Sudden Stops
Following too closely or making abrupt stops can result in far more than a fender bender when a motorcycle is involved. Rear-end accidents can lead to serious injuries, disabilities, and even fatalities.
Dangerous Road Conditions
Extreme weather, crumbling pavement, debris, potholes, and a lack of necessary road signs and signals can all increase the risk of an accident for both motorcyclists and standard vehicle drivers.
Lane Splitting
When a motorcyclist rides between two lanes of traffic, this is referred to as “lane splitting.” There are states where this practice is legal, but Arizona is not one of them. Lane splitting can be dangerous and significantly increase the chance of motorcycle crashes, which is why it remains illegal in the state of Arizona.
Inexperienced Drivers
Inexperienced drivers, both on motorcycles and in cars, are more likely to make mistakes while driving. This compromises the safety of everyone else on the road.
Left Turn Accidents
Left turn accidents, including right-of-way errors and misjudgments of distance and depth perception, can lead to devastating injuries or even death for motorcyclists.
Driving Under the Influence
Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol is illegal in all modes of transportation, whether it be cars, motorcycles, or even boats. Those found guilty of driving under the influence may face both criminal and civil liability.
Motorcycle Defects
Sometimes, accidents may be neither the motorcyclist’s nor the other drivers’ fault. If the manufacturer of a motorcycle makes a faulty, defective, or poorly designed part, they may be held liable for any accident or injury that occurs as a result.
What Are Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries?
One of the reasons people seek the thrill of a motorcycle is because of the freedom and open air that come with it. Unfortunately, with that freeing experience comes the risk of serious danger. Because motorcycles lack any surrounding protective structure like doors or windows, the riders are more likely to suffer serious or even fatal injuries in the event of a crash. This is why adhering to Arizona helmet laws is so important.
One of the most common injuries sustained as a result of a motorcycle crash is road rash. To someone who has never experienced road rash, it may not seem like much. But those unfortunate enough to have had it before know how painful and debilitating it can be. If not treated properly, road rash may cause permanent damage, including severe scarring, skin irritations, infections, and superficial nerve damage.
Other common injuries that some might overlook as “minor” include fractures, broken bones, and burns. Again, these injuries can be extensive, resulting in permanent disfigurement, nerve damage, and even disability.
Even more severe injuries that can result from a motorcycle crash include spinal cord injuries, paralysis, limb amputations, and traumatic brain injury. These injuries often lead to disability and will more than likely require ongoing, assisted care.
In addition to these catastrophic physical injuries, those involved in motorcycle accidents may also develop mental injuries such as PTSD or depression. Being involved in a wreck, especially one that can put you so close to death, can stick with you for the rest of your life. Even if you recover physically, the mental picture of the accident can impact you for a lifetime.
Injuries can range from relatively “minor” to completely disabling or deadly. It is important that anyone involved in a motorcycle accident receive immediate medical attention, no matter how minor the injuries may appear.
What Are the Chances of Surviving a Motorcycle Accident?
It’s important to remember that there is no concrete estimate of how likely someone is to survive any auto accident, let alone a motorcycle accident. Every motorcycle accident claim has its own unique factors that contributed to the crash. Depending on the facts of each case, accident victims have anywhere from a 100% chance of survival to a 0% chance. While we don’t have the ability to predict whether or not someone will survive a crash, we do have statistics from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA).
- Approximately 111,000 motorcycle collisions happen each year in the United States. Of these collisions, 5,114 were fatal. This means that around 4.6% of all collisions were fatal. Looking at statistics as a whole, we can conclude that approximately 95% of motorcycle riders survived their accidents.
- However, the statistics differ depending on what the motorcycle collides with. When motorcycles collide with other motor vehicles, riders still have around a 95% chance of survival. When motorcycle drivers collide with stationary objects, the survival rate drops to around 90%.
- Don’t let these statistics fool you. Even with a high percentage of survivability, motorcycle accidents are still 15 times more likely to result in fatalities compared to other motor vehicle accidents.
- Basically, your chances of surviving a motorcycle accident are fairly high, but much lower than the chances of surviving a car accident.
Establishing Fault in an Arizona Motorcycle Accident
Determining fault is among the most important aspects of any personal injury claim. Your Phoenix motorcycle accident lawyers will work closely with the insurance company to assign fault for the accident. However, keep in mind that Arizona follows a pure comparative fault system. This means that someone’s damages after an accident will be reduced by the percentage they are found to be at fault for the accident.
The most important aspect in establishing fault is identifying any sources of negligence or carelessness. It is possible for one or both parties to display negligence in their actions. However, many Phoenix motorcycle accidents involve other vehicles failing to pay close attention to motorcycle drivers and causing accidents.
What Happens if I Am Partially at Fault for the Accident?
