Choosing An Attorney

One thing that really bothers me are people who lie or misrepresent who they are. In the world of motorcycle lawyers, there are lawyers who put on a leather motorcycle jacket, sit on a bike that has never been started and put that picture in an ad. And then there are lawyers who, in their ads, tell us what great lawyers they are when the truth is that they are afraid of the court room and have never actually tried a case to a jury verdict.

If you are injured in a motorcycle accident and need a lawyer, there are 3 questions you need to ask:

 

  • Question 1) What exactly is your motorcycling experience?

  • Answer: This is important. A lawyer has to know the right and wrong way to ride a motorcycle; e.g., should you use the front brake in a panic stop?
    Your lawyer needs to know the mechanics of motorcycle design; e.g., linked braking vs. A.B.S vs. standard braking. Which system will leave skid marks and which won’t?

  • Question 2) How many cases have you actually tried in front of a jury?

  • Answer: I have been deeply involved in litigation that has resulted in over $6 billion for injured plaintiffs. I have stood in front of juries and argued my clients’ cases more times than I can recall. Let me highlight the first two and the last two cases I have tried in my career.

Trial by fire is probably the best way to describe my on-the-job training as a trial lawyer. In 1982, a few weeks after passing the California Bar examination, I was handed my first case, Varella v Vons, which was set for trial in Los Angeles Superior Court the following week. The pretrial offer was $5,000. After a seven day trial, the jury awarded my client $798,000. One year later, I tried my second case. Haims v AMF was a two month product liability case, which resulted in a $14.5 million verdict. I won’t describe the hundreds of cases I have handled from 1983 to 2010.

 

The last two cases I have tried to jury verdict are Schwartz v Oakdale Heights and Herron v Nederlander Greek, Inc. The Schwartz case was a month long trial in 2010. The insurance company’s last offer was $250,000. The jury awarded $12.5 million to Mrs. Schwartz.

 

In 2011, the Herron case went to trial. The insurance company would not increase its offer of $350,000. The trial took one week and resulted in a $3.2 million jury award.

 

In 30 years of practice, I have lost one case. Other lawyers often ask me how many cases I have won. I answer them by saying I don’t keep track of my wins. I do keep track of my losses and that number is one. I think about it every day. I don’t ever want to experience that feeling again.

 

  • Question 3) Why are your trial results important?

     

  • Answer: Insurance companies have detailed records on all lawyers. They know that one percent of all lawyers actually go to trial and the monies that the juries award their clients. If the insurance companies know a lawyer settles every case and is afraid of going to trial, they offer very little money, knowing the lawyer always “folds” prior to trial. Remember, it costs no more to have a successful lawyer the insurance companies respect than a lawyer six months out of law school, or than a lawyer who is afraid of the courtroom.

GO AHEAD AND ASK ME SOME QUESTIONS

 

Greg, what exactly has your motorcycling experience been throughout your
lifetime?

 

I have had an absolute blast riding, racing, building, collecting, restoring and writing about motorcycles for my entire life. What follows is my motorcycling resume:

 

MEMBERSHIPS

 

  • I earned my C.M.C. professional racing license in 1970 at age 17. Since then, I have ridden or raced anything I could get my hands on, including buggies, cars, motocrossers, desert sleds, flattrackers, road racers, dual sports, enduros and trials.
  • I have won four AHRMA National # 1 plates.
  • My competition licenses/memberships include:
  • AMA Professional Road Racing License
  • C.M.C Professional Motocross License
  • AHRMA Expert Motocross License
  • AHRMA Expert Road Racing
  • CRC Professional Motocross License
  • AMA Expert Motocross License
  • AMA Amateur Flattrack License
  • AMA District 37 Amateur Desert Racing License
  • AMA Life Membership
  • Trail Blazers Motorcycle Club member
  • H.O.G. member since 1979

    • TRACKS AT WHICH I HAVE RACED

     

    • Laguna Seca Raceway/Road Race
    • Sears Point Raceway/Road Race
    • Carlsbad Raceway/MX
    • Edwards Air Force Base/MX
    • Daytona International Speedway/ Road Race/MX
    • Las Vegas Speedway/Road Race
    • Steamboat Springs Bike Week/ Road Race/MX Trials/Flat Track
    • Irwindale Raceway/MX
    • Orange County Fairgrounds/MX
    • Saddle Back Park/MX
    • Lyons/MX
    • Indian Dunes/MX & GP
    • Castaic/MX GP
    • Ponderosa Desert Hare & Hound
    • Mojave Desert Mass Start Desert Events
    • L.A. County Raceway/MX & GP
    • Oregon/MX
    • Unadilla/MX
    • Osteen Motorsports/MX
    • Escape Country/MX
    • Bay Mare/MX
    • Sears Point/Road Race
    • Buttonwillow/Road Race

    MECHANICAL KNOWLEDGE

     

    I enjoy restoring and wrenching on my own bikes. I have built two, ground up, custom Harleys, which have been featured bikes in major motorcycle publications.

     

    In the Owen collection, there are over 60 vintage Motocross bikes which have been restored to perfection. My brother Kelly, a very fast Motocross pro, is beyond meticulous. His eye for detail and need for perfection has made each of the museum motorcycles 100 point restorations, down to the tread pattern and brand of the original tires.

