What Are the Causes of Motorcycle Accidents?

The causes of motorcycle accidents often have nothing to do with motorcyclists themselves. Negligence by motor vehicle drivers, defective vehicles and motorcycles, dangerous road conditions, and driver impairment are among the most common reasons why motorcycle accidents happen.

In a word, motorcycle accidents result from negligence. If you or a loved one were involved in a motorcycle collision, a lawyer will determine whose negligence caused the crash. Your motorcycle accident attorney will then demand fair compensation from at-fault parties, their insurer, or any other liable party.

Get your free consultation

Impaired Motorists

Most know about the dangers of drunk driving. These dangers become even greater when motorcyclists share the road with drunk motorists, as motorcyclists are more difficult to see than motor vehicles.

Drunk driving is only one type of impaired driving, a category that also includes:

• Drug-impaired driving (which generally refers to illicit drugs like marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin)
• Prescription drug-impaired driving, as even medications obtained legally can impair a motorist
• Tired driving
• Driving while impaired emotionally, including but not limited to a state of rage
• Driving with impaired senses, such as when someone operates a vehicle without their glasses or contacts

Motorists don’t only have a duty to drive safely. Motorists must also ensure that they are in the condition to drive.

Careless Motorists

Motorists’ errors and knowingly reckless actions are one of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents. Some of the most common examples of dangerous driver behaviors are:

• Speeding, which plays a role in a large percentage of traffic accidents
• Driving too closely to the vehicle (or motorcycle) in front, also known as tailgating
• Weaving through traffic or changing lanes dangerously
• Passing when it is unsafe to do so
• Disregarding or missing traffic signals, including but not limited to red lights, stop signs, yield signs, and wrong-way indicators
• Racing
• Failing to yield the right of way to riders

Motorists are also careless when they fail to keep specific watch for motorcyclists. Every driver must recognize that motorcyclists are harder to spot and extremely vulnerable to serious injuries.

Defective Vehicles

Despite rigorous testing, there are a countless number of defective vehicles on the road at any given time. Defects can result from:

• Neglect by the vehicle owner
• Flaws in the design or production of the vehicle

As an example, a motor vehicle might rear-end a rider because the vehicle owner failed to replace brakes at regular intervals. In this case, the defect would likely be the fault of the vehicle owner, who would be obligated to cover the injured rider’s damages.

Defective Motorcycles

If you suffered an injury because of a defective motorcycle, you may sue the manufacturer for its negligence. This would qualify as a product liability case, and many personal injury lawyers who handle motorcycle accident cases also lead product liability lawsuits.

Unsafe Roads

Safe roadways are the first step in preventing accidents. Even if motorists and motorcyclists take all available precautions to avoid a collision, an accident may occur because:

• A motorist or rider hits a pothole, portion of uneven asphalt or other blemish in the roadway
• An unsafe work zone distracts or directly interferes with a motorist or rider
• Traffic lights are not working, or are not present where they should be
• Traffic signs are not present, have been knocked over and not repaired, or are ineffective for other reasons
• Debris in the road is not cleaned up promptly, contributing to a motorcycle accident
• Another hazard that is a municipality’s responsibility contributes to an accident

Riders can sue municipalities when unsafe road conditions lead to accidents. However, there is generally a shorter window for suing a municipality, which makes it important that you hire your motorcycle accident attorney as soon as possible.

Careless Actions by Pedestrians

Pedestrians can seem harmless when compared with speeding cars, trucks, and SUVs. However, a pedestrian’s danger lies in the fact that responsible motorists and riders will take great pains to avoid hitting them.

Any pedestrian who enters the roadway throws items into the road or engages in any other act that leads to a collision can be liable.

Essential Steps to Take for Every Motorcycle Accident Victim

Those who live through a motorcycle accident don’t emerge unscathed. The experience of a traffic collision can be disorienting, so it can help to have clear directions and priorities.

Regardless of your unique circumstances, you should not wait to:

• Visit a qualified medical professional, even if you already received some treatment: If you have already undergone a physical examination, medical imaging, and other types of in-depth medical care, this may not apply to you. However, if you only received cursory care at the accident scene or have not received any medical care, see a medical professional as soon as possible. You should voice any symptoms you’re experiencing, ask if medical imaging is necessary, and insist on receiving specific diagnoses for injuries and symptoms.
• Hire a proven motorcycle accident lawyer to fight for your financial recovery: Your first priority should be your recovery. Allow another just-as-important priority, your financial recovery, to be a lawyer’s responsibility. You can see doctors, rest, seek mental health treatment, and regain strength while your lawyer works to obtain fair compensation for you.

Keep all medical records you receive as you undergo treatment. Your lawyer will use such records in your case. Once you retain a motorcycle accident attorney, they may take over the responsibility of gathering such records.

Victims of Wrongful Deaths (Due to Fatal Motorcycle Accidents) Should Hire a Lawyer, Too

Motorcycle riders are at a heightened risk of dying in traffic accidents. If you have lost a loved one in a motorcycle accident, you deserve a compassionate lawyer to lean on. Your grief and recovery demand your full, undivided attention.

There are deadlines for seeking death benefits and filing wrongful death lawsuits. While you must take care of yourself, you need to hire an attorney as soon as you can.

