Shiner Law Group » West Palm Beach Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

West Palm Beach Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Were you recently injured in a motorcycle accident in West Palm Beach, FL? Our experienced West Palm Beach motorcycle accident lawyers at Shiner Law Group are ready to help fight for your legal rights and get the compensation you deserve. Call us today at (561) 777-7700 to speak with an attorney for a 100% free consultation.

You may be entitled to seek compensation for medical bills, loss of income, pain, and suffering, and more. Contact our West Palm Beach, FL law offices to discuss the legal options that might be available to you following your motorcycle accident. The next steps are very important. Let Shiner Law Group help you with your motorcycle accident case today.

Were you involved in a motorcycle accident in West Palm Beach?

The risk of getting into a motorcycle accident in West Palm Beach is very high as the population continues to grow in Palm Beach County, if you do find yourself injured in a motorcycle accident speak with a West Palm Beach motorcycle accident lawyer immediately.

When you, someone you know or love has been injured in a bike crash it is important to contact an injury attorney to discuss your rights. At Shiner Law Group, our experienced motorcycle attorneys help clients with motorcycle injury claims, getting the right treatment, questions about insurance, gathering police reports and medical bills and records and demanding full compensation from large insurance companies.

Motorcyclists face significant injury risks posed not only by negligent drivers but by the motorcycle’s handling and stability limitations. And while motorcycles may not be the most common vehicles used in Florida, they are one of the principal causes of deaths and injuries in West Palm Beach car accidents.

Dealing with insurance companies and attorneys in the aftermath of a motorcycle accident can be a daunting experience; however, our skilled West Palm Beach motorcycle accident attorneys at the Shiner Law Group are prepared to handle insurance company negotiations and legal hurdles in pursuit of the fullest financial recovery to which our clients are entitled under Florida law. We’re committed to the highest standards of legal ethics. We focus on helping you obtain a broad range of damages so you can focus on getting your life back.

What You Should Do After A Motorcycle Accident In West Palm Beach

It can happen to the best rider. One minute, you are cruising down the highway on your precious motorbike and in the next you are involved in a fender bender. While you should remain calm and gather your wits first, the steps you take right after the incident can affect your insurance coverage and other legal disputes you may get into with the other driver/rider.

The good news is that you can protect your interests by taking these steps right after the accident:

1. Collect Relevant Information

Once you are off the road and have checked for injuries, exchange information from the other people who were involved in the accident. This includes their name, insurance information, phone number, license information etc.

Plus, if your phone isn’t broken, take a picture of their vehicles and your bike so that you have concrete proof of the damages sustained by both parties. Eye witness accounts will also strengthen your case as well as a detailed account of any physical injuries you sustained.

2. Call the Police

Call 911 before collecting the aforementioned information so that you can have police at the scene as soon as possible. If your motorcycle is damaged, you should make sure they make a police report about it. This will be vital for you when you want to recover damages to your injuries, bike and clothing some of which may not be apparent days after the accident.

By making police aware of the incident, you will have an extensive and accurate report which can be referenced in court. Take down the officers’ names and badge numbers so that your motorcycle accident lawyers can follow up with them for the report.

3. Call a West Palm Beach Motorcycle Accident Attorney

After you return home and settle in after the accident, you may be contacted by an insurance adjuster from the other people who were involved in it. However, make sure you do not answer any questions without having an attorney present.

Insurance adjusters are trained to manipulate information to their advantage so that they can pay less for injuries or damages you may have incurred. Therefore, the first thing you need to do after the accident after you return home is to call a motorcycle accident lawyer who can represent and protect your best interests.

That is not to say that every accident will go badly for you. In some cases, you may walk away without paying more than a couple of bucks depending on damages. However, to ensure those damages are not exaggerated by others involved in the accident, a detailed record that can be held up in court by a lawyer can ensure you are protected.

How A West Palm Beach Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Can Help

With over 15 years’ experience serving the West Palm Beach community in personal injury lawsuits and West Palm Beach wrongful death lawsuits, our motorcycle accident attorneys West Palm Beach understand the unique challenges bike enthusiasts face, and, by extension, the dogged tactics employed by insurance companies and defense attorneys.

