West Palm Beach Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

Riding motorcycles in West Palm Beach is a fun pastime and a preferred transportation alternative for many residents and tourists traveling within the area. Sunny weather on many days offers plenty of opportunities for motorcyclists to enjoy a ride through the city and beach towns of West Palm Beach. Unfortunately, even with the popularity of motorcycles on the roads, drivers are not always aware they exist and, in many cases, fail to take the precautions necessary to share the road alongside them.

You may recover compensation if you suffer injuries in a motorcycle accident. Drivers are often to blame when there is a collision between a vehicle and a motorcyclist.

Our West Palm Beach motorcycle accident lawyers can hold the responsible parties accountable for your losses.

Why Should You Choose Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA After a West Palm Beach Motorcycle Crash?

Our team of West Palm Beach injury lawyers at Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, understands what it is like for a motorcyclist after a traffic accident. We know that insurance companies will make it difficult for you to figure out what compensation you are eligible for and may even try to deny a legitimate claim.

The attorneys at our firm are not afraid to take on the insurance companies in a motorcycle accident case. If you are the victim of the negligent actions of a driver, you have rights and may be eligible for compensation for your injuries and other damages under the laws in West Palm Beach.

We have various locations throughout Florida for your convenience. We can accommodate your needs whether you are looking for an in-person or virtual consultation if necessary due to your current condition. Our Dolman Law Group team is ready to serve you and help you through this challenging process following a West Palm Beach motorcycle accident with injuries.

How Much Is a Motorcycle Accident Case Worth?

While a lawyer representing you cannot predict with 100 percent certainty the exact dollar amount you can ultimately receive in your case, they can give you a projected estimate. As your lawyer gains an in-depth understanding of the facts of your case, the specifics of your injury diagnosis, and what your recovery's future may hold, they can begin to calculate your motorcycle accident damages.

They will start this process early on in your case as it will help them and you gauge where you stand and what is or may not be an acceptable settlement offer when and if an insurance company provides you with one.

Motorcycle accident compensation as part of an insurance claim or lawsuit could include:

• Costs for the medical care of your motorcycle accident injuries now and in the future
• Payment of lost wages and income due to your injuries
• Compensation for any income you may miss out on in the future
• Monetary compensation for your pain and suffering, including your physical and emotional distress
• Payment of repair costs for your motorcycle or the value of the motorcycle if a complete loss

Motorcycle Accidents in and Around West Palm Beach

With the rapid growth of motorcycles on the road, each year, unfortunately, comes an increase in incidents and accidents involving motorcycle riders. In just one year in Palm Beach County, the FLHSMV reports 386 motorcycle crashes. In those crashes, 29 victims lost their lives, and another 314 suffered injuries from the motorcycle accident.

Most Common Types of Traffic Accidents Involving Motorcycles

A collision between a motorcycle and another vehicle can happen anywhere. However, there are specific scenarios where a motorcyclist is at heightened risk of injury when on the roadways.

In most of these cases, the motor vehicle driver's negligence ultimately causes the accident and injuries to the rider.

• Intersections - The intersection of roads, whether at a stop sign or traffic light, is a dangerous place but more so for motorcyclists when drivers are unaware they are on the road and fail to see them nearby. Left-hand turns are hazardous in these locations because a vehicle driver making this maneuver can suddenly cross into the path of an oncoming motorcycle when they fail to see they have the right of way and are about to cross the intersection. Sadly many of these injuries end in fatality because of the head-on nature of most crashes and the force involved.
• Dooring - Vehicles are not just a danger when driving but also when parked near or on a roadway. Any occupant that suddenly and carelessly opens their door into traffic can cause an accident with an unsuspecting motorcyclist.
• Rear end crashes - When a motorcycle rider stops at a light, they are at the mercy of the vehicles that come up behind them. If a driver moves too fast or fails to stop, they can strike the motorcycle and cause devastating injuries. However, unlike a vehicle rear-end crash that is often minor, a rear-end hit to a motorcycle can have fatal consequences.
• Sideswipe - Drivers that operate their vehicle aggressively or make abrupt lane changes are at risk of hitting a motorcyclist that may be in their blind spot. Unlike a vehicle with a much larger field of vision, a motorcycle is more compact and swifter, which can cause a driver to fail to identify one near them when they are not paying attention or in a hurry.

What Types of Injuries Can Motorcyclists Suffer in an Accident with a Vehicle?

As a motorcyclist in an accident, you will likely sustain not one but multiple, widespread injuries that affect different areas of your body. When a rider is on a motorcycle, their lack of restraints coupled with their exposure causes them to fall off their bikes when a collision occurs.

