Reported Motorcycle Accidents Involving Injuries in Florida
Source: www.flhsmv.gov/
Common Motorcycle Collision Injuries
Motorcycle accident victims usually suffer from more than one type of injury. These injuries are often critical and many times result in a fatality. Some of the most common injuries are listed below, from least to most severe.
- Road Rash – when your body hits the ground at vehicle speeds, the pavement, dirt, gravel, or other surface types act like sand paper, causing bruises, abrasion, and cuts.
- Broken Bones – momentum is your enemy when you’re pitched through the air. A collision with other objects, vehicles, and the road can lead to numerous fractures and broken bones.
- Amputation – When injuries compromise the extremities the result is often a need to remove the limb. There are a disproportionate number of personal injury claims filed for amputation.
- Spinal Cord Injury – it’s common knowledge that a spinal injury can result in paralysis of the legs or arms and legs, and even death.
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) – Failure to wear the Snell and/or DOT safety helmet recommended above will most certainly result in head trauma from impact with your surroundings. These injuries are serious and can result in severe degradation of quality of life.
- Death – Another well-known fact is that many motorcycle accidents are fatal. Many of the injuries described above ultimately lead to fatalities.
The Long Term Impacts of Motorcycle Injuries
In the event of a collision with another vehicle while operating your motorcycle, moped, or scooter it is imperative that you find quality representation as soon as possible. When the accident happens, as far as you are able, you must make an effort to obtain statements from any witnesses, as well as preserve any evidence of the driver’s responsibility.
Planning for the long term starts with immediate representation. Some circumstances which arise following an accident are listed below.
- Loss of income due to time off work, or work preventing injuries
- Medical bills for emergency and continuing care
- Diminished quality of life, especially when injuries are serious
- Chronic pain as a result of injuries
- Mental impairment as a result of depression, stress, and similar factors
- Costs for medical equipment during and after rehabilitation
- Financial costs for replacement of your motorbike
- Loss of consortium
Common Types of Motorcycle Accidents We See
There are a vast number of ways that a person can get involved in an accident when riding a motorcycle but not all are as severe or as common as others. Our attorneys have experience in dealing with motorcycle accident cases ranging from single-vehicle accidents to dooring accidents and everything in between. Each and every motorcycle accident is different but there are some common accident types that the attorneys of Sibley Dolman Gipe Accident Injury Lawyers, PA see.
Head-on Collisions
The most dangerous type of motorcycle accident that someone can be involved in is a head-on collision. The physics of these collisions ensures the maximum amount of force is exerted on the vehicles and people involved since both vehicles are typically moving at speed and intercept each other head-on. Motorcyclists involved in these accidents typically do not survive the crash and those that do suffer the worst injuries that are often permanent and disabling. This raises the stakes of a case since these injuries require more compensation meaning the insurance company fights harder.
Left Turn Motorcycle Accidents
Cars commonly will hit a motorcyclist when they make a left turn at an intersection. This is usually because they fail to recognize a motorcyclist’s right of way as they are trying to make their way through the oncoming lane as they turn which can cause an impact on the side of the bike. These left-turn accidents make up roughly 40% of all motorcycle accidents with the fault usually being solidly the driver’s although a motorcyclist can be found partially liable if they were breaking a traffic law at the time of the collision.
Lane Switching Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycles can easily slip into the blindspots of a larger vehicle which leads to collisions when someone is trying to switch lanes and a motorcycle is in their way. Lack of motorcyclist visibility is one of the largest contributors towards motorcycle accidents occurring and those that neglect to watch out for motorcycles can be considered negligent and liable for injuries they cause.
Lane Splitting Motorcycle Accidents
It is illegal in the state of Florida to lane split with a motorcycle which is when a motorcyclist drives between the designated lanes thanks to their smaller vehicle size in order to bypass traffic. This does not automatically mean that someone that lane splits is immediately disqualified from seeking compensation with a claim after an accident like this but it does definitely mean that they will be looking at a reduced settlement based on their comparative negligence.
Consider Sibley Dolman Gipe Accident Injury Lawyers, PA as Your Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
With all of these conditions, defending yourself in court should be the last thing on your mind. That’s why it is so important to find the best legal representation that you can. At Sibley Dolman Gipe Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, we make every effort to recover the greatest settlement possible. Furthermore, we will negotiate with medical service providers to lower your bills, putting more money in your pocket, where it belongs.
*The above information was written and reviewed by either Attorney Matthew Dolman or another injury lawyer at the Sibley Dolman Gipe Accident Injury Lawyers, PA which has a combined 90 plus years of experience practicing personal injury law. Matthew Dolman himself has been practicing personal injury law in Clearwater and St. Petersburg for the last fifteen (15) years. The information provided comes from extensive research and years of experience trying legal cases in courtrooms.
Client Testimonial
“AMAZING and understanding attorneys! Did great on my case and I highly recommend Sibley Dolman Gipe Accident Injury Lawyers, PA for anyone that has been injured in an accident!”
Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Koralis R.
Jan 2020
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When a motorcyclist is involved in a collision they don’t have the benefit of being surrounded by a steel frame, airbags, or other automobile safety features. Even worse, insurance companies often stereotype bikers as being reckless simply for being bikers. No matter what the reason, a motorcyclist with years of experience, obeying traffic laws, driving defensively, and always staying on guard can still be involved in a serious motorcycle accident.
