Compared to vehicles, motorcycles are often at a higher risk of getting into accidents. For this reason, it’s essential for you as a rider to be careful while on the road.
Ensure you follow traffic safety rules, wear reflective or bright clothes for better visibility, and avoid cruising while intoxicated. These measures could reduce your risk of getting into an accident.
Do You Need An Attorney After A Bike Crash?
Unfortunately, you as a rider may be doing everything right but still, get into a crash. This may be due to someone else’s negligence, carelessness, or ill will. The law allows you to sue the party at fault in such cases. By doing so, you could get compensated for the financial or emotional strain caused by your accident.
If a loved one or you have recently been involved in a motorcycle crash, it’s best to hire an attorney. Lawyers do their best to identify the party at fault in a collision and help clients with their accident claims. If a person’s eligible for compensation, they’ll do their best to ensure they get a fair amount.
Common Accidents Experience By Motorcyclists
It might be tough to get paid for losses and damages in some motorcycle crashes. Usually, it depends on how the accident occurred. Below is a breakdown of bike crash types that are quite common. The list might help you determine if you’re eligible for compensation.
Common motorcycle crashes may include:
- Head-On Collisions
A head-on collision is an accident whereby the front end of a car and bike hit each other. In most cases, this occurs when both are traveling in opposite directions. It may result from a vehicle operator or a motorcyclist unexpectedly changing lanes, driving into oncoming traffic, or taking a left turn.
Usually, most head-on collisions may be fatal to a biker. Unlike a vehicle operator whose car has several safety features like steel frames and safety belts, motorcycles don’t have such. Therefore, bikers are more exposed to the dangers of an open road.
In head-on collisions, speed can determine the degree of injury. If both a rider and driver are driving too fast, a motorcyclist could become severely hurt or might not survive. Also, without safety gear like a helmet or biking boots, a rider may suffer significant injuries, or the accident could turn fatal.
Working with a lawyer can help identify who was at fault if you’ve been in a head-on collision recently. If it’s the other driver, they’ll help ensure that the person is held liable. If you were also to blame, the attorney could help determine your degree of fault and ensure you get fairly compensated for the other party’s contribution to the accident.
- Rear-End Accidents
Rear-end accidents happen when your bike is hit from behind by a motorist. This collision could knock you off your motorcycle, causing minor or severe injuries. This type of crash can happen at a pedestrian crossing spot or intersection.
In most cases, this accident may be caused by distracted drivers. For instance, you may be in the middle of stop-and-go traffic, approaching a pedestrian crossing, or at an intersection. If the motorist behind you checks a notification on their phone while still driving, not noticing that you’ve stopped, they’ll hit you from behind. In this case, you may be allowed to sue them for negligence.
- Left-Hand Turn Collisions
Left-hand turn collisions happen if a driver rapidly enters your lane or doesn’t see you at an intersection and unexpectedly turns left, causing an impact. Such crashes can also occur if a driver fails to estimate your speed accurately and turns left while you’re passing them. If they aren’t fast enough, they can cause a crash.
In this kind of accident, you, as a rider, are at a higher risk of harm than the vehicle operator. Also, the severity of your injuries and survival rate may depend on your speed and the other motorist’s.
If the other vehicle operator is to blame for the accident, they should compensate you fully. However, if you were also partially responsible, both might bear the burden of your damages and losses.
- Faulty Bike Accidents
Usually, the law requires manufacturers to ensure that their products are safe to use. However, some may use cheap materials to reduce costs or fail to test their items before releasing them to the market. Also, others might not recall products that consumers have identified as hazardous.
You may have gotten into an accident because your bike was defective. In this case, the law allows you to sue the faulty motorcycle’s manufacturer. This way, you could recover the financial or non-financial losses caused by the unfortunate incident.
Conclusion
As a biker, you’re at a higher risk of being in an accident. You may be involved in a head-on, left-hand turn, or rear-end collision. Besides that, if your motorcycle is defective, it could cause you harm. If you’re hurt after an accident with your bike, it’s essential to have a lawyer beside you. They’ll help identify the party at fault and ensure you’re fairly compensated.