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4 Ways That a Motorcycle Accident Legally Differs From a Car Crash

Many motorcycle riders who are involved in an accident fear that their situations will be handled the same way a car accident would be, however, this isn’t the case. Though motorcycles and cars share the same roads, the fact of the matter is that insurance companies and juries both view motorcycle accidents in a very different way.

Here are the 4 major ways in which motorcycle accidents are handled differently from car accidents:

  1. People who don’t ride often view motorcyclists as being daredevils or otherwise reckless. This stereotype stems from the small number of riders who do speed and weave through traffic or otherwise conduct themselves poorly on the roads. This negative perception puts riders in a difficult spot in court, because jurors often have a negative image in their heads about motorcyclists.
  2. The majority of jurors have not ridden a motorcycle and do not understand how to drive one, so they don’t understand why riders do what they do in certain situations. Some aspects of riding a motorcycle seem counter-intuitive to non-riders, like that maintaining speed helps stabilize the bike, or that laying the bike down can help avoid a fatal crash. To the untrained eye, it may look like the motorcyclist was traveling at an unsafe speed and lost control, and unless the jury is educated on the subject, they will identify with the driver of the car.
  3. Motorcycle accident injuries are typically severe in cases where the rider survives the crash. Fractures and loss of limbs are common results from motorcycle crashes. The severity of these accidents requires a skilled attorney to fully convey the full extent of the damages to insurance companies and the jury. Even if the rider is not permanently disfigured, nearly all accidents result in “road rash” which can be even more painful than fractures and other injuries, even though it sounds minor.
  4. Insurance companies know that juries often have preexisting biases against motorcyclists that make it difficult to seek an accurate verdict for the injured rider. This means that insurance companies are likely to follow suit and unfairly side with the car driver. The best way for a rider to combat that is to hire an experienced lawyer to fully represent them.

Understanding that car accidents and motorcycle accidents are very different is the first step in protecting a rider’s legal rights after a crash. The second step should be to hire a lawyer that understands the difference, and who will fight to secure every bit of compensation the rider deserves.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle crash involving a car, call the BCN Law Firm in Clermont today. Our team of lawyers is ready and waiting to help. Call us today at (352)-394-2103.