Motorcycles are a fun and unique way to travel and take in your surroundings. However, regardless of how careful of a rider you are, you still risk injuries if you are sharing the road with other vehicles. All it takes is one distracted motorist and a split second to change your life forever.
Motorcycle accidents cause some of the most severe injuries of all vehicular crashes. You can wear protective gear, but you are still no match for several tons of metal barreling into you. When you are injured in a road accident, seek medical care immediately, and then call a Sacramento motorcycle accident lawyer who could negotiate insurance settlements or litigate when necessary. The experienced personal injury attorney at Erkel Law, P.C. is ready to help.
Sobering statistics from the California Highway Patrol show that motorcyclist injuries and deaths occur in more than 80 percent of accidents involving them. Because motorcyclists are not protected by a steel barrier, injuries are usually severe, requiring prolonged and expensive medical treatment. Common motorcycle accident injuries include:
Under California Vehicle Code § 27803, helmets are required for everyone on a motorcycle cruising California roads. Studies have shown they help save lives, although injuries can still be devastating, and the person responsible for causing them should compensate the injured. A Sacramento motorcycle accident attorney could help explain how relevant motorcycle laws as well as the severity and type of injuries sustained impact a claim for damages.
When a motorcyclist and another vehicle are involved in a road crash, the at-fault party’s insurance covers the injured party’s losses, including medical bills, property damage, and emotional trauma.
However, big insurance companies are not in business to be generous. They are in business to make money and will often make lowball settlement offers by accusing the injured motorcyclist of causing all or some of the accident or contributing to the severity of their injuries by not wearing a helmet.
Insurers know that many injured people need money right away to pay medical and household bills. They are often desperate if they are not earning a paycheck while healing. Do not fall for these cheap tricks. A Sacramento motorcycle accident attorney could calculate what a person’s injuries are worth and fight for that amount. If an insurer tries to settle for pennies on the dollar, litigation is the next step.
When circumstances show that an injured motorcyclist is partly responsible for an accident, they could still recover damages for their injuries. California’s pure comparative negligence doctrine allows an injured party who is up to 99 percent at fault to still be awarded compensation, although it will be reduced by their percentage of fault as assigned by the jury. For instance, if a jury awards a motorcyclist $2,000,000 and 20 percent fault for an accident. The award will be reduced to $1,600,000.
When you are injured in a wreck because someone else is careless, legal help is available. It is only fair that people who cause accidents should pay for the damage they create. You may be entitled to payment for your medical bills, lost wages, and emotional trauma, as well as property damage to your motorcycle. When you need help after a crash, a Sacramento motorcycle accident lawyer from Erkel Law, P.C. could guide you through the legal process. Call today.
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