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The Insurance Information Institute (III) recently conducted a study that revealed approximately 8 million motorcycles travel American roads each year. The study also reported that motorcycle collisions are roughly 26 times more likely to be fatal to the motorcyclist than the occupants of other vehicles such as cars and trucks. Collisions involving motorcycles also tend to be 5 times more likely to cause the motorcyclist to be injured. If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident, Joseph, Hollander & Craft’s experienced Topeka motorcycle accident attorneys can help.

Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries

Motorcycles lack the safety features and protection inherent to structural motor vehicles.  As a result, most motorcycle collisions involve a physical injury, instead of just property damage. Even in cases where the motorcyclist is using safety gear such as a helmet, there is still a greater likelihood the motorcyclist will experience severe injuries.

JHC’s Topeka motorcycle accident lawyers help clients obtain compensation related to all sorts of injuries sustained in motorcycle collisions, including:

• Amputations: In serious accidents, motorcyclists can experience a traumatic amputation if an arm or leg gets trapped between another vehicle and the road or a stationary object. Sometimes, the motorcyclist suffers from such a severe fracture or damage to a limb that it requires a surgical amputation.
• Back and spinal cord injuries: Back and spinal cord injuries tend to occur when the motorcyclist is thrown from the motorcycle and strikes the ground or a stationary object with significant force.
• Broken bones and fractures: Motorcycles do not offer the protection the structure of a car or truck does. Consequently, a motorcyclist involved in a collision is more likely to experience a direct impact with other vehicles and objects, which can result in severe broken bone injuries.
• Internal organ damage: Just as with the greater risk of broken bones, motorcyclists also commonly suffer from internal organ damage because their bodies do not have the extra protection the body of a car or truck provides. Impact with another vehicle can cause damage to the internal organs and can also cause a penetrating injury to the internal organs.
• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): TBIs are much more likely to occur if the motorcyclist is not wearing a helmet. However, in collisions involving high speeds, even motorcyclists wearing protective head gear can suffer from serious damage to the head and brain.
• Burns: Motorcyclists can also suffer from serious burn injuries as the result of a collision. In many instances, these burns can leave devastating scars and leave the victim disfigured for life.
• Disfigurement: Motorcycle riders can end up with disfiguring injuries as a result of a collision. These injuries include road rash, which happens when the rider’s skin rubs against a rough surface such as asphalt. Minor road rash injuries can heal quickly, with little to no lasting effect, but serious cases can cover large portions of the body and can include foreign objects being embedded deeply into the skin.
• Degloving: Another common skin-related injury seen in motorcycle collisions is degloving. Degloving is a traumatic injury in which the top layer of skin and tissue is forcefully torn away from the underlying muscle and bone.

Compensation For Topeka Motorcycle Accident Victims

Regardless of the severity of the injuries sustained in the collision, costs to treat the injuries add up quickly. Ambulance bills, hospital bills, surgeries, medications, and in-home care are all very costly. More serious injuries can include rehabilitation therapy, counseling for emotional trauma, medical assistive devices, and modifications to the home and vehicles for disabled victims. With assistance from JHC’s Topeka motorcycle crash lawyers, you can be compensated for the immediate and future medical costs associated with your injuries as well as your lost wages, both present and future.

In some instances, a motorcyclist injured in a collision can be compensated for damages associated with psychological or emotional distress that is brought about by the injuries and losses caused by the accident. These non-economic damages can also include compensation for the victim’s pain and suffering.

Compensation for the Wrongful Death of Your Loved One

If a motorcycle collision resulted in death, the spouse, parents, children, and siblings of the deceased can file a wrongful death claim against the guilty party. In addition to receiving compensation for medical expenses, the family can also recover damages associated with funeral expenses, loss of income, and loss of consortium.

JHC’s Topeka motorcycle accident attorneys have the experience and skill you need to handle any personal injury or wrongful death claim arising from a motorcycle wreck. Contact us today for your free consultation.

FAQs 

How can Topeka motorcycle accident attorneys help after a motorcycle accident?

After a motorcycle accident, a personal injury attorney can help a motorcyclist in a number of ways.  Joseph, Hollander & Craft’s Topeka motorcycle accident attorneys help our clients by:

• Advising them regarding their rights
• Investigating the accident
• Determining the correct value of damages caused by the accident
• Fighting against the insurance company’s unfair schemes
• Handling the paperwork necessary to have a successful claim
• Offering advice and answering questions on complex legal matters
• Proving fault
• Standing up for the victim in court

Insurance companies regularly have their own lawyers, so not having an attorney on your side can create a significant disadvantage for you. The Topeka motorcycle accident attorneys at Joseph, Hollander & Craft are ready to represent your best interests so you don’t pay for someone else’s negligence.

What are the most common causes of motorcycle accidents?

There are many different factors that can cause or contribute to a motorcycle accident.  The following is a list of the more common causes of motorcycle collisions:

• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Driving in excess of the speed limit
• Driving too fast for conditions
• Inexperienced drivers
• Distracted drivers
• Sudden stopping
• Improper left turns
• Failure to yield right of way
• Dangerous roadways
• Motorcycle defects
• Improper lane changes
• Lane splitting