Motorcycle accidents take place all too often in Washington State. These accidents are also not without fatalities. According to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, about one in five motorcycle collisions result in serious injury or death and on average 75 riders die every year in collisions on Washington roads. Injury victims and their loved ones deserve fair compensation for their injuries.
What Helps Contribute to Motorcycle Accidents?
While motorcycle accidents can result rom a variety of factors, there are a few commonalities among these types of crashes. Accidents are often the result of:
- Negligent drivers,
- Negligent motorcycle riders,
- Intoxication,
- Bikers colliding with stationary objects (like car doors),
- Unsafe road conditions (like unrepaired potholes), and
- Defective motorcycles.
Who are Common Defendants in these Cases and what Damages are Available?
People injured in a Washington motorcycle accident typically file a lawsuit against:
- Negligent motorists,
- Negligent bikers,
- Motorcycle manufacturers (for example, in defective product cases),
- Property owners (for example, in premises liability cases), and
- Government agencies (for example, if they fail to properly maintain roads).
Drivers and motorcyclists are “negligent” if they fail to operate their car or bike like a reasonable driver/biker would under all of the circumstances.
If an injured party is successful in filing a claim or suit, he/she can recover compensation for:
- Medical expenses,
- Lost wages,
- Lost earning capacity,
- Property damage,
- Out-of-pocket expenses, and
- Pain and suffering.
How Can a Personal Injury Attorney Help?
Injury lawyers play an integral role in motorcycle accident cases. For example, a skilled Washington personal injury attorney can help injury victims:
- Manage their long-term medical care,
- Gather evidence to help identify all liable parties,
- Secure experts to help understand this evidence and explain it to a judge or jury,
- File a personal injury claim, and
- File a lawsuit against all parties that helped contribute to the accident.
Contact Otorowski Morrow & Golden, PLLC
If you or a loved was hurt in a motorcycle-related accident, please know that Otorowski Morrow & Golden, PLLC is here to help. Our attorneys provide free consultations to all our potential clients. Further, the attorneys at our law firm have over 120 years of combined experience representing injured parties and helping them file lawsuits to get the compensation they deserve. Do yourself a favor and contact them now for the quality legal assistance you deserve.