What Are Causes of Motorcycle Accidents?
Motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable not only because they lack the protection, but because they are much smaller. This disadvantage makes motorcycles harder 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 wreck.
Motorcycles are also more susceptible to an accident since other drivers don't keep a close enough eye out for them. Just 8% of households possess a motorcycle, which gives us a general estimate of how common motorcycles are on US roadways. Since motorcycles aren't as prevalent as regular passenger cars, motorists may be less likely to look out for them.
For example, a motorcycle riding in a driver's blind spot or crossing through an intersection at a 2-way stop may be less likely to be seen by a driver who is only watching for other passenger vehicles.
Because motorcycles are more difficult to detect than other vehicles, motorcyclists have to always drive defensively. Bikers can never assume that other motorists can see them, particularly the motorists of cars in front of them. Motorcycle accidents commonly occur when motorists:
What Are the Most Prevalent Motorcycle Injuries?
A motorcycle provides you little protection in a crash. This means your body ends up taking the full force of the impact with another vehicle.
Commonly, this leads to serious and life-altering injuries to motorcycle accident victims. In fact, almost 5,000 motorcyclists died in collisions in just one recent year.
While motorcycles just make up 3 percent of registered vehicles, motorcycle crashes cause 15 percent of all vehicle accident fatalities. Not every motorcycle accident will lead to death, but it shows the severity these kinds of crashes cause.
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 recover the compensation needed to pay for those treatments.
Liability for Riverside Motorcycle Accidents
As these facts suggest, motorcyclists injured in accidents are commonly the victims of negligence. Every negligence claim is comprised of four major elements: a duty, a breach of that duty, an injury caused by the breach, and damages sustained by the plaintiff. Drivers of motor vehicles owe a duty of care to everybody else that uses public roads. That includes bicyclists, pedestrians, and various other motorists-- including motorcyclists.
When a driver violates that duty by being careless, intoxicated, tired, or distracted, and ends up causing an accident which results in injury or even wrongful death to another individual, the driver may be held civilly liable to the injured party. He or she can pursue a negligence claim with the help of a motorcycle accident attorney in Riverside.
A motorcyclist injured in a crash might have a claim if he can prove that another motorist was at fault. When a motorcycle driver has followed all of the traffic laws however is still involved in an accident, chances are that it has been caused by the driver of another vehicle. It might be not seeing the motorcyclist, speeding, being intoxicated, 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 especially true if there is an injury or death.
If urgent medical aid is necessary, render what help 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.
Further, at the scene you should get the contact and insurance information for the other parties. And you also want contact information for independent witnesses, as investigating police officers don't always gather that information.
Contact a motorcycle accident attorney soon after the accident. We strongly recommend that you do this before talking to any insurance company.
Contact Our Riverside Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
After your accident, in addition to talking to the authorities and getting any necessary medical attention, you should call a qualified and experienced personal injury attorney with experience dealing with motorcycle crashes. Serving victims throughout the Riverside area, the motorcycle crash lawyers at the Law Offices of Tim D. Wright can help you.
Too often, accident victims believe that an insurance provider-- either their own or the other motorist's-- will properly compensate them for any injuries they have sustained. However, plenty of insurance providers are unwilling to pay, even when liability and injuries are obvious. This is especially true when the injuries are significant.
Even when an insurance provider appears responsible, be wary. Many insurance adjusters will attempt to settle claims quickly. They will advise you to sign an agreement that will let them close the case-- and thereby limit their exposure.
Even if the deal appears adequate or even generous, it is vital to ensure your legal rights are protected. Contact an attorney and make sure you comprehend the consequences of the agreement.
The reality is, not all injuries are immediately apparent. And for some major injuries, even if you expect complete recovery, you can not be sure that the full recovery you expect will happen.
In those cases, signing a release of claims prematurely can reduce your settlement to an amount that is considerably less than what you need or what you legally have a right to recuperate. Severe injuries might consist of:
And, obviously, some motorcycle accidents are fatal. If somebody you love has been killed in a motorcycle crash, get in touch with a lawyer to find out whether there's a wrongful death action to pursue against a negligent motorist.
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