Motorcycle accidents can leave devastation in their wake. If you were injured or lost a loved one in a motorcycle accident, you need a strong legal advocate on your side who will fight for the financial compensation and accountability you deserve. An Ogden motorcycle accident lawyer from our firm can help demand you receive them.
For almost five decades, Parker & McConkie Personal Injury Lawyers has helped accident victims throughout Ogden, Utah, and surrounding areas. We can put our more than 100 years of experience to use to fight for you, too. Contact our law office at (385) 402-8187 today to schedule a free case review.
How Can Parker & McConkie Personal Injury Lawyers Help After a Motorcycle Accident?
If you or a loved one was injured in a motorcycle accident, you have enough to worry about without adding the stress of a legal claim to the mix. You could be facing serious injuries and a financially uncertain future. At the same time, the insurance company could be trying to blame you for the accident.
Our law firm has successfully recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation for our deserving clients. When you hire our law firm serving Ogden, UT, we:
- Discuss your legal rights and options during a free, no-obligation consultation
- Investigate the accident to determine fault
- Gather evidence, such as accident reports, witness statements, and physical evidence
- Calculate your damages
- Handle communications with the insurance company on your behalf
- Manage insurance claims
- Identify all avenues for financial compensation
- Fight for fair compensation inside and outside the courtroom
Learn more about how we can help when you call for a free case review with one of our Odgen personal injury attorneys.
What Makes Motorcycle Accidents So Dangerous?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 6,218 motorcyclists were killed in traffic accidents in 2022, making up 15% of all traffic fatalities. This was the highest reported number of motorcyclist deaths since at least 1975. Compared to other motorists, motorcyclists were 22 times more likely to die and four times more likely to be injured in a motor vehicle accident per mile traveled.
These staggering statistics are partly due to the lack of protection motorcyclists have. Their vehicles do not have seat belts, airbags, or a metal frame like passenger vehicles do. Additionally, some motorcycle crashes eject motorists, causing severe injuries.
What Is My Motorcycle Accident Case Worth?
Motorcycle accidents can leave victims suffering serious injuries. They may be unable to work and may be permanently disabled due to their accident. They are often in excruciating pain and suffering. The potential value of their claim depends on various factors, such as:
- The type and severity of injuries, including whether injuries are permanent
- The effect injuries have on the victim’s earning capacity
- The length of medical treatment and recovery
- The extent of pain and suffering
- The identity of the party or parties responsible for the accident
- The insurance coverage available
- Whether the victim contributed to the accident
To learn more about your claim’s potential value, contact our personal injury law firm today.
What Are Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries?
Motorcycle accidents can result in life-threatening injuries or death. Our law office can help if you or your loved one suffered any of the following serious injuries in a motorcycle accident:
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Motorcycle accidents often cause traumatic brain injuries, especially if the victim isn’t wearing a helmet. Traumatic brain injuries can be classified as mild, moderate, or severe, but all of them should be taken seriously. These severe injuries can cause permanent physical, mental, and emotional disabilities. Some are fatal.
Motorcyclists ejected during the crash may suffer skull fractures or other head trauma. These injuries can sometimes result in brain damage. Signs of a head injury include:
- Loss of consciousness
- Loss of motor skills
- Difficulty with balance or coordination
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Memory loss
- Confusion
- Disorientation
- Speech problems
- Blurry vision
- Depression
- Anxiety
Seek immediate medical attention if you are experiencing any of these symptoms.
Facial Injuries
Whether a motorcyclist is ejected from their bike or skids onto the roadway, they can suffer serious facial injuries, including broken noses, jawbones, and teeth. These accidents can cause permanent scarring and disfigurement.
Spinal Cord Injuries
One of the most serious types of injuries motorcycle accident victims may suffer is spinal cord injuries. These injuries are common when motorcyclists are thrown from their bikes onto a hard surface. Their back and spine may absorb the bulk of this trauma. Some spinal cord injuries can cause total paralysis. Others cause respiratory problems, sexual dysfunction, and loss of bladder and bowel control.