The force and location of the impact can throw a motorcyclist for quite some distance into the pavement or nearby objects. A motorcycle accident leaves a motorcyclist at risk of injuries from the vehicle's impact, then the force of falling onto the road.

Common injuries in a motorcycle accident collision can include:

• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Other head, back, or neck injuries
• Internal injuries and trauma
• Broken bones
• Lacerations
• Injuries to ligaments, tendons, and muscles
• Road rash
• Burns
• Loss of a limb or amputation

The Challenges a Motorcycle Rider Can Face Going Up Against Insurance Companies

The insurance companies in any accident will look to deflect any liability and blame they can on other parties beyond their insured. The more fault they can spread on another, the less money they are on the hook for. When an accident involves a motorcyclist, an insurer can try to play up the risk-taker bias that you must have caused the collision since you chose a motorcycle as your vehicle.

This is not only unfair but dangerous as it risks that you can lose out on the compensation you are eligible for under the law, which you need to pay for your damages. Hiring a motorcycle accident lawyer is the best move to fight back against the manipulative and unfair tactics of insurance companies that may try to deny a claim or limit the compensation available to you.

What Can You Do to Help Your Case After a Motorcycle Accident?

The time after a motorcycle accident is difficult for many reasons. For one, you are still healing, worried about your injuries, and unsure how your life may look in the future. Secondly, handling a motorcycle accident injury case is burdensome. With constant calls and requests for information, it is challenging to know what you can do to help your case and what is better for your attorney. The following are a few proactive steps you can take in your case.

1—Continue Medical Treatment

If you have been in a motorcycle crash, you likely have already seen a doctor and begun treating your injuries. If you have not seen a doctor but know you have injuries, visit your primary care doctor or the emergency room as soon as possible.

You cannot claim injuries so easily if you do not seek medical attention or proceed with your care. Insurance companies will investigate every aspect of your case, including whether or not you are keeping up with your appointments and doing everything you can to heal from your motorcycle accident injuries.

Keep track of your care plan and stay connected to your medical team and providers. Often, accident victims will get immediate emergency care to stabilize their injuries but can struggle to stay involved in the rehabilitation process. Rehabilitation can be tedious and take time to see progress, but it is critical to your care plan and the optimum recovery of your motorcycle accident injuries.

Continuing with your treatment plan serves to help you heal as best as possible and is also evidence of the severity of your injuries, the impacts of those injuries, and what your prognosis for the future might be.

2—Retrieve a Copy of the Police Report

It is common for accident victims to mistake the report they receive at the scene of a motorcycle crash as the police report. Police reports are not available on site after a traffic incident. Instead, you will receive an informational report with basic facts about the crash.

An informational report is helpful because it provides you with a case number and the identifying information of all parties and vehicles involved. However, the report will not usually include findings of the police officer's investigation or their conclusions about the cause of the accident. This type of information is in the police report.

A police report after a motorcycle accident can take an officer some time to complete. In Florida, an officer must file a completed crash report within ten days of the date they investigate a crash involving injuries. One of the easier ways to find your police report is to check online through the Florida Crash Portal. You can also get a report in person at the office of the police department that completed the report or requests a report by mail.

3—Create a Personal Journal

Managing your injuries, pain, and discomfort after a motorcycle accident can be debilitating and difficult for you. As you recover, it can become harder to recollect details about the motorcycle crash and things that may develop or come up in the aftermath. Keeping a journal of your experience can be a beneficial tool as you move forward in your case.

By jotting down important dates and happenings about the accident itself and your experience in the time following the crash, you can easily refresh your memory later if it should become necessary. Anything that you believe could be relevant to the outcome of your motorcycle accident case should be a part of your journal.

4—Call a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer at Dolman Law Group for Help

There is no need to go through the process of filing a claim and fighting the insurance company after a motorcycle accident on your own. Hire a motorcycle accident attorney from the outset of your case that will aggressively pursue the compensation you may be eligible for under the law. With an attorney at your side, you can rest assured that the insurance companies will not walk over you and manipulate you into taking an unreasonable offer.

West Palm Beach Motorcycle Accident FAQs

Motorcycle riders should be free to ride on roads safe from motorists' reckless and dangerous behaviors that can put their lives in danger. Sadly, there is no way to predict and know when a driver's negligence will cause you harm. If you sustain injuries in a motorcycle collision, you have a right under the law to fight for compensation for your losses. While money cannot change what happened or make you heal faster, it can help you counter the costs of your care and provide for yourself and your family following a motorcycle accident.

