Motorcycle accidents can cause you to suffer severe injuries that will put you out of commission for months at a time. You may be injured from a crash that would be considered minor if it involved a second vehicle instead of your bike. In cases where you are not at fault and the other driver negligently caused you harm, you can earn various types of compensation for your damages. A motorcycle accident lawsuit can be filed with the help of one of our experienced lawyers at our Porterville law firm, Normandie Law Firm. You should be covered for your injuries if you were not responsible for them, and we are here to help. Clients will usually call us with questions about what to do after a motorcycle accident; some of these questions include:
- Where can I find a motorcycle accident attorney in Porterville?
- Who are the best California motorcycle accident attorneys?
- I need a motorcycle accident lawyer in Porterville. What law firm should I call?
- Who are the experienced Porterville motorcycle accident attorneys?
Causes of Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycles are smaller vehicles that are not easy to see on the road. Many drivers hit motorcycles because they are not paying close enough attention or do not see the bike when they are making a maneuver. For example, motorcycles that split lanes when riding are more likely to get hit than those that are in the middle of the lane (lane splitting is riding between cars in between lanes). This is because it is much more difficult to control a narrow space and because those operating vehicles tend to look further back when switching lanes; by the time the car starts to turn, the motorcycle may already have snuck up or tried to pass, resulting in an accident.
The main takeaway we hope all of our clients get from inquiries regarding motorcycle accidents is the emphasis on driving defensively and with awareness. Even though you are afforded the same duty of care as every other car on the road, you should always do your part to ensure that you are not injured.
Some ways motorcycle accidents unfold include:
- Turning into lanes that are already occupied by motorcycles
- Ignoring the right of way at stop signs and intersections
- Misjudging the distance or speed of an approaching motorcycle and trying to turn in front of it
- Rear-ending a motorcycle after failing to appropriately stop in time
- Opening your car door as a motorcycle is passing by
Many of these accidents are caused by simple negligence on the behalf of the driver. At high speeds, the crashes can lead to potentially devastating injuries. It is most common to see broken bones, spinal cord and back damage, nerve damage, internal organ damage, concussions and traumatic brain injuries, lacerations and cuts, and other semi-severe injuries; however, there is also the possibility of suffering amputated limbs or digits, suffering brain damage, entering a coma, becoming paralyzed, or even dying.
After a motorcycle accident, you may be able to collect a settlement. Contact a Porterville lawyer for more assistance.
Steps to Take After a Crash
Many clients ask us what to do after a motorcycle accident. Fortunately, a lot of the actions you should take immediately after a motorcycle crash are the same actions you would take after any accident.
As with all cases, the first order of business is your health – you should make sure that you are safe and not in immediate danger. Your adrenaline may be masking some injuries, but as long as you are not bleeding profusely, in shock, or nursing a severe wound, you should be fine. However, it is highly recommended that you seek medical assistance anyway. Paramedics will often arrive at the scene of a motorcycle accident if an injury has been reported, and you can have your health checked by them. You may also go to a healthcare facility for more testing.
You should then collect the necessary information from all involved parties. This includes a police report from any law enforcement officers and the details and insurance info from the responsible driver. You will need this insurance information to file a claim.
Then, compile your evidence. You should take pictures of your motorcycle and the car that struck you, as well as photos of the driver, his information, witnesses, and your injuries. You may also choose to videotape witness responses and analyze the area where the crash occurred.
Finally, you should hire a lawyer for more help. In motorcycle crashes where there are no injuries but only damage to your property, you likely do not need a lawyer to help. Insurance companies are less likely to put up a huge fight when presented with a property damage claim. However, as soon as physical injuries are introduced, the insurance companies will begin to deny claims and ignore them. This can be frustrating for someone who does not deal with insurance agents each day. With the help of an attorney in Porterville, you can be sure that we are doing everything possible to bring you a settlement – it is our job, after all.
Compensation for Motorcycle Accident Victims
Those who have been harmed as the result of another party’s negligence in a motorcycle crash can receive financial compensation for their damages. You should not be made to pay for your own damages if you were not responsible for your injuries. With the help of our experienced Porterville lawyers, you can receive compensation for:
- Medical Bills: Costs related to your medical bills, such as hospitalization, surgery, ambulatory transportation, medication, physical therapy, and more, can be covered. You may also require medical treatments in the future because of your current injuries; these future procedures can be covered as well.
- Lost Wages: After an accident, you likely will need to take time off work. You can be reimbursed for these days of missed wages. Just like with medical bills, you may need to take days off work in the future for other medical treatments or additional healing time; these lost earnings can be recovered, too.
- Property Damage: Your motorcycle may have been gravely damaged in the accident, perhaps to the point of irreparability. You can be reimbursed for its costs, as well as reimbursed for the costs of any other belongings that were broken or lost in the incident.
- Pain and Suffering: Noneconomic damages do not have explicit dollar values attached to them like medical bills and income do, so they are more subjectively handed out. Regardless, you can earn compensation for mental scarring, psychological trauma, emotional pain, PTSD, fear, and anxiety.
- Punitive Damages: Punitive damages are additional forms of monetary compensation that are handed out in the event that the defendant acted with gross negligence or an intent to cause harm. They are taken from the responsible party in an attempt to dissuade him from doing the action again. Many courts see these damages as excessive, however, and do not award them too often. Thus, only a Porterville attorney with experience in motorcycle accidents will be able to net them for your case.
For more information on what you can earn, call our attorneys at Normandie Law Firm today.
Normandie: Our Role
At Normandie Law Firm, we pride ourselves on always putting our clients first. We will do everything we can to earn you a fair settlement and we will not stop until you are satisfied with the result. Our lawyers are empathetic and know that you may be severely hurt during the litigation process, and we want you to focus on healing while we work to bring you compensation. We will aggressively go after the insurance agents and we have no problem taking your case all the way to court if necessary.
Call us today for a free legal consultation. You are invited to ask any questions you want and we will gladly answer them. We believe all of our clients should be given necessary information before making a decision about filing a lawsuit.
If you select us for our legal services, you will receive a zero fee guarantee on your claim. This means that you will pay no out of pocket expenses for our representation throughout your case. We will only get paid if we win, and our payment will come out of the settlement we bring you; your defendant, essentially, will pay your legal fees. If we lose, you do not owe us anything at all, and we eat all costs ourselves.
For the services of a motorcycle accident attorney in Porterville, call us at Normandie Law Firm today.
