Motorcycle Collision Injuries

Motorcycle Collision Injuries

Some people love the freedom of riding their motorcycles.  Some other people see motorcycles in an entirely different light.  It’s no secret that many have prejudices against motorcyclists.  When motorcycle riders are injured, a lot of people tend to start with the unconscious bias that the motorcyclist was probably at fault.  The problem is compounded by the fact that judges and jurors overwhelmingly get around by car, not by motorcycle, and tend to see cases from the automobile driver’s point of view. 

When a motorcycle and another vehicle collide, for obvious reasons the motorcyclist almost always comes out the worse. Often, the injuries are serious.  A motorcyclist is 27 times more likely to be killed in a crash than occupants of passenger cars (per vehicle mile driven), according to National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) data.  While motorcyclists can and should take personal safety measures, they can only do so much.  For example, NHTSA reports that helmets are only 37% effective in preventing operator fatalities.  While it is important to wear a helmet, that means that in 63% of the fatal collisions, the driver would be killed even if they were wearing a helmet.

Motorcycle riders are subject to all of the risks and hazards of driving that auto drivers are subject to, and then some. Car drivers tend to do better at seeing other cars than they do at seeing motorcycles, for example.  “I never saw him” is a common refrain, even when the crash happened in full daylight on a level, straight road.  Witnesses often get motorcyclist speed estimates wrong: as a small, louder vehicle, motorcycle speeds are consistently overestimated by bystanders. 

When a motorcyclist is hurt in a crash, they need an advocate in an automobile-dominated world.  We have represented motorcyclists ranging from casual weekend riders to Harley dealers to committed members of various motorcycle clubs.  We work to bring justice to injured motorcyclists. If you think you have a motorcycle injury case, contact us right away.