Columbia Motorcycle Accidents Lawyer
If you were recently hit while riding your motorcycle, we understand the pain, frustration, anger, and uncertainty that you are dealing with. Motorcyclists are not given the attention and the right to the road that they deserve, and as a consequence their lives are put at risk by inattentive drivers. The Columbia motorcycle accident lawyers at Simmons Law Firm will be in your corner throughout the legal process of holding the at-fault party accountable by seeking compensation for your damages.
Distracted Driving and Aggressive Driving are Killing Motorcyclists
As a motorcyclist, you have undoubtedly had countless close calls before you were hit or run off the road. Unfortunately, no matter how safe and defensively you ride, there are just some crashes that you cannot prevent, especially given the level of distracted and aggressive drivers there are out there. Motorcycles account for just 0.6 percent of all vehicle miles traveled, according to the National Safety Council. Yet, motorcyclists make up 14 percent of all fatal traffic victims. This troubling statistic reveals just how dangerous passenger vehicles, trucks, buses, and other four-wheeled vehicles truly are. While drivers feel safe enough to text, eat, drive on little sleep, and otherwise pay half attention to the road—because they are cocooned in two or more tons of steel and safety glass—motorcyclists generally use every fiber in their body to scan, plan, and react to merging cars, red light runners, and vehicles attempting to make left hand turns across the oncoming lane of traffic. Yet, motorcyclists are often blamed for being reckless or not wearing helmets, despite the fact that helmet use has been on a significant rise in the last decade, according to Ultimate Motorcycling.
Top Types of Motorcycle Crashes
- Head-On Collisions—Head on collisions are the most dangerous for motorcyclists for obvious reasons. Tragically, most head-on crashes end in death or permanent injury.
- T-Bone or Intersection Crashes—Impatient drivers, or those looking down at their phones, end up causing T-bone crashes while pulling out from side streets or in lighted intersections.
- Sideswipe Crashes—A driver’s failure to check side view mirrors is every motorcyclist’s nightmare. Sideswipes are one of the most common types of motorcycle crashes.
- Rear-End Crashes—Rear enders often end in whiplash, cervical fractures, and TBI injuries.
- Non-Impact Motorcycle Crashes—A driver can cause a crash without actually making contact with the motorcyclist. It may seem like the better option, for the motorcyclist, to dump his or her bike and veer off the road than to make contact with the vehicle, but serious injuries from these types of crashes are still common.
Call a Columbia Motorcycle Accident Attorney Today
As a motorcyclist, you have the same rights to the road that drivers do. As such, if you were hit by a driver or a driver caused you to crash, they should be held fully accountable for your damages, including medical expenses, pain and suffering, property damage, lost wages, and more. To speak with an attorney about your options for filing a personal injury lawsuit, call the Columbia motorcycle accident attorneys at Simmons Law Firm today at 803-779-4600 to schedule a free consultation.
