How a Long Island Motorcycle Accident Attorney Can Help in Those Harrowing Days After a Crash
Long Island is practically a perfect place to own and ride a motorcycle. It has countless miles of scenic roads that take you to some of the loveliest beaches on the East Coast. But as exhilarating as a motorcycle ride can be when the weather is nice, it also comes with danger. The biggest risk is that you will be injured in a motorcycle accident. When this happens, pleasure turns to fear in an instant. After a motorcycle accident, you will likely be seriously injured and hospitalized for weeks or months. That adds a new concern to the pain of your injuries. How will you pay for all those medical bills? The answer is a motorcycle accident lawyer in Long Island from Tucker Lawyers.
We understand how traumatic a motorcycle accident can be. When you are constrained to a hospital bed, you can’t deal with the bureaucracy of insurance companies. Thankfully, we can handle your insurance claim for you. Our attorneys will investigate your claim, file all the paperwork, and fight to get you every dollar you need to recover from your grievous injuries. Once we take your case, you can set aside your fears of financial ruin, knowing that our motorcycle accident lawyers are dedicated to maximizing the payout you get from the insurance company.
Motorcycle accidents are scary in several different ways. If you have been harmed in a motorcycle accident, Tucker Lawyers is here to quell your fears and help you get the money you need for a full recovery. Contact us today at (516) 399-2364 to schedule a free consultation.
Proving Negligence in a Long Island Motorcycle Accident
Anyone who drives a motorcycle needs a specialized license. Getting this license requires significantly more effort than getting a normal driver’s license. And because of this, most motorcyclists are more careful than the average driver. Unsurprisingly, this means that most motorcycle accidents are not the fault of the motorcyclist. Typically, these accidents are caused by the negligence of another.
Proving negligence is one of the most important jobs of a motorcycle accident lawyer in Long Island. We can only file a lawsuit if we can prove that another party was responsible for the accident. To collect that evidence, we will:
- Speak to witnesses
- Look for camera footage if it exists
- Hire experts to analyze the accident scene
- Get a copy of the accident report.
In most cases, another driver is responsible for your injuries. However, because many Long Island highways aren’t well maintained, the local government might be the negligent party in some cases. We also have experience handling these types of cases. And if we have to fight City Hall to get you the money you deserve, we are prepared to do that.
The Severity of Motorcycle Accident Injuries
Long Island Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Understand How Serious Your Injuries Are
Motorcycles represent only a small percentage of the total number of vehicles registered in the country. Compared to the almost 300 million cars registered in the U.S., there are only about 8.5 million motorcycles. This means that only about 3% of drivers ride a motorcycle. Despite that, motorcycle accident deaths represent roughly 14% of all vehicle accident deaths annually. Looking closely at those numbers, this means that motorcycle accidents are approximately five times as deadly as passenger vehicle accidents. And similarly, serious injuries are much more common in motorcycle accidents than they are in passenger vehicle accidents.
As a motorcyclist, the main thing you should take away from these statistics is that you are very likely to be seriously injured if you get into an accident. Even if you wear a helmet and proper safety clothing, you will likely suffer some or all of these injuries:
- Traumatic head injuries
- Broken or shattered bones
- Organ damage
- Permanent scarring from road rash
Even the least serious of these injuries can take years to recover from. And you will probably spend weeks or months in a hospital. That is a devastating amount of medical bills and recovery time. And this is made even worse by the fact that you have only three years to file a lawsuit to recover damages. Many victims of motorcycle accidents aren’t even capable of returning to work after three years, let alone dealing with insurance companies.
At Tucker Lawyers, we know that you need to focus on your recovery. We do everything in our power to investigate your case, collect evidence, and file claims or lawsuits without disturbing that recovery. Furthermore, because we are familiar with these types of injuries, we can accurately determine the value of your claim. We’ll never settle for stingy amounts that will leave you drowning in debt. Our attorneys will fight until we get you the maximum compensation possible. The best-case scenario is one where you never need to worry about your medical bills or lost wages, because we get you all the money you need for them and more.
Time and circumstances are often against you after a motorcycle accident in Long Island. Thankfully, our attorneys are on your side. We will use our experience and legal knowledge to get you the compensation you need after suffering serious injuries. Contact our law firm today at (516) 399-2364 to discuss your case with a knowledgeable attorney.
