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Last Modified on Sep 21, 2026
An adjuster telling you the crash was partly your fault doesn’t end your claim. Under California’s pure comparative negligence rule, you can still recover money even if a jury later finds you shared some blame. Your fault percentage reduces the payout. It doesn’t erase it.
That distinction matters for motorcyclists, since bias against riders can shape how insurers size up a claim from the first call. Bentley & More LLP has spent years pushing back on that blame-shifting for injured clients across the region. We don’t treat “partly at fault” as the final word.
How California’s Comparative Negligence Rule Works
California adopted pure comparative negligence in Li v. Yellow Cab Co., a 1975 ruling that replaced the old rule barring recovery for any at-fault plaintiff. A jury or insurer assigns a percentage of fault to everyone involved. Then your award shrinks by your share. For example, a rider found 25% responsible for $200,000 in damages still collects $150,000.
What Happens if You Weren’t Wearing a Helmet
Insurers love raising the helmet issue, but the defense is narrower than most riders think. Under California’s comparative fault rules, an adjuster can only reduce damages tied to injuries a helmet would have actually prevented. That means head or facial trauma. A broken leg, road rash, or lower spinal injury stays untouched by that argument. Insurers rarely volunteer this distinction, and it’s worth pressing them on it before accepting a lowball number.
What Sets Your Fault Percentage
A motorcycle accident attorney weighs several sources before agreeing to any split:
- The police report and officer’s citations
- Skid marks, debris, and vehicle damage
- Witness statements and dashcam or traffic camera footage
- Your lane position, speed, and signal use at impact
A stronger evidence file almost always makes the share of fault more accurate.
Preguntas frecuentes
What if a pothole or poor road design contributed to my crash?
Liability isn’t always limited to the other driver. Government entities can be held responsible for dangerous road conditions like severe potholes, unmanaged gravel, or missing signs. However, claims against a California government agency have much tighter deadlines. You often need to file an official administrative claim within six months of the accident.
What if the other driver’s insurer already assigned me a fault percentage?
That number isn’t final until a court or settlement accepts it. Adjusters often start high to shrink their payout before your side gathers evidence. A second review of the police report and witness statements may move that percentage down.
Bentley & More LLP: A Motorcycle Accident Law Firm
Someone may have told you that fault changes everything. In California, it only changes the math. Our attorneys build cases around correcting exactly this kind of early, one-sided fault assessment. We pull the police report, track down witnesses, and rebuild the timeline before anyone accepts an insurer’s first number. If you’re carrying some blame for your crash, Póngase en contacto con nuestra firma hoy mismo and let’s look at what actually happened.
Acerca del autor: Greg Bentley
Cofundador y abogado litigante en Bentley & More LLP
Greg Bentley es cofundador de Bentley & More LLP en Newport Beach, California. Con 36 años de experiencia, representa a demandantes en casos de lesiones personales, muerte por negligencia, responsabilidad por productos defectuosos, mala fe de las aseguradoras, condiciones peligrosas en carreteras y propiedades, y defectos en obras de construcción. Habilitado para ejercer en el Colegio de Abogados de California, Greg obtuvo su título de Doctor en Derecho en la Facultad de Derecho de la Western State University en 1990. Es miembro de varias organizaciones de abogados litigantes a las que solo se puede ingresar por invitación, entre ellas el Colegio Americano de Abogados Litigantes y la Academia Internacional de Abogados Litigantes, y participa activamente en múltiples asociaciones de abogados litigantes a nivel estatal y regional.
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