Motorcycle accidents, unfortunately, occur in high rates throughout the state of Florida, including in St. Augustine. Because motorcycles offer little to protect riders in the event of a crash, motorcycle accidents often lead to extensive injuries or even death.
Once you decide to file a motorcycle accident personal injury claim, you’ll need excellent legal advisement to aid you throughout the claims process. The attorneys at Florin|Roebig have a wealth of experience and knowledge in motorcycle accident cases and can offer a number of benefits to aid you in getting compensated.
What Are The Causes Of Motorcycle Accidents?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over 80 percent of motorcycle accidents cause injuries or death to the motorcyclist. Motorcycle crashes involve environmental, vehicle, and human factors.
Some common causes of motorcycle crashes include:
- other motorists making left-hand turns and turning into the path of the motorcycle
- head-on collisions where drivers may not see the motorcycle
- road hazards like potholes, slick pavement, and objects on the motorway
There are some causes of motorcycle accidents that are within the rider’s control. These include speeding, substance misuse, reckless riding, and lane-splitting. Lane-splitting is legal in some states, but not in Florida.
Even if you have some potential fault in a motorcycle accident, you could still be entitled to compensation for injuries, lost work time, and property damage. You should consult with motorcycle accident attorneys in St. Augustine to learn your rights and understand what your next steps should be after a motorcycle crash.
Understanding Your Rights After A Motorcycle Accident
If you’re in a motorcycle accident, you have rights, and you could be entitled to compensation for damage to your motorcycle or other property. In addition, you could receive compensation to pay for injuries you and others may have suffered.
The state of Florida uses a concept called comparative negligence to determine how compensation is awarded in personal injury cases, including motorcycle accidents. The courts use evidence to determine how much each person could have contributed to an accident due to negligence.
For example, a court could find that the driver of one car has 10 percent responsibility in a motorcycle accident, while another involved driver has 90 percent responsibility.
If you’ve been in a motorcycle accident, the first thing you should do — after seeking medical treatment — is to contact an attorney. The attorney will help advise you of your rights and help you understand the process of filing a personal injury claim after a motorcycle accident.
If you are contacted by another person involved in the accident or the representative of an insurance company, you have the right not to speak to them. Be aware that you do not need to and should not talk to others, including insurance representatives, before talking to a qualified motorcycle accident attorney.
The attorney will help you understand what kinds of compensation you could be entitled to receive and when to file your motorcycle accident claim. Florida has a statute of limitations for motorcycle accident claims, which is four years after the date of a motorcycle accident.
Reasons People File Motorcycle Accident Claims
Helping to pay for damage to your motorcycle could be the most common reason to file a motorcycle accident claim, but if injuries have occurred, you will also need help to pay for medical bills. In the long-term, you could need rehabilitation so you can recover and get back to work.
If you’ve missed work, you could also be entitled to compensation for lost wages. You may also want to file a claim to prevent future accidents from happening and to hold the people who caused the accident responsible.
Damages Awarded For Motorcycle Accident Claims In St. Augustine
Specific categories of personal injury claim and reimbursement after motorcycle accidents include:
- psychological and medical care and treatment
- repair and replacement for damaged vehicles
- rehabilitation costs
- reimbursement and compensation for time off work and lost wages
- compensation for pain and suffering
Punitive damages may also be awarded after a motorcycle accident. Punitive damages aren’t common, but they can sometimes help to make people aware of extreme negligence and could potentially help to prevent future similar accidents.
How Much Is Your Claim Worth?
Each person’s motorcycle accident is different from the next, and the circumstances will vary. However, some common factors do influence the amount of compensation that you could receive as a result of a motorcycle accident.
First, the type of injuries you may have suffered can influence the amount of award you could receive. Broken bones and head injuries are serious injuries and can be eligible for more compensation than scrapes and bruises. Psychological trauma may be more difficult to assess, but a personal injury claim could pay for psychological assessment and treatment.
Second, the severity of property damage, including to your vehicle and equipment, can influence a motorcycle accident claim award. You can also be entitled to compensation for time off work, including wages and bonuses you could have received if you hadn’t been in the accident. If you’ve been injured severely enough that you can no longer work, you could be entitled to receive compensation.
The most serious motorcycle accidents involving permanently disabling injuries and even death can lead to the highest awards. Cases with severe, life-impacting injuries or loss of life can range into six figures.
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Knowing When To Hire A Motorcycle Accident Attorney
When multiple people and insurance companies are involved in a motorcycle accident, the case can quickly become complex. Motorcycle accident attorneys in St. Augustine have experience in dealing with the complexity of the law and with people who have competing interests, like insurance company representatives.
In general, people who have legal representation in personal injury cases like motorcycle accidents tend to receive more compensation than people who don’t have legal representation. You should also be aware that because of Florida’s law regarding comparative negligence, the insurance company or companies of other people involved will be actively trying to shift responsibility away from their clients.
Even if you have no fault of any kind in your motorcycle accident, you need an attorney to help protect your rights and prevent blame from being shifted to you during the claims process. Motorcycle accident lawyers can help protect your rights, as well as help you get the greatest amount of compensation you’re entitled to receive.
Florida, like other states, has a statute of limitations for filing a motorcycle accident claim. Even if you think you were not injured, it is possible that you may experience a health impact at a later date.
The time to hire motorcycle accident attorneys in St. Augustine is as soon as possible after you’ve received medical treatment following a motorcycle accident. Notify your insurance company, provide them with the facts, but don’t discuss fault or blame in any way. Contact reliable, experienced motorcycle accident lawyers to discuss your next steps.
Motorcycle Accident Rates In St. Augustine And St. Johns County
The incidence of motorcycle accidents in St. Augustine and St. Johns County, where St. Augustine is located, is not as high as other areas of Florida.
However, motorcycle accidents still lead to extensive injuries and fatalities:
- According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), there were 83 motorcycle crashes in St. Johns County in 2019.
- Out of the 83 motorcycle crashes in 2019 in the county, two were fatal.
- A total of 75 people were injured in the 83 motorcycle crashes in 2019 in St. Johns County.
List Of Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Serving St. Augustine
It’s best to have experienced, dedicated, and successful lawyers like the attorneys of Florin|Roebig at your side throughout the motorcycle accident claims process. We can advise you on how to gain compensation so you can begin to recover financially after a motorcycle accident.
The attorneys of Florin|Roebig include:
- Wil H. Florin, B.C.S.
- Tommy D. Roebig, B.C.S.
- Chase P. Florin, B.C.S.
- Taylor D. Roebig
- Michael A. Ossi, O.C.
- Lawrence J. Najem, O.C.
- Andrew M. Leone, O.C.
- Nollys R. Solarte, O.C.
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Seek Help In Filing Your Motorcycle Accident Claim
Florin|Roebig’s attorneys are experienced in filing successful personal injury claims throughout Florida. We understand which steps need to be followed so you can receive the compensation that you deserve.
The team at Florin|Roebig has won nearly $1 billion in case awards throughout the firm’s history. Our legal experts will give personal attention to your case and respond to your needs. Contact the law offices of Florin|Roebig today for a free case evaluation.