Your Lawyer Has Several Options for Seeking the Compensation You Deserve

Attorneys utilize several strategies to secure fair compensation for motorcycle accident victims and their loved ones. Once you hire a lawyer, they will help you decide whether to:

• File a third-party insurance claim
• File a claim with your own insurer
• File a lawsuit against one or more liable parties
• Go to trial after filing a lawsuit

Most motorcycle accident cases are resolved through the insurance process. However, lawsuits can be the right option if you have significant damages, the at-fault party lacks insurance (or adequate insurance), or insurance companies won’t offer all the compensation you deserve.

Let a Lawyer Take Your Fight for Justice Off Your Hands

A motorcycle accident lawyer is a do-it-all legal counselor who will be responsible for every aspect of your case. Some of the common duties of motorcycle accident lawyers are:

Managing All Case Strategies

Lawyers craft personalized strategies for every motorcycle accident victim they represent. Forming a sound strategy will require the following:

• Evaluating all insurance policies that apply to you
• Determining if at-fault parties are uninsured or underinsured
• Determining whether available insurance will cover the cost of your damages
• Helping you decide whether to file a lawsuit

Your lawyer will gain a comprehensive understanding of all relevant facts, policies, and evidence. They will then give you unfiltered, reliable advice about how they will seek compensation for you.

Dealing with Insurers and Others Involved in Your Case

Attorneys protect their clients. One of the primary means of protection is for a lawyer to deal with insurance companies.

Insurers have a financial incentive to pay motorcycle accident victims as little compensation as they can get away with. Your lawyer will prevent any insurance company, civil defense lawyer, or other party from undermining your case or violating your rights.

Getting Evidence from the Motorcycle Accident

Attorneys must establish who is at fault for the motorcycle accident. They do this by securing evidence, which often includes:

• Your account of how the accident happened
• A police officer’s report, which may bolster your account
• An expert’s testimony about who caused the collision
• Eyewitness accounts of the accident
• Video of the accident
• Photographs of damage to your motorcycle and any vehicles involved in the accident

Attorneys gather all available evidence and determine which evidence supports your claim or lawsuit.

Documenting Your Damages

Insurance companies may refuse to pay for losses unless there is convincing proof of those losses. Your attorney will secure all medical bills, medical records, expert testimony, employment records, bank statements, motorcycle repair invoices, doctor testimony, mental health expert testimony, and other documentation that proves your damages.

Establishing Your Case Value

Motorcycle accidents can be extremely costly. Between totaled motorcycles, high medical costs, severe pain and suffering, and long-term professional damages, you should not be surprised if you are entitled to a large sum of compensation.

Negotiating a Settlement (with Insurers or Others)

Your attorney will fight for a fair settlement once they know how much compensation you deserve. The settlement negotiation process may include:

• Arranging a time for the negotiations
• Presenting all available proof of your damages
• Furnishing evidence of who is at fault for the accident
• Explaining how they calculated their settlement demands

Your attorney will also respond to liable parties’ counterarguments, attempts to undervalue your case, and other negotiation tactics.

Drafting and Filing Any Lawsuit You Choose to File

If you and your lawyer decide to file suit, your lawyer will start the legal process right away. They will draft and file the suit in the appropriate legal venue.

Seeking a Settlement After Filing a Lawsuit

After filing a lawsuit, your attorney may once again try to negotiate a fair settlement. This may be possible because:

• Insurance companies and other liable parties may not take threats of a lawsuit seriously until your lawyer files the suit
• Liable parties may fear that they will lose a large sum of money if your case goes to trial
• It is ultimately less costly for all parties to avoid trial, though a large award can justify the time and cost of completing a trial

If your lawyer can secure fair compensation without going to trial, that is generally ideal.

Representing You at Trial, If Trial Proves Necessary

If liable parties do not offer a fair settlement under any circumstances, a trial may be in your future. Your lawyer will review the current circumstances before initiating a trial. As the person most affected by your case outcome, you will make the final decision about whether to file a lawsuit or go to trial.

Can I Afford a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer?

You can undoubtedly afford to hire a motorcycle accident lawyer. This is the case because motorcycle accident lawyers typically offer contingency fees.

Contingency fees mean:

• The attorney’s fee is contingent on them securing compensation for you
• The law firm covers all case costs, including expert fees
• You don’t have to pay your law firm any upfront or out-of-pocket fees or costs
• Your attorney does not receive payment for their services unless they succeed for you, so they have an obvious financial motivation to secure the settlement or verdict you deserve

Clients generally like contingency fees because it means no out-of-pocket costs for them. You merely have to agree that your lawyer will receive a percentage of the money they obtain for you.

Common Damages in Motorcycle Accident Cases

While every motorcycle accident case is different, a traffic collision often causes similar damages for most victims. These damages include:

• Healthcare expenses
• The cost of repairing a motorcycle
• The cost of replacing a motorcycle that is beyond repair
• Lost income
• Diminished earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Mental health treatment costs

Wrongful death cases often involve funeral expenses, loss of consortium, loss of financial support, pain and suffering, and several other damages.

Don’t wait to hire your personal injury lawyer. Mind the filing deadline for your case and hire your lawyer today.

Get your free consultation