What are Causes of Motorcycle Accidents?
Motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable not just because they lack the protection, but because they are smaller. This downside makes motorcycles more difficult for other drivers to notice on the road. It also means that motorcycles and their passengers are more likely to be thrown farther in the event of a collision.
Motorcycles are also more vulnerable to a collision since other drivers do not always keep a close enough eye out for them. Just 8% of households possess a motorcycle, which gives us a rough estimate of how common motorcycles are on US streets. Because motorcycles aren't as prevalent as normal passenger vehicles, drivers might be less likely to watch out for them.
For example, a motorcycle riding in a motorist's blind spot or crossing through an intersection at a 2-way stop may be less likely to be seen by a motorist who is only watching for other passenger cars.
Because motorcycles are harder to detect than other vehicles, motorcyclists need to always drive defensively. Bikers can never assume that other drivers can see them, especially the drivers of vehicles in front of them. Motorcycle accidents often occur when motorists:
What are the Most Prevalent Motorcycle Injuries?
A motorcycle provides you little protection in a collision. This means your body ends up taking the full force of the impact with another vehicle.
Frequently, this results in severe and life-altering injuries to motorcycle accident victims. In fact, approximately 5,000 motorcyclists were killed in crashes in just one recent year.
While motorcycles just make up 3 percent of registered vehicles, motorcycle crashes cause 15 percent of all vehicle collision fatalities. Not every motorcycle crash will result in death, however it shows the severity these types of accidents inflict.
Some usual injuries are:
That's not to say that survivors can never resume a normal life, but it might take some time and effort, including physical rehabilitation. A motorcycle accident lawyer can help you receive the compensation needed to pay for those treatments.
Liability for Glendale Motorcycle Accidents
As these facts suggest, motorcyclists hurt in accidents are often the victims of negligence. Every negligence case is comprised of four main elements: a duty, a breach of that duty, an injury caused by the breach, and injuries sustained by the plaintiff. Drivers of motor vehicles owe a duty of care to everyone else that uses public roads. That includes bicyclists, pedestrians, and other drivers-- including motorcyclists.
When a motorist breaches that duty by being careless, intoxicated, fatigued, or distracted, and ends up causing a crash which results in injury or even wrongful death to another person, the motorist may be held civilly liable to the victim. They can seek a negligence case with the help of a motorcycle accident attorney in Glendale.
A motorcyclist injured in an accident may have a claim if he can demonstrate that another driver was at fault. When a motorcycle driver has followed all of the traffic laws yet is still involved in an accident, odds are that it has been caused by the driver of another vehicle. It might be not seeing the motorcyclist, speeding, being intoxicated, or a combination of the three.
What Should I Do After a Motorcycle Crash?
If You Have Been Involved in a Motorcycle Crash, immediately call the authorities to make a report if they are involved in a crash. This is especially true if there is an injury or death.
If urgent medical aid is needed, provide what aid you can, seek assistance, and call emergency medical help. If you are the one that is hurt, you should seek immediate medical assistance. Even if your injury appears minor and you do not need immediate aid, it is a good idea to seek medical care, as some injuries are not immediately noticeable.
Furthermore, at the scene you should collect the contact and insurance details for the other parties. And you also want contact information for independent witnesses, as investigating law enforcement do not always gather that information.
Call a motorcycle accident attorney soon after the collision. We strongly recommend that you do this before speaking to any insurance carrier.
Contact Our Glendale Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
After your accident, in addition to talking to the authorities and getting any necessary medical attention, you need to get in touch with a qualified and knowledgeable personal injury lawyer with experience dealing with motorcycle crashes. Serving victims throughout the Glendale area, the motorcycle crash lawyers at Tim D. Wright can help you.
Too often, accident victims think that an insurance carrier-- either their own or the other driver's-- will sufficiently compensate them for any injuries they have sustained. Unfortunately, many insurance providers are unwilling to pay, even when liability and damages are obvious. This is particularly true when the damages are substantial.
Even when an insurance carrier appears responsible, beware. Many insurance adjusters will try to settle insurance claims quickly. They will urge you to sign an agreement that will let them close the case-- and thus limit their exposure.
Even if the offer seems adequate or even generous, it is vital to make sure your rights are protected. Contact an attorney and make sure you know the consequences of the agreement.
The reality is, not all injuries are readily apparent. And for some serious injuries, even if you anticipate complete recovery, you can not be certain that the complete recovery you expect will materialize.
In those instances, signing a release of claims too soon can reduce your settlement to an amount that is significantly less than what you need or what you legally have a right to recover. Serious injuries can consist of:
And, of course, some motorcycle accidents are fatal. If somebody you love has been killed in a motorcycle accident, speak to a lawyer to determine whether there's a wrongful death action to pursue against a negligent motorist.
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