If you’ve been hurt in a motorcycle accident that wasn’t your fault, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. We believe you should contact an Orlando motorcycle accident lawyer as soon as possible after your wreck, and the attorneys here at Spetsas Buist PLLC know what it takes to pursue a motorcycle accident claim. So, if you think you may need legal help, do not hesitate to contact an Orlando motorcycle accident lawyer at Spetsas Buist PLLC.

orlando-motorcycle-accident-attorneyMotorcycle crashes are horrifying because there’s nothing between the driver and another vehicle or the concrete. As a result, the medical bills are uniquely high, and the injuries can be severe. You may be entitled to repayment for the damages you suffered as a result of your motorcycle accident. Here are some types of damages commonly associated with motorcycle crashes in Florida:

  • Medical bills. This includes the bills for diagnosis and for treating your injuries. This also includes bills associated with your recovery, like physical therapy.
  • Lost wages and missed work. This includes the paychecks you missed because your motorcycle crash injuries prevented you from being able to work. This form of compensation could cover not only your current lost wages but also may cover your future lost wages.
  • Pain and suffering. This type of damage includes emotional and psychological damage. It also includes things like a loss of quality of life. 

If you lost a loved one in a motorcycle accident, you may have a viable wrongful death claim. As a result, you may be entitled to compensation for the expenses associated with your loss. Please don’t hesitate to contact the lawyers at Spetsas Buist PLLC to help you with your wrongful death claim. 

Florida Motorcycle Accident Statistics

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles compiles traffic accident data for Florida every year. Below are the more recent Florida motorcycle accident statistics.

Total Motorcycle Crashes in Florida

In this context, a “motorcycle crash” is defined as the operation of a motorcycle in the state of Florida which results in property damage, a complaint of bodily injury, or bodily injury or death to any person.

  • 2018 / 9,143 Crashes
  • 2019 / 8,895 Crashes
  • 2020 / 8,095 Crashes
  • 2021 / 6,847 Crashes (as of 10/26/2021)

Total Injuries From Motorcycle Accidents in Florida

In this context, an “injury” is defined as the total number of people who sustained bodily hurt or damage or complained of bodily hurt or damage as a result of a Florida motorcycle traffic crash.

  • 2018 / 7,849 Injuries
  • 2019 / 7,719 Injuries
  • 2020 / 6,920 Injuries
  • 2021 / 5,905 Injuries

Total Fatalities From Motorcycle Accidents in Florida

In this context, a “fatality” is a death that results from a traffic crash. Only fatalities that occurred within 30 days of the motorcycle crash are considered traffic-related.

  • 2018 / 531 Fatalities
  • 2019 / 550 Fatalities
  • 2020 / 552 Fatalities
  • 2021 / 447 Fatalities

Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in Florida

Below are some of the more common causes of motorcycle wrecks in Florida.

Distracted Driving

This is a leading cause of all kinds of traffic accidents. Unfortunately, people can’t seem to focus or stop looking at their phones when they’re driving. On top of that, motorcycles are small and difficult for other motorists to see. Therefore, if a driver is not paying attention, they could easily cause a collision with a motorcycle.

Intoxicated Driving

Drugs and alcohol have been a problem since cars and motorcycles first hit the road. Intoxicated and drunk drivers are out there causing crashes every day. Therefore, intoxicated motorists and motorcyclists cause a lot of serious motorcycle accidents in Florida every year.

Blind Spots

Experienced motorcyclists know just how important it is to be aware of blind spots. However, sometimes there’s no escaping a careless driver’s sudden move. Thus, blind spots are the cause of a lot of motorcycle accidents in Florida and in Orlando every year.

Speeding Vehicles

Speeding drivers are a danger to everyone on the road, especially motorcyclists. A speeding driver is unable to react to changes on the highway and is unable to stop or slow down to avoid a collision. Additionally, speeding motorcyclists often weave in and out of traffic and create dangerous situations. Thus, speeding vehicles are a major hazard for motorcyclists and a leading cause of motorcycle accidents in Orlando.

Open Door Accidents

Motorcyclists are particularly at risk of a vehicle door accident. Car drivers often open their doors into active lanes of traffic, and motorcyclists will collide with the door. This is a particular risk in downtown areas because motorcyclists don’t have room to avoid the open door. Thus, open doors can cause serious motorcycle wrecks.

Turning Accidents

Motorcycles are particularly at risk of drivers making left-hand turns. Oftentimes, drivers will make a left-hand turn right in front of a motorcycle, or they’ll switch lanes and collide with a motorcycle in the other lane. Thus, improper turns are a big cause of motorcycle accidents in Florida.

Road Defects

Motorcyclists are vulnerable to road defects, especially in bad or rainy weather when they can’t see what they’re driving over. Thus, improperly maintained roads cause a lot of motorcycle accidents in Orlando and surrounding areas.

Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries

Here are some of the more common types of injuries that result from motorcycle crashes in Florida.

Head & Brain Injuries

These types of injuries include things like concussions, traumatic brain injuries, brain bleeding, skull fractures, or disfiguring injuries that require plastic surgery.

Neck, Back & Spine Injuries

These types of injuries include things like whiplash, spinal cord damage, herniated discs, or strains and sprains.

Burn Injuries

This could include fatal or disfiguring burns that may require skin grafts. These injuries often cause disfigurement and can require multiple painful plastic surgeries to restore.

Soft Tissue Injuries

Road rash can cause serious soft tissue damage in a motorcycle accident. These injuries include injuries to the skin, muscles, and tendons, which can often result in extreme and lasting pain.

Bone Injuries

These injuries include broken and bruised bones, which can require surgery to repair and lots of time to heal.

