Common Injuries in Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcycle accidents may result in severe, life-threatening injuries for riders who are involved. Given their slim profiles and substantial exposure, motorcycles remain one of the most dangerous vehicles on the road when they are involved in a collision. The Miami motorcycle accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Robert Dixon can assist people throughout South Florida who have been struck by a careless driver. We know how to assert your right to proper compensation from at-fault parties. Our firm offers dedicated, experienced legal representation throughout the entirety of a claim, from investigation to settlement negotiations and litigation.

Over 80 percent of all motorcycle accidents lead to the injury or death of a rider. Some of the most common injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident include:

• Head Injuries: these injuries range from mild concussions to brain trauma.
• Neck Injuries: these injuries may include whiplash, as well as complete or incomplete spinal cord damage that may result in paralysis.
• Road Rash: these injuries occur when a rider slides across pavement following an accident.
• Biker’s Arm: this occurs when a motorcyclist is ejected from a bike and eases the landing with his or her arm, resulting in greater nerve damage to that arm.
• Leg Injuries: these often consist of broken, fractured, or shattered bones.

Many of these injuries require a long rehabilitation process that may be costly. Making sure that you are properly compensated by a responsible party can ease the burden while you focus on physical and emotional recovery.

Collisions involving motorcycles are often due to the negligence of another driver. To prove the elements of a negligence claim and receive damages, an injured rider usually must show that the defendant breached his or her duty of care to act as a reasonable and prudent person would have acted under similar circumstances. The victim must also show that this breach caused his or her injuries and resulted in damages. For instance, since all drivers owe others on the road a duty to act reasonably, a driver who changes lanes without proper care and strikes a motorcyclist may be found negligent.

In Florida, if a motorcyclist is partially at fault for his or her injuries, he or she may still be entitled to collect damages from other negligent parties. For instance, a rider who fails to wear his or her helmet and is found 30 percent at fault in an accident may still receive up to 70 percent of the resulting costs and losses from a defendant who is found liable. Damages that may be available include past and future medical expenses, lost income or earning capacity, and property damage, as well as pain and suffering. Consulting a personal injury attorney soon after an accident may be important in making sure your claim is filed on time, since the statute of limitations for these lawsuits is four years from the date of the crash.

If you have been involved in a devastating crash, the Miami motorcycle accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Robert Dixon can assist you with pursuing the proper legal action against any negligent parties. Call our motor vehicle collision attorneys at 877.499.4878 or contact us online for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your claim and see how we can help. We also represent accident victims in Miami, West Palm Beach, and other cities throughout Broward, Palm Beach, and Miami-Dade Counties.