Motorcycle accidents often require a deft touch when injuries are involved. Motorcyclists and their passengers have little to protect them from severe impacts when an accident occurs. They are at far greater risk of severe injuries and death than is the average driver or passenger of a car or truck. At the same time, many automobile drivers do not adequately share the road with motorcyclists. Often, this is because they do not see the motorcyclist until it is too late. In other situations, a motorcyclist will be blamed for an accident when the fault really lies elsewhere. If anyone has been injured in an accident involving a motorcycle, you will want the help of an Oklahoma City motorcycle accidents attorney.
Far more exposed than are drivers of trucks or cars, motorcyclists and riders are at far greater risk of being seriously injured, or even killed, in a motorcycle accident. The US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) states that in 2010, the risk of a fatal crash was approximately 30 times greater for motorcyclists than for drivers of autos.
Motorcycle Accidents: Often a Result of Careless Automobile Drivers
Drivers of automobiles and trucks often fail to notice motorcyclists on the road or may drive carelessly, putting motorcyclists at risk, especially when turning. Cars and trucks turning in intersections ahead of an oncoming motorcycle, often turning without seeing an oncoming motorcyclist. The results can be severe injury or death for the motorcyclist.
In addition, motorcyclists often get singled out as “reckless” drivers when the designation is unwarranted. This stereotype affects an insurance adjuster’s viewpoint when handling a motorcycle accident claim. Insurance adjusters are rarely on the claimant’s side. This is particularly true in motorcycle accident cases. Having an experience OKC motorcycle accidents attorney in your corner can make a huge difference if you are the claimant.
Steps to Take if You Have Been Injured in a Motorcycle Accident
First, make sure that everyone at the scene is safe. Motorcycle injuries can be severe. Call for medical attention if it is needed at the scene. If you are injured, your first task is to get the medical care you need. Taking pictures is important if you are able. Exchange insurance information at the scene if you are able but do so without admitting or intimating fault.
Once your immediate medical condition is attended to, you should hire an experienced motorcycle accidents attorney as soon as possible. Motorcycle cases often have complex legal issues regarding fault and damages. Injuries are often severe and can include such things as traumatic brain damage, spinal cord damage, injured limbs, and severe burns or lacerations. An experienced motorcycle accidents attorney in Oklahoma can help you with the complex issues these cases involve.
Complicated Liability Issues: Comparative Fault
Oklahoma is a comparative fault state with a 50% bar. That means that if liability is shared between parties, an injured person’s damages award will be reduced by the percentage of their fault. In Oklahoma, that rule holds unless a person is 50% or more at fault for the accident. A person whose fault is 50% or more will be barred from collecting any damages from the other at-fault parties. Because of the rule, liability in these cases is often hotly contested. Your attorney can help you build a strong case on liability.
Damages
Damages is a comprehensive term. It encompasses all types of damage that an accident victim may suffer, including medical bills, lost wages, physical injuries, future medical bills, property damages, and the like. When injuries are severe, damages become a complex and often contested area in the claim. A knowledgeable attorney can make a hue difference to the outcome of your case.
Your attorney will have a good understanding of how your case may play out. Although we would like liability to be undisputed, it is often the most hotly contested issue in a motorcycle accident case. Be sure and confer with your attorney about liability and damages in your case and how those issues will affect your recovery.
Free Consultation: Oklahoma City Personal Injury Attorney
Get help when you need it most. You pay nothing for our representation in personal injury cases until we get you the compensation you deserve. Before we even start working on your case, we want you to know where you stand. A call to the Personal Injury Law Office of Oklahoma City costs you nothing, but the information you receive could be invaluable.
For a free, no-risk consultation with a knowledgeable Oklahoma City personal injury attorney, call today: (405) 716-4878 (716-HURT).
If you prefer, you may send your question via e-mail using the form at the top right of this page. We’ll get in touch with you as soon as possible. Don’t wait another minute to find out what you may be owed. Call the Personal Injury Law Office of Oklahoma City today!