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What are Causes of Motorcycle Accidents?
Motorcyclists are especially vulnerable not only because they lack the protection, but because they are smaller. This disadvantage makes motorcycles more difficult for other motorists to see 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 an accident because 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 just how common motorcycles are on US roadways. Since motorcycles aren't as prevalent as normal passenger cars, motorists might be less likely to watch out for them.
For instance, 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 that is only watching for other passenger vehicles.
Since motorcycles are more difficult to detect than other cars, motorcyclists have to always drive defensively. Bikers can never presume that other motorists can see them, especially the motorists of vehicles in front of them. Motorcycle crashes commonly happen when motorists:
What Are the Most Common 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.
Frequently, this results in severe and life-altering injuries to motorcycle accident victims. In fact, approximately 5,000 motorcyclists were killed 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 crash fatalities. Not every motorcycle accident will result in death, yet it shows the seriousness these types of crashes inflict.
Some usual injuries are:
That's not to say that survivors can never return to a normal life, but it may take some time and effort, including physical rehabilitation. A motorcycle accident lawyer can help you recover the compensation required to pay for those treatments.
Liability for San Fernando Valley Motorcycle Accidents
As these facts suggest, motorcyclists wounded in crashes are commonly the victims of negligence. Every negligence case is comprised of four major 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 everybody else that uses public roads. That includes bicyclists, pedestrians, and other drivers-- including motorcyclists.
When a motorist breaches that duty by being careless, inebriated, tired, or distracted, and ends up causing a collision which results in injury or even wrongful death to another person, the motorist might be held civilly liable to the injured party. They can seek a negligence case with the help of a motorcycle accident lawyer in San Fernando Valley.
A motorcyclist injured in an accident may have a claim if they can demonstrate that another driver was at fault. When a motorcycle driver has obeyed 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 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 make a report if they are involved in a crash. This is especially true if there is an injury or fatality.
If immediate medical help is necessary, provide what aid you can, look for assistance, and call emergency medical assistance. If you are the one who is hurt, you should seek immediate medical help. 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 apparent.
Further, at the scene you need to collect the contact and insurance details for the other parties. And you also want contact info for independent witnesses, as investigating police officers do not always gather that info.
Call a motorcycle crash attorney soon after the accident. We strongly suggest that you do this prior to speaking with any insurance company.
Contact Our San Fernando Valley Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
After your accident, along with talking to the authorities and receiving any necessary medical attention, you should get in touch with a qualified and experienced personal injury attorney with experience handling motorcycle crashes. Serving victims throughout the San Fernando Valley area, the motorcycle accident attorneys at Drake Law Firm can assist you.
Too often, accident victims believe that an insurance provider-- either their own or the other driver's-- will properly compensate them for any injuries they have sustained. However, plenty of 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 provider seems liable, beware. Lots of insurance adjusters will attempt to settle claims quickly. They will urge you to sign an agreement that will allow them to close the case-- and thus reduce their exposure.
Even if the offer seems sufficient or even generous, it is important to make sure your legal rights are defended. Talk to an attorney and make sure you know the consequences of the agreement.
The truth is, not all injuries are immediately apparent. And for some serious injuries, even if you expect full recovery, you can not be sure that the full recovery you expect will materialize.
In those situations, signing a release of claims prematurely can limit your settlement to an amount that is considerably less than what you need or what you legally have a right to recover. Serious injuries can include:
And, obviously, some motorcycle crashes are deadly. If someone you love has been killed in a motorcycle crash, contact an attorney to determine whether there's a wrongful death action to pursue against a negligent driver.
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