Motorcycle accidents can be especially catastrophic, and often deadly, given the lack of protection offered by a motorcycle for the rider. This means the aftermath of a motorcycle accident can be traumatic and confusing at a time where you should be able to focus on recovering from your injuries. An experienced motorcycle accident attorney can handle your case for you and pursue any compensation you may be entitled to while you focus on recovering. The experienced Miami injury attorneys at Redondo Law can help you get through this trying time. Mike Redondo is an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer who can investigate your accident and gather evidence to help support your claim for damages. Redondo Law can help you recover compensation for medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, property damage, and other damages that were caused by the motorcycle accident.
Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents
Speeding
Many motorcycle accidents are caused by a speeding driver. Excessive speeds may cause a collision causing serious injury. Speeding drivers put others around them in danger as they may not be able to stop or avoid hazards. The speeding driver may often be liable for an accident if the speeding contributed to the motorcycle accident.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is often caused by a driver failing to pay proper attention to the road and surroundings. This distraction may be caused by using a cell phone, eating, putting on makeup, adjusting the radio, or similar distractions that prevent the driver from focusing on driving. If the distracted driver causes an accident, such as by swerving into another lane and colliding with a motorcycle, the distracted driver will usually be liable for breaching their duty of care to others on the road.
Driving While Under the Influence
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, whether legal or illegal, seriously impairs the driver’s ability to safely operate a vehicle. Intoxicated driving is illegal and may often lead to an accident, such as when a drunk driver drives in the wrong lane and collides with oncoming traffic.
Blind Spot Accidents
Large trucks and vehicles often have blind spots, where the driver may be unable to see objects, including other vehicles. These blind spots can be especially dangerous for motorcyclists as the small size of the motorcycle can make it much more difficult for a truck driver to see when the motorcycle is in the driver’s blind spot. As a result, drivers could change lanes or turn without knowing a motorcycle is in the truck’s vicinity, which may result in a catastrophic, and often deadly, accident.
Failing to Yield Right-of-Way
Another common cause of motorcycle accidents is when a driver or motorcyclist fails to come to a complete stop at a red light or stop sign. Failing to yield can be especially dangerous in busy intersections or where it may be difficult to spot oncoming traffic approaching the intersection from all directions. It is always the driver’s responsibility to monitor and obey traffic laws, stop signs, and red lights, as the failure to do so can often result in an accident. As with most accidents, motorcycle accidents caused by failing to yield can cause serious, sometimes fatal, injuries to motorcyclists. Failing to yield the right-of-way will generally lead to the driver being held liable for the accident.
What are Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries?
Motorcycle accidents often result in severe injuries to the motorcyclist and any passengers. The lack of protection and vulnerability of motorcycle riders may lead to serious injuries such as:
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
Because of the nature of motorcycle accidents, with riders frequently being forcefully thrown to the ground, traumatic brain injuries may occur as a result of violent trauma to the head. TBIs occur as a result of the head receiving a sudden blow or shock, and they can occur even if a motorcyclist was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. These injuries can be very serious and sometimes fatal.
Facial Injuries
Motorcyclists involved in accidents may also often suffer from facial injuries such as broken noses and jaws, in addition to permanent disfigurement.
Neck and Spinal Injuries
Spinal and neck injuries may occur in accidents, causing damage to spinal discs and possibly the spinal cord itself. Many of these injuries may result in paralysis, while less severe injuries may still result in chronic pain for victims.
Broken Bones
Broken bones, especially broken arms or legs are also very common in motorcycle accidents. A rider may suffer these broken bones as the result of hitting the pavement and/or as a result of the motorcycle falling on top of the rider.
Burns
Burns may occur from a motorcycle accident, often caused by the ignition of a ruptured gas tank. Depending on the nature of the accident, these burns can be severe and may require skin grafting.
Internal Injuries
As with many vehicle accidents, internal injuries are always a possibility. However, as with other injuries, the possibility of suffering an internal injury is higher for a motorcyclist given the lack of protection. These injuries may not be immediately obvious or apparent after an accident but can include serious damage to vital organs and arterial networks. Internal injuries are usually caused by blunt force trauma, such as the impact of a rider colliding with the ground, or they may be caused by debris or wreckage piercing the body. If left untreated, these injuries can quickly become fatal.
Road Rash
Road rash is an injury commonly suffered by motorcycle riders, and it is the skin abrasions suffered when the motorcyclist slides along pavement or asphalt after an impact. Road rash can lead to infection as well as permanent scarring and requires immediate treatment.
Why is it Important to Hire an Attorney After a Motorcycle Accident?
The aftermath of a motorcycle accident can often be especially catastrophic compared to collisions between two passenger vehicles, as the motorcyclist has much less protection beyond a helmet. However, you do not have to handle this alone. An experienced motorcycle accident lawyer can assist you in maximizing the compensation and support you need after your accident. The other driver’s insurance company will do its best to avoid paying any damages, and their lawyers will do their best to delay or deny your claim. An experienced motorcycle accident attorney like Mike Redondo and the team at Redondo Law know how to handle insurance companies and seek an ideal settlement for your injuries or take your case to trial if necessary to obtain the full value of your injuries and damages.
Contact Redondo Law Firm for Motorcycle Accident Claims
Mike Redondo and the team at Redondo Law have over a decade of experience handling personal injury claims and can help you navigate your motorcycle accident claim. We will investigate the details of the accident, gather evidence to support your claim, and zealously pursue your claim while you focus on recovering from your injuries or the loss of your loved one. Contact Redondo Law today for a comprehensive, free consultation—so we can answer your questions about your motorcycle accident claim.