Injured In A Motorcycle Accident? What’s Next?
What Causes Motorcycle Accidents?
Common Injuries from Motorcycle Accidents
How Is Compensation For Motorcycle Accidents Calculated?
Injured In A Motorcycle Accident? What’s Next?
Get Medical Treatment:
Contact the authorities and make sure everyone is safe. Obtain immediate medical attention for injured parties. If you can, move your motorcycle off the road. If injuries from the motorcycle accident require medical treatment, make sure to keep track of all your medical providers and stay consistent in your medical treatment.
Take Pictures and Notes:
Document your injuries and the damage to vehicles and all property involved in the motorcycle accident. Do not sign any documents until you have consulted with an attorney. Signing statements can affect your legal rights and can result in inadvertent admissions of fault or liability.
Gather Contact Information:
A police report contains pertinent information about the accident. In California a police report is not always required so we recommend gathering the following information from all parties involved:
Info Needed:
1. Full Name
2. Address
3. Residence and business phone numbers
4. Drivers license number and state
5. Insurance company and policy number
6. Make, model, and license plate number
7. Witness or passenger names, and phone numbers
Document How Your Injuries Affect You:
Keep notes on how your injuries from the motorcycle accident impact your daily life, including any missed workdays, and other daily activities that are more difficult to perform due to your injuries.
Use Caution Discussing the Accident:
Do not admit fault and only talk to the police, your attorney, and your insurance agent. Avoid talking to the other party’s insurance agent before consulting with a motorcycle accident attorney at Smith Trial Group.
Contact an Experienced Motorcycle Accident Attorney:
The motorcycle accident attorneys at Smith Trial Group handle all types of motorcycle and auto accident cases and can represent you and your loved ones and help you to be “made whole” again after an injury from an accident. Contact Us at 855-202-2232 anytime.
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What Causes Motorcycle Accidents
Not being seen by other drivers is the number one cause of motorcycle accidents. You can wear a bright jacket or have your headlights turned on but you still need to be aware of other cars on the road and use all precautions possible. Some other causes of motorcycle accidents are as follows:
Driving Under the Influence:
Stats from the Insurance Information Institute shows that 29% of fatal motorcycle accidents from 2009-2018 involved an alcohol blood level over the legal limit.
Debris:
Debris on the road can be especially dangerous for motorcyclists and are the cause of many accidents every year. Debris that can cause motorcycle accidents can include blown tires, falling items from other vehicles, or rocks, and natural debris.
Distracted Driving:
Many drivers are easily distracted by texting, eating, and cell phone use in general. Motorcyclists are especially vulnerable to those who are driving distracted, and motorcycle accidents often, unfortunately, result in severe injuries.
Lane Splitting:
This Lane Splitting bill passed in 2016 allows motorcycles to split the lane between cars stopped or slowly moving as long as there are two or more lanes on that same side of the road. Lane splitting can be dangerous for motorcyclists if cars are not aware of them. Vehicles often pinch the lane, swerve without notice, and change lanes without notice. Here are some tips on how to safely lane split from the California Highway Patrol.
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Common Injuries from Motorcycle Accidents
Head Trauma:
A motorcycle accident can be incredibly dangerous especially if you are not wearing a helmet. The CDC shows that helmets save lives. In 2016, over 1,800 lives were saved by wearing a helmet during motorcycle accidents. The study showed that simply wearing a helmet reduces the risk of serious head injury by approximately 70%!
Even though a helmet reduces your risk of injury you can still suffer significant head trauma from a motorcycle accident. The injury may range from a minor bump on the skull to a traumatic brain injury, or TBI. A traumatic brain injury is a serious brain injury that affects how the brain works and is usually caused by a blow or puncture to the head.
Spinal Cord Trauma:
Spinal cord trauma is an injury leading to damage to the spinal cord resulting in a temporary or permanent change to neurological function, including paralysis.
Bone Fractures:
Any broken bone or fracture ranging from a finger to a fractured pelvis. Broken bones are common in motorcycle accidents.
Road Rash:
A type of friction burn or skin abrasion occurs when you scrape your skin against something rough like the asphalt road. If you lay down the bike at any speed it is easy to suffer road rash if you are not wearing enough protective clothing.
How Compensation Is Calculated For Motorcycle Accidents
Personal injury motorcycle accident damages typically include the following:
- Medical expenses related to the accident
- Lost income if you are not able to work
- Cost of rehabilitative therapy
- Loss of life enjoyment
- Earning capacity lost
- Loss of consortium
- Permanent injuries and disabilities
- Past and future pain and suffering
- Emotional distress