Likewise, we aggressively pursue the best results for our clients. This involves going beyond the initial accident report (typically unfavorable to the motorcycle accident victim). In order to conduct our evaluation of the physical evidence, crash site, witness testimony, and other relevant evidence.

Most motorcycle accident lawsuits are pursued under the negligence theory. This means an attorney can prove another party was negligent by establishing the defendant’s duty of care to the plaintiff. Florida, however, is a comparative negligence state. This means a percentage of fault can be attributed to both drivers depending on the severity of the breach. While you must prove the traffic safety law violation caused your injury, you do not need to prove that the defendant owed you a legal duty of care. Or that the driver deviated from that duty of reasonable care.

For example, if a car fails to acknowledge a red turn signal and proceeds through an intersection, striking an oncoming motorcyclist. The motorcyclist can focus on proving the damages were sustained because of the car’s illegal turn.

In the event of an accident, a West Palm Beach personal injury lawyer will begin the claims process by compiling evidence and building a claim. Based on this relevant information, this includes but is not limited to:

Crash site evaluation
Reviewing police reports, medical records, and driving history
Questioning witnesses
Reconstructing the accident
Contacting experts in relevant fields

Causes of West Palm Beach Motorcycle Accidents

A motorcycle’s design inherently exposes the driver—and his/her passengers. Enhanced risks of collision (and serious injuries) despite improvements made to vehicle safety technology. And while accidents are often preventable, leading causes associated with motorcycle injuries include, but are not limited to:

Defective or improperly maintained vehicles
Unsafe road conditions
Distracted or otherwise impaired driving
Failure to acknowledge traffic safety laws
Aggressive driving

If you are injured in a motorcycle accident, representation by an experienced West Palm Beach personal injury attorney is vital. Our trial lawyers work with accident reconstruction teams to identify negligent conduct and determine the cause of a motorcycle crash. We are committed to recovering damages resulting from medical treatment and rehabilitation. Also, periods of disability, loss of wages, or even a permanent inability to engage in gainful employment.

All drivers sharing the roadway have an obligation to other motorists; therefore, it is imperative to drive in a safe and unimpaired manner.

Motorcycle Helmets Preventing Severe Injuries in Motorcycle Accidents

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motorcycles account for 9% of traffic-related fatalities. Head injuries are the most common cause of motorcycle crash-related fatalities. So the importance of using a helmet cannot be overstated.

Helmets are 37% effective in preventing motorcycle fatalities. Our law firm advocates safe riding practices, which means always wearing a helmet that is approved.

Filing a Motorcycle Accident Claim in West Palm Beach

Insurance companies are motivated by profits and aim to underestimate or deny legitimate claims. Our West Palm Beach motorcycle accident attorneys relieve stress by overcoming the tactics and traps that the insurance company have in place:

Refuting attempts to shift fault
Disproving misconceptions
Moving the injury claim forward
Writing a demand letter
Supplying supporting records and reports for the demand letter
Receiving settlement offers
Evaluating and negotiating settlement offers

Motorcyclists face significant risks for injuries posed not only by careless or negligent drivers but by the stability and handling limits of the motorcycle. In Florida, motorcycle accidents are one of the principal causes of wrongful death and personal injuries along car accident.

Large insurance companies representing negligent parties have a litigation team of attorneys, investigators, adjusters, and experts to deny damage claims and minimize their financial liability, giving them a significant advantage over accident victims.

West Palm Beach Motorcycle Accident FAQs

With pleasant weather year-round, virtually all parts of Florida are popular with motorcyclists. Riders in the West Palm Beach area, for example, have many routes they can take, such as the Okeechobee Loop, which takes in several towns and scenic areas throughout the region.

Whether you ride your motorcycle for pleasure or as a quick and inexpensive way to commute to work, we likely don’t need to tell you of the risks that motorcycles pose. What we can tell you, however, is that there is a process by which you can pursue compensation for the expenses and impacts of your injury following a motorcycle accident.

The experienced West Palm Beach legal team at Shiner Law Group understands that nothing in this world compares to the feel of the open road as experienced from the back of a motorcycle. We also know that motorcyclists—despite the misguided reputation they drive dangerously than others—are often the victims of someone else’s careless or reckless actions and have as much right as any injured person to seek compensation.

