Many accidents involving cars and motorcycles are caused by the car driver's failure to see the motorcycle in time to avoid the crash. If you were injured in a motorcycle crash, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer to discuss your options.
Information About Motorcycle Accident Claims
I am Jim Desmond, an attorney who has more than 14 years of experience in motorcycle accident and wrongful death cases in both Indiana and Kentucky. My firm is committed to helping victims and their families through this challenging time, by taking care of financial compensation while they focus on healing.
Some basic information about motorcycle accident claims appears below. In a free consultation, I can answer any questions you might have about your case and discuss how my firm can help you.
FROM DAY ONE, I HAD MY LAWYER'S CELL PHONE NUMBER. WHEN I CALLED, HE ANSWERED THE PHONE, NOT A PARALEGAL OR SECRETARY!
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I personally handle all cases, from the free initial consultation and accident investigation to the insurance settlement negotiations or litigation. Find out if you have a good case and if I am the right attorney to handle your claim. If I am not, I will do my best to find you an attorney that I personally trust.
Call me at 502-609-7657, toll free at 888-515-4246. I can meet with you in my offices in Louisville or at a location of your choosing.
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Do you have enough motorcycle insurance? I can review your policy and recommend the coverage you should have. Let's talk before the accident happens. When the accident happens, it is like a photograph is taken. You can't add anything or take anything away from that photograph. As a result, let's make sure you have what you need before the accident occurs. Hopefully, you will never use the advice but, you will feel a lot better knowing you have it.
In a motorcycle accident case, the police report does not always accurately describe what really happened. I fully investigate the cause of an accident with the help of an accident reconstructionist. If the injuries and the facts call for it, we can incur the expense of an trained professional to analyze the accident scene, the photographs and the vehicles themselves to see if we can reconstruct how this accident happened. These experts tend to be rather expensive so we cannot justify the cost on every case. However, if these kind of experts are necessary, we want to hear from you immediately after the accident.
For example, I had a case once where my client was hospitalized and the issue was who crossed the center line and caused the accident. Because I heard from this girl's mother early on, the accident reconstructionist we hired was able to find divots in the road, which the police did not and by viewing the accident scene, that established that my client was not at fault in causing the accident. When the insurance company saw the report of our accident reconstructionist, their own expert had to admit that our reconstructionist was completely right.
* The Kentucky State Bar requires me to say that COURT COSTS AND CASE EXPENSES WILL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CLIENT.
Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycle accidents, like all accidents involving motor vehicles, can be caused by a number of different factors. While an accident can be the fault of the motorcycle driver, many times, other drivers cause accidents involving motorcycles. Because of a motorcycle's relatively small size, many drivers of passenger cars and trucks do not see motorcyclists. Even if they check their mirrors before changing lanes or turning, the motorcycle may be in the car's blind spot, and an accident may result. If you were injured in a motorcycle accident, talk to an experienced attorney at Desmond Law Offices in Louisville, Kentucky about your legal options for recovery.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that the most common type of motorcycle crashes are those involving a motorcycle and another vehicle. In 78% of the two-vehicle accidents in 2005, the motorcycle was hit in the front, while in 6% the motorcycle was hit from behind. In 38% of these crashes, a vehicle was making a left turn while the motorcycle was going straight, passing or overtaking the vehicle.1
Speeding and Reckless Driving
Another cause of motorcycle accidents is speeding or reckless driving by either the motorcyclist or driver of an automobile or other vehicle. Motorcyclists who ride "supersport" cycles, which are consumer versions of racing motorcycles and have powerful engines, may try to reach high speeds. Both car drivers and motorcycle riders can be found negligent if they drive aggressively, speed, do not pay attention or drive too close to the vehicle in front of them.
Alcohol Use
Alcohol is a contributing factor in many fatal motor vehicle accidents, including motorcycle crashes. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that 27% of fatally injured motorcyclists in 2005 had blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) at or above 0.08 percent. This is slightly less than the 33% of fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers.2
Unsafe Road Conditions
Dangerous road conditions are a cause of many automobile and motorcycle accidents. Conditions such as slick surfaces, ridges in the pavement, fluid spills and debris on the road can be even more dangerous for motorcycles than cars because of their small size and lessened ability to respond to these conditions. The design of a motorcycle, with two wheels rather than four wheels, makes it less stable than cars and trucks. In addition, road barriers such as guardrails that are designed to retain cars can be deadly if a motorcyclist collides with them. Because of their small size and lack of enclosure, crashing into a fixed object can be more hazardous for motorcycles than other motor vehicles. In 2005, 26% of fatal motorcycle crashes involved fixed objects, while 17% of fatal car crashes involved fixed objects.3
Contact a Lawyer
If you or a family member was injured in a motorcycle accident, you may have questions about your legal options. An experienced personal injury attorney at Desmond Law Offices in Louisville, Kentucky can review your situation and evaluate your options.
1. See Q & As: Motorcycles - general, dated Sept. 2007, available at www.iihs.org/research/qanda/motorcycles.html.
2. See Q & As: Motorcycles - general, dated Sept. 2007, available at www.iihs.org/research/qanda/motorcycles.html.
3. See Q & As: Motorcycles - general, dated Sept. 2007, available at www.iihs.org/research/qanda/motorcycles.html.
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