Getting injured in a motorcycle accident can be quite a traumatic experience.
Apart from the mental element, you may have sustained serious injuries and now have medical bills to deal with that you were entirely unprepared for.
As is the case with a car accident, motorcycle crashes necessitate the proper claim procedures for you to get any kind of compensation.
This is especially true when the insurance company of a negligent driver's insurance company decides to make you some kind of offer to swindle you out of what should be fair compensation for the damages you took during the motorcycle crash.
That's why you need an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer on your side who can fight for you to get what you deserve following any kind of personal injury.
The Keating Firm LTD. happens to be an incredible law firm in Dublin, which can provide you with the kind of motorcycle accident attorney you need with the tenacity to ensure that justice takes its course.
Schedule your free case evaluation today by calling (866) 836-4878.
What Makes Motorcycle Accidents More Worrisome than Car Accidents?
While a car accident is certainly a terrible thing, a motorcycle accident tends to be more worrisome because of the lack of protection afforded to motorcycle riders.
While the other driver may be in a car and may be somewhat shielded from the impact, the rider ends up taking the brunt of the impact head-on meaning the personal injury spectrum for one following the motorcycle crash is high.
Even the potential for a fatality becomes higher too, further reinforcing the need for law firms that can supply a solid motorcycle accident lawyer.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents?
Negligent drivers are certainly to blame for the bulk of unfortunate motorcycle accidents, and most of them happen to be quite preventable.
Nevertheless, the most common causes of these unfortunate circumstances include:
A distracted at-fault driver
Driving while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs
Mechanical issues with vehicles, including brake issues, lack of adequate lighting, or a lack of proper mirrors
Failure to notice riders, especially where lane splitting may be happening
Unexpected hazards or objects in the past of the motorcycle
Understanding How Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Fit in
Naturally, the at-fault driver who may have caused the motorcycle accident is responsible for ensuring your damages from the incident are adequately covered.
Essentially, your motorcycle accident lawyer is meant to make sure that you receive the maximum compensation possible, which means you can return to as normal a life as possible following the motorcycle accident.
Therefore, you are going to receive all the legal help possible to make sure that your compensation claim is adequately filed and that your case is solid enough to prove negligence on the other side of things.
For example, for your claim to be valid, the law firm you choose must be able to assist you to prove that you are a victim of a motorcycle accident caused by the other driver by collating and presenting the necessary evidence.
Additionally, there's a requirement to adequately prove damages and their value, so that financial recovery goes as smoothly as is humanly possible.
Your attorney-client relationship is very important and the requirement of you is to provide all the information requested and to listen to the counsel you get.
Even if there are multiple parties involved on the negligent side, your lawyer intents to help you bring the owners of all other vehicles to justice.
Typical Motorcycle Accident Injuries in Dublin
Motorcycle accidents occur all the time in Ohio whether because of splitting lanes, drunk driving, or whatever else may be involved.
When a phenomenon begins to occur so much, it becomes possible to establish injury patterns.
With that said, here are the most common motorcycle accident injuries riders suffer:
Road Rash
You see this one in just about every scenario that doesn't see the rider land in a single spot without sliding across the road's surface.
What you're dealing with here is a friction burn that happens because of being dragged or flung across the surface of the road.
Of course, this kind of thing leaves marks on the skin because of both the dragging motion and the heat that would be generated while it's all going on.
Luckily, treatment for this injury in isolation is not necessarily a difficult thing to get around.
Head Injuries
Riding with a helmet is mandated in Ohio, but even those who conform to the lake often still find that bike accidents leave them with head injuries.
A motorcyclist in this situation may end up with minor external swelling or a concussion.
On the more severe side of things, you may find that there are traumatic brain injuries, objects piercing the skull, skull fractures, brain swelling, etc.
Depending on the severity of the injury and the other factors that may be at play, the results can range from minor pain to permanent damage that may cause impaired brain function going forward.
Spinal Cord Injuries
The spinal cord happens to be an incredibly delicate area, and it can be the site of suffering for a rider who is unfortunate enough to be at the center of a motorcycle accident.
In fact, vehicle accidents happen to be the leading cause of spinal cord injuries.
As was the case with the previous point, the effect highly depends on the extent of the damage. In some cases, it's nothing for than some level of herniation.
However, there could also be a lot more to worry about including disc fractures, or even temporary or permanent paralysis, which could range from a single limb to everything below the neck.
Fractures
Considering that the skeleton runs through the entirety of the body and is made up of well over 200 bones, being flung from motorcycles does motorcyclists no favors where potential skeletal injuries are concerned.
There was a brief mention just now about fractures that may happen in the spinal cord or skull, which are, admittedly serious challenges to deal with.
