Curtis Legal Group has extensive experience handling serious motorcycle accidents and our trial lawyers will help you meet all deadlines involved with insurance claims and with filing a lawsuit. The next essential step is to hire a reliable, experienced attorney to help guide you through the legal process after a motorcycle accident occurs. All of this information is crucial evidence for the resulting insurance claim and potential court case. After the police have arrived and written their report of the accident, ask for a copy of it or at least the incident number assigned to your accident. Take pictures and video of your motorcycle, the vehicle, and the surrounding area.
After emergency services have been called, if you are physically able to and another vehicle is involved, obtain contact and insurance information from the driver of the vehicle or vehicles and any witnesses. Make sure to get medical attention as soon as possible. Even if you do not feel seriously injured, you may have injuries that appear after the shock of the accident has worn off. Being in a motorcycle accident is extremely traumatic for your body. No matter what type of accident you are in, the first step is to call emergency services and seek medical attention.
What to Do if You Are in a Motorcycle Accident Even though helmets are required, traumatic brain injuries still happen and, without proper treatment, can cause lifelong pain and suffering. The impact from a car or from hitting the ground can also cause severe spinal cord injuries that can lead to paralysis. Broken bones, dislocated and sprained joints, internal bleeding, and punctured organs are also very common.
Road rash happens when the skin is rubbed off the muscles from sliding on the road after being thrown from the motorcycle during an accident. One of the most common injuries from a motorcycle accident is road rash. Many of the common injuries motorcyclists suffer from in collisions can be debilitating or fatal. Riding on a motorcycle does not give the rider any type of cushion to absorb the impact of a crash like a driver in a passenger car would have. Motorcyclists are often severely injured in a crash because they do not have the same structural protections as a car or other type of vehicle. Motorcycle Accidents Lead to Serious Injuries
In these scenarios and others, the injured party could maintain a products liability claim in addition to any viable personal injury claims. If the bike had design and/or manufacturing defects or was not properly fixed when brought in for maintenance, a mechanical failure could occur and the motorcyclist could crash. A mechanical problem with the bike itself can also cause a crash. We also all know that our roads are not always in the best condition and there are many potholes, cracks, uneven pavement, and gravel that can cause a rider to lose control. Poor weather conditions like rain, snow, and ice can create slippery surfaces, leading to a crash. Other than collisions with cars or trucks, motorcyclists can lose control of their bikes and end up in crashes that do not involve any other vehicles (also known as single-vehicle accidents). Motorcyclists should do everything they can to make themselves more visible, such as wearing brightly colored clothing, wearing an appropriate helmet, and gently honking their horn if they do not think a driver has registered their presence, especially if the vehicle is changing lanes or turning in front of them. Being vigilant is the best way to avoid an accident. Motorcyclists must also be aware of their surroundings. It is important for everyone on the road to keep an eye out for motorcycles. These accidents are typically not severe for the passenger car driver but can be devastating for the motorcyclist.
This can quickly lead to accidents involving a motorcycle and passenger vehicle. The small size of the bike compared to other vehicles on the road, coupled with the speed it is traveling and the weaving route it may take, can make it incredibly difficult to predict the path of a motorcycle while driving. Motorcycles, while fun to ride, are very difficult for the average passenger car driver to see. Unfortunately, more motorcycles on the road means there is a greater chance of a motorcycle accident.Ĭalifornia does require motorcycle riders to take special precautions while on the road however, even with those precautions in place, serious accidents occur that cause severe injuries and even death. California’s gorgeous weather and famous scenic drives make it a wonderful state for motorcycle rides.