Riding a motorcycle is an exhilarating experience, especially in a place like Truckee, where drivers can easily cruise through the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountains to visit Lake Tahoe or down through the foothills to reach Sacramento. While most motorcyclists are careful and defensive drivers, riding a motorcycle has serious risks in an accident. As the state with the most extensive registered motorcycles, California sees many motorcycle accidents yearly. According to information from the California Office of Traffic Safety, an average of over 500 people lose their lives in motorcycle collisions across the state every year.

Motorcycle accidents are often severe and have higher serious and fatal injuries than collisions involving passenger vehicles. This is because motorcycles lack the safety features that passenger vehicles offer occupants, such as seat belts and airbags. While motorcycle accidents don’t happen frequently, crashes are more likely to leave people with injuries that seriously affect their lives.

We have seen how serious accident injuries can be throughout three decades of being Truckee motorcycle accident lawyers. Some of the more common types of injuries that motorcyclists suffer during accidents include:

• Traumatic Brain Injuries
• Lacerations
• Bone Fractures
• Organ Damage
• Spinal Cord Trauma
• Paralysis
• Internal Bleeding

People who suffer crash injuries often face difficulty regaining their health. Not only are crash survivors often left with injuries that require a painful physical rehabilitation process, but they also must undergo multiple medical procedures. Physical therapy, surgeries, hospital stays, and other medical expenses can be costly.

Additionally, many crash survivors cannot continue working either temporarily or permanently. These financial concerns can make people unsure of how they will continue living their lives, and this stress can cause further issues such as severe depression and anxiety. However, those injured during collisions can often receive compensation by filing personal injury claims to cover these costs. These claims help afford people the financial security they need to continue living.

Because the effects of accident injuries can be so far-reaching, the types of payments that crash survivors can recover in an injury claim vary. While the recoverable damages available to injured parties are different for every case, some of the most common losses that people can claim payments for include:

• Hospital bills, including medicines, surgeries, room fees, and more
• Emotional trauma
• Physical therapy
• Wheelchairs, prosthetics, and other expenses related to injury management
• Lost income or loss of income potential
• Ambulance Fees

The vast majority of accidents are caused by a negligent party. Most often, this negligent party is a driver who fails to follow the rules of the road. When this happens, the reckless driver is usually considered at fault for the accident and can be held responsible for the damage they have caused. However, accidents aren’t always caused by drivers. For example, when vehicle parts fail to operate the way they should, it can cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles. When this happens, retailers, manufacturers, and/or sellers of the defective part can be considered negligent and held financially responsible. In other cases, a highway pavement defect can cause a vehicle to veer off the road. In these cases, the government entity responsible for the road may be considered an at-fault party.

Many people aren’t sure if their case requires the help of a Truckee motorcycle accident attorney. Not every case indeed calls for a legal professional, but knowing is essential. Most lawyers offer free phone consultations to get the information you need to best proceed with your claim. Even if your case doesn’t require help from an attorney, speaking with a lawyer over the phone can help you gain valuable information about your legal options.

After suffering severe injuries, people often want to spend time with loved ones and regain their health. For this reason, many crash survivors want to put off getting in touch with a lawyer. However, In most cases involving severe injuries, at-fault parties will begin building a legal defense immediately. They may even conduct their own investigation into the accident to disclaim responsibility. Additionally, depending on the circumstances of the accident, you may have as little as six months to file an injury claim. For these reasons, you should contact a trustworthy lawyer immediately.

The video below explains why anyone with a strong case can hire a motorcycle accident attorney based on contingency fees.

Motorcycle accidents can have significant consequences. If you or someone you care about was injured in a vehicle accident, please contact our Truckee injury lawyers at (707) 564-1900 or (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly advice. See our past verdicts and settlements.

^{Editor’s Note: updated [cha 9.8.23] Photo by Nikolai Ulltang from Pexels ms cha [cs 807]}