Riding a motorcycle is an easy and convenient way to travel. If you ride, then you know the importance of being alert and aware of the vehicles around you. The rules of the road must be followed to the letter and you must make every effort to let other drivers know your intentions. Even if you adhere to these principles, there is no guarantee that you will be safe. A reckless and irresponsible driver can still put your health and safety at risk.
If you have been harmed in an accident caused by the negligence of the other driver, then you are entitled to compensation. Motorcycle accident lawyers have the experience and expertise to get you the money you deserve.
The Most Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycle accidents tend to be caused by people who are not paying attention or who are driving in unsafe ways. Here are some of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents:
1. Unsafe lane changes
A blind spot is a small area adjacent to a car that cannot be seen in the mirror. Drivers should always look over their shoulders (which gives them eyes on their blind spot) before changing lanes. Failure to do so can lead to a collision.
2. Opening a car door
This is one of the top causes of motorcycle accidents and perhaps the most preventable. If the driver of a parked car opens their door without checking for oncoming motorcycle traffic, it can lead to disaster.
3. Excessive speeding
Excessive speeding reduces the ability of a person to control their vehicle. A driver who speeds will not be able to see and react in time to the sudden movements of other cars or motorcycles. And the higher the speed, the more devastating the impact and injury.
4. DUI
It is dangerous for anyone to drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Both substances impair the senses and motor skills and make it hard to judge things accurately.
5. Sudden stops
A driver who comes to a sudden stop can cause a rear-end accident. Even if you keep your distance from the car in front of you, such an abrupt stop can cause you to fall off your motorcycle and injure yourself.
6. Inexperience
Drivers without some years of experience on the road are more prone to make mistakes – mistakes that can lead to a serious accident.
7. Road conditions
Poor road surfaces, debris, non-existent traffic signs, and malfunctioning traffic signals can increase the likelihood of a motorcycle accident.
8. Defects
If your motorcycle contains a design or engineering flaw, it may lead to the kind of equipment failure that can cause an accident.
What Distinguishes a Motorcycle Accident?
Perhaps the thing that most distinguishes a motorcycle accident is the vulnerability of the rider. Motorcyclists do not have a chassis and other metal enclosures to protect them in a crash. They must take the full impact of the other vehicle, which is why few motorcycle riders leave an accident without harm.
You will need to go to the emergency room if you have been in an accident on your motorcycle. Even if you do not feel any pain in the immediate aftermath of the crash, you should have yourself examined. The violence of the impact may have caused injuries that you cannot see or feel just after the crash.
Head injuries, broken bones, internal bleeding, and spinal cord injuries are the most common motorcycle accident injuries. All these require extensive emergency care. You may need to go through several operations before you are set on the road to healing and recovery.
Finding the Right Attorney
Eventually, you will need to deal with the medical expenses associated with your care. If the motorcycle accident put you out of work for some months, you will need to find a way to make up the lost income. The party responsible for the accident should be held accountable, and they should pay you fair compensation for what you have suffered.
To make this happen, you will need to find the right lawyer. Motorcycle accident lawyers are the only ones who can be relied on to handle these sorts of cases.
When you start to properly heal, you should begin your search for the right attorney. It is best to find someone who has proven their ability to get high settlement offers from insurance companies and other liable parties. Your goal is to get a decent sum of money as quickly as you can. This does not always require a lawsuit, and it rarely compels you to take the liable party to court. The best motorcycle accident lawyers are those who have a record of fetching high settlements for their clients.
The Pursuit of Fair Compensation
If the accident was caused by the other driver, then their insurance company will be held liable for settling your claim. Indeed, the insurance company may offer you money soon after the accident. You should not accept it. Such offers are usually much smaller than you deserve, and they are only made to keep you from making a larger claim in the future. You should have no direct dealings with the liable party. You should turn overall communication and negotiation responsibilities to your lawyer.
Before determining how much money you should demand, your lawyer will gather all the evidence related to the crash. They will also investigate the driving record and physical condition of the other driver. Your lawyer will also consider the seriousness of your injuries and the length of time it will take you to recover. Only after they have gathered all these facts will they make a counteroffer to the liable party.
In some instances, the respondent will look at the weight of evidence against them and decide to offer a compensation package that is near enough to what your attorney has demanded. In other cases, they will come back with another offer or attempt to stall negotiations. If your lawyer believes that nothing further can be accomplished through this phase of negotiations, then they will advise you to file a lawsuit.