We know that Florida is the perfect state to ride, thanks to our warm weather and scenic routes, such as SR-13. But a great day out riding can quickly end in disaster if an accident occurs. Injuries can be severe – or minor if you’re lucky – and you may need extensive medical care, surgery, time off work, physical and occupational therapy, and more.
Florida’s Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reports the following motorcycle accident stats for 2023:
- 9,540 motorcycle crashes statewide
- 615 motorcycle fatalities statewide
- 451 motorcycle crashes in Palm Beach
- 19 motorcycle fatalities in Palm Beach
Motorcycle accidents in FL may result from aggressive driving, driver distraction, speeding, low visibility, road hazards, lane splitting and more.
The risk of severe injury or death is four times higher for motorcyclists than if you were in a car. Lack of safety features and protection leads to 80% of motorcycle accidents that cause injuries or death.
7 Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries
As a motorcycle accident lawyer, we know that your injuries can be minor or life-changing. Often, motorcyclists suffer from:
- Road rash: Skin abrasions are common and may result from being thrown from your bike or skidding on the pavement. Road rash can be minor, or it can be severe enough to cause nerve and muscle damage.
- Broken bones: Fractures and broken bones can occur, including in your arms, forearms, ribs, pelvis, ankles, legs and more.
- Head injuries: Minor and traumatic brain injuries are common, especially if you are not wearing a helmet.
- Biker’s arm: A form of nerve damage to the arm, sometimes leading to paralysis, from the rider landing on their arm.
- Burns: Severe burns are possible if the motorcycle or a vehicle catches fire.
- Spinal injuries: Paralysis, death, nerve damage and loss of function are all common in spinal injuries due to the impact of the accident.
- Foot and leg injuries: Over 50% of injuries involve a rider’s lower extremities.
If you walked away from an accident with what you thought were minor injuries but they’re not healing or the pain is worsening, go to a doctor or the emergency room. You can have internal injuries, neurological damage or other injuries that need immediate attention.
Your doctor’s visit will provide a paper trail of your injuries that we can use to seek the compensation you deserve.
What Percentage of Motorcycle Riders Get in Accidents?
In 2023, the rate of injuries among registered motorcycles was 864 out of 100,000, or 0.864% of registered riders are involved in an accident.
How Many Motorcycle Accidents Occur Per Year?
Accident rates can vary, but in a recent report, there were 82,687 injuries from motorcycle accidents in the United States.
What Types of Compensation are Available for Motorcycle Injuries?
If you were injured in a motorcycle accident, you may be able to seek a variety of compensatory damages, such as:
- Medical care, including surgery, rehabilitation, hospitalization, physical therapy, medication, etc.
- Lost wages or income if your injuries leave you unable to work.
- Pain and suffering for mental anguish, physical pain, anxiety, depression or loss of enjoyment of life.
- Property damage if your motorcycle or other property is damaged in the accident.
How Does the Motorcycle Accident Claim Process Work?
Filing an insurance claim after a motorcycle accident is complex, especially when injuries are involved. While you can navigate the process on your own, having an experienced attorney on your side can make all the difference in the outcome of your claim.
An attorney will:
Investigate and Gather Evidence
One of the first things your attorney will do is investigate the crash and gather evidence to support your claim.
Evidence can include:
- Police reports
- Photos or videos of the crash (if available)
- Photos of your injuries
- Medical records
- Traffic camera footage
- Eyewitness statements
- Any citations that may have been issued
- Testimonies from medical experts
If necessary, your attorney can bring in experts to recreate the accident to paint a clearer picture of what happened and who was at fault.
Determine the Value of Your Claim
After investigating and reviewing the evidence, your attorney can start the process of calculating the value of your claim.
Determining the value of a claim is a complex process. Several factors will be taken into account, including but not limited to:
- The extent of your injuries
- Future medical costs
- Whether you were forced to take off of work to recover
- The emotional and physical impact of your injuries
- Whether your future earning capacity will be impacted by your injuries
An experienced personal injury attorney will know how to calculate the value of your claim properly and help you seek compensation that truly makes you whole.
Negotiate with Insurance Companies
One of the most stressful aspects of filing a claim is dealing with insurance companies. An attorney can alleviate this burden and handle all communication with insurers, including:
- Negotiations to secure a fair settlement for your injuries
- Fighting back if they deny your claim
Meanwhile, you can focus on the most important thing: healing and recovery.
Who Is at Fault in Most Motorcycle Accidents?
To pursue maximum compensation for your injuries, you must prove that the other party was negligent. Proving negligence isn’t as straightforward as it may seem. You must be able to show that the other party:
- Owed you a duty of care
- Breached this duty
- This breach of duty caused the accident
- You were injured as a result
Depending on the circumstances of the accident, establishing negligence can be complicated.
Examples of negligence include:
- Distracted driving – A motorist was texting, eating or engaging in some activity that kept their eyes off of the road.
- Driving while under the influence – The other driver was illegally operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- Violating traffic laws – Maybe the other driver was speeding, ran a red light, failed to yield or violated some other traffic law that led to the collision.
To establish negligence and liability, your attorney will use all of the available evidence to build a strong case on your behalf.
Why You Need an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney to Help with Your Claim
Motorcycle accidents in FL can cause devastating, life-changing injuries that require extensive medical care and rehabilitation.
Unfortunately, insurance companies are more interested in protecting their bottom lines than ensuring you receive the compensation you need and deserve for your injuries.
An experienced attorney can help you navigate the process, protect your rights and negotiate with insurance companies to secure a fair settlement.
If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Palm Beach County, FL, call or contact us today to schedule a consultation and discuss your options.
AHREFS
- what percentage of motorcycle riders get in accidents
- how many motorcycle accidents per year
- who is at fault in most motorcycle accidents