Answers To Motorcycle Accident Questions
- Why are motorcycle accidents so brutal?
- What should I do if I am in an accident?
- Do I need to wear a helmet to file a claim?
- What kinds of compensation can I expect?
- What about motorcycle passengers?
- Is it expensive hiring a lawyer?
Why are motorcycle accidents so brutal?
The great thing about motorcycles is being out in the open air. But that leaves riders without defenses when there is a skid or collision. Other drivers also complain about not seeing motorcycles, despite lights and other standard safety features. These factors help explain the startlingly high number of serious accidents nationwide. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that motorcycle riders are 26 times more likely to die and five times more likely to be injured than occupants of passenger cars.
What should I do if I am in an accident?
- If you appear to be seriously injured, get care immediately. It’s important for your health and future, and it starts a medical record that your case may depend on.
- If you are able to remain on the scene, take down the other driver’s name, address, telephone number, insurance information and license number.
- Don’t discuss who caused the accident.
- Gather evidence. Take pictures of the scene with your phone or camera.
- Get the names and numbers of witnesses, if there are any.
- Take down the name of the police officer, and get the number for the police report.
- Before you talk to insurance company reps, talk to me, Geoffrey Harrison. I know what to say and what not to say!
Do I need to wear a helmet to file a claim?
Mississippi Code 63-7-64 requires that you wear a helmet while riding. Riders must also carry liability insurance. I can discuss with you the effect on your case of not wearing a helmet. Email me or call my Biloxi office at 228-435-4878 for a free consultation.
What kinds of compensation can I expect?
- Doctor and hospital bills
- Lost income, past and future
- Disfigurement, burns and scarring
- Loss of function
- Pain and suffering
- Punitive damages (sometimes)
What about motorcycle passengers?
Anyone who is injured may file a claim. If the person riding causes the accident, you file against his or her insurance company. If the driver of another vehicle caused it, you file a claim against their insurance company. Either way, the claim is against the insurer, not the individual.
Is it expensive hiring a lawyer?
All personal injury attorneys take injury cases on a contingency fee basis. This means you only pay us if we are successful for you. Meantime, I charge nothing for my first-time conversation, and I make it my policy to never take more than my client gets — no matter how many hours I put into the case!
Call B. Geoffrey Harrison PA in Biloxi at 228-435-4878, or send me an email describing what happened.
I am available not only for injury cases but also for cases in which the rider is killed. I also file wrongful death suits to help surviving Mississippi and Louisiana family members get by without their loved one.
