Motorcycles are truly amazing machines, and riding one offers a sense of freedom that can only be personally experienced and not described by words. It’s the closest thing to flying, and the feeling can be exhilarating as well as addicting. People often say after getting over the initial fear of riding a motorcycle, they become hooked once they actually learn how to ride! Motorcycles also an iconic symbol of the United States itself, right up there with cherry red pick up trucks, hot rods, and of course, warm apple pie. However, as beautiful as these machines are, they can also be quite dangerous if proper safety and security isn’t practiced.
With the official start of summer only a few short weeks away, you’re probably eager to take your motorcycle out on the open road. In fact, you may have even done so on a few of the good days that have already come and gone. Unfortunately, summer is also prime time for motorcycle accidents, reckless driving, and of course, speeding. All of these factors contribute to an increased likelihood of personal injuries and even death in some cases, which is why it’s imperative that you’re familiar with the motorcycle accident lawyers in your area if you ride a motorcycle, just in case you find yourself in this tragic situation.
The majority of motorcycle accidents in the United States aren’t caused by the cyclists themselves but rather, they’re caused by motorists who simply aren’t paying attention or are in violation of established traffic laws. Combine this with speeding, distracted driving, or even carelessness, and it’s incredibly easy to see why motorcycle riders are especially vulnerable. These types of situations require the expertise of motorcycle accident lawyers in order to file a personal injury claim. Motorcycle accident lawyers are types of lawyers who specialize in pursuing personal injury settlements for motorcyclists who are victims of another motorist’s negligence. This often causes injury as well as pain and suffering or emotional distress in the form trauma.
There are several different kinds of mistakes that motorists can make that affect motorcyclists. Common examples of motorist error than can cause serious injury to motorcyclists include distracted driving due to texting, talking on the phone, listening to loud music, or talking to passengers, fatigue, driver inexperience, intoxication or driving under the influence, reflex delay which is commonly found in elderly drivers, and unfortunately road rage. Furthermore, motorist traffic law violations are also a major cause of motorcycle accidents, with common examples being the failure to properly yield to the right of way, speeding, illegal lane changes, and failure to pay attention to traffic signals.
Just like passenger car injuries that are caused by the safety infractions mentioned above, motorcycle injures typically fall into two different categories; hard injuries and soft tissue injuries, both of which are extremely painful and can be potentially life threatening, especially due to the increased risk of infection.
Examples of common hard injuries motorcyclists suffer from include second and third degree burns from the motorcycle engine, exhaust or the manifold. Unlike car engines which are under a hood, motorcycle engines are exposed and run at an average temperature of 230 degrees, which literally melts off human skin and tissue. This is one reason why motorcyclists often wear leather chaps or thick denim to protect their fragile skin. Spinal cord injuries, brain trauma, organ damage, and internal bleeding are also common examples of hard injuries suffered by motorcyclists. And of course, broken bones are among the most common hard injuries, especially to the hands, pelvic bones, and hips.
Regardless of what kind of injuries you suffer as a motorcyclists, either hard or soft, it’s imperative that you meet with motorcycle accident lawyers in order to discuss your options in terms of getting the compensation you deserve and need for your physical and emotional suffering. You may feel tempted to not even discuss the matter with motorcycle accident lawyers in your haste to recover from your injuries and put the entire matter behind you, but remember, you have rights to protect!
