About

Welcome to the Wild Bill Law website!

Welcome to the Wild Bill Law website – dedicated exclusively to motorcyclists and motorcycle accidents. My name is William “Wild Bill” Weiss and I have been a California personal injury lawyer for thirty years, handling serious motorcycle accident and injury cases throughout California.

This site contains a number of features for your information and entertainment. You can find a brief summary of one of the most comprehensive studies done on the causes of and injuries resulting from motorcycle accidents.

You can enter our Motorcycle Story Contest where, each month, we select the best motorcycle interest story to feature right here on our site. The monthly winner gets a free Wild Bill “Never Say Die” t-shirt or “Wild Bill Law” poster.

As always, I am readily available to answer any questions you may have about your motorcycle accident or injury. You can e-mail or call me for a free consultation. I am always available for hospital or home visits.

Our Accident Reconstruction Experts

One big headache we have is inaccurate or biased police accident reports. Skid marks are attributed to the motorcycle that are really from another vehicle. One of the prime defenses I see used against bikers is speeding. The insurance company always tries to say the biker was speeding and could not avoid the accident. They use the skid marks mentioned in the police report to create this defense.

The problem is maybe the skid marks are not from the motorcycle. Other times the police ignore witnesses and don’t list them on the report. It’s hard to get favorable witnesses when they leave the scene of the accident without being listed in the police report. This is why we employ top accident reconstruction experts.

In all cases involving collision between a motorcycle and another vehicle the first step in winning your case is to figure out liability – who is at fault for the accident. No matter how obvious liability seems to be, I find that juries want to hear from an expert who has reconstructed the accident. I typically retain top engineers with excellent credentials to do the math and make sure we can prove fault.

These experts look at damage to the motorcycle to see what the crush profile reveals about the angle of impact and force involved. Skid marks are analyzed to get information about speed and direction of travel. These experts can make a big difference at trial. The best way to settle a claim is to be prepared for trial. When you are loaded for bear insurance companies are more amenable to settlement.

Motorcycle Accident Injuries

Many motorcycle accidents result in severe fracture and joint injuries that require surgery to repair and severe head and facial trauma. It is not enough to be able to figure out and prove fault; there is also the need for your lawyer to understand your injuries and every way that these injuries affect your life. I have 30 years of experience doing this. I have also been a board member of a non-profit orthopedic medical organization and have represented doctors in various matters.

I have access to many sources of medical information. In short, I have the experience to evaluate your injuries. You will not get adequate compensation if your injuries are not properly evaluated and explained either to an insurance company or a judge or jury. Remember, some injuries take a long time to heal and a complete evaluation can only take place when we know you have reached maximum medical improvement. In California, your case value can be reduced if you are also found at fault.

On a Personal Note

“I know personally what it’s like to deal with a motorcycle accident cause by a driver who isn’t paying close enough attention to the world around him. An avid biker myself, I was once thrown almost fifteen feet off my bike when some clown turned left in front of me. (No helmet either; I’m a bad boy!) His car hit my bike in the front wheel and fork. Luckily, I went off the bike sideways and into a hedge. The branches poked me up some but that was it. My bike suffered a lot worse than I did in that one.”

William “Wild Bill” Weiss

Education:
University of Cincinnati, B.A. 1973 Magna Cu Laude Phi Beta Kappa
University of San Diego Law School, J.D. 1976

Bar Admissions: California, 1976

Courts:
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
United States District Courts for:

Northern, Southern, Eastern and Central Districts for California
Southern District of New York
Western District of Washington

Settlement Examples

$3,000,000 left turning vehicle hits biker resulting in amputation of left foot. The defendants contended the plaintiff was speeding due to lengthy skid mark.

$250,000 for left turn accident involving a car and biker. The biker sustained a pelvic fracture and a facial fracture. Defendant claimed the biker was speeding and saw him in time to stop.

$300,000 for rider hit by left turning bus resulting in ankle fracture and surgery. Defendant claimed the plaintiff was inattentive.

$85,000 for cyclist hit by van changing lanes into rider’s path resulting in shoulder fracture.

$135,000 for a rear-end accident resulting in right forearm fracture and surgery.

$755,000 copyright violation settlement.

$100,000 policy limit for cyclist knocked off bike by SUV making unsafe lane change. Rider sustained a concussion with temporary vision disturbance.

$865,000 for cyclist hit by van resulting in subdural hematoma. Defendant contended that the plaintiff swerved in front of him. Analysis revealed that crush profile of the bike indicated a rear end accident, disproving defendant’s claim that he broadsided the plaintiff when she moved in front of him. Also reconstruction of the accident revealed the van driver saw plaintiff from across the intersection before the accident happened.

$100,000 policy limits for rider knocked down by car making unsafe lane change resulting in torn meniscus and arthroscopic surgery.

$407,000 for retired man who fell into open delivery doors in street in front of restaurant resulting in fractured pelvis and shoulder.

$203,000 verdict for rider clipped by taxi coming up behind him and changing lanes resulting in ankle fracture and surgery. Judgment paid in full.