Have you been hurt in a motorcycle accident and have questions? Read these 4 motorcycle accident questions for guidance, then call our Tampa Bay office.
1) Should I speak with an insurance company after a motorcycle accident?
If you’re injured in a motorcycle accident case and you’re contacted by the insurance company or by the lawyer representing the other party, and they ask you to give a statement, please don’t make the mistake of giving a statement to that person until you are represented by a lawyer. That is a mistake that you will likely regret. As an attorney who’s been handling these kinds of cases, we cooperate with the insurance company when we investigate these claims. We’re going to make sure that they have all the information necessary to evaluate your case and your claim.
In many instances, we will, in fact, agree to allow you to provide a statement to the claims adjuster or the agent of the at-fault party or their insurance company, but it’ll be with us side by side with you to make sure that you understand the kinds of questions that you’re going to be asked. Don’t give a recorded interview until you’re represented by a qualified law firm and an experienced trial attorney.
2) Can I receive compensation if I’m injured as a motorcycle passenger?
You may have a personal injury claim if you’ve been injured as a passenger on a motorcycle. You may have a claim against the other vehicle that might have caused that motorcycle accident or you may have a claim against the person who is actually operating the motorcycle. You will have a claim if there has been a failure to exercise or use reasonable care and skill and duty in causing that motorcycle accident to occur.
3) What if a poorly maintained road caused my accident?
Clients often want to know whether or not they would have a claim if they suffered injury because the roads were poorly maintained. If you run over a pothole in a car, it’s really a non-event, but if a motorcyclist were to do that, it could be devastating. Typically, that is a claim that we would investigate, where we would look to the agency who’s responsible for maintaining those roads and determine whether or not they were on notice of a dangerous condition or a deteriorated condition that could foreseeably result in injury to motorcyclists. Just because it may be a non-event to somebody driving a car or pickup truck, doesn’t mean that it’s safe for motorcyclists.
The agencies that are responsible for maintaining our roads have to think about motorcyclists as much as anybody else. We can investigate the claim and find out that they were on notice of a dangerous condition or failed to adhere to a policy that was in place for the maintenance of those roads, and that resulted in injury to a motorcyclist, then we can prosecute those claims.
4) Can I file a claim if I was run off the road by another driver?
You may be wanting to ask an attorney, “Could I have a claim if I’m on a motorcycle and I get forced off the road by another vehicle?” The answer to that question is yes, indeed, you may have a claim. This is a scenario in which we call the phantom vehicle, where the vehicle that causes an accident leaves the scene. Even if there’s not contact between vehicle and motorcycle, you still may have a claim.
The question is going to be determined based on whether or not you have available uninsured motorist coverage that would apply to you, either on that motorcycle or by other vehicles that you own, or other relatives that you reside with that have uninsured motorist coverage. Uninsured motorist coverage in Florida covers the hit and run or phantom vehicle scenario. Let us look at your policy and we’ll make that determination.
Were you or a loved one seriously injured after a motorcycle crash in Florida and have questions about motorcycle accidents?
After reading these 4 motorcycle accident questions, contact our dedicated Tampa Bay motorcycle accident lawyers at Perenich Law Injury Attorneys today for a free confidential consultation and case evaluation.
(727) 669-2828
