If you ride a motorcycle regularly, there are many things you need to know regarding legal matters about your motorcycle. One of these things is how motorcycle accident claims are different from car accident claims. These two types of claims are similar in some ways but also have their differences. You should know these differences to know what to expect if you have to file a motorcycle accident claim. Here is what you need to know about the differences between motorcycle and car accident claims.
Motorcycle Injuries Are Often More Serious
Riding a motorcycle means that your body is completely exposed to any accident that might take place. Due to this fact, motorcycle accident injuries are usually much more serious than car accident injuries. Muscle damage, brain trauma, and second-degree burns are all possible injuries that you could suffer in a motorcycle accident.
As you might expect, the increased severity of motorcycle accident injuries compared to car accident injuries has a significant impact on motorcycle accident claims. The cost of treating and managing motorcycle accident injuries is usually higher than the cost of doing the same for car accident injuries. That can impact how insurance companies act when it comes to claims.
Unfair Bias Against Motorcycle Riders is Fairly Common
If you are a motorcycle rider, you likely know that insurance companies, police officers, and even judges often have some unfair bias against motorcycle riders. Many people think motorcycle riders are unsafe, reckless drivers who do not care about other motorists. In the event that people see a biker near the scene after an accident at Daytona Beach bike week, for example, they may think that that biker was responsible for the accident. This bias often seeps into crucial decisions about an injury claim that a motorcyclist makes.
One more general example of this is that a police officer who arrives at the scene of an accident might assume that the accident was the motorcyclist’s fault, even if this was not the case. Additionally, an insurance company might attempt to offer a lower amount of compensation or no compensation at all due to the stereotype about bikers. You should hire an attorney with a proven track record with motorcycle injury cases to help you combat these unfair biases. You can even find pieces in newspapers complaining about this very real bias against motorcyclists.
Motorcyclists Often Have to Go Above and Beyond to Prove They Were Not at Fault in an Accident
A motorcyclist has to prove without a shadow of a doubt that they weren’t at fault if an accident happens. If a motorcyclist does not do this, they will not get any compensation. Motorcyclists must follow more specific laws when they use the roads and prove that they were in full compliance with state safety laws before another party can be at fault for the accident. You might get blamed for an accident if you are riding a motorcycle that does not comply with all of these state laws when the accident happens. This could happen even if you were not the one responsible for causing the accident.
