What Are Causes of Motorcycle Accidents?
Motorcyclists are especially vulnerable not only because they lack the protection, but because they are much smaller. This disadvantage makes motorcycles more difficult for other motorists to notice while driving. It also means that motorcycles and their passengers are more likely to be thrown farther in the event of a crash.
Motorcycles are also more vulnerable to a collision because other motorists don't always keep a close enough eye out for them. Only 8% of households possess a motorcycle, which gives us a general estimate of how common motorcycles are on US streets. Since motorcycles aren't as common as regular passenger vehicles, motorists may be less likely to watch out for them.
For example, a motorcycle riding in a driver's blind spot or crossing through an intersection at a 2-way stop might be less likely to be seen by a driver that is only looking for other passenger cars.
Because motorcycles are harder to detect than other vehicles, motorcyclists should always drive defensively. Bikers can never assume that other drivers can see them, especially the motorists of cars in front of them. Motorcycle crashes often occur when drivers:
What Are the Most Common Motorcycle Injuries?
A motorcycle provides you little protection in an accident. This means your body ends up taking the full force of the impact with another vehicle.
Often, this causes 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 only comprise 3 percent of registered vehicles, motorcycle accidents cause 15 percent of all vehicle accident fatalities. Not every motorcycle accident will lead to death, but it shows the seriousness these types of crashes lead to.
Some common injuries are:
That's not to say that survivors can never return to a normal life, but it might take some time and effort, including physical therapy. A motorcycle crash lawyer can help you receive the compensation needed to pay for those treatments.
Liability for Fresno Motorcycle Accidents
As these facts suggest, motorcyclists wounded in collisions are often the victims of negligence. Every negligence case is made up of four main elements: a duty, a breach of that duty, an injury caused by the breach, and damages suffered by the plaintiff. Drivers of motor vehicles owe a duty of care to everybody else that uses public thoroughfares. That includes bicyclists, pedestrians, and other motorists-- including motorcyclists.
When a motorist violates that duty by being careless, intoxicated, fatigued, or distracted, and ends up causing an accident which causes injury or even wrongful death to another person, the motorist may be held civilly liable to the injured party. They can seek a negligence claim with the assistance of a motorcycle accident lawyer in Fresno.
A motorcyclist wounded in a crash might have a claim if he can demonstrate that another driver was at fault. When a motorcycle driver has followed all of the traffic laws however is still involved in a collision, odds are that it has been caused by the driver of another vehicle. It could be not seeing the motorcyclist, speeding, being inebriated, or a mixture of the three.
What Should I Do After a Motorcycle Accident?
If You Have Been Involved in a Motorcycle Crash, immediately contact the authorities to file a report if they are involved in an accident. This is particularly true if there is an injury or death.
If immediate medical help is needed, render what aid you can, seek assistance, and call emergency medical help. If you are the one who is injured, you should seek immediate medical assistance. Even if your injury seems minor and you do not need immediate aid, it is a good idea to get medical care, as some injuries are not immediately noticeable.
Furthermore, at the scene you need to collect the contact and insurance information for the other parties. And you also want contact information for independent witnesses, as investigating law enforcement do not always gather that info.
Call a motorcycle accident lawyer soon after the crash. We highly recommend that you do this prior to talking to any insurance provider.
Contact Our Fresno Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
After your accident, aside from speaking with the police and getting any necessary medical attention, you should consult with a qualified and knowledgeable personal injury attorney with experience handling motorcycle crashes. Serving victims throughout the Fresno area, the motorcycle accident attorneys at Tim D. Wright can assist you.
Too often, accident victims think that an insurance provider-- either their own or the other driver's-- will properly compensate them for any injuries they have suffered. Unfortunately, many insurance companies are unwilling to pay, even when liability and injuries are obvious. This is particularly true when the injuries are significant.
Even when an insurance carrier seems liable, beware. Lots of insurance adjusters will try to settle claims quickly. They will advise you to sign an agreement that will let them close the case-- and thus minimize their exposure.
Even if the deal appears sufficient or even generous, it is important to ensure your rights are defended. Talk to a lawyer and make sure you know the consequences of the agreement.
The reality is, not all injuries are immediately apparent. And for some major injuries, even if you anticipate complete recovery, you can not be sure that the complete recovery you expect will happen.
In those situations, signing a release of claims prematurely can limit your settlement to an amount that is substantially less than what you need or what you legally have a right to recover. Major injuries may consist of:
And, of course, some motorcycle accidents are fatal. If somebody you love has been killed in a motorcycle collision, contact a lawyer to find out whether there's a wrongful death action to pursue against a negligent driver.
Get a free consultation with our legal experts
