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A rear-end motorcycle accident has the potential to turn your life upside-down, leaving you with expensive medical bills and a long road to recovery. Hiring an experienced Pensacola motorcycle accident lawyer can help you to sort out your legal rights and next steps.
Call Stevenson Klotz Injury Lawyers for a personalized look at your possible damages in a rear-end motorcycle crash.
Injuries in Rear-End Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcyclists have much less protection than a passenger or driver in a traditional vehicle. They can be thrown from their bike into oncoming traffic or strike other objects.
Even when wearing reliable safety gear, a motorcyclist can be ejected from the vehicle and suffer critical injuries. These catastrophic injuries come with substantial medical costs and often require the rider to miss significant time at work.
Some of the most likely injuries from rear-end motorcycle accidents include:
- Spine and back injuries
- Paralysis
- Road rash
- Brain and head injuries
- Internal organ problems
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Eye injuries
- Shoulder and chest injuries
Why Are Motorcycles Hit from Behind?
Too many drivers do not afford motorcyclists the appropriate care and safety on the road. All too often when a motorcyclist is hit from behind, it’s the fault of a driver sharing the road with them.
Motorcyclists are most likely to be hit due to another’s tailgating, speeding, distracted driving, drowsy driving, drunk driving, and otherwise reckless driving. In these situations, the motorcycle rider must show proof that another driver was engaged in negligent behavior.
In some locations, a motorcyclist is more likely to be struck from behind, including when:
- A motorist changes lanes in traffic
- A driver makes a right turn in traffic and fails to look for a motorcycle
- Stopping before a railroad crossing
- Intersections with stop signs or red lights
- Maneuvering blind curves when a speeding motorist typically comes upon a motorcycle going at a lower speed
One of the best ways to prevent a motorcycle rear-end accident is to ensure that drivers leave an appropriate length of distance between themselves and a motorcyclist in front of them.
Compensation for Being Rear-Ended on a Motorcycle
You may be eligible to recover compensation for damages and injuries by first filing a claim with your own insurance carrier. If you can show that another party was at fault for the injuries sustained, you may also file a lawsuit against the drivers involved in the accident.
You may be able to recover compensation like medical bills and property damage in a rear-end collision.
Working directly with a motorcycle accident lawyer to maximize financial recovery is strongly recommended for any victim with serious injuries.
How Can You Avoid Being Rear-Ended on a Motorcycle?
There are some proactive moves that motorcyclists can make to decrease their risk of getting hurt in a rear-end accident.
These include steps like:
- Wearing bright and reflective clothing that makes you more noticeable to other drivers
- Using your rear-view mirrors before making any turns
- Flashing your brake lights so there’s a greater chance that drivers around you will see you
- Always knowing where you are and planning a method to get out of the way of unexpected obstacles
- Adjusting your lane position as necessary to protect yourself
Even when you do everything you can to make yourself visible, other drivers may still hit you.
How do I get my income and lost wages paid if I’m disabled from work?
If your injury is so catastrophic that you are unable to go back to work for an extended period of time, you can sue the at-fault driver for your lost earning capacity or lost wages. The amount that you may be eligible to recover will depend on the severity of your injury and how long your doctors think it will take you to recover.
If I was accused of lane splitting at the time I was struck, am I still eligible for compensation?
Lane splitting is a practice in which a motorcycle drives between two lanes of slow moving or stopped cars. This behavior is illegal in Florida. If an accident happens because a motorcycle was lane splitting, the operator may be held liable for the collision.
If you were not splitting a lane at the time of the accident, but the other driver involved in the crash alleges that you were, you need a qualified rear-end motorcycle accident lawyer to make a strong case on your behalf.
How long will it take for my case to be resolved?
There are numerous factors that determine whether or not you’re eligible to recover compensation quickly. These include your lawyer’s experience with settlement and the other side’s willingness to negotiate with you. Your lawyer will help advise you about all your options for case resolution.
Our Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Help Victims of Rear-End Crashes
You need someone familiar with legal aspects of damage recovery if you get hurt in a rear-end motorcycle crash in Pensacola. The team at Stevenson Klotz Injury Lawyers is here to answer your questions and to help with your lawsuit. Contact us to begin your case.