We want to help you understand the process following a motorcycle accident and what options you might have when seeking compensation for your losses and injuries. You may have many questions about motorcycle accidents in general and what a victim should do during the time following an accident. A lawyer at the Dolman Law Group can help you with these questions and many more when you contact us for a consultation on your case.

Are Motorcycles Common in West Palm Beach?

Motorcycles are popular in West Palm Beach and South Florida compared to most other cities and states in the U.S. Florida ranks second year after year in the most registered motorcycles, with only California topping Florida's numbers.

Motorcycle ridership continues to increase, and the number of motorcycles on the road grows each year. In any given year, there are well over half a million registered motorcycles within the state, and in recent years those numbers are closing in at 650,000 registered motorcycles. As more and more motorcycles take to the road, there will inevitably be a higher incidence of accidents, injuries, and fatalities.

Where Are Motorcyclists at the Highest Risk of Death?

Motorcycle accidents are becoming increasingly more frequent. Larger concentrations of population, more motorcycles, and more vehicles on the road will unsurprisingly result in more accidents. The nature of motorcycles and the riders' exposure means that when accidents occur, there is a higher chance of injury and death when a motorcycle is part of the collision.

A close look at accident reports and statistics across the country show in what locations motorcycle riders are at the highest risk of death when traveling the roads.

While you may think that the state with the highest number of registered motorcycles will top the list, you are mistaken; California does not even crack the top 10 most dangerous states for a motorcyclist. Florida, however, ranks high on the list, putting West Palm Beach riders at a higher risk of fatality when riding than most other riders in the country.

Florida has the country's fourth-highest motorcyclist death rate. In one year, 600 motorcycle riders will lose their life in a motorcycle collision which translates to 10 rider deaths for every 10,000 motorcycles registered in the state.

Are Motorcycle Accident Damages Usually High?

The value of a motorcycle accident case is not the same for each victim or case. Many factors play a part in determining how much compensation you may be eligible for after your involvement in a motorcycle accident. The severity of your motorcycle accident injuries is relevant and can result in more compensation for medical costs for your treatment and recovery.

Additionally, the impact of those injuries will play a significant part in determining the extent of your other damages. How much of an interruption to your life the injuries caused and the long-term diagnosis of the injuries will significantly influence the amount of total compensation you may be eligible for in your case.

Due to the often-severe nature of motorcycle accident injuries, they frequently recover significant damages. There is a higher likelihood of intensive care, hospitalization, and long-term rehabilitation with motorcycle injuries which will result in overwhelming medical expenses.

Furthermore, there is a higher chance that motorcyclists may suffer permanent disabilities that affect their work potential, thus causing significant income loss and pain and suffering. Damages you can seek monetary compensation for in a motorcycle crash include medical costs, income impacts, loss of quality of life, pain, suffering, and property damage.

What Is the Cause of Many Vehicle Collisions With Motorcycles?

Contrary to the widespread belief that motorcyclists cause all accidents, many accidents are, in fact, the result of the negligent actions of a car driver. Drivers who engage in negligence while behind the wheel of their vehicle can cause serious motorcycle accidents and risk the life of riders just going about their day and commute.

While motorcycle riders prepare for the risks they may face while traveling on the roadways, there are instances where they cannot avoid a crash when a driver's negligence puts them in harm's way.

Negligence that causes an accident may not appear obvious, especially in the chaotic moments following a crash. In the moments that follow a motorcycle crash, the focus is on the victims' survival and getting medical attention to you as quickly as possible. Only after a thorough investigation by the police, an insurer, or your attorney where evidence indicates potential negligent behaviors can you blame the driver.

It is not uncommon for a motorcyclist's recollection of the traumatic accident to be a little fuzzy or confused immediately after a crash. You may think you know what could have led to the crash. Still, you are missing the perspective of the other driver and what negligent actions they may have engaged in immediately preceding the collision with you and your motorcycle.

Examples of driver negligence that can lead to a motorcycle accident:

• Drunk driving
• Driving while distracted
• Speeding or driving recklessly
• Breaking traffic laws
• Failure to check blind spots
• Aggressive driving

How Can You Prove a Driver Is At Fault for Your Injuries in a Motorcycle Crash?

While you can suspect that it is the driver's actions that ultimately led to the motorcycle accident and your injuries, you must be able to prove it. As the motorcycle accident victim and the party seeking compensation from an insurer or at-fault party, the law places the burden on you, the plaintiff, to show that the driver in the accident was, in fact, negligent. To show negligence, you must establish through evidence that the elements of negligence are present in your case.