Long Island Motorcycle Accident FAQs
Your Questions Answered by a Long Island Motorcycle Accident Attorney
Thankfully, for most people, a motorcycle accident is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And when you’ve never experienced something before, you are going to have questions. Our Long Island motorcycle accident attorneys have provided answers to the most common questions we get from our clients.
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New York is a no-fault state — can I sue for damages?
The no-fault laws in New York require you to claim damages against your insurance policy before filing a lawsuit. And those same laws allow you to sue only if you have suffered serious injuries. In almost all motorcycle accidents, you will probably hit the cap for your insurance policy before you are even released from the hospital. And you are almost certain to suffer serious enough injuries to be eligible to sue. Our attorneys will determine your eligibility early in the claim process so you understand your legal options.
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Can I get damages if I wasn’t wearing a motorcycle helmet?
Motorcycle helmets are required by law in New York. If you don’t wear your helmet, that doesn’t make you responsible for an accident but it can limit your damages in an accident. You may be found responsible for any head injuries you receive, which means you may not be able to get compensation for them. However, failing to wear a helmet wouldn’t prevent you from getting damages for injuries to other parts of your body.
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Why are motorcycle accidents more dangerous?
Unlike passenger vehicles, motorcycles don’t have seat belts, walls, or a roof. This means that when you get into a motorcycle accident, you are likely to be thrown off the vehicle. When this happens at normal highway speeds, you are extremely likely to be seriously hurt, even if you just slide along the pavement.
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What causes motorcycle accidents?
Motorcycle accidents usually result from driver negligence. Motorcycles are much smaller than cars, which means that drivers of passenger vehicles need to be very aware of their surroundings when driving near motorcycles. If a driver is distracted or isn’t using their mirrors correctly, they are likely to hit a nearby motorcycle. Similarly, motorcycles are not able to safely come to a sudden stop, as cars can. When a driver slams the brakes, they can cause an accident with a motorcycle behind them.
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How much will a motorcycle accident lawyer cost me?
At Tucker Lawyers, we take all of our cases on contingency. That means we charge you only a percentage of the money that we get for you. We never charge additional fees, and we don’t charge you anything if we fail to get you money. Our attorneys will explain the full details of our fee structure during your initial consultation. If you don’t like the terms, you can look for another lawyer and we won’t charge you for the appointment.
Do you have more questions? Most people do. Our attorneys will answer every question you ask during your free case evaluation.
Why Choose Tucker Lawyers?
At Tucker Lawyers, we believe that everyone deserves representation from a law firm that cares. We have spent decades helping people in the Long Island area live more fulfilling lives after suffering serious injuries in motorcycle accidents. No one should be saddled with impossible debts or unbearable pain because of the negligence of another.
If you have survived a motorcycle accident, luck was with you. Continue that lucky streak by getting representation from motorcycle accident lawyers in Long Island who have a record of successfully getting compensation for crash victims. Contact our law firm today at (516) 399-2364 to schedule an appointment.
Managing Attorney John. J. Tucker, Esq.
John has personally handled thousands of clients who were victims of another’s negligence and fights relentlessly for their rights. John enjoys bringing closure to a client’s matter so that the injured party can move forward with their life. His background enables him to evaluate complex liability related claims and bring resolution to claims in a record time frame. [ Attorney Bio ]
The Statistics on Motorcycle Safety
By taking a look at just a few of the facts and figures on crashes involving motorcycles, we can gain a clearer picture of how these crashes happen and just how common they are.
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4,760 Crashes
In New York, there were 4,760 motorcycle crashes, 135 motorcyclist fatalities and 4,633 injuries in motorcycle-involved crashes in 2014. -
3 Causes
The three leading causes of these motorcycle crashes were unsafe speeds, failure to yield to right of way and driver distraction. -
Over 1/2
In the United States, over half of all motorcycle fatalities are adults over the age of 40, while motorcyclists over the age of 60 are two and a half times more likely to have serious injuries compared to younger motorcyclists. -
29%
In 2014, 29 percent of motorcyclists in fatal vehicle crashes were over the legal limit for blood alcohol concentration. -
33%
That same year, 33 percent of motorcyclists in fatal vehicle crashes were speeding at the time of the crash.