According to data compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the #1 most harmful event for a motorcyclist is a collision with another vehicle. These crashes accounted for more than ½ (57%) of all fatal motorcycle accidents. Given the seriousness of these collisions, obtaining a full and fair financial recovery is often multi-faceted, complex… and essential to the future well-being of you and your family. This reality underscores why one of your first steps after enduring injuries in a crash should be retaining the services of a knowledgeable Santa Barbara motorcycle accident lawyer.
The NHTSA’s statistics also revealed that the vast majority of motorcycle accidents involve a motorcyclist struck from the front. These crashes are especially perilous – and potentially lethal – for motorcyclists because, in a head-on impact, the forces brought to bear are the result of the two vehicles’ speeds combined. Given the substantial force involved, the likelihood that the crash will throw the motorcyclist from his/her motorcycle is especially high.
A fatal incident from earlier this year in Ventura County is yet another example. In March, a motorcyclist from Oxnard died when the driver of a minivan crossed the center line of a highway and struck the motorcyclist head-on north of Ojai.
Even in non-fatal accidents, the harm a motorcyclist endures often is massive. A head-on crash may cause the motorcyclist, as noted above, to be ejected from his/her motorcycle. A motorcyclist in that sort of accident may endure a wide array of injuries, including broken bones (often affecting their limbs and ribs,) traumatic brain injuries (TBI), serious neck/spine damage, internal bleeding, and road rash.
Compensation in a Motorcycle Crash Case
When a motorcyclist suffers those sorts of injuries, the need for significant compensation is especially high. These types of injuries to major body systems typically involve extensive medical treatment initially, with significant follow-up treatment, rehabilitation, and therapy in the future. The initial hospital stay alone may produce thousands of dollars in bills.
Additionally, a seriously injured motorcyclist may find that the crash has permanently altered their future job prospects. A TBI may have inflicted damage that leaves the motorcyclist without the cognitive functioning he/she had before – and unable to do the mental aspect of the job he/she previously performed. Serious harm to a motorcyclist’s hands, arms, legs, or neck/back may have left him physically incapable of pursuing the career he/she previously had. When these scenarios emerge, obtaining a fair and substantial award for lost earnings is a must.
Furthermore, anyone who has endured a serious motorcycle crash inevitably has experienced a wide range of harms that are less tangible, like excruciating pain and suffering, loss of the ability to perform activities they previously enjoyed, and even damage to their personal/familial relationships. While these damages are more challenging to quantify, they are no less real and just as deserving of compensation.
To get to that outcome, you will need many things. Before a trial – or even the first negotiation – starts, you need the facts of the crash. That means a prompt, thorough, and knowledgeable crash-scene investigation is crucial. From there, you need a seasoned professional who can look at those facts, put them together, and knowledgeably assess how much your case is “worth” – meaning what a fair settlement or judgment should look like in terms of dollars. Those preliminary steps are vital to giving you the advice you need regarding how to proceed.
If you have been hurt in a motorcycle crash, you can confidently rely on the helpful Santa Barbara motorcycle accident attorneys at the law firm of Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos, LLP to fight aggressively for justice. Statute-of-limitation laws restrict the time you have to file an injury lawsuit, so it is critical that you call as soon as possible. Contact us today at 805-617-1365 or through our website to get a free case consultation and put our team to work for you.