The evidence you can use to prove each element will vary, ranging from records to testimony and other information. While you may have some evidence in your possession, your attorney will work with you as they build your case to collect any additional evidence that may support your claim.

Possible evidence you can use to prove the elements of negligence include:

• The police report
• Medical records
• Videos and photographs of the accident, if available, the damage, the layout of the accident scene, and your injuries
• Testimony by witnesses about the accident itself or the impact of your injuries
• Employment records
• The testimony of different experts regarding how the accident happened, the injuries sustained, the consequences of your injuries, and any other relevant topic
• Your testimony about the accident and your injuries
• Receipts, bills, or other reports showing your losses for property damage or medical expenses

The Elements of Negligence Needed to Show Another Party is At Fault in Your Case

Legal statutes define negligence and the necessary elements to prove it exists in a particular case. Negligence is the basis for most personal injury cases.

You must establish these elements of negligence in a motorcycle accident injury case:

1—That the other driver involved in the collision owes you a duty of care

In most cases, this element is a given and relatively simple to prove. Any time a driver, motorcyclist, or anyone operates a vehicle, they must do so with the safety of others in mind. Every vehicle driver must refrain from acting in a way that could endanger others.

2—The driver breaches the duty of care owed to you under the law

For this element, you must show that the driver engaged in acts or failed to take action that would allow them to maintain the duty of care to you. Running a light, speeding, or driving distracted can violate the duty of care. Many actions and behaviors could qualify as a breach of care.

3—You must prove you have suffered an injury

Being in a motorcycle accident is not enough to file a negligence claim or action. You must have sustained some injury to pursue compensation. The severity of your injuries is irrelevant to establishing this negligence element, only that you suffered harm when the motorcycle accident occurred.

4—The injury sustained by you is the result of the other party's breach of their duty of care

This is one of the more complex elements to prove and where at-fault parties or insurance companies will try to wiggle out of their liability to a victim in a case. This is the element of causation. You must show through the evidence in your case that the cause of the injuries and losses to you was the other party's breach of their duty of care. In simpler terms, did the driver cause your damages?

Do You Need a Lawyer if You Suffer an Injury in a West Palm Beach Motorcycle Collision?

Motorcycle accidents are potentially some of the costliest traffic-related accidents that can occur. For example, the damages that can accrue for medical treatment and the losses for a victim of a motorcycle collision can be in the hundreds of thousands or higher when catastrophic injuries occur. Even in cases where a motorcyclist victim suffers a moderate injury, they can end up with significant medical expenses and weeks or months out of work.

This unexpected interruption to your life can derail your ability to maintain a household, your finances, and your future. You should hire a lawyer to represent you in a motorcycle accident case as soon as possible following your injuries. Going ahead with an insurance claim without a lawyer can jeopardize the compensation you may be eligible for under the law.

While you can hire an attorney at any time, if you wait to do so until there are issues with your claim, it can result in delays or complications that can prevent you from seeking the money you need sooner rather than later.

What is the Role of Your Attorney in a Motorcycle Accident Case?

When you hire a West Palm Beach motorcycle accident attorney to represent you, their focus will be on fighting for your rights and interests. At Dolman Law Group, we will fight to get you, our client, the best possible solution that benefits you, not the insurance companies or the party at fault. We have the experience and aggressive approach necessary to help clients seeking positive outcomes in their cases. We know what insurers are capable of and how to fight back.

An attorney working your motorcycle accident case can:

• Investigate the motorcycle accident
• Discover and protect evidence that is at risk
• Serve as the intermediary between you and all interested parties to the case
• Find all parties that may be liable to you
• Calculate your maximum damages
• Negotiate with the insurance company
• Represent you in court through a trial to prove your case
• Fight for you every step of the process, whether it be an insurance claim or lawsuit

Call our office for your free motorcycle accident case consultation with a member of our team. During this consultation, we can review your case and address any of your questions, concerns, and expectations.

Hire an Experienced and Aggressive Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in West Palm Beach—Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA

You do not need to wait for another second to make the call. Instead, contact our office at 833-552-7274 (833-55-CRASH) for a free consultation where you can discuss your case, and we can let you know what options are available to you after a motorcycle accident in West Palm Beach.

We can accommodate your schedule and needs to allow you to speak to a member of our Dolman Law Group team and get answers to your most pressing questions regarding your case.

What Our Clients Have to Say:

“Chad Robinson always responded immediately whenever I had questions or concerns. He worked hard to make sure I received what I deserved.”

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December 19

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“AMAZING and understanding attorneys! Did great on my case and I highly recommend Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA for anyone that has been injured in an accident!"
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Jan 2020
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