If you are partially to blame for the accident, your potential compensation will be reduced by the percentage to which you were at fault. For example, let’s say that you were riding your motorcycle on a busy highway and you changed lanes without using your signal. However, the other driver was driving recklessly and tried to cut you off. In the event of a crash, let’s say that you are found to be 20% to blame, while the other driver is 80% to blame. Your recoverable damages will only be reduced by 20%, while the other driver’s recoverable damages are reduced by 80%.
An experienced motorcycle accident lawyer at our firm will seek full and fair compensation for your claim. After all, motorcycle accident victims often suffer far more serious personal injuries than other motorists do. For this reason, you deserve fair compensation for your pain and suffering.
What Is the Average Payout for Motorcycle Accidents?
Determining the average compensation for a motorcycle injury case isn’t as helpful as many people believe it to be. This is because the values of one motorcycle accident case can greatly vary from another, depending on the facts of the case. We believe that it is far more helpful for injured motorcyclists to understand what goes into valuing their personal injury claims. Below, we outline the types of financial compensation you could fight for in a motorcycle accident claim.
Types of Compensation for a Motorcycle Crash
There are three main types of compensation that victims of Phoenix motorcycle accidents can seek after a crash. They are economic damages, non-economic damages, and punitive damages. We outline the differences between each, as well as examples of each below.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are easy to quantify and assign a monetary value to.
They include losses such as:
- Current and future medical bills
- Current and future lost wages
- Property damage
- Loss of earning capacity
- Funeral and burial expenses in a wrongful death claim
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are not as easy to quantify as they are highly subjective in nature.
Examples of this compensation include:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental and emotional anguish
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Mental effects from traumatic brain injuries
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are very different from the above forms of compensation. In order to recover compensation of this type, your Phoenix motorcycle accident attorneys must show egregious behavior on the part of the at-fault party. This usually means that the person responsible for your motorcycle accident injuries intended to cause you harm and harbored malice toward you for some reason. However, it is extremely rare for a court to award these damages, as many personal injury cases are not intentional.
When Should I Contact a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer After an Accident?
The very first thing you do after your Phoenix motorcycle accident is to seek medical treatment for your own injuries. Once you receive medical treatment for your injuries, this will generate medical records that will tie your injuries more closely to the accident. You should also gather evidence from the scene where the accident occurred, if possible. Take pictures and videos of vehicle damage, skid marks on the road, weather conditions, road conditions, and even damage to your motorcycle helmet.
The sooner you contact a Phoenix motorcycle accident attorney, the better. Our law firm has extensive experience providing families with the tools they need to recover compensation for their medical bills and other losses resulting from their accidents. If you’ve suffered a personal injury in a Phoenix, AZ accident, the motorcycle accident lawyers at Ybarra Maldonado Law Group are here for you.
Benefits of Hiring a Motorcycle Accident Attorney
You may be wondering why you need to establish an attorney-client relationship after your accident. Even if your case is fairly straightforward, there is always a chance that your insurance provider will try to deny your claim or offer you a lowball settlement. When or if this happens, it’s best to have our law firm help with your case. Insurance companies exist to make a profit, not to act in the best interests of injury victims. Filing a personal injury lawsuit might be your only way to secure the compensation and insurance coverage you deserve. Below, we outline just a few of the ways in which our accident lawyers in Phoenix can help you.
Gathering Evidence to Support Your Claim
It can be tough to gather evidence on your own, especially if you’re recovering from your injuries. Working with a motorcycle accident lawyer can help expedite this process. Because of our years of experience, we know exactly what to look for when roadway accidents occur. We not only gather evidence such as police reports and witness statements, but we also gather evidence of any property damage you suffered. This way, we can fight for full and fair compensation on your behalf.
Recovering Compensation for Your Injuries
Fighting for compensation on your own can sometimes be exhausting, especially if you have to deal with an insurance company. In fact, being able to better fight for your right to compensation is the primary benefit of working with an experienced Phoenix motorcycle accident lawyer. Our legal team will handle every step of the lawsuit from start to finish so that you can focus on your recovery.
Speaking with the Insurance Company on Your Behalf
As we mentioned previously, insurance companies are generally more concerned about their bottom line than with helping accident victims with their medical expenses. In many cases, insurance companies will even attempt to wrongfully deny a claim just to save some money. Having a Phoenix motorcycle accident attorney on your side is essential to avoid falling victim to bad-faith insurance tactics. Our years of experience make it easier for us to handle these companies than if you tried to handle them alone.
Contact Our Firm Today
When you have been involved in a motorcycle crash, it’s no wonder you want the best motorcycle accident attorney there is. There is a lot on the line here, and you deserve to be compensated for the injuries you sustained due to someone else’s negligence. When searching for legal representation, you want to make sure they have the proper experience and are well-qualified to handle cases like your own.
Learn more about your options by calling our firm at (602) 905-9299 or filling out our online contact form today! Hablamos español.
