Best Motorcycle Accident Lawyers in Big Pine Key, Florida

Most commonly, motorcycle accidents are the result of other drivers' failure to see the motorcycle because of its smaller size. It's easier to miss a motorcyclist because their presence can be hidden by glare, blind spots, or obstructed by another vehicle. Intersections are the most common location for motorcycle accidents to take place when drivers fail to yield right of way.

Left-turn collisions make up a significant number of motorcycle accidents. If a driver doesn't see the motorcyclists coming, it's easy to turn directly in front of them, causing an accident. This is particularly true when there are multiple left turning lanes. Regardless, it's the duty of motorists to use care when making left-hand turns to ensure they don't injure others on the road. 

Hazardous road conditions are another factor in motorcycle accidents. While you may not see much in the form of ice and snow in Florida, you will see rain which can make road surfaces slippery. Additionally, motorcyclists are more at risk of crashing if patches of uneven pavement, potholes, or debris are in the roadway. Motorcycles are smaller and thus, have less stability than cars. If the city or county doesn't properly maintain roads, they may become vulnerable to a lawsuit for injuries sustained.

As with any kind of motor vehicle, speeding and reckless driving can result in a motorcycle accident. A motorcyclist can be put in danger if a driver is tailgating, driving inattentively, or traveling at excessive speeds.

Drugs and alcohol use is a common cause of accidents on our roadways. Even though driving while under the influence across the U.S. is illegal, it's still an unfortunate factor in many collisions. When drugs or alcohol are involved in an accident, the guilty party should be held accountable for the injuries their negligent actions cause.

While riding a motorcycle is adventurous and free, the same sense of freedom comes at a price. Motorcycle accident injuries are often severe for the simple fact riders lack protection. While wearing a helmet and protective gear provides a buffer, it's not the same as the protection you have riding in a car. Here are some common motorcycle accident injuries.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) - While helmets substantially reduce the risk of TBI, the risk is not totally eliminated. When a rider hits the road or an object, the rapid deceleration often leads to brain injury. A violent blow can damage nerve cells and cause bleeding and swelling, which can result in damaged tissue and nerve endings that will affect a wide variety of body functions. TBI can cause the victim to experience the following:

• Coma, which can be permanent
• Loss of motor skills such as numbness, weakness, and even paralysis
• Loss of speech and language skills
• Loss of cognitive skills such as memory, understanding of numbers, and the ability to reason
• Emotional issues that include anxiety, depression, mood swings, suicidal thoughts, and unchecked temper
• Other functional problems like constant headaches, insomnia, persistent fatigue, and the inability to read social cues 

Biker's arm - Also known as rider's arm, this is a broad category of injuries that occur when a motorcyclist lands on their arm during a crash or the motorcycle lands on the rider's arm. This type of injury can cause nerve damage which can limit mobility. In serious cases, the rider may partially or permanently lose function in the arm. Biker's arm symptoms include the following:

• Tingling or other unusual sensations in the injured arm
• Ability to use the arm but not the hands or fingers
• Ability to use hands and fingers, but no feeling in the upper arm and shoulder
• Numbness in the injured arm
• Paralysis of the arm

Road rash - The term road rash is used to describe an injury to the skin when it's rubbed against the road. There are three varying degrees of road rash. While mild road rash can often be treated at home, second and third-degree road rash may require medical intervention to prevent a serious infection and promote healing. 

Broken bones - Hands, ankles, wrist, spine, and leg fractures frequently occur during a motorcycle accident. The motorcycle will often fall on one leg or foot, which can easily cause bones to break. While some broken bones can heal fine, some fractures cause lifelong nerve damage and joint problems. For example, if you break your ankle in a motorcycle accident, you may never be able to run or jump like you used to do. Broken bones also injure surrounding joints, ligaments, and muscles, which can lead to osteoarthritis that can cause a limited range of motion and stiffness in those joints. 

Facial disfigurement - Florida motorcycle laws require motorcycle operators to wear a helmet. Still, if you're over 21 and have proof that your insurance policy carries at least $10,000 for personal injury, you can get away without wearing one. Even so, facial disfigurement is a real risk whether you're wearing a helmet or not. 

If you live in Big Pine Key, Florida, you're probably aware of the no-fault insurance laws that govern four-wheeled vehicles. However, insurance laws and liability arguments are very different for two-wheeled motorcycles. This impacts your rights as an injured victim. While it's wise to carry bodily injury coverage to protect yourself if you cause an accident, the legal process is very different when you're the victim. 

When registering a four-wheeled vehicle in Florida, you must provide documentation that you carry at least $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) insurance which individuals use to cover their own medical expenses if they're injured in a collision, instead of filing a third-party claim to the other driver's insurance company. Motorcyclists do not have the same requirement.

When you're the victim of a motorcycle accident, the law transitions into an at-fault system which means you have the right to file a claim with the at-fault driver's insurance company. There are two advantages to this. The first is that you're not limited to having 80 percent of your medical bills and 60 percent of your lost income paid through PIP. You have the right to seek full damages. The second is that you can recover compensation for pain and suffering, which is not allowed under no-fault rules except under specific circumstances.

Fault still has to be established to get compensation. However, the good news is that even if you were partially at fault, you could still recover compensation through the comparative negligence law. In Florida, pure comparative fault is the rule. 

Pure comparative negligence allows injured parties to collect damages that are proportional to the percent of fault that is theirs. For example, if you were found to be 60% at fault for speeding and the other driver was found to be 40% at fault for distracted driving, you would be able to collect 40% of your damages. The courts decide how much percentage to assign by taking the entirety of the circumstances into account.
 

Suppose you or a loved one was injured or killed in a motorcycle accident in the area of Big Pine Key, FL. In that case, our expert motorcycle accident lawyers can help you with a claim against the other party. We can help you recover compensation for things like medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages from the accident.

We've had great success at winning compensation for motorcycle accident victims, including a $47.5 million verdict for a motorcyclist that a wrong-way driver struck. While that verdict was one of our highest for a motorcycle accident, it speaks to the skill of our attorneys. 

We understand that other negligent drivers cause most motorcycle accidents, and we believe they should be held accountable. Florida insurance laws are complicated, and an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer can make all the difference in the amount of compensation you can recover. We handle all negotiations giving you more time to recover. We can even work with your doctors to delay payments while your claim is ongoing. 

You owe it to yourself and your family to choose the best motorcycle accident lawyers in Big Pine Key to ensure you get the most compensation possible. That is always our goal for our clients. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.