What to Do After a Motorcycle Wreck

Here are some helpful tips for what you should consider doing after a motorcycle accident:

  • Call 911.
  • Seek medical attention for anyone injured.
  • Try to strictly follow any advice your doctor gives you.
  • Take pictures and notes of the scene of the accident. Visual evidence could be extremely helpful.
  • Try to get the names of any people involved in the accident.
  • Try to get the names and contact information of any witnesses.
  • Do not discuss who was at fault with anyone. If asked who is at fault, request an opportunity to speak with your attorney.
  • Do not express your opinion regarding who is at fault.
  • Do not make any statements that could be twisted against you, such as “I’m sorry” or anything like that.

Overall, try to make sure injured people get medical attention, and try to say as little as possible.

Preserving Evidence After a Florida Motorcycle Crash

Preserving evidence is critical after your motorcycle accident. Accident reports and police reports don’t always contain the details that could be extremely beneficial to your case. One way to ensure that you preserve valuable evidence is to contact your Orlando motorcycle accident lawyer as soon as possible. Our attorneys can utilize resources and evidence beyond the accident report to fight for you and to get you fair compensation.

If you can retain a motorcycle accident attorney early enough, the attorney can get out there and perform a thorough investigation of the scene. Ideally, we like to analyze things like how the crash occurred, the road conditions, and any underlying mechanical issues that may have caused the collision or made it worse. Thus, it’s best if you can contact an Orlando motorcycle accident lawyer as soon as possible.

A proper investigation can help your Orlando motorcycle accident attorneys prove what really happened. As a result, it can help ensure that you receive proper compensation for your damages.

How Your Orlando Motorcycle Accident Attorney Can Assist You

It’s not easy to navigate through the legal processes involved with an injury claim. Thus, if you get an attorney early on, you can be sure that your rights and legal interests are protected every step of the way. So here’s what the process might look like once you contact us.

First, in the free initial consultation, we will want to see if there are any reports of the accident and talk to you about what happened. We will also ask you about your injuries and any medical treatment you have received or that you may need or anticipate needing. 

Next, we will notify the insurance adjuster of the at-fault driver that we’re representing you. We’ll also begin putting together important information so that we can possibly draft a demand letter. Additionally, we will get your permission to request all your medical records and medical bills. These documents are critical and will help us to calculate proper damages in your case.

We also may need to talk to get in touch with your employer and gather information about your wages. This way, we can better understand what kind of wages you missed out on and will miss out on in the future.

Finally, we may be able to represent you at traffic court. That is, if we’re retained early enough in the case and if the at-fault driver chooses to fight the traffic ticket. So that’s another reason it’s a good idea to call your Orlando motorcycle accident attorney as soon as possible.

What Does Your Orlando Motorcycle Accident Attorney Need to Prove in Court?

Now, let’s shift gears and talk a little about the legal aspects of a motorcycle accident. Negligence is the cause of action in most personal injury cases where the bad actor (the defendant) engages in unreasonable behavior that causes harm to a victim (the plaintiff). So, if a driver injures a motorcyclist, the injured motorcyclist may have a claim against that driver for negligence. If the bad driver’s actions cause death, however, the deceased motorcyclist’s loved ones may have a cause of action for wrongful death. 

In a motorcycle personal injury case, the plaintiff must prove the 4 elements of negligence. Thus, your Orlando motorcycle accident lawyer must show the following:

  • The defendant owed a duty of care to the plaintiff;
  • The defendant breached the duty by a negligent act or omission;
  • The defendant’s breach was the actual and proximate cause of the plaintiff’s injury; and
  • The plaintiff suffered actual injury or damages.

If your Orlando motorcycle accident lawyer can prove these four elements by a preponderance of the evidence, meaning more likely than not or 51 percent, you likely have a viable motorcycle accident lawsuit.

Compensation After Your Orlando Motorcycle Accident

Clients often ask how long a motorcycle accident claim may take to get resolved. Unfortunately, there is not a standard or clear answer. Each case has specific facts that could affect how long it takes to resolve the case. Thus, we can’t tell you exactly how long it will take to resolve your motorcycle accident claim.

For example, we need to know what kind of medical treatments it will take to get our client back to normal. These medical bills are part of the damages in the motorcycle accident lawsuit. Therefore, we don’t want to rush medical treatment or forego medical treatments because then our client’s case would likely get undervalued. 

Once you have reached maximum recovery and once your medical professionals are finished with their recommended treatments, that’s the best time to file the demand with the insurance company. Thus, that’s when it’s best to begin seeking compensation for the client. It depends on the situation, but sometimes a client’s motorcycle accident claim can be resolved without filing a lawsuit. However, if the defendant or defendants are not prepared to pay just compensation, then we can file a lawsuit. But if the defendant(s) still won’t cooperate, we can take the case to trial and let the jury decide what it is worth. 

Do You Need to Speak to an Experienced Motorcycle Accident Attorney?

If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident in Florida, you should speak with a skilled and aggressive Orlando motorcycle accident lawyer as soon as possible because you may be entitled to compensation. Please don’t hesitate to contact us on our website, or you can call our Orlando, Florida personal injury law firm today at (321) 352-7588 to schedule your free consultation by phone. When you schedule a consultation at our law firm, you will get a consultation with a motorcycle accident attorney, not a customer service representative or intake person.

If you need a South Carolina personal injury lawyer, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at (843) 638-6590. We have at least one lawyer licensed in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. So, if you’ve been injured in the Southeast, we have you covered. Don’t hesitate to call us if you need us.

For more information on personal injury cases in general, you can download our free personal injury guide: P.I. 101: Your Quick Guide to Personal Injury Claims.