As far as traffic accidents go, motorcycle accidents can be some of the most unpleasant. Many reasons why people love to ride motorcycles are the same reasons why accidents can be so serious and cause such severe injuries.
If your family is trying to move on from a serious motorcycle accident, reach out to an experienced Fresno motorcycle accident attorney. The lawyers at Singh Ahluwalia have years of experience helping others, and we would love to serve you as our client. Our attorneys will fight for you, giving you the best chance at recovering the compensation you need to move on from your accident. Our primary goal is always to maximize the compensation you may be entitled to receive, using strategies honed over years of representing cases like yours.
When you are ready, reach out to Singh Ahluwalia Attorneys at Law to schedule your free, confidential consultation by calling (559) 878-4958 or you can contact us online by filling out the form on our website. During your no-obligation consultation, one of our experienced and compassionate attorneys will listen to the details of your case and work to create a personalized legal strategy for you.
What Can a Fresno Motorcycle Accident Attorney Do For Me?
If you or someone you love has been injured in a motorcycle accident, you know what a scary and stressful situation it can create. Motorcycle accidents usually result in significant injuries, which can then result in substantial medical bills. Healing from these injuries can be costly and time-consuming, leaving you or your loved one unable to work. At a time when your focus should fully be on resting and recuperating from your accident, you may instead be plagued by financial stress.
This doesn’t have to be the case. By contacting a motorcycle accident attorney in Fresno, you are putting yourself and your family in good hands. We can take some of the worry and anxiety off your shoulders. Working with an experienced attorney from Singh Ahluwalia Attorneys at Law ensures that you have someone looking out for you and your family and working to ensure that you can receive the compensation you need to move on with your life.
Instead of trying to gather all the documents related to your accident, filing all the necessary paperwork with the courts, and negotiating with your insurance company alone, let us help you. Our Fresno personal injury attorneys and network of resources ensure that you can seek out all available evidence to strengthen your claim. You will also be able to accurately valuate your damages, projecting future losses you may suffer as you continue to heal.
In short, we can take care of the legal side of things, allowing you and your family to focus on healing from your accident.
What Are The Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents?
Fresno is a big California city with a small-town feel, and there’s always something going on. From the monthly ArtHop, to the Central California Taco Truck Throwdown, to the Fall Wine Cornucopia, there’s always something to do.
Despite having the community of a small town, Fresno is actually home to almost a million people, and, as such, has many of the same dangers as many other big cities. In particular, no matter where you are traveling to, it is likely that the road will be crowded with cars, making driving a motorcycle that much more dangerous.
As the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reports, driving a motorcycle can be more risky than driving other vehicles. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that per mile driven, motorcycle deaths are 29 times higher than the number in cars. Though there are certain safety measures that a motorcycle driver can take to stay safer, such as wearing an appropriate helmet and driving a motorcycle that has an anti-lock brake system (ABS), there will always be a risk, especially when driving on crowded roads.
Some of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents are listed below.
Left Handed Turns
Most accidents that occur between a motorcycle and another vehicle occur when another vehicle turns left across the line of incoming traffic into the path of a motorcycle. Motorcycles can be difficult for other drivers to see, which puts them at an increased risk of being involved in an accident.
Lane Splitting
California is the only state in our country where lane-splitting is legally allowed. Though this practice is legal, it does not mean it is without significant risk. Collisions are more likely to occur in areas where more cars are present, and lane-splitting normally occurs in situations when there is heavy traffic. These accidents are likely to happen because other drivers may not think to check for a motorcycle before suddenly changing lanes
Fender Benders (Rear Collisions)
It is not unusual for vehicles to be involved in “fender bender” accidents, which usually occur because a car does not brake in time to come to a complete stop before hitting the car in front of it. In cars, these accidents are usually considered minor. However, if a car fails to come to a complete stop before hitting a motorcyclist in front of them, it can cause serious injury to the motorcyclist. In an accident such as this, it is not uncommon for the motorcyclist to be ejected from their bike or even for them to become caught under the wheels of the car that hit them.
Lane Changes
Drivers frequently change lanes, but may not always be looking out for motorcycles when they do so. Unfortunately, if a car changes lanes in front of a motorcycle, the results can be catastrophic. There’s a reason why “Look Twice, Save a Life” is a popular slogan used to promote motorcycle awareness.
Head-On Collisions
Thankfully, head-on collisions are not the most common type of motorcycle accident. However, they are the most deadly. In fact, 78% of fatal motorcycle accidents that involve another vehicle are head-on collisions.
What Are the Most Common Injuries in Motorcycle Accidents?
In vehicle accidents that involve two cars, there is a chance that the accident can be minor and result in mild or no injuries at all. Unfortunately, when it comes to motorcycle accidents, there rarely is such a thing as a minor accident. In fact, a study from the NHTSA states that almost 80% of all reported motorcycle accidents resulted in the injury or death of the motorcyclist.
