Motorcycles offer drivers and their passengers less protection than most other types of vehicles. Motorcycle accidents often result in devastating injuries such as brain injury, spinal cord injury, amputations and death.
It’s a sad fact that many people (including jurors) have preconceived notions about motorcyclists, namely that they are reckless drivers. We believe this reputation is undeserved and unfounded. In fact, motorcycle accidents often result from the negligence or carelessness of other drivers who:
- Don’t check their blind spot when making a lane change
- Don’t see the motorcycle when entering or exiting a street or road
- Don’t yield the right of way at a stop
- Made a sudden left hand turn in front of an oncoming motorcycle at an intersection
- Rear-End motorcycles
- Fail to signal before changing lanes
- Force a motorcycle into a guard rail
- Run a red light or stop sign without seeing the motorcycle
Many individuals argue the fact that a lot of motorcyclists are at fault for a crash, but this is usually not so. They may also suggest that most motorcyclists do not wear their helmet, are intoxicated while operating their motorbike, or were simply driving in a negligent manner. The facts are, most motorcyclists are skilled drivers and well aware of the risks they take by riding a motorbike, and therefore take proper precautions. US statistics also show that out of all motorbike fatalities that occur, 82% of the riders were wearing their helmet. Additionally, the majority did not have any traces of alcohol in their system. If you are involved in a motorcycle crash and feel it was another driver’s fault, the experienced personal injury lawyers listed on LookupLegal can help.
Though riding a motorcycle may be risky, in motorcycle accidents the actions of other drivers often cause injuries. There may be others legally liable for your accident as well. If so, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills and other expenses from those who caused your injuries such as:
- At fault drivers who caused the crash
- Motorcycle manufacturers and their suppliers
- Helmet makers—Georgia mandates that all riders wear safety helmets
- Those responsible for road maintenance and repair
Insurance companies typically disfavor claims made my motorcyclists citing the very dangerous nature of motorcycles. This should not deter you from making a claim for injuries due to no fault of your own. Riding motorcycles is your right; don’t let the insurance company intimidate you from making a claim involving your motorcycle.
If you have been involved in a motorcycle accident, especially one that caused a great deal of damage, it is important to understand all about motorcycle accident representation. According to statistics, there are thousands of people a year who are involved in motorcycle accidents despite effort warning the riders to take measures to ride safely in order to avoid them. Based on the design of a motorcycle, a collision with a truck or a car can cause significant damage as the motorcyclist does not have the protection of metal around them. Safety belts are not applicable on a motorcycle which explains why many who are victims of a crash have serious or fatal injuries.
When you are hurt in an accident, your damages may be considerable. Most accidents will result in damage to the vehicle but also other expensive personal items such as helmets, gloves, pants and jackets. You are also entitled to payment of all medical bills and consideration of future medical bills. Often motorcycle injuries will require lengthy hospital stays, rehabilitation and will incur loss of wages, including overtime. Sometimes, the biker is permanently disabled.
