Hagerstown Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Lots of people love the exhilaration of riding their motorcycle on the open road. Unfortunately, it only takes one negligent driver to cause a disaster. Our attorneys will help you take action to get fair financial compensation for your injuries.
Many motorcycle crashes occur because of negligent drivers rather than reckless motorcycle riders. Inattentive drivers, alcohol, and high rates of speed are just a few common factors. Damages may be quite substantial, with property losses, medical expenses, pain, suffering, and more taken into consideration. You might need some time to recover from your injuries, but you should try to contact a lawyer soon about your situation. You have a limited time to prepare and file your case, and you do not want to miss this deadline. Our team can assist you in collecting valuable evidence, like photos of the crash site, witness testimony, and things like skid marks on the road and collision details that can help us reconstruct the accident.
For a review of your case at no cost to you, call our motorcycle accident attorneys at Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291.
Common Causes of Motorcycle Collisions Around Hagerstown
Accidents and collisions on the road happen every day, and each accident is unique. Numerous factors might have caused or at least played a role in your accident. Our team can work with you to determine exactly how your accident happened so we can hold the appropriate people responsible.
One of the biggest concerns on the roads and highways of Maryland nowadays is inattentive drivers. Whether fiddling with the radio or texting on a cell phone, drivers can easily become distracted and cause a crash with a motorcycle rider. This is especially dangerous in motorcycle accidents, as motorcycles are smaller and more easily missed by inattentive drivers.
It is illegal to get behind the wheel while intoxicated with alcohol, controlled substances, or both. Even so, intoxication is a major concern in many motorcycle crashes. Perhaps the other driver had too many drinks at a bar before driving home. Maybe they took some medication prescribed by a doctor, but the medicine makes them tired or incoherent. If the police arrested the other driver for driving under the influence, our car accident attorneys might be able to use chemical testing results to prove our case.
While driving maybe 5 miles per hour over the limit is not unusual, speeding may cause serious crashes. Often, speeding drivers find themselves unable to stop when another vehicle, like a motorcycle, enters their path. Perhaps you were making a left turn when a speeding driver crashed into you. Our motorcycle accident attorneys can help you get damages from the negligent driver.
Damages You May Experience in a Hagerstown Motorcycle Accident
Your damages represent everything you have lost and the pain you have endured because of the motorcycle accident. Motorcycle crashes are known for involving severe bodily injuries, and riders often claim extensive damages.
The value of your lost or damaged property might be quite significant. Of course, we must include damages for the loss of your motorcycle. This can be a huge expense, as motorcycles are expensive pieces of equipment. On top of that, you might have lost expensive gear, like your helmet, gloves, padding, and more.
Considering how badly riders might be injured after a motorcycle crash, it is no wonder that medical expenses tend to be high. Many riders are thrown from their bikes onto the hard pavement, and they are gravely injured. We can help you claim any current medical bills and estimate the cost of future medical expenses that might last beyond the trial.
You might be so badly hurt that you cannot work for a long time. In that situation, we can help you claim the income or wages you missed out on because of the accident. This is crucial for people who are the sole breadwinner of their household or have nobody else to rely on for support.
Not all your damages need to be based on money or costs. Your physical, mental, and emotional pain and suffering must also be considered. These experiences are very subjective, and we need to prove to a jury just how greatly you have suffered because of the defendant’s negligent driving.
When You Should Contact an Attorney About Your Hagerstown Motorcycle Accident
You might be wondering when you should call an attorney about your accident or if too much time has already passed. While it is best to contact an attorney and start a legal claim for damages sooner rather than later, you might have some time to recover first and mull over your options.
In Maryland, claims for personal injuries, like those from motorcycle crashes, must be filed with the court before the deadline imposed under the statute of limitations. This law is found under Md. Code. Cts. and Jud. Proc. Art. § 5-101, and imposes a 3-year deadline. This deadline begins to run on the day of your accident. While you have a few years, this time is not as long as you might think, as your case might take months of preparation before it is ready to be filed.
In addition, you should speak to an attorney as soon as possible so they can begin looking for evidence and building your case. The longer you wait, the more evidence might be lost, making it harder to prove your claims.
How Our Team Can Help You Gather Evidence for Your Hagerstown Motorcycle Accident Case
Evidence is everything. Without it, your case might be dead on arrival. Fortunately, our legal team has the skills, knowledge, and experience to find and obtain the evidence we need to build the strongest case possible.
Photographs of accident scenes are pretty common. Drivers usually take these photos to show to insurance companies. However, they may also be entered into evidence in the courtroom. If you did not take any pictures, the other driver might have, and we can demand to see those pictures.
We should also interview other drivers, passengers, and pedestrians who were nearby when your motorcycle accident happened. Witness testimony is often the backbone of a lawsuit, as juries find it very compelling when the plaintiff’s claims are backed up by others.
Depending on the situation, we might use details from the accident to scientifically reconstruct the accident. Accident reconstruction experts take details about points of impact, damage to vehicles, skid marks on the road, and other facts to recreate how the accident happened.
Speak with Our Hagerstown Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Today
For a review of your case at no cost to you, call our motorcycle accident lawyers at Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291.