What is it?
A motorcycle collision is any collision that takes place between a motorcyclist and another vehicle, a pedestrian, animal, or inanimate object. Because motorcyclists have less physical protection than drivers of larger vehicles, catastrophic injuries and fatalities are much more common in accidents involving motorcycles than in other types of accidents.
When a motorcycle accident is due to the negligence or carelessness of another driver, that driver can be held financially liable for injuries.
Common motorcycle-related injuries include:
• Head injury
• Back or neck injury
• Spinal cord injury
• Amputations
• Burns
• Road burn
• Disfigurement
In cases of wrongful death, the family of the victim is also entitled to compensation for the loss of their loved one.
What causes it?
Often, drivers of larger vehicles fail to see motorcycles and so fail to take them into account while switching lanes or turning. If a motorcycle is in a driver's blind spot, he may not be visible to the driver unless the driver checks multiple mirrors. It is the responsibility of drivers on the road to be on the lookout for all vehicles, regardless of size, and share the road appropriately. Likewise, many drivers don't see oncoming motorcycles at intersections, and make left turns in front of them, causing a collision.
Why Jacobs and Goodman?
We're motor vehicle collision experts. We have handled hundreds of motorcycle collision cases successfully. Our lawyers consult with experienced accident investigators in order to determine how and why a motorcycle accident happened. We measure skid marks, analyze the damage done to the vehicles involved, collect eyewitness testimony, and recover traffic camera video footage when available. Trained accident reconstruction experts can often determine how fast a vehicle was traveling, whether it was speeding, and whether it ran through an intersection or violated other traffic laws in hitting a motorcycle rider. By analyzing the damage to a car, investigators can often tell if a car driver should have seen a motorcyclist and who ran into whom.
We're "no-fault" experts. Florida is a "no-fault" insurance state, which means that when you're injured in an accident, your own insurance pays for your health care costs. We're recognized experts in every aspect of Florida's "no-fault" law. Our attorneys have appeared numerous times before committees of the Florida legislature to testify about "no-fault" insurance policies and have worked to help craft laws to make "no-fault" friendlier to consumers. We write and lecture on the topic regularly, and are even called to testify or serve as co-counsel on complex cases. We can guide you through the complexities of the law and help you reach the best possible settlement.
We know the other side. After many years litigating these kinds of cases, we know how the insurance companies work, and how they try to deny claims. We use that knowledge to get the best possible outcome for you.
We're experienced trial lawyers. We approach each case as though we're going to trial. While many of our cases settle out of court with satisfactory financial reward for the client, it's only because the defense knows we can take it to trial effectively.
At Jacobs & Goodman:
• You always get an attorney, never a case manager like at other firms.
• We take a personal interest in your case, and help you through every aspect, including helping you deal with medical liens and debts.
• We work on a contingency basis, which means if we don't win your case, you don't pay.
If you've suffered an injury in a motorcycle collision,
talk to us before you accept any agreement with from the insurance company.