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One complication in any bike accident is prejudice. Police and legislators have an attitude about Bikers. There are laws about gangs in California, which could be applied to people riding together, or participating in an activity with their club. Some business establishments ban people wearing their colors or patches. Helmet laws are resented and unpopular.
William "Wild Bill" Weiss has extensive litigation experience in Civil Rights and First Amendment issues in addition to personal injury litigation. While most good biker personal injury attorneys recognize these problems, they may not have the actual experience in handling Civil Rights or First Amendment issues. William Weiss has extensive Federal Court experience and has successfully handled many Federal cases and appeals and has litigated First Amendment issues in both State and Federal Court. This experience also encompasses copyright litigation.
In recent cases, William Weiss successfully defended a Thai Newspaper and Community Association in a defamation case. The case was dismissed before trial on an Anti-Slap Motion. The court awarded substantial attorney's fees against the other party. In another case, he won an appeal in the United States Court of Appeal for the Ninth Circuit extending a Civil Rights statute, 42 U.S.C. § 1983, to provide a right for someone to sue who was brutally attacked at a 4th of July event by an off duty, high ranking Sheriff's Deputy whose friends kept witnesses from stopping the beating by stating he was "a cop". In other appeals in the Ninth Circuit he won rulings that protected the First Amendment Rights of a government employee who suffered retaliation for raising matters of public concern. He recently achieved a high six-figure settlement against a large record company for violating the copyrights of certain tock musicians. The record companies and distributors offered low five figure settlements and then after the court was persuaded to grant a summary judgment for willful infringement the defendants folded and paid up.
William Weiss has successfully settled and tried excessive force cases against various police departments. Anyone who rides and wears colors or patches are subjects of excessive police attention simply because of their appearance. Accident reports that do not favor the biker may be the result of biased police attitudes.
In California, William Weiss is available to speak to your club members and leadership about Civil Rights issues and First Amendment issues or other issues relating to your exclusive patches, colors and designs. Consultation on these types of matters is free.
How about DMV issues? In California, bike shops have been fined hundreds of thousands of dollars over smog issues. One prominent custom bike builder, Jesse James, was recently fined $271,000 over this type of thing. Call me to discuss such a problem.
William Weiss understands the culture of motorcycling, and will fight for motorcyclists' rights when necessary.
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