On average, motorcycle accidents have a much higher potential to end in serious injury or death than a normal car accident. Even an accident that would normally only result in a dented bumper on an average automobile could result in serious injury much easier when a motorcycle is involved due to how vulnerable the rider is. That leads to a higher potential that any accident involving a motorcyclist could also result in thousands of dollars in medical bills.

Motorcyclists are injured during an accident four times more often than other drivers, and they are 21 times more likely to be killed in a crash. Despite the fact that less than two percent of vehicles on United States roads are motorcycles, eight percent of all deaths on the roadway are bikers. Still, motorcycle accidents are on the rise, as roads are becoming more overcrowded and more gadgets and items exist to distract drivers than ever before. Many motorcycle accidents occur because drivers do not see them and may maneuver into a motorcyclist’s space or misjudge distance between them and the motorcycle.

If you have been hurt in a motorcycle accident, please contact one of our motorcycle accident attorneys right away. Severe motorcycle accident injuries result in high medical bills that will need to be negotiated down. Some motorcycle injuries may result in lengthy bouts of physical therapy or could permanently debilitating. Qualified legal assistance will greatly increase your odds of maximizing your compensation for your claim if you’ve been hurt in a motorcycle accident.

Causes of Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcycle accidents can occur for many reasons, including:

• Failure of other drivers to see and identity motorcycles on the road
• Increased difficulty in judging distance and speed of motorcycles
• Hazardous road or weather conditions
• Aggressive or unsafe maneuvering in and around traffic
• Recklessness
• Insufficient riding, cornering or braking ability
• Extreme speeding
• Neglecting defensive driving

The most common reason for motorcycle accidents is the failure of other drivers to notice them in dense traffic. Due to their size, motorcycles can be easier to overlook when there is so much to take notice of in traffic, or if the driver is not paying full attention to the road. In 2/3 of those types of crashes, the other driver is at fault, either due to failing to yield to the motorcyclist or misjudging the distance or speed of the biker when making a move, like changing lanes or making a turn in front of them.

Motorcycle inexperience or negligence for safety can also be attributed to many motorcycle crashes. If a biker is unfamiliar with the motorcycle, it can lead them to push it (or themselves) to dangerous limits without knowing what the bike is capable of. Speeding is a common trait in motorcyclists and motorcycle accidents, and with motorcycles especially, the higher the speed, the higher the probability that any wrong move or miscalculation will cause an accident with severe consequences.

Types of Motorcycle Accidents

Car/truck

75% of all motorcycle accidents that occur involve a collision with a car or truck. These typically happen when the driver of the other vehicle fails to notice the motorcyclist and ventures into the biker’s space by turning in front of, merging into or failing to fully brake behind the biker. If the motorcyclist is not given enough time to react, it could result in an immediate collision. However, even if the motorcyclist is able to swerve to avoid the collision, they may still lose control of the bike and crash anyways. In either case, the chance for severe injury in a motorcycle accident is extremely high.

Solo

A solo accident involves only the motorcyclist and the bike. Often, a police report will claim negligence on the part of the biker as the cause for the accident, and many times that is the case. However, the accident can also be caused by elements beyond the rider’s control, like hazardous road conditions or faulty equipment.

Common types of solo motorcycle accidents are high and low siding, and end-over crashes. A low siding accident occurs when a bike is angled too sharply on a turn and loses traction, skidding out. A high siding accident occurs when a sliding bike suddenly regains traction, causing the bike and rider to flip. An end-over accident is when a biker slams on the brakes so hard it causes the bike to flip end over end.

Rear-end

Rear-end collisions happen specifically when a vehicle neglects to brake in time for a stopped or slowly traveling motorcycle, usually due to not being able to detect them in time. Drivers of larger vehicles may be more prone to being unable to see the motorcyclist and causing a motorcycle accident.

U-turn

These accidents occur when a car turns and cuts across the opposing lane of traffic and a motorcyclist, given little to no warning, is unable to avoid colliding with the vehicle broadside. Often, the rider will be ejected from the bike and be thrown over the call that collided with them, which will likely result in serious injuries. Sadly, despite the injuries, the biker is often found at fault for striking the vehicle, although it can be debated depending on the case.

Blocked trail

These accidents occur when landowners put up barricades like ropes or chains across the entrance to a path on their property in an effort to prevent unwanted off-road bikers from riding on it. Frequently, bikers do not see the obstructions in time and run into them. Because the land-owners do not have the right to put up barricades that may pose a safety threat to riders without first posting a warning well in advance, they can be held liable if an accident occurs.

Unsafe road conditions

These accidents occur when unexpected hazardous conditions on the road cause a motorcyclist to lose control of their bike and crash. Such hazards include motor oil, loose gravel, uneven pavement, potholes, debris, wet roads, etc.

Open car door

These types of motorcycle accidents occur when someone carelessly leaves a car door open in the line of traffic without checking for approaching vehicles. If a car comes by, it may just take the door off the car, but if a motorcycle happens to run into the open door, the rider can be thrown from the bike and severely injured.

Motorcycle Accident Injuries

Motorcycle accident victims often suffer through permanently disfiguring and life-altering injuries after an accident. All auto accidents can be bad, but without the hard shell of a car and the extra weight that goes with it, motorcycle accidents can be particularly devastating. The number of possible injuries that can occur in a bad motorcycle accident is incredible, and there’s a high chance in any motorcycle accident that the injuries could prove fatal.

Some more common severe motorcycle accident injuries include:

• Head Injury
• Brain Injury or brain damage
• Broken bones
• Internal organ damage
• Spinal cord injury or paralysis
• Road rash or road burn
• Lacerations and abrasions
• Nerve damage

It is important to wear proper safety equipment when riding a motorcycle, as it does aide in guarding against some types of motorcycle accident injuries. Proper attire can lessen the effects of road rash, and a helmet is a priority for guarding against head and brain injury. However, these items do not completely remove the risk of serious injury sustained in a motorcycle accident.

A motorcycle crash victim should always seek immediate medical attention, even if they are unaware of any injuries. A motorcyclist may initially be in shock due to the trauma they’ve just endured, so they may not feel like they are injured at the time. However, lengthy hospital stays, physical therapy and long recovery times are the norm for most motorcycle accidents. If medical treatment is put off for any reason, it may also harm your motorcycle accident case as well as your health. Treatment will need to begin immediate for a law firm to have the best chance at recovering enough to compensate for your medical bills and lost wages.

If you or a loved one have been injured in a motorcycle accident, do not hesitate to contact a qualified motorcycle accident attorney right away. Please fill out the free consultation form online or call us to schedule an appointment with one of our attorneys to evaluate your case.