The pleasure of riding in the open air on your motorcycle comes with risks: Motorcyclists who get into accidents with cars and trucks often suffer severe injuries.
When you are hurt in a motorcycle accident, a hardworking injury attorney can help. While insurance companies are often reluctant to pay riders adequate settlements, a Fowler motorcycle accident lawyer can handle negotiations with insurers and take them to court when they do not offer reasonable compensation for your injuries.
Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries
Motorcyclists do not have the physical protection afforded other motorists. As a result, they are fully exposed and vulnerable in a collision. Survivors of these crashes can experience severe injuries, some of which may be permanent; at times, those injuries can be life-threatening or even fatal.
While each accident is unique, common injuries associated with motorcycle accidents include the following:
- Skin abrasions and road rash
- Severe soft tissue injuries to the ankle, knee, neck, and shoulder
- Fractured arms and legs
- Broken ribs, back, and pelvis
- Traumatic amputations
- Kidney, liver, diaphragm, and spleen damage
- Facial injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
Motorcycle accidents can also cause severe emotional trauma, resulting in post-traumatic stress disorder and similar conditions.
Severely injured riders should seek legal representation immediately after a crash. Contacting a professional in a timely manner is especially important since insurance company representatives often visit injured people in the hospital and offer them a quick settlement. An attorney in Fowler can handle negotiations and all other communication with the responsible parties and their insurers.
Establishing Negligence in a Motorcycle Accident
An automobile driver is typically the one at fault when they collide with a motorcycle. Sometimes, the motorist fails to notice the rider until it is too late; in other situations, the driver cuts the rider off, fails to yield the right of way, or has been driving recklessly.
A hardworking attorney can collect evidence to determine how a motorcycle crash occurred, including witness statements, pictures of the crash scene, dashcam video, and footage from surveillance cameras. Since police officers often express opinions in their accident reports about who is at fault, an attorney can also obtain that evidence.
In some cases, third parties contribute to motorcycle accidents and might bear a share of the responsibility; they can include motorcycle and automobile manufacturers, other drivers and their employers, and local governments. By pursuing multiple civil claims against responsible parties, an attorney can maximize the compensation an injured person receives.
Damages in a Motorcycle Accident Case
An injured person can pursue damages against anyone whose reckless actions contributed to an accident and, thus, their subsequent injury. This restitution compensates injured people for their economic and non-economic losses.
Economic Damages
Compensation for economic losses include out-of-pocket expenses incurred because of the accident. An injured motorcyclist can collect for the value of their damaged motorcycle, as well as obtain compensation for other personal property lost or damaged in the crash, medical expenses, and unearned wages.
Non-Economic Damages
A rider can also collect damages for non-economic losses—hardships such as physical pain, disability, emotional anguish, lost enjoyment of life, and the emotional impact of their injuries.
Exemplary Damages
When a knowledgeable attorney in Fowler can prove a driver or other responsible party acted maliciously, a plaintiff can seek exemplary—also known as punitive—damages, according to California Civil Code § 3294. For example, if someone’s road rage or drunk driving caused a motorcyclist to sustain a severe injury, the judge might award exemplary damages.
Trust Your Motorcycle Accident Claim to a Fowler Attorney
Recovering from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident can be a long and challenging process. By working with an attorney, you can free yourself of the burdens of gathering evidence and negotiating with insurance companies so that you can focus on healing.
A Fowler motorcycle accident lawyer represents riders who have been in severe crashes. Call today to speak with a compassionate attorney.
