One unexpected impact of the pandemic was a drastic increase in motorcycle sales. From 2019 to 2021, motorcycle sales rose a whopping 42.9%!
More bikers on the road inevitably resulted in more motorcycle accidents, though. If you were recently involved in a Raynham motorcycle accident, then it’s necessary to get informed about your legal rights and options as soon as you can. If you didn’t cause your crash, then there’s a great chance that you can collect compensation from the other party. To achieve that goal, you may need to lean on the advice and legal expertise of a Raynham motorcycle accident attorney.
Learn more about how our experts can help you navigate your motorcycle accident in Raynham MA below.
What You Need to Know About Personal Injury Protection (PIP) in Massachusetts
Personal injury protection (PIP) insurance is mandatory for drivers in Massachusetts. This coverage helps fund up to $8,000 in medical bills and lost wages after you get into an accident. Even better, this policy comes into play regardless of fault.
What’s not so great, though, is that this type of insurance policy doesn’t even apply to motorcyclists. Even worse, you might not learn about this fact until after you’ve been involved in a crash. Unless you bought an optional type of coverage to support medical bills in the event of a motorcycle crash, then your losses might not be covered at all.
What You Need to Know About Comparative Negligence in Massachusetts
The good news is that you’ll still have options even if you didn’t take out specific optional insurance coverage. Depending on the circumstances surrounding your accident, you might be eligible to seek out a personal injury claim against the other driver. To do so, though, you’ll need to prove that the other party was mostly at fault.
Common Types of Motorcycle Accident Injuries
Motorcycle accidents usually cause some substantial injuries to the biker, even if they are wearing protective gear. One reason why is because bikers aren’t protected by seatbelts, car doors, and airbags. When a collision happens, they almost always get flung from their motorcycles. As a result, motorcycle crashes often cause the following types of injuries:
- Severe road rash and burns
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Neck injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Broken bones
- Amputated limbs
- Severe cuts and bruises
- Broken ribs or internal organ damage
- Sprains, strains, and fractures
The worst motorcycle accident Raynham MA has seen ended in a fatality. When lives are lost, nothing can rectify the tragedy.
The Most Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents
The best way to avoid a motorcycle accident injury is to prevent a crash in the first place. Doing so is much easier said than done, though. The most common causes of motorcycle accidents include:
- Distracted driving: Just like car accidents, distracted driving is a top cause of motorcycle accidents. Any time that a driver takes their eyes or hands off the wheel, they’re putting themselves and others at risk.
- Speeding: speeding is dangerous for all drivers, but it can be especially treacherous for those on motorcycles. When bikers go too fast, they might have a harder time reacting to road conditions or other vehicles.
- Poor road conditions: If the pavement is cracked, full of potholes, or otherwise in disrepair, it can make it tough for bikers to stay balanced.
- Drunk driving: drunk drivers are a danger to everyone on the road, no matter what type of vehicle they are operating.
- Open car doors: One of the hazards that’s specific to bikers is getting “doored.” This happens when a passenger in a parked car opens their door without checking first, causing the biker to crash into it.
- Poor weather conditions: rain, snow, and ice can make it tough for bikers to see and be seen. These conditions can also make roads more slippery, which can cause bikers to lose control.
- Lane splitting: When bikers ride between two lanes of stopped or slow-moving traffic, it’s called lane splitting. This might help them get where they’re going faster, but it also increases the risk of an accident.
- Reckless driving: Any time a driver fails to follow the rules of the road, they’re putting themselves and others in danger.
- Fatigued driving: When drivers are tired, they might have a hard time staying focused on the road. This can cause them to make mistakes or fail to notice motorcycles nearby.
- Inattentional blindness: This is when drivers look but don’t see motorcycles because they’re not expecting to.
- Left-turn accidents: These are some of the most common—and dangerous—types of motorcycle accidents. They happen when a car turns left in front of an oncoming motorcycle.
- Right-turn accidents: These accidents happen when a car turns right into the path of an oncoming motorcycle.
- Rear-end accidents: Motorcycles can get rear-ended just like any other type of vehicle. These accidents are often caused by distracted or inattentive drivers who don’t notice the motorcycle in front of them until it’s too late.
