Topeka Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
It can happen to any motorcyclist. One minute you’re cruising along peacefully, and then boom — you’re struck by another vehicle.
Whether it’s the result of illegal lane merging, a car door swung open in your bike’s path, or the other party’s failure to stop in time, you’re facing a long road to physical and financial recovery. If you’ve been involved in a motorcycle collision caused by someone else’s negligence in or around Topeka, you have the right to seek compensation for your damages.
Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents
A motorcycle accident can take many different forms, but one thing is almost always true: motorcycle riders and passengers suffer more serious injuries than the car or truck driver. This is partly because motorcycle riders are more exposed than drivers in other vehicles, with less protective gear such as airbags or seat belts. They also have more vulnerability due to the lack of a protective shell like other vehicles might have. The following are just some of the causes of motorcycle accidents in and around Topeka:
- Speeding or driving at a rate of speed that is unsafe under the circumstances
- Failure to yield, unsafe merging, or veering into another car’s path
- Failure to stop safely at a red light, stop sign, or intersection
- Failing to check blind spots or misjudging the space between vehicles
- Tailgating or following too closely
- Not paying sufficient attention to the road
- Driving distracted, drowsy, or fatigued
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Not using turn signals properly
- Ignoring traffic signals or rules of the road
- Opening a car door in the path of a motorcycle
- Aggressive driving or road rage
Common Injuries Suffered in Motorcycle Accidents
Because motorcycle accidents tend to be severe, the personal injuries that can result to the rider also tend to be more serious. Head injuries are common, including concussions, and traumatic brain injuries are possible. Back, neck, and shoulder injuries can result, as can internal bleeding or injuries to vital organs. Broken or fractured bones are possible, as well as road rash, burns, and soft tissue injuries like whiplash.
In some cases, catastrophic and life-changing injuries are also possible. These include lasting brain damage (particularly if the rider was not wearing a helmet), spinal injuries, including partial or full paralysis, loss of limbs or amputations, and, in the most severe cases, wrongful death of a loved one. If you or a loved one have suffered such serious injuries, be sure you consult with an experienced Topeka motorcycle lawyer and discuss your options for protecting your legal rights.
Compensation in a Motorcycle Accident
If you’ve suffered injuries in a motorcycle accident, you may be facing a long road to recovery, with continued medical treatment and significant financial setbacks. However, you have the opportunity to seek compensation for various damages that you have incurred. This includes medical expenses like doctor’s visits, hospital stays, treatments, tests, medications, and rehabilitative care.
It also includes your costs for repairing or replacing your motorcycle or vehicle and lost income due to an inability to work. You may also be able to receive non-economic damages, such as payment for your pain, suffering, mental distress, scarring, loss of enjoyment, loss of future income, and the overall impact on your quality of life.
To secure compensation, you will need to prove that the other party who caused the accident was negligent. This typically involves demonstrating their breach of reasonable care — if they failed to stop in time or veered into your lane improperly, for example. You will also need to establish causation, showing that the other party’s actions directly caused your damages. Sometimes, multiple parties could share fault, such as when a driver swerved to avoid another merging vehicle and collided with your motorcycle.
Navigating issues of liability and damages can be difficult, demanding a thorough analysis of laws and facts, so seeking counsel from a seasoned motorcycle accident attorney is imperative. They’ll outline your legal rights, options, and potential steps in your claim. Moreover, they’ll conduct a comprehensive investigation, communicate with all involved parties, negotiate settlements, and, if necessary, initiate legal proceedings and build a strong case for trial.
How Long Do I Have to File a Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit?
The statute of limitations, which varies by state for different types of civil cases, sets the deadline by which you need to file your claim in order to be able to recover compensation. In Kansas, the statute of limitations for motorcycle accident claims and other personal injury cases is two years.
This means that you need to file your claim within two years of the date of the accident, or else you risk losing your right to recover compensation. Be sure to discuss your case with a qualified Topeka motorcycle accident attorney as soon as possible after your accident so that you don’t risk being too late to file your claim.
How Can Bretz Injury Law Help after Your Topeka Motorcycle Accident?
Having a knowledgeable, experienced attorney by your side to help with your motorcycle accident case can make all the difference. In fact, according to a study by the Insurance Institute, people who hire an attorney to represent them receive two-and-a-half to three times higher settlements than those who do not seek legal assistance.
At Bretz Injury Law, we fight to help motorcycle accident victims recover fair compensation for all of their physical, emotional, and financial losses. Our Topeka motorcycle accident lawyers know how to build powerful claims and aggressively negotiate with insurance companies for fair settlements, but when this is not possible, we are fully prepared to represent our clients at trial.
Contact Bretz Injury Law Today
If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident as a result of someone else’s failure to yield, you shouldn’t have to shoulder the aftermath on your own. Our Kansas personal injury lawyers can help you understand your rights and fight for the fair compensation you are owed. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.
