There has been a significant increase in the number of motorcycle accidents happening every year. One thing that makes them different from car accidents is that these often lead to severe injuries and deaths. Looking at how the motorcyclists have very little protective gear on their bodies compared to car drivers, it is safe to say that riders are exposed to massive safety hazards.
If you were in a motorcycle crash caused by a negligent road user, it is within your rights to claim for compensation for the injuries sustained, and our Garden City motorcycle accident lawyers can help. They can also help when a close friend or family member passes on or gets injured as a result of another party’s negligence. Here at Cellino Law, we have a team of excellent and experienced Garden City personal injury attorneys who are familiar with handling motorcycle accidents and will be dedicated to ensuring that you get the most amount of compensation for your injuries.
What Are Some Common Causes Of Motorcycle Accidents?
All road users, specifically bikers, are expected to fully understand some of the common things that lead to motorcycle accidents. As a biker, you need to know about the best way to manage yourself when on the road to reduce the risk of being involved in an accident. If you wish to use the road safely, here are a few things you need to understand.
Blind Spots
Looking at the shape of motorcycles and their smaller size compared to vehicles, they are more likely to get stuck in blind spots. As a result of this, they find themselves unnoticed by other road users, and this is one of the main reasons why most motorcycle crashes involve vehicles. A good number of these accidents occur at night when it is difficult for drivers to see the bikes using their mirrors.
This way, drivers should always be alert of areas around them that they cannot see clearly and be extra careful when checking to reduce the chances of them causing an accident. Besides, bikers should be wary and ensure that they ride in the designated areas and where other road users can see them.
Left Hand Turns
In most instances, when drivers try to make a left-hand turn, they look out for any oncoming vehicle before deciding when to turn, but they might not be keen on oncoming objects. This explains why most of the drivers cannot spot an oncoming motorbike when they want to make a left-hand turn and find themselves involved in a collision with the oncoming motorcycle.
The sad part is that a considerable percentage of these drivers tend to ignore the fact that they are not using the road alone, considering that bikers, cyclists, and pedestrians will also use it. Regardless, bikers should be wary of the vehicles ahead of them and be keen on any signs that might suggest that the car will make a turn.
Splitting Lanes
While lane splitting can be very dangerous, it is common on most of the state roads today. This driving trend is risky since cruising while leaving very little space between your car and other motorists increases the likelihood of causing an accident since it allows very little space for other road users to move around safely. Besides, most of the drivers are found unawares by lane-splitting considering how they did not expect to see another vehicle near them.
As a motorcyclist, ensure that you are vigilant while on the highway and notice any drivers engaging in this behavior. Always follow the regulations that govern how you can split lanes and keep in mind that it can easily cause accidents.
Excess Speeds
It is safe to say that most road users do not exceed speed limits intentionally, but the fact is that speeding remains the primary cause of collisions on streets, roads, and highways in the United States. Over speeding exposes any vehicle to various risks. For motorbikes, the dangers and extent of injuries from a speeding accident increase significantly. Even though motorcycles are made with massive engines, they do not offer exceptional stability like cars with four wheels, and they are more vulnerable to sliding when riders take a sharp turn, ride on wet roads or move quickly on surfaces with loose gravel.
Open-Door Accidents
In urban centers such as towns and cities, a good number of motorcycle accidents can be linked to instances where bikers ram into open vehicle doors. When riding in a street or anywhere with parked cars, you need to be more alert to see what is happening around you. As a rider, try as much as possible to leave a considerable allowance between your bike and other cars and stay alert in case someone in any of the parked cars in front of you opens the door. On the flip-side, drivers should be more responsible when opening their doors and make sure that there is no oncoming traffic or object by looking at their side-view mirror.
While we’ve listed some of the leading causes behind most bike accidents, other situations could lead to grisly motorcycle crashes such as riding a bike while under the influence of drugs and alcohol, not giving the right signals when turning, and bad road conditions. Regardless of the cause, accidents involving bikes are very likely to be fatal to all the entities involved. If you ride a motorcycle on the major roads, ensure that you muster proper road safety as it will help you to stay away from risky situations.
