
Motorcycle accidents are damaging both emotionally and physically. If you are involved in a motorcycle accident, do you know what your priorities need to be?
What are the benefits of a motorcycle accident lawsuit?
The most important step to take following a motorcycle accident is to seek immediate medical attention. Next, you need to reach out to an attorney who will aggressively represent your interests against negligent drivers, insurance carriers, and avoidable legal mistakes. Working with a professional personal injury lawyer is the surest way to guarantee that all of your legal options are being considered to provide you with the best possible outcome.
If you were injured in a motorcycle crash that was caused by another driver’s recklessness or negligence, contact the Virginia Beach motorcycle injury lawyers at Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp. You can schedule your free consultation and discover what course of action we recommend for your situation.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents?
Just like car accidents, there are many different scenarios that can lead to motorcycle accidents. The most common causes of Virginia motorcycle accidents are:
- Reckless driving: Unlike careless driving, reckless driving is actually a criminal offense that includes behaviors such as disregarding stop signs or traffic lights, driving in prohibited areas like sidewalks, veering into oncoming traffic, and driving at an excessively high rate of speed.
- Speeding: Exceeding the posted speed limit is another common cause of avoidable accidents, particularly during inclement weather and at night.
- Road rage: Driving aggressively, such as cutting off other vehicles, not coming to a complete stop at a stop sign or stoplight, tailgating, and weaving in and out of traffic are all dangerously aggressive driving behaviors.
- Driving while distracted: When a driver takes their eyes off the roadway, their hands off the steering wheel, or is focused on anything that is not the task at hand for even a few seconds, these distractions can result in a motorcycle accident that leaves the rider with catastrophic injuries.
- Driving while intoxicated: Driving a vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or while extremely tired can impact a driver’s depth perception, reaction time, and ability to exercise good judgment, all of which can dramatically increase the risk of an accident.
The whole idea behind driving laws is to keep people safe and to prevent accidents. When people choose not to follow the rules, motorcycle accidents are inevitable.
What Should I Do After Being Involved in a Motorcycle Accident?
Motorcycle accident statistics provided by the Insurance Information Institute show that motorcyclists are much more likely to be seriously injured than the occupants of closed vehicles such as cars and SUVs.
If you are involved in a motorcycle accident, the first things you should do include:
- Allow yourself to be medically treated at the scene, or immediately seek outside medical attention. Be sure to follow your doctor’s care plan to the letter.
- Document any property damage and physical injuries by taking pictures or videos and keeping a written diary.
- Never admit fault or apologize. Seek immediate qualified legal counsel and follow your attorney’s advice.
Motorcycle accidents often result in serious injuries, such as brain injuries, concussions, and spinal cord damage, along with amputations, broken bones, avulsion injuries, and lacerations. If you need help securing evidence or would like a professional to serve your best interests while you are recovering in the hospital, you need to work with an experienced personal injury lawyer.
How Will a Motorcycle Injury Lawsuit Help My Situation?
A successful lawsuit could provide you with damages for your:
- Medical expenses, and long-term or ongoing medical care
- Lost income or work opportunities
- Punitive damages intended to penalize the at-fault party’s recklessness or negligence
- Pain, suffering, and inconvenience
- Wrongful death for surviving family members if the accident was fatal
The sooner you contact an experienced motorcycle accident attorney, the sooner they can get started on investigating and building a case for compensation.
Were You Injured in a Virginia Motorcycle Accident?
If you were injured in a negligence-based motorcycle accident that was not your fault, the Virginia motorcycle accident lawyers at Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp can help. Motorcycle injury cases can be challenging. Schedule a free consultation with our Virginia Beach personal injury lawyers by calling (833) 997-1774 or through the contact form on our website.
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For over twenty years, Mr. Sharp's law practice has focused on serious personal injury claims, including traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury claims. He also handles nursing home neglect cases and medical malpractice claims. Mr. Sharp has counseled numerous clients about the complexities concerning litigation of both pediatric and adult brain injury. Mr. Sharp has been awarded the AV Preeminent ranking by Martindale, the highly respected and widely utilized directory of lawyers throughout the world. AV Preeminent status is awarded only to those lawyers who achieve the highest level of success within the legal field and is a testament to the fact that a lawyer's peers and Judges rank him at the highest level of professional excellence. He has also been recognized as a "Best Lawyer" by U.S. News for personal injury, an accolade awarded to only a small fraction of lawyers. Mr. Sharp has also been recognized by Super Lawyers as one of the top personal injury lawyers in Virginia. This recognition is awarded only to those lawyers who have achieved the highest level of success and have been recognized by their peers as demonstrating the highest level of professional excellence.
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