Nearest office in San Jose, CA45 E Julian StDirections

Motorcycle accident in Oakland?Talk to a lawyer for free.

Lane splitting is legal in California, and riding without a helmet doesn't, by itself, take away your right to compensation. If a driver hit you, on I‑880 or a city street, talk to us before you talk to their insurer.

  • No fee unless we winWe only get paid when you get paid.
  • Zero upfront costYour consultation is free, with no obligation.
  • Hablamos españolNative Spanish speakers. No confusion. No delays.
  • Available 24/7We'll meet you at your home or hospital.
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Call our San Jose office(408) 516-428324/7 line: (800) 985-9565

No attorney's fees unless we recover compensation. Clients may be responsible for case costs. Read the disclaimer

The Valero Law Group attorneys and staff together in the office
VLG helped me with my accident… In my case, I recommended them to my sister after her motorcycle accident.
Boom T.Valero Law Group clientGoogle review

Results that speak.Millions won for injured clients.

We've won over $500 million in verdicts and settlements for our clients, including the motorcycle accident case below.

Recognized for excellence

Avvo Rating: Excellent, Top Rated Personal InjuryTop Rated by Super Lawyers
  • $6.25MPersonal injuryA confidential personal injury settlement.
  • $5MAuto accidentFor a husband and wife after the husband suffered a brachial plexus injury.
  • $2.34MAccident claimA win for a client injured in an accident.
  • $850KMotorcycle accidentFor a motorcyclist injured by a negligent driver.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes, and each case is different.

View all results

Here to protect your interests, not the insurance company's

Insurance companies have a team.You should have one too.

Insurers bring adjusters, investigators and lawyers to every serious claim, and a rider's injuries are often serious. After a crash on I‑880, I‑580 or International Boulevard, an adjuster may call within days, and what you say can shape the rest of your claim.

Before you sign anything, ask yourself:

  1. Did a driver turn, merge or open a door into your path?
  2. Were you injured, or were your motorcycle and gear badly damaged?
  3. Will the settlement cover your treatment and lost income months from now, not just today?

From one of our car accident cases

The insurer's best offer$410,000

What we won for our client$4.4M

A car accident that left our client with a neck injury. Most people would have taken the offer. We won more than ten times as much.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes, and each case is different.

Get my free case review
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Our nearest office

Motorcycle accident lawyersfor Oakland and the East Bay.

Our office is in San Jose, about 40 miles south on I‑880. We'll come to you.

Call us from home, the hospital or the repair shop. We'll meet you anywhere from Berkeley to Fremont, so you don't have to make the drive to San Jose.

Other offices nearbyStocktonModestoSalinas

Why choose Valero Law Group?

We champion every case,big and small.

Whether your case is worth $5,000 or $5 million, we bring the same skill, attention and determination to every client we represent.

So don't let the size of your case keep you from seeking justice: every injury deserves serious representation. Let us fight for the compensation you're owed while you focus on what matters most, your recovery.

They made me feel like a priority, and they put my needs first as a client.

IsabelValero Law Group client

400+five-star Google reviews

Real reviews fromour clients.

  • Samuel M. smiling in the Valero Law Group office with his $881,000 settlement check
    Samuel M.$881,000
  • Victoria M. smiling in front of the Valero Law Group logo wall with her $625,000 settlement check
    Victoria M.$625,000
  • Karina C. smiling in the Valero Law Group office with her $625,000 settlement check
    Karina C.$625,000
  • Angela M. smiling and pointing to her $625,000 settlement check
    Angela M.$625,000
  • Destiny H. smiling with her $500,000 settlement check
    Destiny H.$500,000
  • Javier P. smiling in the Valero Law Group office with his $375,000 settlement check
    Javier P.$375,000
Thank you, Valero, for helping me in my motorcycle accident. Very fast, very efficient!
Erick G.Google review
Read all 400+ of our reviews
Highly recommended for personal injury. Team is very knowledgeable.
Velia P.Google review
Excellent and very professional service.
Noe D.Google review

What you can recover aftera motorcycle accident.

If a driver caused the crash, they and their insurer can be held responsible for what it cost you, including your motorcycle and your gear.

Economic damages

The costs you can add up

  • Emergency care, surgery and hospital bills
  • Physical therapy and rehabilitation
  • Lost wages and lost earning capacity
  • Repairing or replacing your motorcycle and gear

Non-economic damages

The harm that has no receipt

  • Pain and physical suffering
  • Scarring and disfigurement
  • Emotional distress
  • Lost enjoyment of life
  • 27×A rider's risk of dying in a crash, per mile, compared with people in carsPer mile traveled in 2024, motorcyclists were almost 27 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a crash, and almost 5 times more likely to be injured (NHTSA).
  • 46%of fatal crashes between a motorcycle and another vehicle involved a left turnNationwide in 2023, in 46% of those crashes the other vehicle was turning left while the motorcycle went straight, passed or overtook it (NHTSA).
  • 1 in 5California drivers had no insurance in 2023About 20%, according to the Insurance Research Council. Every motorcycle liability policy sold in California includes uninsured motorist coverage unless the rider turned it down in writing.

After a motorcycle crash in Oakland,what comes next.

The report, where crashes happen, lane splitting, the helmet question, your bike and deadlines, explained.

