(Newswire.net — March 10, 2020) — The year 2018 saw motorcycle ownership in the United States reach record numbers. The Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) conducts The MIC Owner Survey, which found that a little over eight percent of American households owned one or more motorcycles (2018).
As exciting as motorcycling can be, this mode of transportation isn’t as protective as cars, trucks, and SUVs, increasing the likelihood of injuries and fatalities in road incidents and accidents. Per the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), for each mile traveled, the possibility of a motorcyclist sustaining injuries in a road accident is four times greater than that of passenger car occupants incurring injuries. The likelihood of motorcyclists being in a fatal accident is 16 times greater than the chances for passenger car occupants. Eighty percent of motorcycle crashes cause injuries or fatalities, compared to 20 percent for car crashes.
Motorcyclists that don’t wear helmets when riding have higher chances of injury or death following an accident. Fifty-four percent of the US motorcycle riders injured in crashes and 72 percent of the motorcyclists killed in accidents weren’t wearing helmets (2018). Helmets can withstand harsh conditions and damage, and protect motorcycle riders’ faces, heads, brains, and necks. By wearing a helmet, motorcyclists can keep their eyes free of dirt and debris, and prevent concussions, broken noses, facial fractures, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal cord injuries.
Ambulance rides, emergency room and hospital visits, medical bills, prescription medication, and motorcycle repairs can be expensive. Accident victims and their families should seek professional legal advice and explore their coverage options and how they can pay accident-related costs.
Victims must document and take photographs of bodily injuries and motorcycle wreckage sustained in a crash, as they may be able to seek compensation for damages. Describing the offending car’s model, make, and color, reporting its license plate number, documenting the sequence of events and eyewitness information, and obtaining a police report are crucial aspects required in motorcycle accident claims.
What if accident reports lack pertinent information such as the offending driver’s name, license plate number, and contact information?
Situations where offending drivers intentionally leave the scene without providing information, cooperating with police, or checking on victims are hit-and-runs. In some hit-and-run cases, it’s possible to locate drivers who fled the scene, but in others, it’s hard.
People who have a challenging time obtaining necessary information on the driver who caused an incident can do an Internet search based on what they may know.
Using the web, hit-and-run victims can visit a public information site, such as GoLookUp. GoLookUp is a leading information database site that compiles publically available data and makes it accessible for users. Through GoLookUp, accident victims can do a person lookup in hopes of finding the driver that hit them. GoLookUp is a reliable source that enables users to search for information such as a US resident’s arrest and police records, background checks, mugshots, and contact information.
Insurance companies can deny claims if they don’t have the proper documentation. In such situations, injured parties need a skilled motorcycle accident attorney who has experience with hit-and-run insurance claims. Personal injury lawyers, such as those practicing at Conrad Law Offices, can assist clients with resolving claim denials.
With the help of personal injury lawyers, victims can file their claims with their insurance provider and determine if they have uninsured motorist coverage. Such coverage can pay for medical expenses and cover hit-and-run injuries. If police and law enforcement can identify and locate a hit-and-run driver, victims may be able to file claims with that driver’s insurance. As advised by a trusted attorney, hit-and-run victims can file a lawsuit against identified hit-and-run drivers who lack insurance.
Following a hit-and-run, injured parties should never feel like they have no options, but should instead entrust their situation to high-quality resources and professionals as they recuperate.