Spartanburg Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Motorcycles, except when in groups, are very rare in Upstate South Carolina. As a result, many drivers do not keep a proper lookout for these vehicles. Furthermore, they do not know how to accurately judge a motorcycle’s speed. That’s especially true when they follow motorcycles, since most riders coast to a stop rather than use their brakes. Because these accidents cause such serious injuries, the Spartanburg motorcycle accident lawyer at The Stanley Law Group can normally obtain substantial compensation for these victims.
Victims need this compensation to pay injury-related expenses. The average injury-related medical bill in a catastrophic injury matter, which is over $100,000, is just the beginning. Usually, these victims are unable to work at full speed for months. They suffer because of their injuries, and their families suffer because of the lost income. Victims deserve compensation because people should always accept responsibility for their mistakes. This process includes paying compensation for injuries. In a perfect world, tortfeasors (negligent actors) would voluntarily step up to the plate. But we don’t live in a perfect world.
What Causes Motorcycle Accidents?
Driver error causes over 98 percent of the motorcycle accidents in South Carolina. Left-turn wrecks, which account for about a third of these collisions, are a good example.
These wrecks usually happen when a tortfeasor (negligent driver) makes an unprotected left turn against traffic. Sometimes, tortfeasors are in such a hurry to turn that they don’t see an approaching motorcycle. Other times, they misjudge the distance between themselves and the motorcycle. These driving errors illustrate:
- Aggressive Driving: Speed multiples the risk of a collision and the force in a collision. Other kinds of dangerous aggressive driving include turning unsafely, like into the path of an oncoming vehicle, tailgating, and ignoring a traffic control device. One way or another, all these errors go back to driver inattention.
- Operator Impairment: Sometimes, drivers see hazards in front of them. But their brains cannot quickly process that information. Alcohol definitely has this effect. This sedative affects motor skills and judgment ability. Fatigue has these same effects. In fact, driving after eighteen consecutive awake hours is like driving with a .05 BAC level. That’s above the legal limit for some South Carolina drivers.
These collisions normally cause serious injuries, like head injuries, that are difficult to diagnose. Allman Brothers bassist Berry Oakley was in a motorcycle crash in 1972. He refused medical treatment at the scene and got a ride home with a friend. Less than forty-eight hours later, a massive brain hemorrhage killed him.
Attorneys connect victims with doctors who know how to properly diagnose and treat head injuries and other motorcycle crash-related injuries.
How Does a Spartanburg Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Build a Case?
To obtain maximum compensation, an attorney must analyze a case, collect evidence to support its claims, and prepare to refute insurance company defenses.
The aforementioned driver errors are usually negligence, or a lack of care. If negligence substantially caused injury, compensation is available. Compensation is also available if the tortfeasor received a citation. In fact, in these cases, the tortfeasor could be liable for damages as a matter of law.
Evidence in a motorcycle crash case usually includes medical records, witness statements, and the police accident report. Attorneys often supplement this evidence with electronic evidence, such as surveillance camera footage, when necessary.
Comparative fault, in one form or another, is the most common insurance company defense in motorcycle crash claims. Sometimes, insurance company lawyers shift blame for the crash from the tortfeasor to the victim. Other times, lawyers claim victims are legally responsible for their own injuries, perhaps because they were not wearing helmets.
Evidence is the key to overcoming these defenses and obtaining maximum compensation for economic losses, such as medical bills, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering.
Work With a Dedicated Spartanburg County Lawyer
Injury victims are entitled to significant compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer in Spartanburg, contact The Stanley Law Group. The sooner you reach out to us, the sooner we start working for you.
