Most bikers know how dangerous riding a motorcycle can be. No matter how careful a motorcyclist is while depending, it is always possible that motor vehicle drivers will not correctly check for nearby bikes before turning or changing lanes. These crashes can result in horrific, life-altering injuries for the rider due to how little collision protection motorcycles provide.

Across the country, motorcycle injuries and deaths are rising, despite better driver education and awareness advertising campaigns. According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, in El Dorado County alone, 100 motorcycle accidents occurred in 2014, which amounts to one accident roughly every four days.

It is essential to contact an experienced El Dorado Hills motorcycle accident lawyer soon after your crash. Call our law firm at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 if you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident.

Motorcycle accidents tend to be extremely brutal for several reasons. First, most crashes resulting in injuries tend to occur at a high rate of speed. Second, the protection afforded to a motorcyclist is virtually nothing compared to the protection provided to the operator of a car, truck, or SUV (e.g., enclosed area, seatbelts, airbags).

Given these circumstances, victims of motorcycle accidents often face traumatic injuries, including broken bones, road rash, fractures, head trauma, and spinal cord injuries, all of which have serious medical consequences. If you have been injured in an El Dorado Hills motorcycle accident and have not sought medical help, please do so immediately.

Even minor scrapes or bruises could be hiding more extensive injuries. A series of minor scratches might be road rash that could quickly become infected. While not showing any prominent sign of damage, a black and blue spot could hide a fractured bone or concussion.

Depending on the severity of the injury, the associated medical bills and future treatment to make you whole could be tens, or even hundreds, of thousands of dollars.

Motorcycle accidents can be the basis for pursuing financial restitution where a driver was negligent. If you or a loved one were injured in such a collision, you could pursue a monetary recovery for all associated losses and harms from the accident. These harms and losses include the following:

• Medical Expenses – include treatment in the Emergency Room, visits to other doctors and medical professionals (e.g., chiropractor), surgeries, and prescription medication costs. You can also recover for reasonably expected future medical costs associated with your injuries.
• Pain, Suffering, and Mental Anguish are the intangible damages endured after a serious El Dorado Hills motorcycle accident. They include the inconvenience, emotional stress, loss of sleep, and anxiety associated with suffering injuries in an unexpected collision.
• Lost Wages and Loss of Earning Ability: Many motorcycle accident victims require weeks or months of medical care, which results in weeks or months away from their job. This creates a significant financial strain on the injured person and their family. Fortunately, you can seek financial restitution for those lost wages, even if you used vacation time or sick days. If you are so severely injured that you cannot return to your job, you can pursue a claim for future wages you would have earned had it not been for the accident.

When a motorcyclist is seriously injured in an accident, ideally, the other driver’s auto insurance will adequately compensate the victim for the negligent actions of their insured. However, that is not reality. When a motorcyclist is severely injured in a collision, the reckless driver’s auto insurance coverage is insufficient to adequately cover all of the motorcyclist’s harms and losses. In addition, if you were involved in a hit-and-run accident where the other driver left the accident scene, you may be unable to file a claim against their auto insurance policy since no policy information can be retrieved.

Having an experienced El Dorado Hills motorcycle accident lawyer on your side is essential in these situations. A good attorney will take the time to investigate the amount of available auto insurance coverage, including any uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage through your auto insurance policy. For example, if you were hit by a driver with liability coverage totaling $25,000. That may sound like a lot of money, but if your medical expenses total $150,000, that $25,000 in coverage is woefully insufficient to adequately compensate you for your harm and losses. However, if you have a $250,000 auto insurance policy with comparable underinsured motorist coverage, you can access that coverage to make up the difference.

Hiring an attorney will benefit you and your case because they have knowledge and experience in this area of the law. Your lawyer can also handle all of the complexities associated with a personal injury lawsuit, such as investigating the accident scene, speaking to witnesses, filing the necessary paperwork with the insurance company, filing suit, taking depositions, and engaging in other forms of discovery, negotiating on your behalf, etc.

The video below discusses why you should hire a motorcycle attorney and whether or not you can afford one.

The sooner you call an El Dorado Hills motorcycle accident attorney, the faster they can get out, examine the accident scene, and assess your injuries. This will ensure a more successful motorcycle accident claim is filed on your behalf. In addition, under California law, a motorcycle accident victim only has two years from the accident to file a personal injury claim in court (or six months for a lawsuit against a government entity).

Being involved in a severe motorcycle accident is a traumatic and potentially life-threatening event. Many motorcycle accident victims endure catastrophic, life-altering injuries and even lose their lives, and a severe injury may take months, or even years, to recover from. You should hold the reckless driver responsible by hiring an experienced El Dorado Hills motorcycle accident attorney today.

If you have been injured or a loved one tragically killed in a motorcycle collision, please contact our experienced El Dorado Hills motorcycle accident attorneys at AutoAccident.com for free, friendly, and compassionate advice. Call us today at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400. It is free to call and talk to us about the details of your case.

See our past verdicts and settlements.

^{Editor’s Note: updated [cha 8.3.23] Photo by Royal Enfield on Unsplash sb bw [cs 1136]}