What Are Causes of Motorcycle Accidents?
Motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable not just because they lack the protection, but because they are smaller. This disadvantage makes motorcycles more difficult for other motorists to see while driving. 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 susceptible to a wreck since other drivers don't always keep a close enough eye out for them. Just 8% of households possess a motorcycle, which gives us a general estimate of just how common motorcycles are on US roadways. Since motorcycles aren't as prevalent as normal passenger cars, drivers 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 motorist that is only watching for other passenger cars.
Since motorcycles are more difficult to detect than other cars, motorcyclists have to always drive defensively. Bikers can never assume that other motorists can see them, particularly the drivers of cars in front of them. Motorcycle crashes often happen when motorists:
What Are the Most Prevalent Motorcycle Injuries?
A motorcycle gives you little protection in an accident. This means your body ends up taking the full force of the impact with another vehicle.
Often, this results in severe and life-altering injuries to motorcycle crash victims. In fact, nearly 5,000 motorcyclists died in accidents in just one recent year.
While motorcycles just make up 3 percent of registered vehicles, motorcycle accidents result in 15 percent of all vehicle collision fatalities. Not every motorcycle accident will lead to death, yet it shows the severity these kinds of collisions lead to.
Some typical injuries are:
That's not to say that survivors can never resume a normal life, but it may take some time and effort, including physical rehabilitation. A motorcycle accident attorney can help you recover the compensation required to pay for those treatments.
Liability for North Hollywood Motorcycle Accidents
As these facts suggest, motorcyclists injured in accidents are often the victims of negligence. Every negligence case is comprised of four essential elements: a duty, a breach of that duty, an injury caused by the breach, and injuries 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 drivers-- including motorcyclists.
When a motorist violates that duty by being careless, intoxicated, fatigued, or distracted, and ends up causing a crash which causes injury or even wrongful death to another individual, the motorist might be held civilly liable to the injured party. They can pursue a negligence claim with the assistance of a motorcycle crash lawyer in North Hollywood.
A motorcyclist hurt in a collision may have a claim if they can demonstrate that another driver was at fault. When a motorcycle driver has followed all of the traffic laws but is still involved in a crash, odds are that it has been caused by the driver of another vehicle. It might 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 call the police to file a report if they are involved in an accident. This is particularly true if there is an injury or fatality.
If urgent medical help is needed, provide what aid you can, seek assistance, and call emergency medical help. If you are the one that is injured, you should seek immediate medical aid. Even if your injury appears small and you do not need immediate help, it is a good idea to seek medical care, as some injuries are not immediately apparent.
Additionally, at the scene you should collect the contact and insurance details for the other parties. And you also want contact info for independent witnesses, as investigating law enforcement don't always gather that information.
Contact a motorcycle accident lawyer soon after the collision. We highly recommend that you do this prior to talking to any insurance company.
Contact Our North Hollywood Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
After your accident, in addition to speaking with the police and receiving any necessary medical attention, you should call a qualified and experienced personal injury lawyer with experience dealing with motorcycle crashes. Serving victims throughout the North Hollywood area, the motorcycle accident attorneys at Tim D. Wright can assist you.
Too often, accident victims think that an insurance company-- either their own or the other motorist's-- will properly compensate them for any injuries they have suffered. Unfortunately, plenty of insurance companies are reluctant to pay, even when liability and injuries are clear. This is especially accurate when the injuries are substantial.
Even when an insurance company appears liable, be wary. Lots of insurance adjusters will try to settle claims quickly. They will urge you to sign an agreement that will let them close the case-- and thereby minimize their exposure.
Even if the offer seems sufficient or even generous, it is important to make sure your legal rights are protected. Talk to an attorney and be sure you understand the consequences of the agreement.
The fact is, not all injuries are immediately apparent. And for some major injuries, even if you expect full recovery, you can not be certain that the complete recovery you hope for will happen.
In those cases, 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 can 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 motorist.
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