Reisterstown, MD Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Motorcycles are perfectly safe to ride when the proper precautions are taken. Unfortunately, negligent drivers in cars and other vehicles do not seem to care about motorcycle riders, and they often cause bad accidents.

If you or someone close to you is hurt in a motorcycle collision, remain calm and call for help. After getting medical care and speaking to the police, contact an attorney to begin building a case against the negligent driver who caused the crash. Your accident might stem from factors such as speed, distractions on the road, or even drunk drivers. Damages in your case should include medical costs, the cost to replace your motorcycle, the income you lose from missing work, and various other costs and injuries. Handling legal claims on your own can be extremely difficult, and it is best to hire an experienced attorney to do the heavy lifting while you rest, recover, and try to find some peace of mind.

Our motorcycle accident lawyers at Rice, Murtha & Psoras are available for a free initial case review when you call (410) 694-7291.

What You Should Do After a Motorcycle Crash in Reisterstown, MD

Motorcycle crashes are terrifying. It can be difficult to take action and get help when you are badly injured on the side of the road. After an accident, do your best to call for help. If you have a cell phone with you, use it to call 911 and have an ambulance and law enforcement sent to your location. If you cannot call for help on your own, the other driver should do it for you. If the other driver has fled the scene, someone passing by might stop to help, and they can call for help.

If you have not yet been taken to the hospital, be sure to speak to the police when they arrive. The police will likely investigate the crash and need your side of the story for their report. If you cannot talk to the police at the accident scene, you might speak to them at the hospital or sometime later. Make sure to talk to them; otherwise, they will only have the other driver’s version of the event to go on.

While waiting for help to arrive at the accident scene, try to take pictures or record videos. If you can do this, these photos and videos might be used as evidence later when you talk to a lawyer. At the very least, they can be used as proof of the accident for an insurance claim.

Call a lawyer after you have received medical care and are ready to take legal action. Your attorney can go over the case with you, assess your damages, find evidence to back up your claims, and hold the negligent driver responsible.

Damages and Injuries in Your Reisterstown, MD Motorcycle Accident

Damages should account for injuries, losses, expenses, and painful experiences you endured as a direct result of the motorcycle accident. Motorcycle riders are not protected within enclosed vehicles, so they are often more susceptible to serious injuries. As such, damages in these cases may be higher than you realize.

First, our motorcycle accident lawyers can consider your property damage. Not only is your motorcycle damaged or possibly destroyed beyond repair, but you might have lost various personal items in the crash. Your helmet and other riding gear, which might be very expensive, are likely damaged. You might have lost valuable possessions like your cell phone or even a wedding ring if it flew off your finger, never to be seen again. The cost to replace your property might be substantial.

Medical bills might also be quite significant. Serious injuries usually require more extensive medical care. For those with severe injuries, long-term care might be necessary, and you might still be racking up hospital bills as we speak. Keep a thorough record of all your medical treatment and related hospital bills, as we will need them to assess damages.

Psychological or emotional injuries are not directly tied to monetary costs but can still be claimed among your damages. Motorcycle accidents can be traumatic, and many people feel emotionally scarred from the experience. Some people even live with serious psychological disorders like PTSD after a bad accident. Talk to your attorney about how to evaluate these and other non-economic injuries.

Who Should Be Held Responsible for Your Motorcycle Collision in Reisterstown, MD?

Often, motorcycle riders are unfairly blamed for accidents. They suffer from the unjust stereotype that they are reckless drivers and risk-takers. In reality, riders often know the risks of riding and take extra precautions to stay safe. The harsh reality is that drivers in cars often cause motorcycle crashes because they cannot be bothered to watch out for motorcycle riders. They should be brought to justice and held accountable for their negligence.

A major factor in motorcycle accidents is speed. Since motorcycle riders are not shielded inside an enclosed vehicle, they are vulnerable to being thrown from their bikes and badly hurt. When the other driver is speeding, the impact is much greater and more likely to cause catastrophic injuries.

Intoxication behind the wheel is a problem that plagues roads and highways everywhere, and motorcycle riders often fall victim to drunk drivers. Because an intoxicated driver’s reflexes are dulled, they are often unable to react quickly enough to avoid riders on the road. They also tend to speed without realizing it, making for even more dangerous collisions.

One of the leading causes of accidents is distracted driving. Drivers in cars might be looking at their phones or a GPS device when they come up on a motorcycle rider. What’s worse, many drivers simply ignore motorcycle riders. They might treat them like people on ordinary bikes and expect them to get out of the way. You have every right to be on the road, and negligent drivers in cars should be held responsible for causing injuries.

Talk to Our Reisterstown, MD Motorcycle Accident Attorneys About Your Collision

Our motorcycle accident lawyers at Rice, Murtha & Psoras are available for a free initial case review when you call (410) 694-7291.