Hyattsville Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Serious injuries deserve experienced attorneys

3 Key Motorcycle Accident Factors to Remember | Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Hyattsville MD

No one can say that they are the “best” motorcycle accident lawyer Hyattsville MD can provide, but when you’re involved in a serious traffic accident while riding a motorcycle, it’s important to know that you’re working with a top tier attorney. At Cohen & Cohen , we’re proud give our clients a motorcycle accident lawyer Hyattsville MD drivers can trust.

Motorcycle accidents can be especially traumatic and may lead to severe injuries and property damage. For seasoned motorcyclists, it may be easier to predict the ways in which a motorcycle accident can be just as bad as — if not worse than — a traffic accident involving passenger cars or trucks. For other individuals, it might not be so easy to see why experienced lawyers are essential for handling motorcycle accident injury claims.

Our legal team at Cohen & Cohen has gained a strong reputation for providing motorcyclists with a motorcycle accident lawyer Hyattsville MD deserves. We also believe it’s important that clients stay informed about common trends and statistics that may have factored into their accident — and which might play a role in their injury claim.

Motorcycles Are a Minor Part of Vehicular Traffic

Motorcycles are far from being the most common type of vehicle on the road today: According to 2013 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motorcyclists accounted for 14% of all traffic accident fatalities and 4% of all traffic accident injuries in the U.S.1

Although these percentages may seem very low, a good motorcycle accident lawyer Hyattsville MD can trust will know that it’s important to put them into context:

• During the average year, motorcyclists in the U.S. only represent 0.7% of all miles traveled.1

• Measuring the risk of riding a motorcycle in terms of miles traveled, motorcyclists are 6 times more likely to be injured in a traffic accident and 26 times more likely to die.1

As these statistics show, motorcyclists are much more likely to be involved in an accident than other drivers on the road. While some motorcycle accidents are caused by the riders’ mistakes, a good motorcycle accident lawyer in Hyattsville MD will know that many other collisions are caused by other drivers. Experienced motorcyclists are often very aware of the risks they face while riding — and because of this, they may be more likely to take extra precautions for safety.

Helmet Use Is Important — To An Extent

Experienced motorcyclists understand that these vehicles make riding inherently more risky; the metal frame of a standard passenger car or truck provides a great deal of protection. Although the metal frame and glass windows of any car cannot guarantee that passengers will be protected during a car accident, they make it less likely that passengers will be thrown out of their vehicles during a crash.

One important reason to contact a motorcycle accident lawyer Hyattsville MD trusts after you’ve been involved in an accident — especially if you were not wearing a helmet — is that helmets cannot guarantee that a rider will be protected in a crash.

NHTSA statistics show that helmets are 37% effective at reducing fatality rates in traffic accidents and over 60% effective at reducing the risk of head injuries. This data shows that helmets reduce a rider’s risk of sustaining a fatal injury — but the use of a helmet does not completely prevent fatalities from occurring in motorcycle accidents.

When a motorcyclist does not wear a helmet and is injured in a crash, it’s possible that the court could decide that the rider is partially responsible for the injuries. However, a motorcycle accident lawyer Hyattsville MD can provide may be able to help negotiate a reasonable settlement if other factors played a bigger role in the accident.

Additionally, injuries completely unrelated to the head, neck, and brain can still occur in motorcycle accidents. In these cases, a Hyattsville MD motorcycle accident lawyer may be able to argue that the rider’s helmet use is irrelevant; a broken leg, for example, probably cannot be prevented by wearing a helmet. In this situation, it may be more likely that the rider can receive financial compensation.

Motorcycle Accidents Are Expensive

The economic cost of motorcycle accidents in the U.S. today is very high. Data from the NHTSA shows that, in 2013, the economic costs of each motorcycle fatality was $1.48 million per person, but the comprehensive costs —  i.e., the costs that friends and families pay over a number of years is around $9.71 million per fatality; not to mention the emotional toll of losing a loved one.

When a motorcycle accident happens, much of the financial burden is placed on the victims. In the event of a fatal injury, family members may suddenly be left with thousands of dollars of unpaid medical bills and funeral costs. Even when a motorist is not fatally injured, the costs of serious injury can be life-altering. For this reason, it is not uncommon for injured victims to seek legal counsel from a top motorcycle accident lawyer Hyattsville MD can provide.

In some cases, an accident victim may be able to work with insurance companies to collect damages. In many cases, however, insurance companies do not pay enough money to the victims to cover the long-term costs of an accident. This may be because the other driver’s insurance policy has a lower maximum amount, or it may be because the insurance company disputes the liability of drivers involved in the accident.

Motorcyclists who are injured in an accident can face many setbacks that go beyond immediate medical bills. These may factor into the individual’s injury claim, and might include long-term medical costs, time taken off from work to recover, psychological and emotional trauma, and even disability.

Reasons Motorcyclist Are at Greater Risk

A good Hyattsville, MD motorcycle accident attorney will tell you that because of the mechanical make up of a motorcycle, motorcyclists are at far greater risk for sustaining injuries that are severe in nature. When faced with such a traumatic event, victims can be left feeling lost and overwhelmed. Unfortunately, accident victims may experience more significant injuries for the following reasons:

• A motorcyclist is virtually unprotected from others. They do not have the outer shell of a vehicle to protect them in a collision.
• It can be easier to over correct or lose control of a motorcycle.
• A motorcyclist can more easily be thrown from a vehicle or experience direct impact in a collision.
• A motorcyclist is smaller and more difficult for other vehicles on the road to see.

It’s far too common for accident victims lives to be impacted in ways they may have never realized. If you have suffered damages in a motorcycle accident, it will be vital that you speak with a Hyattsville, MD motorcycle accident attorney before the statute of limitations expires.

Road Rash

Road rash is one of the most common forms of accidents that a motorcyclist can suffer from. Your skin is one of the body’s largest organs, because of this, it is an area that is highly susceptible to injury. Road rash occurs when a motorcyclist is in a collision that caused their skin to rub across the asphalt. As a result, layers of skin can peel away from the body. It’s important to note that this is far more significant than a scraped knee. Road rash can impact all parts of the body and can cause serious levels of suffering.

How Road Rash May Impact You

When compared to injuries that result in paralysis or even death, road rash may seem far less serious.  A skilled Hyattsville, MD motorcycle accident attorney will likely inform you that it’s a common misconception to believe that road rash is an easy injury to recover from. Unfortunately, the physical and emotional trauma from road rash can follow you for some time to come. In cases where third degree road rash is sustained, layers of skin may in the exposure of fatty tissue and even bone. This may require more substantial treatment than a simple emergency room visit. It could mean that you are required to undergo a series of skin grafts or surgeries.

Although road rash may seem like an insignificant repercussion to a motorcycle accident, the impact can be incredibly serious. You may decide that taking legal action is in your best interest, especially when a victim is looking at a long recovery period. Contacting a Hyattsville, MD motorcycle accident attorney can be beneficial when determining the appropriate legal approach.

Do not hesitate to call Cohen & Cohen today if you feel that you could benefit from the help of a trusted legal professional.

Contact a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Hyattsville MD Trusts

At Cohen & Cohen , we believe that it’s important for motorcyclists to receive the compensation they deserve after an accident. Motorcyclists may face higher risks than other drivers on the road, but they still have every right to drive freely and to receive protection if an accident happens. For more information about our services, or to talk about your case with a motorcycle accident lawyer Hyattsville MD trusts, call Cohen & Cohen today.