Any vehicle accident can be disastrous, and each one can result in serious injuries. Motorcycle accidents are typically worse than any other vehicle accident due to the lack of protection offered by riding without a roof or any walls or doors. In a best case scenario, a person can walk away from the motorcycle accident with little to no injury.
If you’re involved in a motorcycle accident, it’s our hope the injuries you sustained are minor. Regardless, you very likely want to know what happens now that you’ve been involved in an accident of this nature. You have rights, and we can help you find a solution to your problem in the way of damages. There are several common reasons someone might have caused an accident while you were on your motorcycle, which are detailed below. If you haven’t been injured in a motorcycle accident, this information may help you avoid one.
Cars Turning Left
Almost half of all motorcycle accidents are caused by drivers making left-hand turns on the road. Cars often fail to see a motorcycle as it arrives at an intersection. They are more likely to hit a motorcyclist in this situation than not, and this is why so many accidents occur in intersections. Car drivers aren’t always on the lookout for smaller vehicles such as motorcycles.
Head-On Collisions
It’s one of the most common causes for fatal accidents involving a motorcycle, and it happens more often than you might imagine. This is the kind of motorcycle accident most likely to cause death, which is what makes it so dangerous. This might happen when
- A motorcycle is on the road and a car fails to see them while passing in the opposite lane
- When the driver of a vehicle isn’t paying attention to the road and swerves out of their lane
Lane Splitting
This is the fault of the motorcyclist. When a biker drives between stopped vehicles or moving vehicles without moving into another lane, it’s called lane splitting. If you or someone else on a bike does this in traffic, it can be deadly when a vehicle runs into your motorcycle.
Alcohol and Drug Use
Drivers under the influence are often the most dangerous people on the road. They don’t see well, their reaction time is slowed, and they’re not in their right frame of mind to drive safely and not take chances. They pose a threat to all people on the road, but they’re especially likely to fail to see a motorcyclist.
Speeding
Many people are perpetually in a hurry which often means they’re driving too fast. When someone is speeding, they’re more likely to cause an accident. Perhaps they are speeding to get around someone and fail to see a motorcycle in their blind spot or approaching them from the opposite direction. Whatever the circumstance, speeding is the deciding factor in many accidents where someone on a motorcycle is injured or killed.
If you’re a motorcycle driver who has been injured in an accident, you have a right to seek compensation in the form of damages for your injuries. A skilled motorcycle accident lawyer Memphis TN trusts can establish the reason for the accident and determine liability. We will pursue the negligent driver and seek full compensation on your behalf.
Let us help you overcome the injuries and financial stress in the aftermath of a motorcycle accident. We may be able to recover damages greater than what the at-fault driver’s insurance company has offered you. Contact our office today.
Thanks to our friends and contributors from Patterson Bray for their insight into motorcycle accident cases.
