Margate Motorcycle Injury Attorneys

If you’ve suffered serious injuries and other damages because of a motorcycle accident, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel because you could be entitled to compensation. Rather than dealing with the expenses for several years, you can file a claim or case against the guilty party in Broward County, Florida.

To move towards compensation this year, the first step is to contact Margate motorcycle injury attorneys. Experts at The Injury Firm have the experience, skills, resources, passion, and determination to help you after a motorcycle accident in Margate, Florida.

Motorcycle Accidents in Florida

According to the NHTSA (National Highway of Traffic Safety Administration) and the AAA (American Automobile Association), no state experiences more motorcycle fatalities than Florida. As you can imagine, this is a concerning statistic, concerning not only for the government but also for motorcycle riders and their families.

While motorcycle deaths have fallen from 584 to 516 between 2015 and 2020, the fact that more than 500 people die from motorcycle accidents in Florida is still worrying.

Why does Florida experience more motorcycle fatalities than other states? One reason could be the sheer number of motorcycle riders in the state: nearly 600,000 registered motorcycles in 2019. In fact, avid motorcycle fans will know all about the Daytona Beach Bike Week where around 500,000 people congregate.

Other reasons could include the year-round pleasant weather; motorcyclists are happy to ride their bikes all through the calendar compared to other states and this inherently means more accidents. When the weather does take a turn for the worst, this presents dangers of its own (including rain and thunderstorms). Elsewhere, other causes could include the high number of tourists with no familiarity with the roads and the typical causes of road accidents (distracted driving, drunk driving, and more).

When to Contact Personal Injury Attorneys

After a Margate motorcycle accident, one of the most common questions is when to contact a motorcycle accident attorney. When should you reach out to professionals like The Injury Firm? Should you contact an attorney in the first place?

To deal with the latter question first, anybody involved in a Margate motorcycle accident that has generated significant damages should contact the Margate motorcycle injury attorneys at The Injury Firm. Contact The Injury Firm if you are facing heavy medical bills while also not able to work after a motorcycle accident. When you aren’t to blame for the accident, you shouldn’t have to deal with the damages.

In terms of the first question, the simple answer is that you should contact personal injury attorneys as soon as possible after an accident. The sooner you contact, the more time your attorneys have to gather evidence, speak to witnesses (while the accident is still fresh in their minds), and build a strong case.

Soon after the accident, all the pertinent information is accessible for police, medical professionals, victims, and witnesses. Over time, small details are removed from the memories of all parties, and this can make the difference between compensation and a failed claim.

In Florida, the statute of limitations is four years for personal injury cases. If you don’t file a case against other drivers within this time, you will lose the right to do so. If you’re trying to recover losses after a loved one has died, wrongful death cases have a statute of limitations of two years.

Once again, avoid all statutes of limitations and help your legal representation to build a strong case by allowing them into the process as early as possible. Everything starts with a phone call, and you’ll enjoy a free case evaluation when you contact The Injury Firm.

Injuries and Damages in a Motorcycle Accident Case

When one vehicle collides with another, both drivers have protection in the form of a metal shell around them. When a vehicle collides with a motorcycle, one party is always going to come off worse. As you’ve probably guessed, this is the motorcyclist.

Over the years, we’ve seen all sorts of injuries and one of the most common is road rash. As the name suggests, this is from sliding along the road after coming off the motorcycle. Depending on the length and speed of the slide, the pavement can tear skin and lead to months of rehab.

In other cases, the main injury is to the head after colliding with the pavement. Sadly, this can lead to concussions and brain damage in more serious cases. Other potential injuries we’ve seen as a motorcycle accident attorney include broken ribs, spinal cord damage, broken bones, neck injuries, and damage to internal organs.

What does this mean for damages? Well, the intent behind any claim or case is to recover whatever is lost in the form of damages. The Injury Firm will ensure that your case includes all relevant lost wages, medical expenses, and property damage. Yet, it’s also important to consider non-economic damages such as pain and suffering and emotional distress.

If you’re claiming on behalf of a lost loved one, your compensation request might include damages such as funeral expenses, loss of consortium, loss of companionship, and others. Also, if the guilty party acted with intent, this could lead to punitive damages - these were originally implemented into law to punish the guilty party and prevent others from acting similarly.

Proving Liability and Responsibility

When it comes to motorcycle accident cases, the toughest challenge that your personal injury lawyers face is proving liability and responsibility. While it might seem obvious to the victim, proving this strongly enough to recover a settlement is another matter. Fortunately, the best Margate motorcycle injury attorneys have the experience to compile a strong case and the resources to take it to court if the insurance company doesn’t offer a fair settlement.

When talking about a motorcycle accident, it’s hard to imagine anything other than a collision with a vehicle. However, other causes of motorcycle accidents do exist, and you might be able to claim against the government or even the bike’s manufacturer.

Another Road User

Unfortunately, a significant percentage of accidents on the road are preventable, and this is true of motorcycle incidents too. The other road user may have been under the influence of alcohol or drugs, distracted by a passenger, speeding, not yielding, not following road signs and laws, or texting. With regards to motorcycles, one huge problem is the inability of many drivers to check their blind spots, and this causes thousands of accidents each year.

Government

When the road itself causes an accident, the government is held responsible just like every other guilty party. For example, you may have experienced insufficient signage or potholes that should have been fixed. Potholes aren’t caused by the government, but the danger that it presents to motorcyclists should mean that repairs are high on the list of priorities. The government needs to keep roads safe for all users, and it should be held accountable when it fails in this duty.

Taking on Florida, Broward County, Margate, or another government can seem daunting, so make sure you contact The Injury Firm for assistance. Since these cases often have special circumstances, you need somebody who understands the process and can avoid common pitfalls.

Manufacturer

Bikes are intricate pieces of machinery, and we rely on the knowledge and expertise of the manufacturers to keep them safe for all riders. As we’ve seen, this isn’t always the case, and it might be that a design fault or manufacturing error caused your accident. If the manufacturer allowed a defective vehicle to leave the factory, they’re responsible for the damages associated with your accident. Alternatively, it could be that another vehicle in the collision was poorly manufactured, and the same rules apply.

Comparative Negligence

What if the accident was partly your fault? Thanks to the comparative negligence laws in Florida, you could still earn compensation for the part of the accident that you didn’t cause. For example, you might be 20% responsible for the accident. In this case, you can still receive 80% of the damages. Therefore, it makes sense to contact personal injury attorneys even if you’re partly to blame.

Choosing The Injury Firm

Soon after an accident, the insurance company is likely to get in touch. While you might think that they’re on your side, they normally hire insurance adjusters to minimize the effects of your claim. By getting you to admit fault, even by mistake, they don’t have to pay out as much in compensation. This is just one of the reasons why you need legal assistance, and it doesn’t come better than in the shape of The Injury Firm.

As Margate motorcycle injury attorneys, we have experience in gathering evidence, communicating with eyewitnesses, contacting expert witnesses, and building strong cases for motorcycle accident victims. However, we also understand the laws extensively and are skilled at negotiating with insurance companies. At all times, we’ll protect your legal rights while pushing for the best possible compensation package. Why not get in touch to start the process today?