Most motorcycle accidents are caused by the negligence of a motor vehicle driver. In many cases, this occurs because motorcycles are equipped to stop faster than cars, and are therefore more likely to be rear-ended by a negligent driver. Motorcycle accidents happen when motor vehicle operators fail to yield the right-of-way. This is partly because cars and trucks have blind spots, and smaller vehicles, such as motorcycles, are more difficult to see.
Other drivers who don't see motorcyclists aren't the only danger; there's a wide variety of driving and road conditions that can affect motorcyclists, including:
- Experienced driver
- Motorcycle stability
- Weather conditions
- Roads in poor condition
- Oil stains
- Stagnant water
- Debris or objects on the road
- uneven pavement
- Railway tracks
- Deer and other wild animals
Motorcyclists have less protection and are more likely to die in a crash than drivers involved in car accidents. Last year alone, 4,700 people died in motorcycle accidents, and more than 150,000 Americans have been hospitalized this year due to motorcycle accidents. In fact, recent studies show that motorcycle accident victims are more than 20 times more likely to die than victims of personal injuries in cars or trucks. Motorcycle fatalities account for nearly 10 percent of all traffic deaths. Unfortunately, fatal motorcycle accidents have increased every year for the past 10 years.
The motorcycle accident lawyers at Portner & Shure in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, DC, North Carolina, and Kentucky have worked on numerous wrongful death cases as well as non-fatal motorcycle-car collisions in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, DC, North Carolina, and Kentucky.
Maryland law treats motorcycle accident victims differently when it comes to personal injury (PIP) benefits. According to Maryland Insurance Code Section 19-505(a), the enhanced PIP coverage does not apply to motorcyclists.
Regarding uninsured and insured motorist benefits, if you are riding someone else's motorcycle and are involved in an accident resulting in personal injury, the motorist's uninsured benefits are available under your own policy. However, if you own both a car and a motorcycle on the same insurance policy, your motorcycle policy limit will be used in some cases if you have higher uninsured benefits on your car.
The type of vehicle involved in an accident doesn't matter; everyone has the same rights on the road and in the courtroom. If you were injured in a motorcycle accident, our motorcycle accident attorneys in Maryland or Virginia will ensure that insurance companies that refuse to treat motorcyclists fairly do not take advantage of you. Motorcycle accident victims are entitled to reimbursement or compensation for rent, medical bills, lost wages (current and future), property damage (repair or replacement of the motorcycle), and pain and suffering from injury or permanent disfigurement.
Jonathan Portner of Portner & Shure is the leading motorcycle accident attorney in Maryland and the District of Columbia.
If you are involved in a motorcycle accident in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., North Carolina, or Kentucky and do not speak English, our Portner & Shure staff includes three interpreters (Chinese, Mandarin, and Cantonese), a paralegal who speaks Korean, a paralegal who speaks Vietnamese, and two Spanish-speaking interpreters and two paralegals. All of our bilingual staff are familiar with motorcycle accident-related issues in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., North Carolina, and Kentucky.
