South Carolina is one of the most dangerous states in the country for motorcyclists, with the fourth-highest fatality rate. If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident in Mount Pleasant caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to financial compensation.
First, you would need to overcome a number of barriers that the insurance company tries to put in your way. Your first step to compensation is calling a motorcycle accident lawyer in Mount Pleasant at Rikard & Protopapas for legal help.
Common Causes of Motorcycle Wrecks in Mount Pleasant
Drivers are often the cause of motorcycle accidents. They either do not know how to share the road with a motorcyclist, or they have no interest in doing so. As a motorcyclist, you have every right to be on the road the same as any other motorist.
Examples of what drivers mistakenly do to cause motorcycle accidents include:
- Illegal left-hand turns that cut in front of you
- Careless lane changes, where drivers do not check their blindspot
- Distracted driving that causes the motorist to not see you when they run into you
- Reckless driving, where the motorist loses control of their car
Drivers have to pay an added degree of attention for your safety, since a motorcycle is not on the eye-level with them. Unfortunately, many drivers do not pay such a level of attention.
Frequent Injuries to Motorcyclists
Because there is little to protect you from impact with the road or another car, chances are that you will be injured in a motorcycle accident. On average, these injuries tend to be serious. In most cases, you will suffer some type of injury in a motorcycle accident.
Here are some common motorcycle accident injuries:
- Road rash, when your body skids along the concrete
- Broken bones and fractures from impact with the car or the road
- Traumatic brain injuries (the odds of which are increased by not wearing a helmet)
- Spinal cord injuries
- Internal injuries
- Lacerations
- Soft tissue injuries
Your injuries could leave you with a lengthy rehabilitation, and you may never be the same again. Many injured motorcyclists suffer some type of permanent injuries from their accident.
Who Pays for the Damages in a Motorcycle Accident?
If you are able to receive financial compensation in your motorcycle accident case, the responsible driver would need to cover the full cost of your damages. They would not just be responsible for paying the actual economic damages that you lost. Below are examples of what a driver would need to pay you if you can prove that they were at fault:
- All the costs associated with your medical care
- Lost wages for money that you could have earned from working
- Pain and suffering for what you have endured since the accident
- Loss of enjoyment of the life that you had before your accident
Your motorcycle accident damages cover both the past and future. Thus, it is essential to have an attorney who can estimate the value of your damages.
Why Get a Lawyer After a Motorcycle Crash?
To recover compensation in a motorcycle accident case, you would need to prove that the driver involved was negligent. Essentially, you need to show that they acted unreasonably under the circumstances, and that their actions caused your injuries.
Insurance companies try to break the chain of causation by blaming you for your own injuries. In their estimation, you become responsible for what happened the second that you took the risk to get on the motorcycle. It is in the insurance company’s financial interest to blame you for what happened, in whole or in part, because they know that they would need to pay you a large amount of money.
Even though you are the claimant in a motorcycle accident case, you would need a personal injury lawyer in Mount Pleasant to defend you from the allegations that the insurance company may make against you. They may claim that you contributed to the accident, or that your failure to wear the latest and most expensive safety equipment made your injuries worse.
In any motorcycle accident case, you would need evidence that shows that the other driver was at fault. The best form of evidence is objective witness testimony from people who saw the accident. The police report could also be used to demonstrate fault to the insurance company (although you cannot use it in court to prove your case, because it would be considered hearsay).
Avoiding a Motorcycle Accident in the Future
As a motorcyclist, you have a number of reasons to take all precautions on your end to stay safe. The most obvious reason is to preserve your own health and ensure that you can enjoy your motorcycle for years to come. You also do not want to give the insurance company an excuse to try to blame you and reduce your financial recovery.
Motorcycle safety measures that you can take to reduce the risk of injury on your motorcycle include:
- Even though it is not required by South Carolina law, you should wear a Department of Transportation-compliant motorcycle helmet
- Invest in other safety gear that can protect you in the event of an accident
- Drive defensively at all times, knowing that other motorists may not be concerned about your safety
- Obey traffic laws at all times and do not speed
- Try to avoid being on your motorcycle during inclement and hazardous weather
However, you cannot always avoid accidents, no matter how many precautions you take. When you have been seriously injured by another’s careless actions, the Mount Pleasant motorcycle accident attorneys at Rikard & Protopapas can help you.
Contact Us About Your Motorcycle Accident Case
If you or a loved one have been injured in a motorcycle accident, you can call us today at 803-978-6111 or send us a message online to get the legal help you need as you seek financial compensation. We will stand up for you when it seems like nobody else is in your corner. We work for you on a contingency basis, and you owe us nothing unless you win.