- Sideswipe accidents: These accidents happen when two vehicles going in the same direction hit each other, usually because one driver wasn’t paying attention and drifted into the other lane.
- Hitting an object: Motorcycles can crash into all sorts of objects, including potholes, debris, animals, and more.
While many of these causes, like driving under the influence, are well-recognized, others like inattentional blindness aren’t recognized by most motorists. By getting informed, motorcycle riders can help mitigate the risks they face while riding.
Inattentional Blindness
Inattentional blindness is a common form of brain error that causes motorists to unwittingly ignore motorcycles on the road. While motorcycles are fully visible and we can “see” them on the road, our brain’s reasoning and auto-pilot functions might opt to “ignore” the motorcycle because it’s attempting to scan the road specifically for “cars”.
You might think this type of error doesn’t happen that often, but it does. Inattentional blindness is one of the leading causes of motorcycle accidents. Usually, vehicles stop to scan for incoming traffic, fail to “see” the bike, and then pull out into traffic causing a crash.
The Most Common Types of Motorcycle Accidents
42% of all fatal motorcycle accidents happened when a vehicle is turning left while the biker was in the line of traffic. The reason why the vehicle ends up striking the biker varies, but the results are often the same. To avoid this type of accident, do your best to stay out of a car’s blind spot. Stay vigilant when passing or overtaking cars.
Another common type of motorcycle accident happens when a car on the shoulder suddenly opens their car door. Bikers also get into a lot of collisions when attempting to switch lanes.
What Kind of Compensation Can You Collect For Your Injury?
When you’ve sustained a significant injury in a motorcycle crash, your losses will likely start to add up fast. If you require emergency assistance or emergency transportation, then you’ll receive a hefty bill in the mail. On top of that, you likely needed care at the hospital, too.
You can collect compensation for all those medical expenses as well as the costs of future medical care. Depending on your situation, you might also be eligible to collect compensation in the form of lost wages, property damage, emotional distress, and more. Estimating the exact value of all these losses can be challenging, but you can get a better idea by starting to collect the right evidence that backs up your claim.
What Evidence Will You Need to Prove Your Claims?
First, you’ll need to prove that an accident occurred. This proof often comes in the form of an official police report, which you can request from the local office. Next, you’ll want evidence that shows the other party was at fault for the accident. This could come from the police report, photographs, dashcam footage, surveillance tapes, witness statements, or other sources.
Next, you’ll need to prove your losses. This type of evidence might include things like medical bills, repair estimates, a doctor’s diagnosis, or a letter from your employer. To learn more about how to prove your claims, consult with an attorney.
How Can a Raynham Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Help You
Collecting the evidence you need to prove your claims is only half the battle. Once you hand over that evidence to the responsible party, they may or may not accept it. If they refuse to acknowledge or accept the evidence you provide, then your negotiations likely won’t go well. That’s where a great lawyer can come in to help.
A good lawyer will help you navigate your claim from start to finish. In the beginning, they’ll look over the facts around your claim and help you decide whether seeking out a lawsuit is worth your time and effort. If it is, then they’ll help you collect the evidence you need, negotiate with the responsible party, and even represent you in court if your case progresses to trial.
Not only will a lawyer be by your side the whole time, but they’ll also have an incentive to maximize your settlement amount. In many cases, the more money you receive, the more money they receive.
Are You Ready to Speak With a Raynham Motorcycle Accident Lawyer?
Motorcycle accident injuries are often pretty substantial. Not only will it take you a while to physically recover, but you’ll also have to recover financially, too. Your bike is likely damaged, you may be missing time off of work, and you could even be failing to fulfill obligations that you usually would be doing were it not for your injury.
The good news is that you may not have to bear all those losses on your own. Our legal system provides recourse for individuals in your position who have been injured in motorcycle accidents due to another person’s negligence. Seeking out a personal injury lawsuit might provide the exact compensation you need to move forward.
Are you ready to get started? Contact The Law Office of Gerald J. Noonan now to speak with one of our best motorcycle accident lawyers about your situation.
