Motorcycles present certain hazards that put their occupants at greater risk of damage and injury in any accident. Motorcycles have the same right to be on the road as cars, and if a driver’s negligence causes a motorcycle accident, the guilty driver is liable for the injuries that his actions caused.
The biggest risk factors in motorcycling include:
- There are no seat belts
- There are no airbags
- There are no external doors or walls
- Motorcycles are much smaller than the vehicles that hit them
- Motorcycles can be difficult to see, especially at night
- Motorcycles can easily travel in the blind spot of the driver for a prolonged period of time
- Other drivers often forget to look to see if there are motorcyclists nearby
- Other drivers tend to underestimate travel distance or the speed of motorcycles
- Some drivers simply do not show motorcyclists the respect they deserve on the road
Some motorcycles come equipped with additional safety features. Even so, motorists and their passengers are at significant risk of serious injury in an accident.
These risk factors illustrate why it is so important that other drivers exercise due caution when sharing the road with a motorcyclist.
Common injuries in motorcycle accidents
In motorcycle accidents, the most common injuries are:
- Head injuries
- Concussions
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
- Fractured or broken bones
- Soft tissue injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Paralysis
- Amputation
- Scrapes
- Lacerations
- Bruises
- Severe burns
- Damage to internal organs
- Internal bleeding
- Death
Another injury that is specific to motorcycle accidents is the biker’s arm, a condition caused by the motorist’s instinct to wrap his arms around his body while being thrown from the motorcycle during an accident. When landing, the arms absorb the greatest impact, which can lead to permanent nerve damage and other serious injuries.
Additional Damage
In addition to immediate physical injuries, victims of motorcycle accidents can also face the following types of damage:
- High bills for ongoing medical attention or long stays in the hospital
- Corrective or reconstructive surgery
- Expensive drugs
- Physical therapy or other types of rehabilitation
- Time away from work, resulting in loss of income
- Impossibility to continue to work in the field of their career
- Loss of capacity for future earnings ability
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Emotional stress
- Long-term disability or impairment
- Continuous pain
Depending on the facts and circumstances specific to your experience, you may be legally entitled to financial compensation for these and other types of damages, which can result in a substantial financial recovery.
Expert witnesses, work with leaders in the industry
By working with expert witnesses, we can help judges, juries, and even mediators, better understand the value and extent of the victim’s suffering, as well as the probable cause of the pain. We work to bring you authorized and accredited witnesses, who have experience in the type of injuries suffered by our clients.
Depending on the case, the experienced attorneys at P & M Law work hand in hand with recognized experts in medicine and motorcycle crashes, many of them leaders in the industry, the testimony, and support of these experts, often becomes very important in the course of motorcycle accident litigation.
In addition, we work with traffic accident reconstruction experts, who can recreate what happened moments before the accident. These professionals often give very convincing testimony during the trial, by expertly using the evidence that our firm compiled during our investigation of your case.
Such evidence may include:
- Photographs of the scene of the accident
- Forensic evidence Police reports
- Mechanics reports and other evidence of the motorcycle (s) and the vehicle (s)
- Status of the vehicles involved
- Weather reports
- Statements or testimonies by third parties
- Nature of the injuries in relation to the circumstances of the accident
Each accident is different, however, we want you to know that our motorcycle accident lawyers at P & M Law are dedicated to working tirelessly on your case and, when the need arises, our attorneys will find the experienced expert witnesses to explain and support your case.
Free cost evaluation with our motorcycle accident lawyers
The motorcycle accident lawyers at P & M Law can help you better understand the potential value of your claim. In fact, we are willing to do that free of charge and you wouldn’t have to pay a single penny unless we get you compensation in your case.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident, we are here to help you. To make an appointment for a free case evaluation with one of the attorneys at our office, please contact us online here or call (832) 844-6428 immediately.