Valero Law Group attorneys meeting around a conference table
  • Getting the crash report
    On Oakland streets, it's the Oakland Police, whose reports are usually ready 60 to 90 days after the crash: $30 online, or $25 at the Eastmont Substation on 73rd Avenue. On I‑580, I‑880, Highway 24 and I‑80 in Oakland, the CHP takes the report, from its Oakland office on Telegraph Avenue, (510) 457-2875, and you can request it online.
  • Keep your bike and gear as they are
    A helmet, jacket, gloves or boots ruined in the crash count as damaged property. Photograph the bike before repairs, and keep receipts for upgrades and aftermarket parts. If Oakland police had it towed, the City sends people to Auto Plus Towing, (510) 261-8199, and storage is charged every day after the first 24 hours.
  • The helmet question
    California requires a DOT-compliant helmet for every rider and passenger, fastened and fitting securely. If you weren't wearing one, you may still be compensated: the other side would have to prove it made your injuries worse.
  • Lane splitting is legal here
    The CHP says plainly that lane splitting is legal in California, and state law defines it (Vehicle Code §21658.1). The CHP also tells drivers that intentionally blocking or impeding a rider in a way that could cause harm is illegal, and so is opening a door to impede one. Riding on the shoulder isn't lane splitting.
  • Public agencies have shorter deadlines
    Most injury lawsuits must be filed within two years. If a public vehicle or a road defect, such as a pothole, played a part, a written claim is usually due within six months, to the agency that runs the vehicle or the road: AC Transit or BART for theirs, the City for its streets and vehicles, the State (Caltrans) for the freeways and for International Boulevard east of High Street.
  • Oakland is 3rd of 15 for motorcycle crashes
    In 2023, the state's Office of Traffic Safety ranked Oakland 3rd of California's 15 largest cities for motorcycle crashes, where 1st is the worst, with 119 people killed or injured. On Oakland streets, the most common motorcycle crash in state crash records is a broadside, a car crossing or turning into the rider's path, and from 2022 to 2024 International Boulevard had more than any other street, about 1 in 8. Write down what the driver did, and where, while you remember it.
A man and a boy in traditional Colombian hats and jerseys holding Valero Law Group signs at a community event

Al Barro Foundation: supporting over 400 orphans in Mexico

From the community, for the community.

Hablamos español.

We're a Hispanic-focused firm with native Spanish-speaking attorneys. We understand your family's needs, walk you through every step in your language, and fight to get you every dollar you deserve.

Organizations we support

Sponsor of the 2024 Share the Road Scholarship

Our community outreach
  • Al Barro Foundation
  • EUNIME por Tijuana, A.C.
…they speak excellent Spanish, know how to help, and look out for their clients' best interests.
Yesica H.Google review
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Organizations we support

Sponsor of the 2024 Share the Road Scholarship

Our community outreach
  • Al Barro Foundation
  • EUNIME por Tijuana, A.C.

Common questionsafter an Oakland motorcycle crash.

How long do I have after a motorcycle accident in Oakland?
Most injury lawsuits must be filed within two years of the crash (Code of Civil Procedure §335.1). If a City of Oakland, AC Transit, BART or Caltrans vehicle or road was involved, a written claim is usually due within six months. Call us early so no deadline slips by.
I wasn't wearing a helmet. Can I still get compensation?
You may. Not wearing a helmet doesn't take away your right to compensation. The other side would have to prove it made your injuries worse, and even then California's comparative fault rule reduces your award instead of erasing it.
I was lane splitting. Does that make the crash my fault?
Not by itself. The CHP says lane splitting is legal in California, and state law defines it (Vehicle Code §21658.1). Fault depends on how everyone was riding and driving, and if you were partly at fault, your award is reduced by your share, not erased.
The driver says they didn't see me. Does that matter?
Not seeing you doesn't, by itself, excuse the driver. Federal safety officials say most crashes between a motorcycle and another vehicle happen when the other driver simply didn't see the rider. Fault depends on how everyone was riding and driving, and if you were partly at fault, your award is reduced by your share, not erased.
The driver had no insurance, or not enough. What now?
About 1 in 5 California drivers was uninsured in 2023. Your own motorcycle policy includes uninsured motorist coverage unless you turned it down in writing, so it may pay when the driver can't.
A family member was killed in a motorcycle crash. What can we do?
We're so sorry. California law lets a spouse or registered domestic partner, children and certain other family members bring a wrongful death claim, generally within two years of the death. When someone is killed on an Oakland street, OPD's Traffic Investigations Unit handles the report, and fatal reports can only be requested in person or by mail. See our Oakland wrongful death page, or call us, and we'll come to you.
Do you have an office in Oakland?
No. Our nearest office is in San Jose, at 45 E Julian St, about 40 miles south of downtown Oakland. You don't have to come in: call us 24/7 at (800) 985-9565 and we'll meet you at home or in the hospital, anywhere from Berkeley to Fremont.
What does a motorcycle accident lawyer cost?
Nothing upfront. Your consultation is free, and no attorney's fees are owed unless we recover compensation for you. You may be responsible for case-related costs and expenses; we'll explain them before you sign.
Attorney Kyle Valero
Kyle ValeroAttorney, Valero Law Group

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We make getting legal help simple.

  1. Free consultationCall us 24/7 or fill out our form. We'll review your case at no cost.
  2. Review your caseOur experienced attorneys investigate and evaluate your case to build the strongest claim possible.
  3. Injury litigationWe fight for maximum compensation, in negotiation or in court.
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Have a question about a potential case?Talk to a motorcycle accident lawyer about your Oakland case today.

Your consultation is always free, with no obligation. We're happy to answer any questions and walk you through your options. No pressure, just honest answers.

(408) 516-4283

24/7 line: (800) 985-9565

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