Read on below for answers to some questions our clients most frequently ask about seeking compensation after a West Palm Beach motorcycle accident.

How can I obtain compensation after a motorcycle accident?

If you were injured in a motorcycle accident caused by someone else’s careless, reckless, or even intentional actions in West Palm Beach, you can recover compensation through a personal injury lawsuit.

What type of compensation can I receive through a West Palm Beach motorcycle accident claim?

You are permitted to collect both economic and non-economic damages. This terminology confuses many people who think that damages are the ill effects they suffered in the accident.

In actuality, the word refers to a payment made in compensation for the ill effects you suffered in the accident. Economic damages, then, refer to compensation received for our out-of-pocket expenses, while non-economic damages refer to the impacts of the injury on your life.

Common examples of expenses and impacts that motorcycle accident claims include are:

Medical expenses, including emergency treatment, transport, hospitalization, prescription medication, diagnostic testing, the services of physicians or surgeons, physical therapy and rehabilitation, and the provision of devices needed for mobility assistance, such as a wheelchair, cane, crutches, or prosthetic limbs.
Lost wages if the injury prevents you from working.
Loss of future earning capacity if the injury causes a permanent disability that deprives you of the ability to earn in the same capacity as you did before the accident.
Property damage, such as the cost of repairing or replacing your motorcycle and gear.
Physical pain and suffering.
Emotional distress.
Loss of the enjoyment of life, if your injury prevents you from riding or from participating in other hobbies and activities you formerly enjoyed.
Loss of consortium, which is a damage collected on behalf of the injured person’s spouse for the loss of physical intimacy and companionship that often accompanies serious injuries.

If a car turns into my path and hits me, who is at fault?

Left-turn accidents are one of the biggest hazards a motorcyclist faces, and are responsible for about 42 percent of all traffic fatalities involving motorcycle riders. This type of accident generally occurs when the rider goes straight through an intersection on a green light. A left-turning driver without a green arrow misjudges a gap in traffic or fails to see the motorcycle and attempts to complete a turn into its path, either striking the motorcycle broadside or causing the motorcycle to broadside the car.

Drivers are required to ensure that a travel lane is clear before they drive through it. On lights where there is no green arrow, straight-moving traffic has the right-of-way. Because of these two factors, the motorist almost always causes a left-turn motorcycle accident.

If I wasn’t wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, does that mean I can’t file a lawsuit?

Because not wearing a motorcycle helmet is not an action that causes an accident to occur, you can still file a lawsuit against at-fault parties. Beyond this, Florida does not require motorcycle operators over 21 to wear a helmet when riding.

Keep in mind, however, that riders under the age of 21, must wearing a DOT-approved helmet when riding. Riders under 21 run the risk of a ticket if they refuse to wear a helmet.

A hit-and-run motorcycle accident injured me. How will this affect my ability to obtain compensation?

A hit-and-run motorcycle accident can change your ability to recover compensation. The at-fault party’s insurance policy pays nearly all settlements and awards in personal injury cases.

If you can’t identify the driver, you may not know what to do next.

An experienced accident attorney will help you explore your options in situations like this. In some cases, you can pursue compensation through your own uninsured motorist policy, or find other sources of liability with insurance resources. Your attorney may need to investigate thoroughly to identify responsible parties.

The at-fault party’s insurance provider already offered a settlement. Should I take it?

It is not uncommon for an insurance provider to offer a settlement in the early days after an accident has occurred, particularly in cases involving obvious liability on the part of the insured. Often these settlement offers are proposed as a quick and simple way to resolve the case. Unfortunately, this practice often has far more to do with the tactic of limiting the payouts for the injured to protect the insurance company’s bottom line than it is in providing fair compensation immediately.

Accident victims often feel tempted by these settlement offers. After all, when an individual is hospitalized with serious injuries and faced with missed work and other inconveniences, the notion of receiving money quickly can entice them.

However, accepting these early settlement offers without speaking to an attorney first is often a mistake. So early into the injury, it is impossible to have a big picture of the out-of-pocket expenses that you will incur or the many profound ways injuries can affect your ability to live a normal, contented life.

