Motorcycle Accidents Attorney

The climate in Florida enables motorcycle enthusiasts to ride motorcycles almost year round. For many people it is an economical way to get around to run errands or go to work. A motorcycle can lead to catastrophic and long term injuries, financial losses and even death because a motorcycle affords the rider no protection in the event of a collision with another vehicle on the roadway. Non-fatal injuries from motorcycle crashes are usually extremely serious.

Unfortunately, the State of Florida leads the entire nation in the number of motorcycle deaths and injuries according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The State of Florida is the most dangerous place in the nation for driving or riding as a passenger on a motor vehicle.

Motorcycle enthusiasts are acutely aware that the use of a motorcycle is a controversial subject, most especially because the motorcycle affords the driver no protection in the event of an accident with a car, truck or tractor trailer. In their studies, NHTSA has documented that only 7% of licensed drivers in the State of Florida have a motorcycle accident, yet motorcycle accidents account for 19% of traffic accidents (and fatalities) in this state. The following 2017 statistics show that:

1. Almost 16% of motorcycle operators carry no insurance.
2. About 15% of motorcycle operators do not wear helmets while operating a motorcycle.
3. Car drivers do not see motorcycle and they fail to yield, followed by careless driving and running through a traffic light or sign.
4. Increasing number of residents moving to Florida every year.
5. The number of drivers who are distracted by cell phones, GPS devices, texting and other dashboard entertainment systems.
6. The Florida sunshine state has more motorcyclists on the road longer throughout the year because of the weather.

Motorcycle drivers and their passengers sustain injuries on the roadways because of these increased dangers that exist:

1. Motorcycle crashes account for 56% of motorcycle accident deaths. In most of these accidents these crashes involve head on collisions with the motorcycle. Head-on collisions are often fatal to the motorcycle driver and his passenger.
2. Cars making left hand turns are a dangerous situation for a motorcyclist if the operator of the car is not paying attention. Usually this type of left hand turn accident occurs if the motorcycle is going straight through an intersection, passing the car or trying to overtake the car. Although this kind of collision can happen between two cars, it more frequently involves a car and a motorcycle because the motorcycle is less visible. When motorcycles try to pass cars, they are even more vulnerable because cars are surprised when this a motorcyclist does this. Often, in this type of left hand turn accident, a vehicle that hits another vehicle while making a left hand turn will be found at fault for the accident. If the motorcyclist was speeding or in the wrong lane, the motorcyclist will likely be found to be partly at fault for the accident.
3. Lane splitting occurs when a motorcyclist drives between two lanes of slowly moving traffic. This usually occurs in traffic jams or rush hour scenarios. Lane splitting is a common cause of motorcycle accident because of the close proximity of the motorcycle to the car, the small space that the motorcycle has to drive through and the fact that stopped or slow moving cards are not expecting a motorcycle to pull up beside them between lanes.
4. Just as in the operation of automobiles, nearly half of the motorcycle accidents are caused by alcohol or speeding. Since a motorcycle provides little protection to the driver and/or passenger, accident caused by speeding or alcohol often result in death.
5. Due to the fact that a motorcycle has more maneuverability than an automobile, motorcycles colliding with fixed objects happens more frequently, mostly because drivers try to squeeze through areas at a high rate of speed. When a motorcycle collides with a fix object, the driver is often thrown far and hard from the motorcycle, resulting in serious injuries and frequently death.
6. Road hazards are oftentimes more dangerous to motorcyclists then they are to car. Dangers such as potholes, dead animals, slick roads due to rain, uneven pavement and other irregularities and road hazard pose a very serious threat to motorcycles. Hitting a pothole with a motorcycle could cause the rider to be thrown from the motorcycle sustaining serious injury, death, and possibly even being hit by another vehicle on a highly where traffic is moving along.

It is hard to think clearly after you have been involved in an accident. Your mind is racing and you think of many things that you should do. Sometimes your actions are just reactions to the accident and you are not thinking at that moment how what you do in those first few minutes will affect you. In those immediate moments after a car accident, there are some things you should not do:

• Never try to represent yourself against an insurance company. This occurs when people do not understand their legal rights and mistakenly believe that the insurance company will be fair and offer an adequate settlement.
• Do not think that hiring a large personal injury firm based on radio and television commercials is the best choice because of the size of the firm. In large law firms, there are many levels of staff that you will talk to before you get to talk to your attorney. In some instances, client who hire large firms never actually get to speak to their attorney who is assigned to their case. Although you may sometimes speak to the paralegal assigned to your case at Hunter Law Firm, it is your right to speak directly to your attorney any time you want to. Attorney George Hunter is available to speak to all of his clients personally.
• If you are involved in any kind of motor vehicle accident do not leave the scene. Call 911 immediately so they can send policeman or deputy to the scene of the accident in addition to an ambulance and EMT’s to do an on-site assessment of your injuries.
• Don’t apologize to the other driver and do not admit any fault for the accident. Anything that you say at the scene may be brought up later and used against you.
• Do not tell anyone that you are not hurt or that you are okay. You have just had an accident, you are not thinking clearly and at that point you really don’t know if you are okay.
• Do not leave the scene of the accident without taking pictures, preferably if you are able to, while the cars are still in the position immediately after the accident. Almost everyone has a cell phone that can take pictures. These pictures could be very important later on when the adverse driver’s insurance carrier tries to dispute liability.
• Do not forget to obtain the other driver’s insurance information and if possible take a picture of the license plate of the other driver’s car or truck.
• Do not refuse to be medically assessed at the scene of the accident. Some injuries will take a few days before you are really feeling pain as you try to go about your regular routine. The other drive’s insurance company will try to say are not hurt because you refused treatment at the scene or did not go to the hospital.
• Do not speak to anyone from an insurance company or a private investigator. They are going to try to get information from you that they will use to hurt you later on. Tell whoever calls you to contact your attorney. Insurers will often reach out to accident victims immediately and try to offer them a few hundred dollars in exchange for an all inclusive release. If you sign that release you will never be able to file a claim, even if your injuries are very serious.

To really protect yourself and your future after a motorcycle accident, you need to retain the services of a law firm that has represented injured clients and knows how to deal with insurance carriers.

Hunter Law Firm will make sure that you get the compensation that you deserve for your injuries, your pain and suffering, medical expenses and lost wages. We will make sure that the insurance company for the at-fault party does not have the opportunity to take advantage of you and settle your claim for a nominal amount which is likely significantly less than what your case is really worth.

If you are injured in a motorcycle accident, contact Hunter Law Firm to represent you. And when the adverse insurance company calls you to settle with you for $500, you can tell them call my attorneys – Hunter Law Firm at 813-853-0720.