As fun as riding a motorcycle can be, the truth is that there is a much higher risk of suffering a serious to fatal injury in a motorcycle accident than there is if you are in a vehicle. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:
- Bikers are 25 more likely to die in a vehicle accident.
- Bikers are five times more likely to be injured than car passengers.
- Bikers are at risk for injury or death in 80 percent of motorcycle accidents.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle crash, call our office to speak with one of our Virginia Beach motorcycle accident lawyers to find out what legal options you may have.
Injuries Commonly Sustained in Motorcycle Accidents
While every motorcycle accident is different in its own way, several types of injuries are more common than others among bikers hurt in accidents. If you have sustained any of the following injuries, an attorney from our firm may be able to help you recover your damages from the at-fault party:
- Head or brain injuries – The human brain is complicated and not fully understood, even by seasoned medical professionals. For example, you may have sustained a concussion and not even have been aware of it. You could potentially exacerbate the injury by thereafter consuming alcohol or over-exerting your body, which could lead to devastating results. Recovery from brain injuries can be a long process that requires extensive medical treatment, including physical rehabilitation. These types of injuries also often require ongoing or future medical treatment, the costs of which should be included as compensation in a settlement or lawsuit.
- Soft tissue injuries – These are often the result of what is commonly referred to as whiplash, which is extremely common in vehicle accidents when a person’s head is whipped forward and backward with great force. The damage it causes can affect neural pathways to the extremities and cause spinal paralysis and pain in your neck.
- Emotional injuries – One of the most common is also one of the hardest to diagnose, and that’s post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD from a motorcycle accident can cause extreme depression, anxiety, and anger. PTSD can affect every aspect of your life, personal and professional. PTSD does not always develop right away and can worsen dramatically over time if left untreated. A motorcycle accident claim settlement can include pain and suffering as well as counseling as damages in your claim or lawsuit.
Settle or Litigate
At some point during the process of your motorcycle accident claim, you may have to decide whether you want to accept a settlement offer the at-fault driver’s insurance company has offered or if you want to take the case to trial for a jury to decide.
This may not be an easy decision, so it is very important to discuss your options with your attorney. Very often, the decision to settle or to take it to court rests on these factors:
- Is the victim likely to recover more damages by negotiating a settlement or winning a lawsuit? Your attorney will know if there is a cap on the total dollar amount you can win in a lawsuit or if there are any issues with your case. Compare that to how much your case is worth, which may help you decide which avenue to pursue.
- How much will it cost to go to trial versus negotiate a settlement? Your attorney will give you an honest assessment of what the costs will be.
- How long will the court case take to resolve compared to a settlement negotiation? Your attorney will explain the potential timeline before the case goes to court and comes to a resolution.
Contact Our Firm for Help
If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident, you may be facing high medical bills and other financial difficulties. Our Virginia Beach motorcycle accident lawyers understand how overwhelming these cases can be. The legal team at Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp has successfully advocated for many motorcycle accident clients for more than 35 years. Our firm is dedicated to helping our clients get the financial compensation they deserve for the losses their injuries have caused and has a proven track record of success, having secured more than $100 million in settlements and verdicts.
For your convenience, we have offices in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Hampton, Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
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Andrew Stover limits his law practice exclusively to personal injury law. Andrew is a member of the American Association for Justice, the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, and the Virginia Beach Bar Association.
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