Answers Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How can a motorcycle injury lawyer help if I am involved in a motorcycle accident?
A. After your immediate medical needs are met, you should speak to a qualified Pennsylvania motorcycle accident lawyer experienced in motorcycle injury settlements. You may be entitled to substantial compensation from the party or parties responsible for your injuries. Your motorcycle injury compensation may include damages for your bodily injuries, past and future medical expenses, lost wages, disability, rehabilitation and pain and suffering. A qualified Pennsylvania personal injury lawyer can help you obtain the maximum compensation for your injuries.
It is important to have an attorney in a motorcycle injury case in order to make sure that you are treated fairly by the insurance company. An attorney can take responsibility for a complete investigation of the crash and also can make sure that the injuries you suffer are adequately documented so as to insure that you will receive adequate compensation.
Q. Why do I need a motorcycle injury lawyer experienced with motorcycle accidents, won’t any personal injury lawyer do?
A. Motorcycle injury lawyers who ride understand that motorcyclists face unique risks that other auto drivers do not consider, from slick surfaces to manhole covers, potholes, puddles and railroad tracks. A motorcycle injury lawyer unfamiliar with motorcycle accidents may not be able to help you recover the maximum compensation for your accident.
Q. Can a motorcycle injury lawyer get me a settlement in Pennsylvania if I was injured because of a defect in my motorcycle?
A. If a manufacturing defect in a motorcycle caused your injuries or a loved one’s death, you may have a claim against the manufacturer of the bike. Pennsylvania motorcycle accident lawyer Jeffrey H. Penneys will thoroughly investigate the accident and retain an expert to determine if a manufacturer is liable for your personal injuries, and if so pursue a motorcycle accident settlement. Important note: If you have been hurt, do not discard the damaged motorcycle. We will need to examine the motorcycle to see how the defect caused the accident.
Q. Can a Pennsylvania motorcycle accident attorney help me if a defective roadway caused my Philadelphia motorcycle accident?
A. A small percentage of motorcycle accidents in PA are caused by roadway defects, such as potholes or uneven paving. Pennsylvania roads, by law, are required to be safely designed and maintained. Road defects that cause serious accident can include curves that are too tight, unevenly paved roads, missing signage, lack of maintenance or poor urban planning.
Philadelphia motorcycle accident lawyer Jeffrey H. Penneys has successfully brought claims against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as well as many of the counties and cities and other entities liable for a motorcycle injury accident caused by improperly maintained or designed roadways. We retain a host of investigators and experts, including design experts, surveyors, illumination and warning experts to determine liability for a motorcycle accident.
Q. What is the main cause of death in motorcycle accidents in Pennsylvania?
A. Head and brain injuries are the most common cause of death in a fatal accident. Not all head injuries are fatal, however. Tens of thousands people suffer head injuries in motorcycle accidents each year, many very seriously. As an experienced motorcycle injury lawyer in Pennsylvania, I have represented motorcycle accident victims in motorcycle accident lawsuits with all kinds of serious personal injuries, including amputation injuries, spinal cord injuries, burn injuries, multiple bone fractures, and other catastrophic injuries.
Q. Can motorcycle injury lawyers help me if a member of my family was killed in a motorcycle accident in Pennsylvania that was not their fault?
A. Although only two percent of registered vehicles are motorcycles, more than eight percent of fatal traffic accidents involve motorcycles. This means that, based on miles traveled, motorcyclists are 30 times more likely to die in a motorcycle accident than a passenger or driver of a car. The loss of a loved one in any accident is devastating. Although no monetary recovery could ever replace a loved one’s life, a wrongful death claim can bring a family compensation for loss of income and support, final medical bills, funeral expenses, and damages for pain and suffering. Depending on the circumstances of an accident, in cases where a loved one died in a fatal motorcycle accident in Pennsylvania, surviving family members may be entitled to hire a Pennsylvania motorcycle accident lawyer to bring a wrongful death claim against the party responsible for an accident.
Q. How long do I have after my Pennsylvania motorcycle accident to file my motorcycle accident claim?
A. In Pennsylvania motorcycle injury accidents a personal injury case must be in suit within 2 years of the occurrence of the crash.
Q. I did not carry insurance on my motorcycle. Can I still sue the driver who caused my motorcycle accident personal injury?
A. Lack of insurance on your motorcycle does not prevent you from filing a claim against the driver who was at fault that caused your personal injury.
Q. A car cut me off, and caused my motor cycle to veer off the road. Can I make a motor cycle accident claim through my uninsured motorist policy?
A. Yes. If an unidentified vehicle causes a crash, or if a hit and run vehicle causes a crash, you can file a claim under your own uninsured motorist policy for your personal injuries.
Q. What if I was partially at fault for causing the motorbike accident, can I still hire a Pennsylvania motorcycle accident attorney to sue for motorcycle accident compensation?
A. If you were at fault to some extent in causing an accident, the amount of money you recover will be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you were 20% at fault and your damages were $100,000, you would receive only $80,000 motorcycle accident compensation.
Q. I was in a traffic accident when a car turned left in front of me while I was riding my motorcycle. Who is at fault?
A. Typically a left-hand turning vehicle is found to be at fault since the law requires that a motorist planning on making a left hand turn must yield to all oncoming traffic. In some cases a motorcyclist could be found partially at fault even though he has the right of way if he was speeding or not maintaining an adequate look out.
Q. I was injured in a motorcycle accident, but I wasn’t wearing a helmet. Can I still recover personal injury damages from the other driver?
A. The fact that you suffered your Pennsylvania personal injury while not wearing a helmet does not affect your rights to file a personal injury claim against an at-fault driver.
Q. What Should You Do After a Pennsylvania Motorcycle Accident?
A. If you are able, you should take the name, address and telephone number of the driver responsible for your accident and of any witnesses to the accident.
If you have with you a mobile phone with a camera, take photographs of the accident scene, the driver and his/her vehicle and record the type and registration number of the vehicle(s) involved.
Immediately contact the police and ask them to come to the scene or at least make a note of it on their system.
Wondering if you have a legitimate motorcycle injury accident claim in Pennsylvania?
Contact Philadelphia motorcycle injury lawyer Jeffrey Harlan Penneys at 1-800-injury-law to discuss the strength of your case and to protect your rights.