How Can You Determine the Faulty Party In A Motorcycle Accident?
Once a crash happens, the main bone of contention comes when determining the liable party. In most cases, the parties involved move fast to point the finger at the other as the liable one. Even if a victim of the accident has suffered severe injuries, it is not out of the picture to find that they played some part in causing the accident. It is vital to point out the responsible entity, especially if any of them tries to seek compensation.
A professional Garden City motorcycle accident lawyer can help you if you are aggrieved by proving liability before proceeding to file the claim. To accomplish this, they will rely on records by eyewitnesses, evidence collected at the scene of the accident, plus all the medical reports and a statement from the police. With all this information, it becomes simpler to determine the faulty party in the accident.
Motorist Negligence
This refers to an act of negligence by the driver or lack of responsibility on their part when operating their vehicle. This consists of situations where motorists exceeded the stipulated speed limits, and this led to the collision, or they did not see the bikers, did not give the right of way, drove while under the influence, or a combination of these.
In such situations, the driver will be held liable for the accident that led to the injuries and losses. Our attorneys at Cellino Law are well versed in these types of cases. They have the needed experience when talking about digging into such matters and showing that the other entity was truly negligent in the manner in which they were operating their car.
Manufacturing Problems
There is a chance that an error during manufacture caused an accident. This could be caused by improper setup, a part that is not working well, or a collection of other reasons.
Poor Road Conditions
New York state is required to allow all road users to drive in a safe and well-maintained road. Wear and tear on parts of the road that make it risky for motorists can increase the chances of crashes happening. If accidents are associated with poor road conditions, then in a massive percentage of the instances, the state is held responsible for the damages. Risky road conditions entail unmarked curves and bends, holes, uneven roads, traffic lights that are not functioning, overgrown trees, and other obstacles. Notwithstanding, motorists are expected to alert the relevant authorities when they notice such poor conditions on the roads.
Here at Cellino Law, we understand the extent of some of these car and bike accidents, and this is why we go all in to make sure that all our clients get undivided attention and their cases are handled diligently. By hiring us as your legal representation, we will give you a team of experienced lawyers who will work hard to ensure that you get the right compensation, regardless of the cause of your motorcycle accident, be it poor road conditions, manufacturing problems, or driver negligence.
We try to ask our clients and victims to get as much evidence as possible after being involved in an accident, as this is what helps us to build a stonewall compensation claim. Looking at how it is hard to determine liability in a motorcycle accident case, we will go all in to ascertain that your findings are precise and fair when guiding us to determine liability.
What Compensation Can I Receive For A Motorcycle Crash?
Accidents involving motorbikes can be fatal. In the scenario that you have suffered injuries as a result of an accident, you can quickly end up spending a whole fortune to cater to the treatment costs. If it can be proven that you did not play any part in causing the accident, then the insurance company that provides coverage for the liable party should be the one compensating you for the injuries and losses. But working with insurance firms can be very difficult looking at how most of them are used to reject claims and will try all kinds of tactics to arm-twist you into taking an amount that is much lesser than what you claimed for or even render your claim null.
To position yourself favorably when approaching such a case, we see it fit that you get our experienced services and let us handle these insurance companies as we understand all their tactics and will act in your best interests when negotiating with them. Our skilled group of lawyers can prove the claim amount you should request for depending on the damages suffered, plus both current and future costs. Some of the claims that you can ask for include:
Cost Of Treatment
The amount of money spent on the treatment of injuries sustained in an accident largely depends on the severity of the damages. For instance, harm to the spinal cord or brain can take many months or even years to be treated, with some having life-long implications. The lawyers at Cellino law can help to ensure that all your treatment costs are covered, including the present and future ones.
Lost Income
Some of the injuries suffered in an accident can leave you immobilized and unable to work for a very long time. The result? You got it right! Lost income. The attorneys who will be working on your case will ensure the insurance company of the faulty party compensates you for the amount of money you have lost by your inability to work.
Pain And Suffering
The agony and stress surrounding bike accidents include both physical and mental pain. And while no fixed amount of money can help you recover from this, the compensation will help in no small way to relieve some of the pain and suffering since it will compensate for the damages and losses suffered following the accident.
Damage To Property
The chances are very high that your bike will be significantly damaged following an accident, our attorneys will see to it that the insurance company caters for the cost of repair, rental fees and miscellaneous expenses that might come into play when trying to restore the bike.
It is not in your best interest to start pursuing compensation after being involved in a motorcycle accident when you would instead be recovering. You can contact us at Cellino Law to cover you in this regard. Our experienced and diligent attorneys are mindful of all the tactics used by insurance service providers when trying to reduce the claim amount. Our team consists of fully dedicated pros who will fight for your interests in the best way possible and go the extra mile to ensure that you receive your rightful compensation.
Facing off with an insurance firm for compensation on your own will leave you regretting. How do you even start? Note that this should not be the sole reason behind you failing to pursue the compensation you deserve. Here at Cellino law, we can help you to navigate the turbulent legal space. As gurus in the Law, we will bring to perspective some of the options you have and explain the guidelines and procedures that you should follow when seeking compensation.
What Are The Benefits Of Having A Garden City Motorcycle Accident Lawyer For My Claim?
When recovering from the injuries suffered from a motorcycle accident, it is essential to have a professional handle all the legal matters. Besides, having legal representatives on your team that look out for your best interest gives you a much better chance of facing off with the insurance companies with their experienced legal professionals.
Contact us today, and you will be directed to a team of highly skilled motorcycle accident lawyers who will give you a better idea of what is at stake and advise you on the correct legal direction to follow. Here are some of the reasons to work with us:
Help Dealing With Insurance Companies
Insurance companies will try very hard to render your compensation claim null. Be assured that they have the resources and will hire a diligent team of legal officials who are experienced in handling such cases with their main aim being to reduce the compensation amount and pointing out loopholes in your case. And in the midst of all these, we will be right by your side, fighting for your interests to make sure that they are held liable for the damages and compensate you for the amount you deserve.
Proving You Were Not At Fault
It is possible that some of the parties involved in the accident could try blaming you for the incident. As your legal consultant, we will work hard to ensure that your liability for the accident is greatly minimized, and such claims with no evidence do not reduce the chances of you getting maximum compensation from the case.
Gathering Evidence
We will deploy our professionals to assess the accident scene and remains of the wreck to see if other parties could have been involved as they try to get the truth about the accident. The findings from our investigations will go a long way to help know if we need to find other witnesses.
If this is the case, we will go ahead and hire other specialists in different fields to help us in assessing the accident and prove the value of the case as we pursue maximum reimbursement.
While accidents happen from time to time, there are no drivers that intentionally plan to get involved in one. And although bike accidents can be fatal, the amount paid out to you as compensation can go a long way to determine how your life goes on after the crash. This is why our attorneys are committed to help victims like you, get compensation for the damages suffered, and let them focus on the journey to recovery.
What is New York’s Statutes of Limitations For Filing Motorcycle Accident Claims?
You will need some time to recover from the injuries caused by a motorcycle accident wholly. While this is probable, do not lag on for a very long time before you start the process of filing your compensation claim. Note that the law in New York has put some time limits that should be adhered to if you are to file for a successful compensation claim.
For motorbike accident claims, the people seeking compensation have up to three years from the date of the crash to prepare and file a claim. In the situation that this time elapses, and you have not recorded the suit, then you won’t be qualified to get any compensation for the damages suffered, and the claim will be null and void.
However, this is not absolute, and some scenarios surrounding the case can affect the amount of time you have to play around with. To be in the best position when filing a claim, contact an attorney who is skillful in motorbike accidents for a quick evaluation and more guidance on how to approach the case within the stipulated time frames.
Contact A Garden City Motorcycle Accident Lawyer at Cellino Law Today
Here at Cellino Law, we will do our best to make sure that you are not liable for the accident to enhance your odds of getting compensation to cater for the damages suffered as a result of the accident. Reach out to our injury law company in Garden City for a free case analysis to shed more light on your position and the best steps to follow. Call (888) 888-8888 today!