Bucks County Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
While passenger vehicles have been designed with safety in mind in recent years, motorcycles remain as dangerous as they have ever been. This does not mean that you cannot safely enjoy a ride on your bike. However, there were 3,500 crashes involving motorcycles throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 2023, and 238 bikers and their passengers lost their lives in accidents.
If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident or a loved one has died in the crash, you may be entitled to significant financial compensation. First, you should contact an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer to represent you when you are seeking a settlement or financial award.
What Are the Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents?
Motor vehicle drivers often do not grasp the fact that they must share the road with motorcyclists. In general, it is much harder to see a motorcycle than it is to spot a passenger vehicle or truck on the road. Even if the driver can see you on your bike, it does not mean they highly regard your safety.
Common causes of motorcycle accidents include:
- Illegal left-hand turns that cut across the motorcyclist’s path.
- Cutting off a motorcycle in traffic.
- Following too closely behind a motorcyclist and not allowing enough time to stop.
- Not seeing the motorcyclist in traffic because the driver is distracted.
- Losing control of the car because the driver is speeding.
- Failure to check blind spots before changing lanes.
No matter what the driver may have done, your legal obligation is the same. You would need to prove that the driver was negligent in order to qualify for financial compensation.
Why Are Motorcycle Accident Injuries More Serious?
On a motorcycle, it is just you and the bike. No exterior or crash protection is provided to you by the bike itself. Even if you are wearing the latest safety gear, very little can protect you from the impact of a severe accident. Chances are that you would be thrown from your motorcycle onto the grounds after you have been directly struck by a car.
Motorcycle accidents have a far greater rate of serious injuries than other types of Motor Vehicle crashes. There is very little chance you would walk away from a completely unscathed motorcycle accident. If you have been hurt, your injuries will likely worsen, leading to a lengthy recovery. This is if you are even able to fully recover at all. Many motorcycle accident victims are never the same again, and they are dealing with the effects of the crash for the rest of their lives.
Are Insurance Companies Biased Against Motorcyclists?
It is difficult to say that the insurance company has an outright bias against a motorcyclist because they would act to protect their own interests in any claim. However, insurance companies often try to take advantage of the perception that a motorcyclist is a riskier person than the average driver.
Often, this manifests itself in the insurance company trying to blame the motorcyclist for the crash. The insurance company could either deny the claim entirely or partially blame the motorcyclist, which would result in a reduction of financial compensation. The job of your motorcycle accident lawyer is to stand up for your legal rights and protect you from any efforts to wrongfully blame you for the accident. Your attorney may need to present evidence showing what you were doing at the time of the accident to report these allegations.
How Much Is My Motorcycle Accident Case Worth?
It is hard for a motorcycle accident lawyer to give you a definitive answer about the value of the case the first time you speak with them. Your attorney would need to take some time to review your situation after you have reached the point of maximum medical improvement before they can give you a concrete opinion about how much you may deserve. Everything depends on the facts and circumstances of your case. Motorcycle accident claims are typically worth more money because of the severity of the injuries involved.
Your motorcycle accident damages can include:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Embarrassment and humiliation
If your loved one died in a motorcycle accident, your family will be able to file a wrongful death claim, where you would be paid for your own individual losses that you sustained when a family member died.
How Long Will My Motorcycle Accident Case Take?
You cannot expect to receive a quick settlement check that would fully pay for your motorcycle accident injuries. Because your case may involve a large amount of money, the insurance company may take longer to come to a settlement agreement that fully pays you. The important thing is that you are as patient as possible to get every dollar you deserve. You can never rush a motorcycle accident settlement just to have money in your pocket. If you do, you will leave money on the table that you cannot get. You should prepare for your motorcycle accident case to take many months, and perhaps even more than a year.
Why Do I Need a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer?
Motorcycle accident claims can be difficult. The insurance company simply does not like to write a large check, and you would need an experienced lawyer to take them on at every step of the way. On average, motorcycle accident victims who hire an attorney do far better than those who try to represent themselves. Trying to deal with the insurance company on your own is unwise.
A motorcycle accident attorney would handle all of the details of your case from start to finish. You can hand everything over to them and let them lead the fight, making the key decisions that you need to make along the way. Bikers Have Rights handles motorcycle accident claims as part of their practice every single day. We know the ins and outs of motorcycle crashes and the challenges that victims face in both their daily lives and the legal process.
Contact a Bucks County Motorcycle Accident Lawyer at Bikers Have Rights
A Bucks County motorcycle accident lawyer at Bikers Have Rights can work to put you in the strongest possible position to obtain money for your bike accident injuries. All you need to do is contact us online or call us today at 215-525-1616 or 877-333-0300 to schedule a free consultation. Our office is in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, and we fight for injured clients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey.