purpose, and when one is damaged, you feel it. Some of the most common nerve injuries we see after motorcycle accidents include:
Brachial Plexus Injuries (Shoulder/Arm): Often caused when a rider’s shoulder is violently pulled or stretched during impact, leading to partial or total paralysis of the arm (sometimes called “rider’s arm”).
Peripheral Neuropathy: Damage to nerves in the arms, legs, hands, or feet, often from crushing injuries or severe fractures.
Sciatic Nerve Injuries: Common in riders who suffer hip or pelvic trauma; can cause pain, weakness, or loss of control in the leg.
Radial, Ulnar, or Median Nerve Damage: These control movement and sensation in the hands and arms. Injury can result in loss of grip strength, fine motor control, or chronic pain.
Facial Nerve Injuries: Caused by direct impact to the head or jaw, sometimes resulting in facial paralysis or numbness.
Spinal Nerve Root Damage: Even without a full spinal cord injury, compression or tearing of spinal nerve roots can cause lasting pain or weakness in specific parts of the body.
Some nerve injuries improve with time and therapy. Others become permanent. Our job is to make sure the compensation reflects that reality.
Symptoms of Nerve Damage You Should Never Ignore
After a motorcycle crash, nerve injuries aren’t always obvious right away. Adrenaline masks pain, and doctors may focus on broken bones or internal bleeding first. But nerve injuries often reveal themselves in the days and weeks after the crash.
You may notice:
Numbness or tingling in your hands, feet, or limbs
Burning or electric-shock pain
Weakness or loss of muscle control
Cramping or twitching
Sensitivity to touch or temperature
Loss of coordination or balance
“Pins and needles” sensations that never fully go away
If you’re feeling any of these, don’t ignore them. Early diagnosis is critical — not only for your health but for your legal case. The sooner you get proper testing (like nerve conduction studies or MRIs), the stronger your claim will be.
How Nerve Injuries Affect Riders Long-Term
Nerve injuries are among the most misunderstood — and most life-changing — outcomes of a motorcycle crash.
They can interfere with work, sleep, hobbies, and relationships. Some riders develop chronic neuropathic pain that never fully goes away. Others lose dexterity or mobility, forcing them to give up riding, driving, or working in their chosen field.
And because nerve damage often has no visible signs, insurance companies love to claim you’re “fine.” They point to clean X-rays or short ER visits and argue your pain is exaggerated.
That’s why it’s so important to work with a lawyer who understands how these injuries work and how to prove what you’re living through.
At McCarthy Motorcycle Law, we work with neurologists, pain specialists, and occupational therapists who can document the true extent of your injury — and the impact it has on your future.
Proving Nerve Damage in a Motorcycle Injury Case
Nerve damage claims require detailed medical evidence and expert testimony. Insurance companies won’t pay for pain they can’t see — so we show them.
Here’s how we build these cases:
Crash Investigation: Reconstructing how the crash happened and how the impact caused the injury.
Medical Documentation: Gathering EMG/NCV test results, imaging studies, and detailed doctor reports.
Expert Testimony: Working with neurologists and rehabilitation experts who can explain the permanence of your injury.
Functional Evidence: Using witness statements, employer records, or daily life examples to demonstrate what you can’t do anymore.
We don’t let adjusters or defense lawyers minimize your experience. Nerve injuries are real, they’re painful, and they can change everything about your life.
What Compensation Covers in a Nerve Damage Case
Every nerve injury case is different, but the goal is the same: to make sure you and your family are financially secure for whatever the future holds.
You may be entitled to compensation for:
Past and future medical expenses
Physical and occupational therapy
Pain management and medications
Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
Pain and suffering
Emotional distress
Loss of enjoyment of life
Long-term care or assistive equipment
If your injury resulted from gross negligence — like drunk driving or texting behind the wheel — we also pursue punitive damages to send a message: riders’ lives matter.
Why Riders Trust McCarthy Motorcycle Law
At McCarthy Motorcycle Law, we’re not a call center or a giant advertising firm. We’re a rider-focused law firm built on trust, compassion, and results.
When you reach out, you’ll speak directly with John McCarthy — a trial lawyer with a national reputation for fighting for injured riders and their families. John has recovered millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts by going toe-to-toe with major insurance companies and defense firms.
He knows motorcycles, he knows California law, and he knows what it takes to prove a nerve injury case — especially when insurers don’t take riders seriously.
You won’t get brushed off or handed to a junior associate. You’ll get real answers, personal attention, and someone who genuinely cares about what happens next.
We Know California’s Roads — and the Dangers Riders Face
From the winding passes of Highway 9 and 17 through the Santa Cruz Mountains to the wide stretches of Highway 101 through Santa Barbara and Salinas — we know California’s roads, and we know how quickly they can turn deadly when drivers aren’t paying attention.
We’ve represented riders up and down the Central Coast and across the state, from San Diego to San Luis Obispo to the Bay Area. We know how to investigate local crashes, deal with CHP reports, and work with the kinds of experts who can prove fault — and prove what your injury has taken from you.
Because when a driver’s negligence changes your life, justice isn’t optional — it’s necessary.
Take the First Step Toward Recovery and Justice
If you’re living with nerve damage after a motorcycle crash — or if your loved one is — don’t wait to get answers. These cases take time, and early investigation makes a huge difference.
We offer free, confidential case evaluations, and every one goes directly to John McCarthy. There’s no fee unless we win, and if we can’t help, we’ll point you in the right direction.
You’ve already been through enough. Let us handle the fight so you can focus on healing.
McCarthy Motorcycle Law — California’s Motorcycle Law Firm. Built by Riders. Fighting for Justice.