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With only minimal protection from helmets and protective clothing, motorcyclists are at a higher risk of suffering serious injuries in accidents than people in passenger vehicles. Medical costs to treat brain injuries, severe burns, and/or spinal cord injuries can easily soar into the hundreds of thousands, or even millions of dollars. If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Nevada, you are entitled to recover compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Reno motorcycle accident lawyer Stephen Osborne can help.
Call to speak with a personal injury attorney at The Law Office Of Stephen H. Osborne.
Nevada law requires all drivers to operate their vehicles in a safe and reasonable manner. Despite the extensive legal requirements Nevada imposes on automobile drivers, the odds of a motorcycle collision occurring are high. While you may operate your motorcycle in a safe and reasonable manner to avoid an accident, several factors increase the risk of a collision, such as:
When a car hits a pothole, it often only shakes but is otherwise unaffected. If you are driving your motorcycle, the effects of striking a pothole, or other types of uneven surfaces such as edge breaks and expansion joints are magnified. This increases the likelihood of a motorcycle accident.
Motorcycle accidents frequently occur because drivers of passenger cars fail to pay attention to their surroundings. Additionally, drunk and drugged drivers are more likely to be involved in collisions. This is because impaired drivers are less likely to pay attention to traffic conditions, or see you while riding your motorcycle.
As a Reno attorney can attest, most motorcycle accidents are caused by negligent drivers in other vehicles. Negligent drivers cause collisions by following motorcycles too closely, failing to check blind spots before changing lanes, or misjudging the speed of a motorcycle in oncoming traffic before turning.
Motorcycles are less likely to be seen in conditions with minimal visibility. Motorcycles are particularly vulnerable at night and during periods of fog. After dark, other drivers are less likely to see your motorcycle because of the limited light emitted by headlights.
Speeding is a leading cause of motorcycle accidents in Nevada. Without the protections offered by passenger vehicles, motorcyclists who are in speeding accidents are at high risk of suffering serious, disabling injuries or wrongful death.
Adverse weather such as rain or fog can significantly affect your vision while you are riding a motorcycle. Rain can also impact your ability to control your motorcycle by making the road slicker and more difficult to navigate, increasing the likelihood of a collision.
The value of your motorcycle accident claim depends on several factors. These include, but are not limited to, the severity of your injuries, the cost of your medical treatment, and your lost wages Specifically, the financial value of your case depends on the damages your Reno motorcycle accident attorney is able to claim.
Following a motorcycle accident, you received emergency medical care at a hospital. You likely received additional physical therapy to recover from your injuries. Medical treatment is not cheap or free. Worse yet, your injuries will probably prevent you from being able to work. If your injuries are severe, you may require future medical care, and may also affect your future employment opportunities. Nevada law allows you to claim the cost of your past and present medical care, and your lost wages as economic damages.
Unlike economic damages, which are based on financial losses, non-economic damages are based primarily on the pain and suffering your injuries caused you to endure. You can also recover compensation if your injuries resulted in any disfigurement or scarring. Further, you can recover compensation if your motorcycle accident lawyer is able to prove you suffered a loss of function in your limb or other body part. Compensation may also be available for the loss of enjoyment of your life.
Punitive damages are difficult to obtain, and usually require strong advocacy by a motorcycle accident lawyer. Unlike economic and non-economic damages, punitive damages are designed to punish the at fault party, and to deter future wrongdoers. Punitive damages are awarded in addition to economic, and non-economic damages. You must prove the other party’s conduct was fraudulent, malicious, or oppressive. Nevada law places caps on punitive damages. However, there are no caps if a car accident was caused by a driver who willfully consumed drugs or alcohol.
Various parties may be able to be held liable for motorcycle accidents. A review of your accident by a motorcycle accident lawyer in Reno may reveal that multiple parties may be liable. Aside from the driver of the vehicle that struck you, other liable parties may include:
Since these parties may have additional insurance coverage, your motorcycle accident lawyer may be able to obtain additional compensation for your injuries.
Road Rash – Road rash injuries consist of skin lacerations and bruises, and result from a motorcycle driver’s body sliding on the road.
Spinal Cord Injuries – When motorcycles are struck by vehicles, the riders are thrown from the motorcycles, and frequently suffer spinal cord injuries.
Brain Injuries – Despite helmet laws, the lack of physical protections means that motorcycle collisions often result in riders suffering brain injuries.
Broken and Fractured Bones – The kinetic energy a motorcycle rider experiences during a collision is sufficient to fracture or break bones.
Facial paralysis – Motorcycle collisions frequently result in nerve damage, which in turn can cause victims to suffer facial paralysis or other disability.
Leg Injuries – Many motorcycle accident victims suffer severe leg injuries including shattered bones, burns, and amputations.
Head Injuries – Motorcycle collisions produce several types of head injuries including concussion, open or closed head wounds, and traumatic brain injuries.
A Motorcycle accident can be life-altering. Hiring the right Reno motorcycle accident lawyer is essential for your case. You need to obtain the maximum amount of financial compensation to recover from your injuries, and rebuild your life. The attorneys at The Law Office Of Stephen H. Osborne are not afraid to fight insurance companies on behalf of their injured clients. Reach out today to learn more.