Motorcycle Accidents and Negligence

Injury Lawyer Serving Nationwide

With the rising costs of fuel, riding a motorcycle can be more economically convenient than ever before. Motorcycles are more affordable than cars and trucks, they are more agile and they use a lot less gasoline. However, due to their small size, and inherent lack of protection, motorcycle riders are prone to sustain serious bodily injuries when they are injured in a motorcycle accident. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, in 2004, 4,008 motorcycle occupants were killed in the United States, an 8% increase from 2003.

If you or someone you love were injured in a motorcycle accident, a motorcycle accident attorney can pursue maximum financial compensation on your behalf. There are more than four million motorcycles registered in the United States and motorcycle fatalities represent approximately 5% of all annual highway fatalities. In 2006, 4,935 people were killed riding motorcycles of different types. The “Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures,” was a study conducted by the University of California, with funds by the NHTSA.

Researcher Harry Hurt came up with the following findings:

• Approximately three-fourths of motorcycle accidents involve a collision with another vehicle (usually a passenger automobile).
• In multiple vehicle accidents, the driver of the automobile violated the motorcycle rider’s right-of-way, thus causing the accident in two-thirds of those accidents.
• The predominating factor that caused motorcycle accidents was the motorist’s failure to detect the motorcycle rider before the collision, or they did not see the motorcycle rider until it was too late.
• The most common location for a motorcycle accident to occur is at an intersection, with the motorist failing to yield the right-of-way to the motorcyclist and turning left in front of them.
• Weather is not a factor in 98% of motorcycle accidents.
• A typical motorcycle accident allows the motorcyclist less than 2 seconds to avoid the collision.

Recovering Damages for Your Injuries

Motorcycle riders are at a heightened risk of sustaining serious injuries in a motorcycle accident. Unfortunately, many motorcycle riders are severely injured or killed due to no fault of their own. Recklessness, driver distraction, or driver inattention on behalf of the motorist plays a significant role in motorcycle accidents and fatalities. Even riders that were fully cooperating with the local helmet and traffic safety laws can become seriously injured or killed when they are struck by a car or truck.

If you were involved in a collision with a motor vehicle while driving your motorcycle, you should seek medical assistance right away; next without hesitation you should contact a Houston motorcycle accident attorney from The Doan Law Firm, P.C. It’s absolutely critical that you learn about your legal rights in a motorcycle accident as well as your rights to a personal injury settlement. You owe it to yourself, call today!