When drivers operate full-size vehicles, they are offered some degree of protection from the car itself. However, on a motorcycle, the driver is offered no such protection. This explains why motorcycle accidents are often more serious and result in injury or death more often than other vehicles.
Some common injuries that occur in motorcycle accidents are:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Internal Injuries such as organ damage or internal bleeding
- Fractures/Broken Bones
- Road Rash
- Amputations
- Lacerations
If you have been in a motorcycle accident, the first thing you should do is seek appropriate medical treatment, even if you do not feel injured. Some injuries take some time to develop, but a trained medical professional can often spot them before the victim can.
After your medical needs have been met, your next phone call should be to an experienced Fresno motorcycle accident attorney. Contacting an attorney after your accident ensures they can help you every step of the way. They can help you keep track of all your medical records and bills and can help advise you on appropriate next steps.
What Should I Do After A Motorcycle Accident?
If you have been involved in a motorcycle accident, you are likely in pain, feeling frustrated, and possibly unsure about what your next steps are. You may be feeling overwhelmed with medical appointments, calls from insurance companies, and other tasks related to the accident, when all you want to do is be able to rest and focus on your healing.
If this is the case, calling an experienced motorcycle accident attorney could be the best decision that you can make for yourself and your family. Your attorney will step in for you, taking the burden from your shoulders, and represent you in all matters related to the case. Their knowledge and experience enables you to build a strong case seeking the highest amount of compensation available. You can then return your focus to your main priority: healing from the accident.
If you have just been in an accident and are seriously injured, your only concern should be getting the immediate medical treatment you need. However, if the accident was caused by someone else and you are able, there are some steps you can take to work toward a successful motorcycle accident claim.
After a motorcycle accident, you should take the following steps.
Gather Information
If your accident was reported to the authorities, the police will be dispatched and they will collect the necessary information from all parties who were involved in the accident. However, you can also work to gather witness names and numbers, relevant insurance information, and photo or video evidence of the accident scene. If you have the information, then you can easily supply your motorcycle accident attorney with what you have without wading through any red tape.
Additionally, you will want to secure the number of the police report so that you or your lawyer can easily order it later and use information from it when building your case against the at-fault parties.
Seek Medical Care
If you have been involved in a motorcycle accident, it is imperative that you get checked over by a medical professional as soon as possible, even if you don’t feel injured. These professionals are experienced in dealing with accident victims and will know what signs of trauma to look for. Some injuries take time to show up, such as brain injuries or some internal injuries, and a doctor could help diagnose those before they show up and cause a serious issue.
It is also important to see a doctor because it will create a medical record of the injuries that you received from the accident. This documentation protects you from the insurance company trying to claim that you didn’t actually get hurt due to the accident, or that some of your injuries were pre-existing or caused by circumstances other than the accident. Having this medical documentation helps you prove the accident was the direct cause of your injuries, and that the at-fault party should be held liable for these injuries.
Stay Quiet
Though it is understandable that you would want to talk about the accident with your friends or on social media, the less you say, the better. Anything that you say (or post) about the accident could potentially be used against you in the event that you seek compensation from the at-fault party.
Hire a Lawyer
If the accident was not your fault, it is likely that the insurance company from the at-fault party will try to offer you a low-ball settlement soon after the accident. However, it is likely that they are trying to get away with paying out as little as possible, and it is doubtful that they have your best interests in mind.
If you get a settlement offer from an insurance company, your best plan of action would be to contact an experienced Fresno motorcycle accident attorney. Your attorney will look over the offer and work with you to determine an appropriate amount to seek for compensation for the accident, which is likely to be significantly higher than what the insurance company will initially offer.
If you accept the initial offer from the insurance company, it is unlikely that you will have another chance to receive the actual compensation that you will require to rebuild your life. It takes time to fully evaluate the extent of your damages, and it is unlikely that whatever you are offered initially will take everything into consideration. A motorcycle accident lawyer can help you evaluate your case and counsel you on the options available to you.
Contact An Experienced Fresno Motorcycle Accident Attorney Today
If you or a loved one has been unfortunate enough to have been involved in a motorcycle accident, we know your family is going through a tough time. Wading through the aftermath of an accident is difficult, and can be made even more complicated if significant injuries occurred as a result of the accident.
However, you do not have to go through this alone. The caring attorneys at Singh Ahluwalia Attorneys at Law are here to help you. We know the ins and outs of the legal system and the requirements of filing suits, so we can focus on that while you focus on healing.
If you are ready to talk to an experienced lawyer about your motorcycle accident case, reach out to us at any time, day or night, by calling (559) 878-4958 or contact us online. We are here for you and want to fight for you. Get in touch with us today so that we can schedule your free, no-obligation consultation as soon as possible.
