If a motorcycle accident has left you injured, it could take you months or even years to recover. If your injuries are serious enough, you may be unable to return to work, leaving you concerned about how you will pay your medical bills. You might also be uncertain about how you will provide for yourself or your family. Fortunately, a Cincinnati motorcycle accident attorney can answer your questions and help you determine the necessary steps to receive maximum compensation for the injuries and losses you incur.
Catastrophic Injury and Wrongful Death Motorcycle Accident Law Firm
Because motorcyclists are more physically vulnerable than other vehicle operators, their injuries are often among the most severe. Some are fatal and stem from another driver’s negligence or carelessness. Such cases call for wrongful death claims against liable drivers, insurance carriers, and commercial freight companies involved in these accidents.
Even in non-fatal accidents, motorcyclists’ injuries can be permanently disabling and include:
- Soft-tissue injuries. These happen when muscles, ligaments, or tendons suffer damage. For example, a wrist sprain is a soft-tissue injury. Motorcyclists can incur soft-tissue injuries even while staying on the bike.
- Head injury/brain trauma. Concussions and traumatic brain injuries are highly likely in motorcycle accidents. Even if you walk away from a wreck and do not think you have sustained a concussion, you would be wise to seek medical attention immediately.
- Multiple fractures. Few motorcycle accident victims suffer just a single bone fracture. Chipped bones and multiple fractures are often the norm.
- First-, second-, and third-degree burns. The heat of a bike can burn the skin it comes in contact with. For example, your tailpipe can burn you quickly and quite severely.
- Back injuries. You do not even have to experience an accident to hurt your back. Bike riders can suffer injuries just from the way they sit on the saddle.
- Neck injuries. Whiplash is a common type of neck injury, but other types like neck strain from poor sitting posture are also possible.
- Road rash and external abrasions. When your skin makes contact with the road, that friction causes scrapes or road rash. Some abrasions are severe enough to require skin grafts. Many motorcyclists wear leather protective gear to prevent such injuries.
- Abdominal trauma. When an accident pushes you into your handlebars, you can suffer broken ribs and injury to the organs in your abdomen. You might not realize immediately that you have internal injuries, and it might be difficult for a doctor to diagnose them at first. However, you should always seek medical attention after an accident in case you need treatment.
Our attorneys have extensive experience working with victims of these accidents, and they understand how they happen. Your personal injury attorney will work with medical personnel, investigators, and accident reconstruction professionals to help strengthen your claim, especially if a third party is at least partially responsible.
In accidents involving uninsured or underinsured motorists, we look into factors such as the functioning of your helmet, the design of the road itself, and whether intoxication played any part. Such factors can establish third-party liability, making it easier to obtain fair compensation for your pain and suffering.
Protect Yourself
Although riding a motorcycle isn’t always dangerous, it carries additional risk and vulnerability compared to other vehicle operators. As a rider, you can do everything possible to be safe on the road, but you cannot predict all the road conditions you will encounter. Also, focusing undivided attention on your steering, navigation, and surroundings can help you anticipate inattentive car and truck drivers, especially those who might be looking at text messages on their phones.
Knowing a lawyer in Cincinnati with expertise in motorcycle accidents is advantageous. Making that contact now before you have an accident or are involved in a lawsuit can make things easier and smoother in the long run. Consider speaking with a Cincinnati, Ohio, motorcycle accident lawyer now about your specific situation. You can contact us at our downtown law offices for an initial free consultation and to get answers to your questions.