Mississippi Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Riding a motorcycle brings a sense of adventure and freedom.  However, with this adventure and freedom comes increased danger.  For those who ride, you know all too well the dangers from other vehicles sharing the roadway with you.  And an accident on a motorcycle offers a unique set of issues not found in your normal automobile accident.  Having successfully represented injured riders in the past, we have the experience to understand those issues unique to motorcycle accidents.

Motorcycle Accidents can be Serious

Motorcyclists simply don’t have the same protection that car drivers have; there is no barrier of steel between the fragile human rider and the road or other vehicles. Because motorcyclists are very exposed to all of the dangers of the roadway, motorcycle accidents are typically much more serious than a corresponding auto accident. A motorcycle rider may be thrown, crushed or pinned, whereas the chance of this happening to a car driver or passenger is much smaller.

Beyond the simple dangers inherent in riding a motorcycle versus driving a car, motorcycle accidents are far more likely to involve a stationary object than auto accidents. Poor road conditions can easily cause motorcycle accidents where riders hit trees, walls or guardrails, where a car would be much less likely to encounter the same issues. Colliding with a stationary object on a motorcycle can easily cause broken bones or internal injuries, and makes motorcycle accidents typically more serious than car accidents.

Mississippi Motorcycle Accident Statistics

• 103,000 motorcycle accident injuries in 2007
• 5,154 motorcycle deaths
• 47 Mississippi motorcycle accidents causing death
• 64% of Mississippi motorcycle deaths involved helmets
• Per mile driven, motorcyclists are 35 times more likely to die in a motorcycle accident than a motor vehicle operator
• Motorcyclists are 8 times more likely to be injured in a motorcycle accident than a motor vehicle operator
• 50% of motorcycles involved in fatal accidents collided with another vehicle
• 78% of motorcycle deaths involving collisions with other vehicles included motorcycles struck in the front
• 25% of motorcycle deaths involved collisions with stationary objects
• 40% of motorcycle fatalities involved a vehicle turning left in front of a motorcycle
  

Drivers Don’t Notice Motorcycles

The statistics around motorcycle accidents reveal startling trends. Many motorcycle accidents are caused because the other drivers on the road don’t give motorcycles enough space, or ‘don’t see’ motorcyclists at all. With a startling 40% of motorcycle accident fatalities in collisions with other vehicles caused by collisions with drivers turning left, vehicles turning left is one of the most dangerous things a motorcyclist faces. Other common causes of motorcycle collisions with other vehicles include:

• Drivers merging into a lane not seeing a motorcycle
• Drivers passing another vehicle and not seeing a motorcycle during a lane change
• Drivers stopping suddenly
• Drivers turning left or right while a motorcyclist is going straight in the next lane
  

Defensive driving is the watchword to avoid motorcycle accidents, but “I didn’t see the motorcycle” isn’t a valid excuse. If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident, give me a call to make sure your rights are respected.

Motorcycle Accident Medical Bills

Because motorcycle wrecks tend to be more severe than other types of car accidents, they typically result in higher medical bills. If you’re injured in a motorcycle accident, here’s an example of the types of bills you might face:

• $600 for an ambulance
• $7,000 for an ER visit with tests and treatment for broken bones, lacerations
• $15,000 for surgery to set broken bones, repair broken bones with a pin or repair internal bleeding or other serious injuries
• $21,000 for three days in the hospital, plus treatment, post-surgery
• $250 per visit to physical therapist, twice a week for 10 weeks ($2,500)
• $200 per visit with doctor to follow up on treatment, 6 visits ($1,200)
  

For a motorcycle accident requiring surgery and three days in the hospital, plus follow up, you’re looking at $47, 300 – easily pushing $50,000. For more serious motorcycle accidents requiring multiple surgeries or a longer inpatient admission, you could easily be looking at hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills; money that the insurer doesn’t want to pay.

Lost Wages and Property Damages due to Motorcycle Wrecks

With the serious injury potential in motorcycle wrecks, there is a very real possibility you’ll miss work for days or even weeks as you recover from your injuries. Even if you’re not out of work for days, you may still miss some work for doctor’s appointments. You shouldn’t have to use vacation time or sick time to pay for someone else’s carelessness. If you’re injured in a motorcycle accident as a result of someone else’s negligence, you should make a claim for lost wages against the insurer.

Property damage to motorcycles is just as valid as property damage to another car in an accident. The insurance company should pay to repair damage to your motorcycle, and any other property damage you have as a result of a motorcycle accident. Unfortunately, insurers often want to balk at paying lost wages or property damages; you’ll need good documentation and a good lawyer to get insurers to pay up.

Consult an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney to Evaluate Your Motorcycle Accident Case

Motorcycle accidents are a very different type of case than auto accidents. Insurers find it easy to create reasons to deny a motorcycle accident claim, so you need an experienced lawyer who can properly investigate your case, attempt to negotiate a settlement with the insurance company, and pursue your case to trial if needed.  Because of the seriousness of the injuries, it is important that you contact an experienced personal injury attorney to represent you soon after the accident so a prompt investigation of the facts is done and valuable information is not lost.

Give us a call to discuss your Mississippi motorcycle accident case, and say “no” to the hassle of dealing with the insurance companies and the uncertainty of not knowing whether you got what your case was worth.  At the Kisselburgh Law Firm, we have the experience to represent you in your case.  If you or a family member has been injured in a motorcycle accident, contact us online or call us at 601-936-4040 to set up a FREE CONSULTATION to discuss your case.

MOTORCYCLE RESOURCES

NTSHA--Recent Trends in Fatal Motorcycle Crashes--An Update:  A comprehensive 2006 report updating the trends in fatal motorcycle crashes

NHTSA Motorcycle Safety Guidelines

Motorcycle Crash Causation Facts

Traffic Safety Facts--Motorcycles

Motorcycle Safety Foundation

American Motorcyclist Association

Cycle Matters

Injured Biker.com