Internal Organ Damage
Motorcyclists can also suffer internal organ damage when their body absorbs a lot of force and impact in the accident. They may suffer injuries to the following organs:
- Heart
- Lungs
- Spleen
- Kidneys
- Liver
These injuries can cause internal bleeding, which can be deadly if not promptly diagnosed and treated.
Road Rash
Road rash is a serious skin condition that results when the skin comes in direct contact with an abrasive surface, such as pavement. Motorcyclists may scrape their legs or arms during these crashes when they fall on these parts of their body or extend their arms to brace themselves. Road rash can result in infections, nerve damage, and significant scarring.
Whiplash
Whiplash is a condition that occurs when a driver’s neck whips back and forth because of the force of impact. Motorcycle accidents can cause whiplash and other soft tissue injuries to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
Fractures
Motorcycle accidents can result in fractures when motorcyclists are ejected from their bikes or their bikes crush them. Broken bones could include:
- Jaws
- Arms
- Legs
- Hands
- Feet
- Knees
- Ankles
- Writs
- Calves
- Ribs
- Pelvis
After an accident, try not to move so you don’t make the injury worse. Then, call immediately for medical help.
Death
In the most tragic accidents, motorcycle accidents cause the death of victims. In these situations, surviving family members may be able to file a wrongful death claim to seek justice and accountability for their loved one’s loss.
Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents
Many motorcycle accidents occur because other motorists do not respect their position on the roadway. They may not see them because they are smaller than other vehicles. They may fail to keep a lookout for them or turn in front of their path. They could fail to check their blind spot and collide with a motorcyclist already occupying the lane.
As with other motor vehicle accidents, accidents can occur due to the at-fault driver:
- Speeding
- Failing to yield the right-of-way
- Being distracted
- Drunk driving
- Running red lights or stop signs
- Disobeying traffic signals
An experienced lawyer can investigate your accident to determine how it happened and who is responsible.
Who Is Responsible for the Motorcycle Accident?
In many motorcycle accidents, the driver of the passenger vehicle is at fault for the accident, for the reasons described above. However, the motorcyclist may sometimes be at fault or contribute to the accident. In other cases, a defective vehicle or part could be responsible, in which case the manufacturer of the defective part may bear liability.
If you are partly at fault for the accident, you can still seek compensation for your injuries as long as you are not more than 50% at fault for the accident under Utah’s modified comparative negligence system. However, your damages could be reduced by the degree of fault apportioned to you, which is why it’s important to involve an experienced personal injury lawyer early in the process so that more fault is attributed to you than is fair.
What Financial Compensation Can I Recover in a Motorcycle Accident Case?
Motorcycle accidents can result in expensive medical bills, lost wages, and a painful recovery. Accident victims may be able to pursue both economic and non-economic compensation for their accident-related injuries and losses through a personal injury claim, which may demand compensation for:
- Medical bills
- Future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Loss of quality of life
Let our legal team investigate your case and all the compensation you may be entitled to. We can also discuss ways that you can maximize your personal injury settlement.
What Is the Statute of Limitations to File a Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit in Utah?
In Utah, accident victims generally have four years to file a personal injury lawsuit. If this deadline passes and they have not taken legal action, they can lose their opportunity to recover compensation for their losses. Even with a four-year deadline, you should not hesitate to take prompt legal action, as your lawyer will want to preserve evidence and talk to witnesses before they move or their memories fade. Contact our motorcycle accident lawyers today to get started with a free case review.
Were You Injured in a Motorcycle Accident? Contact Our Law Firm Today
If you were injured in a motorcycle accident, you should not have to pay for someone else’s negligence. The Ogden motorcycle accident lawyers at Parker & McConkie Personal Injury Lawyers are here to demand the financial compensation you deserve. Contact our law office today at (385) 402-8187 for a free case review.
