Over $10 million is spent annually for the repair of motorcycles and the meeting of medical costs by motorcyclists involved in road accidents. A large percentage of this amount, unfortunately, comes from the motorcyclists’ pockets.
This is because most will not pursue compensation since most legal systems are prejudiced against them given their bad rap from years past. As such, getting a ruling in their favor is generally impossible.
While this was the case in the past, many motorcyclists are now getting fair compensation thanks to a motorcycle injury attorney in Salt Lake City. This is the first person you should call when you are involved in a crash.
They will help you gather evidence which will prove crucial in the positive outcome of your claim and guide you on how to conduct yourself appropriately. After evaluating your claim’s specifics, the lawyer will recommend the party you should sue for your accident.
The following are some of the parties that can be held liable in a motorcycle crash.
Motorcycle Manufacturer, Service Technician or Dealer
Defective parts might not be as prevalent in motorcycles as in cars, but they might be the cause of your accident. If your accident resulted from the failure of any part of your motorcycle, you could sue the bike’s manufacturer or dealer for your accident.
To get compensated, you should have your bike’s warranty in check and all the paperwork from the service station or dealer who serviced it before the accident. Other than the motorcycle manufacturer, you can sue your helmet manufacturer if a defect in the helmet contributed to your head injury.
Government Entities
Debris on the road, rough road grading, missing guardrails, and potholes might also contribute to motorcycle accidents. The maintenance of the streets is the responsibility of different state and local government entities.
Failure to maintain the road or erect warning signs on issues which contribute to its unsafe riding conditions is hence negligence on their part. Most government entities have between a 3- and 6-month timeframe for filing a claim against them after your accident.
Other Motorcyclists
There are times when you might have been riding carefully but swerved to avoid hitting another motorcyclist who was riding recklessly. In other instances, another motorcyclist might be the one who rams into your bike. In both of these cases and variations of the same, you should sue the motorcyclist and get compensation from their insurer.
Drivers
Vehicle drivers are the leading parties sued for the causation of motorcycling accidents. Very few drivers think much of motorcyclists anyway. If a driver’s negligence contributed to your crash, you should get a settlement from their insurer.
This will also be possible if the driver is responsible for the worsening rather than causation of your injuries by not taking necessary steps to minimize your accident’s impact.
Most motorcyclists will blame themselves for an accident’s causation even without an expert’s input. They hence let the above parties walk scot-free while they get sued for compensation by other road users.
This significantly affects the insurance premiums they get in the future. Even when involved in seemingly minor road mishaps always get an attorney to advise you on the best course of action.