     

    Hanging on the walls of the museum are photos which I took in the 70’s. During that period, I worked my way through high school and college as a “motojournalist.” It was a dream job. I actually got paid to photograph and write about the sport I loved. My brother manages my photo archives. Apparently, I am the only photographer still alive who shot the first superbowl of Motocross. Those images have been used in many magazine articles which chronicle the history of supercross.

     

    In addition to the motorcycles in the Owen collection, I have enjoyed owning, riding and racing some very cool bikes. I admit it, I have a really big garage, and it is filled with about 50 bikes I currently own. I recently compiled a list of bikes I have owned since age 12 (I am now 57), and it is quite scary. I hope my wife and law partner, Susy, doesn’t see this!

     

    • Yamaha YZ80 (3)
    • Suzuki RM80 (1)
    • Honda 50
    • Honda S90
    • Honda 70
    • Dunstall Honda 750 (3)
    • Rickman Honda (1)
    • Honda Dream 150
    • Honda Dream 305
    • Honda 305 Scrambler (2)
    • Honda 305 Superhawk (2)
    • Honda 750 Interceptor
    • Champion Honda 350
    • Honda 125 MX (4)
    • Honda 250 MX (3)
    • Honda CR 500 (1)
    • Honda XR 100 (2)
    • Honda XR 250
    • Honda XR 350
    • Honda 450 MX
    • Dresda Honda 400 Road Racer
    • Yamaha RD 250
    • Yamaha RD 350
    • Honda Black Bomber
    • Dunstal Suzuki GT 750
    • Suzuki GT 550 (3)
    • Suzuki GT 380
    • Suzuki GT 250 (4)
    • Suzuki GT 185 (2)
    • Kawasaki A1 (2)
    • Kawasaki A7 (3)
    • Yamaha RD 80
    • Yamaha 80 G5
    • Suzuki RM 250
    • Suzuki AS 50
    • Suzuki T125 Stinger
    • Triton 750
    • Rickman Montessa 250 (2)
    • MAICO 490
    • CZ 250 Enduro
    • CZ 250 MX
    • CZ 400 MX
    • Rickman Zundap 125 (4)
    • Yamaha 125 RD
    • Kawasaki K 21000
    • Kawasaki K 2900
    • Kawasaki Rickman 810
    • BSA Rocket (3)
    • BSA Goldstar
    • Norton Dunstall 850
    • Yamaha YZ 400 MX
    • Triumph 500 Desert Sled
    • Triumph Trident
    • BSA 441 Victor
    • Rickman BSA 500 MX
    • Rickman BSA 500 Road Racer
    • Penton 125 (3)
    • Penton 100 (2)
    • Sachs 125
    • Hodaka ACE 90 (2)
    • Hodaka ACE 100 (2)
    • Hodaka Wombat 125 (1)
    • Husqvarna 250 (3)
    • Husqvarna 400 Cross (2)
    • Husqvarna 390 Auto
    • Husqvarna 125 MX
    • Harley Lowrider
    • Harley Custom Fabrication
    • Harley Sportster Road Racers
    • Harley Glides (4)
    • Harley Baja
    • Harley Sprint
    • Suzuki Gamma
    • H2 Kawasaki
    • Suzuki T20 Hustlers (4)
    • MAICO 400 (2)
    • MAICO 250 (1)
    • Honda CB 550 F
    • Honda CB 550 Dunstall
    • Rickman Triumph MX (2)
    • Rickman Triumph Road Race (3)
    • Rickman Kawasaki 1000 (2)
    • Rickman B500 Road Racer
    • Rickman B500 MX
    • Ducati 125 Bronco
    • Ducati 180 Monza
    • Ducati 851 Ferraci Road Racer
    • Champion Framed Yamaha 650
    • Motoguzzi 1100 Sport
    • Greeves 250 MX (2)
    • Greeves 380 MX (1)
    • Yamaha 305 Big Bear Scrambler
    • Yamaha 305 Low Pipe
    • Yamaha AT1 (2)
    • Yamaha DT1 (2)
    • Yamaha 500 XT (2)
    • Yamaha YZ 400 F
    • Yamaha YZ 400 E
    • Yamaha IT 175
    • Yamaha PW 50
    • Yamaha YZ 80 (3)
    • Gus Kuhn 750 Honda
    • Kaw 60 MX
    • Bultaco 360 Pursang (2)
    • Bultaco 250 Pursang (2)
    • Bultaco 125 Sherpas (2)
    • Bultaco 250 Sammy Miller
    • Bultaco Rickman 250 (5)
    • Bultaco Alpina 250
    • Bultaco Alpina
    • Honda 50 cc
    • Honda 110 cc

     

    CONTRIBUTIONS TO MAJOR MOTORCYCLE PUBLICATIONS

     

    • Cycle News: Over 500 photos and approximately 250 articles published
    • Cycle Scene West: Over 700 photos and 300 articles published
    • Motorcycle Weekly: 300 photos & 290 articles published
    • Dirt Bike Magazine: 50 photos published
    • Motocross Action: Multiple photos published
    • Thunderpress: 250 Motorcycle & The Law Columns
    • Over 100 additional reports & photos taken at multiple motorcycle events