Florida Motorcycle Accidents

Florida highways can be a dangerous place for motorcyclists. Crashes with motorcycles are not rare events particularly among some beginning riders. Since 1966 when the enactment of the Highway Safety and National Traffic and Motor Vehicle and Safety Act took place, an estimated 128,000 motorcyclists have died in such incidents. Motorcycle riders are 32 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die and 6 times more likely to be injured in a crash than other types of vehicles. An Experienced Florida Personal Injury Lawyer in this field will advance the costs and expenses necessary to successfully litigate these cases.

Of all vehicular accidents, motorcycle crashes are considered among the worst, since they frequently result in serious injuries or death. Since motorcycles can be driven at high speeds and afford their riders minimal protection, injuries are reported, by some estimates, in a staggering 98% of motorcycle accidents! A knowledgeable Florida Injury Attorney in the Motorcycle Accident Claims subject will assist you to successfully litigate these cases.

Statistics show that one out of every five motorcycle crashes result in head or neck injuries for riders. Additionally, single vehicle motorcycle accidents account for nearly 45 percent of all motorcycle fatalities. In 2004, for example, 4008 motorcyclists were killed, and an additional 76,000 were injured in traffic crashes in the United States, an 8% rise from the previous year. In 2003, the reported fatality rate was nearly five times higher than it was for passenger car occupants. A skilled Florida Attorney in the Motorcycle Accident Claims area will fight for you.

Motorcycles are also more likely than passenger vehicles to be involved in a fatal collision with a fixed object. In 2004, 18 percent of passenger cars that collided with fixed objects resulted in a fatality, while 26 percent of motorcycles that collided with such objects resulted in a fatality. Also in 2004, there were nearly 2000 two vehicle crashes involving a motorcycle and another vehicle that resulted in a fatality reported. In 39 percent of these crashes, a motorcycle was passing the other vehicle, going straight, or approaching it, while the other vehicle was turning left. Inattentive automobile drivers present a great danger to the motorcyclist, to say the least. The fact is that 80 percent of these accidents are clearly shown to be the fault of the automobile driver and not that of the motorcyclist. An Experienced Florida Lawyer in this topic will fight and fight and fight for you.

Statistics show that nearly 70% of motorcycle accidents involving multiple vehicles are caused by drivers who violate a motorcyclist's right of way. In fact, the failure of car drivers to see motorcyclists in traffic is a leading cause of motorcycle crashes. Failing to check blind spots, misjudging the speed of a motorcycle, and tailgaiting can often lead to motorcycle accidents.

Other causes of motorcycle accidents include:

• Undivided highways, curves, and defects (like potholes and pavement ridges) - are contributing factors in motorcycle crash injuries and fatalities. Motorcycles, being two-wheel vehicles, are less stable than full-sized cars and vulnerable on poorly maintained roads. Intersections, for example, have a high incidence of multi-vehicle motorcycle accidents, while many single-vehicle motorcycle accidents occur along curves and on undivided highways. Why? Is there a problem with the design or construction of these roadways? Are they furnished with appropriate signs? Do their traffic controls function properly?
• Up to 3% of motorcycle accidents are caused by vehicle failure, necessitating prompt inspection of the bike by qualified experts. Similarly, the makers of safety gear must comply with applicable government standards to ensure a rider's safety in case of a motorcycle crash. For instance, all helmets have to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 218. In case of a head injury, then, a conscientious motorcycle accident attorney would engage the services of an expert to assess the helmet's performance in the crash by examining its style and weight, the thickness of its lining, and sturdiness of its chin strap and rivets.

An Experienced Florida Attorney in this field will advance the costs and expenses necessary to successfully litigate these cases. If you are injured in a motorcycle accident, sources of recovery for your injuries can come from:

• Drivers, Owners, and Employers. Drivers and owners of vehicles who cause a motorcycle accident are responsible for the injuries the wreck inflicts. But responsibility does not end there. If your motorcycle accident was caused by a driver who was on the job or driving a company car or truck, you would be able to pursue compensation not just against the driver, but his or her employer as well.
• Governmental Entities. If defective design, construction, or maintenance of public roadways constitutes a dangerous condition, the governmental entity that exercises dominion and control over those roadways bears blame for your motorcycle accident. Claims against governmental entities, however, have strict filing deadlines, usually as short as six months. It is imperative that you consult a knowledgeable motorcycle accident lawyer right away, so as not to miss these deadlines and lose your claim rights.
• Manufacturers. If bike failure due to defective motorcycle design, manufacture, or assembly contributed to the crash, the maker of the motorcycle would be a target defendant in your case. If a failure in safety gear, such as a helmet, exacerbated your injuries, then the item's makers and sellers would serve as further sources of recovery.

A knowledgeable Florida Personal Injury Attorney in the Motorcycle Accident Claims subject will assist you to successfully litigate these cases.

Victims of Motorcycle Accidents can recover for the following:

• Medical Bills. Serious injuries sustained in a motorcycle crash can trigger astronomical bills. For example, hospitalization at a trauma center for a head injury can costs upwards of $30,000 to $40,000! An experienced California Motorcycle Crash Attorney will help you recover the costs for any hospital stay, surgery, doctors' visits, diagnostic tests (like x-rays, MRIs, and CT scans), physical and rehabilitative therapy, and chiropractic care. You may further be entitled to the costs of future medical care, if your conditions will require ongoing treatment.
• Pain and Suffering. A motorcycle accident may inflict a wide range of injuries, whether they be temporary (such as road rash), longer-term (such as broken bones), or disabling (such as a severed spine or trauma to the brain). The law allows for compensation for the pain and suffering associated with such motorcycle accident injuries, yet it does not provide a fixed formula to calculate that compensation.
• Wage Loss. If your motorcycle accident injuries prevent you from working, then all your lost wages may be included in any claim for recovery. Even if you used sick leave or vacation time during the recovery period, reimbursement may be available.

Although punitive damages - that is, damages aimed at punishing a party at fault - are rare in motorcycle accident cases, they may be appropriate in certain instances, such as when a driver who caused the motorcycle crash was motivated by road rage or was driving. A professional Florida Personal Injury Attorney in this field will advance the costs and expenses necessary to successfully take legal action for you.