Nevertheless, fractures occur elsewhere in the body too, which should never be discounted.
Remember that body parts such as the arms, legs, torso, etc. all contain bones, which are highly susceptible to damage from fractures.
Abrasions
Abrasions are along the same line as the damage that a motorcycle accident can present in the form of a road rash.
Again, sometimes accidents with motorcycles involved see the operators being flung onto the road surface, which presents its own set of challenges.
When this happens, the potential for abrasions always exists.
After all, a body is coming into contact with a hard surface, such as asphalt, concrete, etc. and there tends to be significant force behind the impact.
This often leads to traumatic tattooing, which refers to pieces of rocks or similar compounds becoming lodged into the skin and causing permanent scarring.
Types of Damages You Can Recover with the Assistance of a Motorcycle Accident Attorney
Economic
As indicated before, one of the functions of a Columbus motorcycle accident lawyer is to make sure that clients receive the compensation they deserve, meaning that the person at fault would be brought to justice in the eyes of the law.
Economic damages represent the first class of money that the party responsible may be ordered to pay you following the motorcycle accident.
As the name implies, these damages are relatively easy to calculate because they have a direct monetary element that is accurately measurable.
Such damages may include medical bills you have already incurred, recurring medical bills that are associated with a continuing course of treatment, lost wages you may already have incurred, lost wages to come based on your condition and recovery time, property damage, etc.
Typically, your motorcycle accident lawyer, with your assistance, aims to gather the relevant documentation that can give an adequate account of what these damages may look like, which makes it more straightforward when it's time to fight for an appropriate settlement on your behalf.
Non-Economic
As the name implies, non-economic damages are on the other side of the spectrum that lawyers may be filing for. In this case, while the negligent party is still going to be required to pay you a sum, it's not as easily measurable as the economic counterpart is.
Examples of considerations that may fall under the non-economic umbrella include pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of consortium, etc.
Apart from establishing that any of these legal matters are at play, an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer must also make sure that the best possible valuation can be attributed to the matter, so you can be provided with the best possible settlement after the crash.
You may notice that your lawyer asks a series of probing questions during the discovery phase, and it's important that you answer them all as accurately as possible, since they may give context to the cost that your attorney should be looking to recoup with the claim.
Comparative Negligence Matters in Ohio
You must bear in mind that Ohio is a comparative negligence state, so any actions you may have taken that helped to result in the accident are going to be considered in the matter.
You may not have stayed in the same lane you were supposed to, for example, which created the circumstances for the accident.
While this doesn't mean you necessarily must bear the liability for the accident on your own, it does mean your settlement is likely to be reduced by a percentage equivalent to the proportion of fault you bear in the matter.
Conclusion
A motorcycle accident is nothing to take lightly, as it can result in dire consequences for those who form a part of the collision. These accidents see motorcyclists exposed to greater danger than other drivers because of the lack of protection offered by being out and exposed.
Nevertheless, an accident lawyer is adept at seeking compensation for those affected and should be retained as quickly as possible.
This is why you are encouraged to reach out to The Keating Firm LTD. following your Dublin motorcycle accident for a free consultation with one of the top personal injury attorneys available. It only takes one phone call to (866) 836-4878 to get the ball rolling.
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Frequently Asked Questions
After having been in the motorcycle accident arena for so long, certain questions tend to come to the fore more than others do, so here's a look at them and the associated responses.
When Should I Contact a Dublin Motorcycle Accident Lawyer?
Motorcycle accidents involve quite a bit of moving parts. Therefore, reaching out to attorneys in the shortest possible order is always advised.
Once you collect the evidence you can where possible, make your police report, and seek medical attention, it's usually a good time to bring your motorcycle accident lawyer into the mix.
What if the Negligent Party's Insurance Company Makes Me an Offer After the Motorcycle Accident?
Never entertain a discussion with insurance companies after motorcycle accidents. They may seem to care for your needs and wellbeing, but they are simply trying to prevent having to give you the compensation you deserve.
If you take their offers, there are often clauses to prevent your getting further compensation down the line.
Decline to speak with them until your motorcycle accident lawyer is available to do so on your behalf.
Are Dublin Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Expensive?
You don't usually pay a Dublin motorcycle accident lawyer out of pocket. Instead, your consultation is free, and the work the attorney does is covered out of your settlement when it is received. If you are unsuccessful in securing compensation, then no payment is required. That’s why there’s no reason for you to delay reaching out.
What Kind of Evidence Can I Use to Solidify My Case?
Filing a police report after an accident is always a great place to start. Additionally, pictures from the scene, medical bills, etc., are also incredibly useful. Your attorney also helps by providing direction on what kinds of evidence are needed.
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