Injured in a Motorcycle Accident?
Motorcycle crashes are both more common and usually more serious than other types of motor vehicle crashes. This is because motorcycles are less “crashworthy” than cars: by their nature, they are less able to protect and shield the motorcycle rider from harm when a crash occurs.
In addition, the smaller size of motorcycles means that drivers of larger vehicles sometimes don’t see motorcycles. This is illustrated by the higher percentage of motorcycle crashes that are head-on collisions, compared to crashes between two other vehicles, which are more often rear-end collisions. A motorcycle crash may seem straight-forward, but there can be many factors at play and grievous injuries in question; call the experienced personal injury attorneys at Krum Gergely & Oates for a free consultation today.
An injured person has two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit in Virginia; this is called the “statute of limitations.” In Maryland, the statute of limitations is three years.
An additional barrier to recovery for some people is the rule of contributory negligence. This legal doctrine is applied by the courts in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. It dictates that, if the injured person is even 1 percent at fault for the crash, then they may not recover at all for their personal injury. A small minority of states and territories apply this rule, but D.C., Maryland, and Virginia are three of them. The attorneys at Krum Gergely & Oates understand the potential difficulties posed by the statute of limitations and the doctrine of contributory negligence and can assist you with your case.
If you have been injured in a motorcycle crash – or any vehicle crash – it is important to inform your insurance carrier immediately. An unjustified delay can make it more difficult to recover any benefits from insurance. Dealing with your insurance company during the high-stress period of recovery after a devastating accident is a stressful burden, but engaging a personal injury attorney like those at Krum Gergely & Oates means that your lawyer will take on the responsibility of communicating with the insurance carriers.
It is helpful to know how much insurance coverage you have and whether you have elected to purchase medical payment insurance (often just called med-pay). Medical payment insurance is usually offered at a low rate and is available if you are injured in a crash, regardless of who caused it; even if you are at fault, you can receive med-pay. Another perk of med-pay is that it pays out much more quickly than other types of insurance coverage so, if it is available at a reasonable rate from your insurance carrier, it is a wise decision to purchase it.
Because motorcycle riders are so much more exposed than drivers and passengers in enclosed vehicles, the damages can be catastrophic and motorcycle crashes cause more than twice the fatalities than other vehicles do, over the same number of miles driven. In addition to many of the same types of injuries as victims of other vehicle crashes – broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, bruises, cuts, nerve damage, and other soft tissue injuries – motorcyclists can also be exposed to road rash, often-serious abrasions from contact with asphalt or other surfaces, that are vulnerable to infection and can cause scarring.
The experienced trial attorneys at Krum Gergely & Oates will work with your medical providers to ensure that all aspects of your injuries are included in your personal injury claim.