Motorcycle riders are usually extremely aware of their positions and fast reactors.
Scutariw2 says:
“Pedestrian was texting/Facebooking and suddenly walked into the road in front of me. I braked fiercely and skidded on some wet road or fuel. I ended up on my right side. Air ambulance called. I broke my ankle and also 2 fractures at knee level. Surgery with metal work followed. I’m now 2 months post-accident. Cast off but will be non-weight-bearing on crutches for another 4. Right leg now shorter than left.”
Fast reactor or not, Troy 8402 had the typical accident of a motorist overlooking him:”I was riding on the interstate and a woman not paying attention ran me off the road. Don’t remember anything else except waking up in ambulance. Still healing from broken ankle, tear in lung, 7 broken ribs, 2 fractures in neck and a bone in my back fractured, not to mention bruises and road rash.”
Riding a motorcycle provides a rush of freedom, a unique experience unknown to those solidly seated in cars. Speed and ease of maneuvering are compelling reasons to ride. However, the very freedom of the road puts riders between a rock and a hard place, namely, trucks and cars. The risks of riding are high and injuries often very serious. According to FindLaw, motorcyclists are 26 times more likely to be killed upon collisions, and five times more likely to be injured than those riding in cars.
Two-thirds of motorcycle accidents involved cars that veered into the motorcyclist’s lane and caused the accident. The car driver simply did not see the motorcycle. Although fatalities for drivers and passengers of other vehicles have fallen since 1999, motorcycle deaths have risen dramatically, doubling since 2000.
There are two rough roads for motorcycle accident victims, recovery and compensation to pay for damages. For compensation to be made, the courts need to determine who is at fault. Injury Claim Coach reports that, if a motorist is negligent, the law says he breached the duty to look out for the other driver.
Breaching duty could mean the motorist simply changed lanes and failed to see the motorcycle. Nevertheless, the motorcyclist has the legal right to pursue damages and the cost of his injuries in court. The cyclist will have the duty to prove his case, because he filed the lawsuit.
Suits can be won for millions of dollars, but the motorcyclist can come up short, anyway. The Santa Cruz law office of Cartwright, Scruggs, Fulton and Walker won a $4.75 million dollar settlement for their motorcycle accident client. The client was struck by a car pulling out of a private driveway. The motorcyclist became a paraplegic, and the $4.7 million was a lifetime settlement.
A 21-year-old motorcyclist was tossed hundreds of feet into the air when a pickup truck suddenly made a left turn in front of him. The cyclist was traveling at twice the speed limit, and a screeching halt made for multiple fractures and serious recovery time. Nevertheless, the truck driver was deemed negligent and the biker was awarded a $650,000 settlement.
Do some people recover to ride again?
Great American Trek published the first-person story of a motorcyclist involved in a serious accident in 2011. A car changed lanes directly in front of him. He slammed into the rear of the car and flew horizontally over it, landing on the pavement. He lay there with an open fracture to his right wrist and arm.
Out of nowhere another motorcyclist appeared and asked to pray for the accident victim. The injured man gave permission and the man, who was a complete stranger. prayed audibly for complete recovery. A medically trained student then appeared immediately and began to assist.The cyclist telling his story was a medical student himself, training to become a surgeon. He recovered the use of his hand and arm and his surgical career. He rides again, but with
The cyclist telling his story was a medical student himself, training to become a surgeon. He recovered the use of his hand and arm and his surgical career. He rides again, but with
He rides again, but with new compassion for patients, a new perspective on rushed, busy roads – and occasional PTSD.
Steve Roberts founded the Law Office of Steve Roberts, LLC. By sticking to his principles of protecting the rights of people injured due to another, provide honest hard work, maximizing client recovery, and that clients always come first, he has developed a strong relationsip with the Colorado Community. If you have been injured, check out Colorado Roberts Law to speak to an attorney today.
