Over the past 32 years, we have represented hundreds of clients who have been injured in motorcycle accidents. There is no such thing as a “fender bender” when a motorcycle is involved. If you are involved in a motorcycle accident, you will more than likely sustain a personal injury. We have represented clients who have suffered some horrific injuries over the years from leg and arm amputations, permanent scarring, disfigurement, broken bones and even death cases. If you own a motorcycle you should know these three things:
1. There is no Personal Injury Protection (P.I.P.) coverage on your motorcycle insurance. In typical car accident cases, P.I.P. coverage pays for, among other things, medical bills, 75% of lost wages, replacement services and even funeral expenses. In a motorcycle accident, the insurance company will not pay for these things under P.I.P. coverage. Why? Because they know if you are in a motorcycle accident, chances are you are going to sustain personal injuries, thereby requiring them to pay out money.
So what can you do to protect yourself?
2. Make sure you have good Underinsured Coverage on your motorcycle insurance. Underinsured Coverage protects you if you are hit by someone who does not have enough insurance to cover the value of your claim, including payment of medical bills and lost wages. They are considered “underinsured.” We would suggest Underinsured Limits of $100,00/$300,000 if you have health insurance. If not, we would suggest even more coverage. Ask your insurance agent for their recommendations as well.
3. You may able to make a claim a claim against a responsible third party even if there is no impact with the other car. We have had many cases where the driver of a car, through negligence, causes a motorcycle operator to loose control of their bike and crash or slide. Whether a car is leaving a parking spot and entering into traffic, pulling out of a driveway or side road or changing lanes, these action can cause a motorcycle to loose control and crash even though there was no impact. The driver of the car, and their auto insurance may still be held responsible.
An experienced personal injury attorney can help guide you through these complicated issues if you sustain personal injuries in a motorcycle accident. Ride safely!
