Motorcycle accidents can happen anytime, anywhere. The many busy highways and roadways in the greater New Port Richey area are prime territory for motorcycle accidents—with catastrophic and deadly results.
Motorcycles are so dangerous because riders (and passengers, if any) do not have the body of a car surrounding and protecting them in the event of crashes. Motorcycle operators and their passengers may wear helmets, but helmets do not always prevent serious head injuries—including traumatic brain injuries. Even with helmets, in the event of a motorcycle crash, operators and passengers are likely to make direct contact with the ground (or other vehicles) and seriously injure themselves.
Motorcycle accidents are typically caused by other motor vehicle drivers, and in some cases by motorcycle operators. If you have been injured in an accident as a motorcycle operator or passenger, the compassionate New Port Richey motorcycle accident lawyers at Dolman Law Group may represent you throughout your case. Our experienced team of litigation attorneys can review the unique facts and circumstances of your motorcycle accident and may help maximize the amount of monetary damages to which you’re entitled.
Statistics Associated With Motorcycle Helmets
Motorcycle helmets save lives. According to information provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, motorcycle helmets reduce the risk of death by 37 percent in motorcycle crashes and reduce the risk of head injuries by 69 percent.
Motorcycle helmets can help prevent—or significantly lessen—the injuries a person sustains in the event of a motorcycle crash by providing eye protection, eliminating wind noise, reducing fatigue and “highway hypnosis,” and offering a protective barrier between the motorcyclist’s head and the ground or other vehicles. The mere act of putting on a motorcycle helmet places motorcycle operators and their passengers in the proper mindset for when they are riding on the road, reminding them that motorcycles can be dangerous.
Motorcycle Helmet Problems
Although motorcycle helmets can help lessen (or possibly eliminate) the injuries sustained in motorcycle accidents, they do not make riders accident-proof. In other words, even though motorcycle operators and their passengers may wear helmets, they can still suffer accidents and sustain serious injuries, including death.
Depending on the force involved in the collision, motorcycle helmets can still crack, likely resulting in severe head injuries or concussions. Moreover, motorcycle helmets are open in front, causing full or partial exposure of the wearer’s face to the ground. If the motorcycle operator or passenger strikes the ground face-first, the helmet offers little, if any, protection. In that instance, the motorcycle operator or passenger can still sustain a head injury, not to mention cuts, abrasions, or serious facial scarring.
Finally, motorcycle helmets only cover the head, and the rest of the motorcycle operator or passenger’s body remains exposed to the ground and other vehicles traveling on the road—oftentimes at high rates of speed. Accidents can still cause serious—and potentially catastrophic—injuries to other body parts, especially the hands, limbs, feet, and hips.
Proving Fault in Motorcycle Accident Cases
To prove fault in a motorcycle accident case, the injured motorcycle operator or passenger needs to show that the other driver (or the motorcycle operator) failed to drive in a reasonably prudent manner, causing the accident and bringing about the resulting injuries and damages. Injured motorcyclists may also file negligence or strict products liability claims against helmet manufacturers or distributors when helmets fail to remain intact during serious collisions.
Catastrophic Injuries Sustained in New Port Richey Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycle helmets only offer limited protection in accidents. High-speed motorcycle accidents can still result in catastrophic injuries and damages, especially when operators and riders strike the ground or other vehicles.
Common types of catastrophic injuries and damages sustained in motorcycle accidents include:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Fractures
- Broken bones
- Paralysis
- Spinal cord injuries
- Abrasions and scarring (especially facial scarring)
- Scrapes
- Soft tissue injuries (that is, injuries that don’t require surgeries or invasive medical treatments to correct)
- Permanent injuries
- Death
Proving the Existence of Catastrophic Injuries
Whenever an accident victim seeks compensation for a catastrophic injury, the insurance company will likely downplay the seriousness and extent of the injury or injuries claimed and will look to other potential causes, such as prior surgeries, degenerative changes on imaging studies (for example, X-rays or MRIs), preexisting medical conditions, and previous injuries.
One of the only effective ways to prove catastrophic injuries in motorcycle accident cases is to present expert medical testimony from doctors or other healthcare providers. An expert medical provider can testify about the injured accident victim’s medical treatment, the permanent nature of the injury or injuries, and objective findings gained from medical examinations and permanency evaluations.
Contact a New Port Richey Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Today to Discuss Your Case
Motorcycle accidents can result in serious injuries—and in the worst cases, death. Operators and riders, therefore, should take every possible precaution and realize that motorcycle helmets do not make anyone injury-proof. If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident as a result of someone else’s negligence, Florida law may entitle you to monetary compensation. The motorcycle accident attorneys at Dolman Law Group are skilled negotiators and have the necessary legal knowledge and expertise to help you maximize the monetary damages to which the law entitles you. If the insurance company refuses to place a reasonable settlement offer on the table, our attorneys are not afraid to litigate your case through the Florida court system or, if necessary, take it to trial.
To schedule a free consultation and case evaluation with a New Port Richey motorcycle accident lawyer, please call us at (727) 853-6275 or contact us online today.
Dolman Law Group
5435 Main Street
New Port Richey, FL 34652
(727) 853-6275
https://www.dolmanlaw.com/new-port-richey-motorcycle-accident-attorney/
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