Rear-End Motorcycle Accidents
When a Car Hits You from Behind, We Hit Back
You were stopped at a red light. Or waiting to make a left turn. Or crawling through traffic like everyone else. Then, out of nowhere — WHAM. You’re launched off your bike, maybe into the car ahead of you, maybe onto the pavement. Maybe you remember the impact. Maybe you blacked out. Maybe you woke up in an ambulance.
Rear-end motorcycle crashes aren’t just fender-benders. For riders, they’re often devastating, violent, and completely avoidable. And yet, they happen every single day on California roads.
At McCarthy Motorcycle Law, we’re here for riders who’ve been rear-ended — and the families who’ve lost loved ones because another driver wasn’t paying attention.
We’re not a billboard law firm. We’re California’s Motorcycle Law Firm — built by riders, for riders. We don’t just understand how these crashes happen. We know how to hold the people who caused them accountable.
Rear-End Collisions Are One of the Most Common (and Most Preventable) Motorcycle Accidents
The truth is, rear-end crashes almost always come down to one thing: driver inattention. Most of the time, the rider did nothing wrong. You were exactly where you were supposed to be — stopped, slowing, signaling — and the driver behind you just wasn’t looking. Or they were looking at their phone. Or they thought they could “beat the light.”
They were impatient. Distracted. Reckless.
And you’re the one paying the price.
Why Rear-End Motorcycle Accidents Are So Dangerous
In a car, getting rear-ended might mean a stiff neck, a dented bumper, and an insurance headache.
On a motorcycle? It can be catastrophic.
A rider thrown into cross traffic
A bike crushed between two vehicles
A helmet hitting the asphalt at full speed
Legs pinned under a toppled bike
Or worse — a fatal crash in what should’ve been a low-speed situation
Riders are exposed, vulnerable, and unprotected in rear-end crashes. Even low-speed impacts can cause serious, life-altering injuries.
Common Injuries in Rear-End Motorcycle Accidents
We’ve helped riders who suffered everything from road rash to permanent paralysis after being rear-ended. Some of the most common injuries include:
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) – even with a helmet
These aren’t just injuries. They’re life disruptions. And for some families, they’re losses that can never be made right.
Who’s at Fault in a Rear-End Motorcycle Crash?
Here’s the good news: in most rear-end accidents, the driver behind you is presumed to be at fault under California law. That’s because every driver is expected to follow at a safe distance and be ready to stop.
But here’s the bad news: that doesn’t mean the insurance company will play fair.
We’ve seen them try to claim:
“The rider stopped suddenly.”
“They didn’t have brake lights on.”
“The rider was lane splitting and darted in front of the car.”
It’s nonsense. But if you don’t have someone pushing back — someone who knows how to tell a rider’s story — they’ll use those arguments to lower your payout or deny your claim entirely.
That’s where we come in.
We Build Cases That Make Insurance Companies Take Notice
At McCarthy Motorcycle Law, we know how to prove exactly what happened and hold the responsible party accountable.
We work with:
Accident reconstruction experts who can show braking distance, speed, and angles
Helmet cam or dash cam footage (if available) to capture the moment of impact
Traffic light data and cell phone records to prove distraction
Medical experts to explain the full scope of your injuries
Witnesses who saw the crash unfold
And we do it without drama, without delay, and without handing your case off to someone who doesn’t ride and doesn’t get it.
What If You Lost Someone in a Rear-End Motorcycle Crash?
First off: we are so sorry. We’ve represented families who’ve gone through this kind of loss. We’ve lived through motorcycle loss ourselves. And we know that nothing we do in court can bring your person back.
But what we can do is fight for justice.
We help families pursue wrongful death claims for:
Funeral and burial expenses
Medical costs from the crash
Lost financial support
Loss of love, guidance, and companionship
It won’t fix what happened. But it can help you find stability and accountability — and prevent the driver or company from doing this to another family.
What to Do After a Rear-End Motorcycle Accident
You don’t need to figure everything out today. But here are a few steps that can help protect your rights and your recovery:
Get medical care right away
Even if you feel “okay,” injuries like concussions or internal bleeding can take hours or days to appear. A medical record also helps prove your case.
Don’t give a statement to insurance
The other driver’s insurance adjuster may call and ask for a recorded statement. Don’t do it. They’re trained to twist your words. Let us handle it.
Contact a motorcycle accident lawyer early
The sooner we get involved, the better your odds of getting the full compensation you deserve. Evidence disappears. Witnesses move. Memories fade. Don’t wait.
Why Riders Trust McCarthy Motorcycle Law
We’re built by riders, for riders. This isn’t a marketing gimmick. It’s who we are. We understand motorcycles. We respect the culture. And we fight like hell for people who ride.
We only represent the injured. Never insurance companies. Never corporations. Just people who’ve been hurt.
We offer free, fast case evaluations. Straight to our inbox — not some call center.
You pay nothing unless we win. Period.
You talk directly to your lawyer. Not a junior associate. Not a paralegal. You get real answers from an award-winning trial lawyer, who knows what they’re doing, and knows how to ride.
You’ve already been hit once. Don’t let the legal system hit you again.
Rear-End Crashes Can Happen Anywhere in California — We Serve the Whole State
Whether your crash happened:
On 101 near San Luis Obispo heading down Cuesta Grade…
On Highway 1, through Carmel, on the way from Big Sur to Monterey…
In stop-and-go traffic in Los Angeles…
Waiting at a trolley crossing in San Diego…
Or at a rural intersection on 59 from Merced to Snelling…
We’ve got your back. We know California roads. And we know how rear-end motorcycle crashes play out across cities, highways, and winding backroads.
Real Riders. Real Justice.
Rear-end crashes don’t just hurt your body. They hurt your pride. Your finances. Your sense of safety. For some, they take away a loved one. But you don’t have to take it lying down.
At McCarthy Motorcycle Law, we’re here to stand with you — and fight back. We’ll help you get the medical care, compensation, and justice you deserve.
Let’s Talk — No Pressure, No Cost
It starts with a free case evaluation. Takes just a minute to fill out, and it goes straight to us — not an algorithm or a call center. If we can help, we’ll schedule a free consultation. If not, we’ll point you in the right direction.
Because that’s what we do here. We help riders.
McCarthy Motorcycle Law
California’s Motorcycle Law Firm
Because when riders get rear-ended, we don’t let the driver get away with it.