What this means is that the settlement offer is likely far less than the value of your case. If you accept the settlement and later find out that it is not enough money to cover your expenses, you will not be permitted to go back and file another claim.

An experienced West Palm Beach motorcycle accident attorney from Shiner Law Group can help you establish a value to your case based on the expenses and impacts you have experienced or will likely experience due to your injury. Knowing how your case is valued makes those early offers look a lot less enticing.

I feel like everyone at the hospital believes I caused the accident. Will a court believe that too?

A recent study revealed a common attitude among other roadway users that motorcyclists are “thrill seekers” prone to driving too fast. This belief, coupled with the physical vulnerabilities of the riders, led participants in the study to reach the consensus that motorcycles are the most dangerous vehicles on the roadway.

Researchers found that the participants frequently engaged in competitive language regarding motorcycles and other roadway users, indicating that somehow motorcyclists were separate from other roadway users and worthy of less empathy or consideration. The participants most empathetic toward motorcyclists were male drivers who either own a motorcycle or know someone who does.

You can rest assured that the law, and your experienced motorcycle accident lawyer from Shiner Law Group, understand that motorcyclists have an equal right to the roadway, and deserve the same safety and legal considerations as other roadway users.

If my health insurance covered my medical expenses and my sick leave covered missed work, can I still sue?

You are free to file a claim just as a person without health insurance would. If you receive damages for medical expenses, your insurance provider may demand repayment for the coverage it provided.

How can an attorney from Shiner Law Group help with my West Palm Beach motorcycle accident case?

With less stability and crash protection than passenger vehicles, motorcyclists and their passengers are 27 times more likely to die in a crash than the operators and passengers of passenger cars. Those who survive may sustain catastrophic injuries that will affect them for the rest of their lives.

If you have suffered injuries in a motorcycle accident, to obtain the most compensation available to you, our experienced legal team can provide:

Guidance about the legal process and your options through a free, no-obligation case evaluation.
A determination of all liable parties in your case and all insurance policies that can be accessed to provide your compensation.
A valuation of your case that is based on the expenses and impacts you have already experienced, as well as those you will likely face in the future.
Negotiations with the at-fault party’s insurance provider to obtain a settlement offer that fairly compensates you for your impacts and expenses.
The filing of your court-required paperwork within the statute of limitations for your case. Plaintiffs must file most personal injury cases in Florida within two years of the date on which the accident occurred.
The collection and organization of witness testimony and evidence that can be used to prove your case.
Litigation, including making opening and closing arguments, presenting evidence, and examining witnesses.
Assistance collecting your settlement or award.
Guidance and information throughout the process that aims to provide you with the knowledge you need to make informed choices about your case.
A client-friendly contingent-fee payment method. This means you do not have to pay your attorney unless he or she secures payment for you.

Riding a motorcycle is a popular pastime, and being injured on one doesn’t prevent you from seeking the compensation you deserve when someone else’s actions result in injury. Let our experienced West Palm Beach motorcycle accident attorneys begin providing answers for you.

Searching For A West Palm Beach Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

It is beneficial for an accident victim to seek legal counsel of a seasoned motorcycle attorney in West Palm Beach, one who can navigate the hurdles and recover maximum financial compensation under Florida law.

If you have been severely injured or if someone you love was wrongfully killed due to the negligence of another, contact a Shiner Law Group attorney to discuss your legal options.

West Palm Beach Motorcycle Accident Attorney David Shiner

Hiring A West Palm Beach Motorcycle Accident Attorney

In most states, motorcycle accident lawsuits are pursued under the negligence theory. This means that an attorney can prove the at-fault party was negligent by the duty of care to the plaintiff.

Florida is a state of comparative negligence, which means a percentage of fault can be divided to both the plaintiff and defendant depending on the severity of the breach. While you must prove the traffic violation caused your injuries, you do not need to prove that the driver deviated from the duty of reasonable care or that the defendant owed you the legal duty of care.

Speaking with a West Palm Beach Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Near Me

If you or someone you love has died because of the negligent, reckless or intentional conduct of another, we welcome you to contact our experienced legal team so that we can evaluate your claim and advise you of your rights and options. We are committed to helping victims recover the compensation they need to move past injuries or loss, so call us 24/7 at 561-777-7700 or online for a free case review to see how we can help.