Thousands of motorcycle accidents occur across Massachusetts every year. It’s rare for a motorcycle rider to walk away from one of these accidents without a severe injury. Nearly 15 percent of all traffic deaths in Massachusetts involves a motorcycle. To make matters worse for the rider, the state of Massachusetts puts the risk on the motorcycle. The motorcycle accident attorneys at Goldberg Law Group have seen plenty of accident cases on Cape Cod. If you need an attorney for your motorcycle accident, don’t trust any regular firm on the Cape.
Why do Massachusetts insurance companies blame the motorcyclist?
Motorcycles are inherently more dangerous to ride. Not necessarily because of the rider, but because the cars around them don’t pay attention. Specifically, for raised trucks and SUV’s, motorcycles can be hard to see. Insurance companies will typically assume the motorcycle is at-fault in an accident with these facts in mind.
Motorcycles carry a stigma of irresponsibility. You’re exposed when you ride and can weave in-and-out of traffic at high speeds. However, not all motorcycles drive dangerously. Many riders are responsible drivers who put much time into the craft of driving motorcycles.
Get your bills paid for Your Accident
Motorcycle accidents result in serious injuries more often than not. The medical bills will be intense and will go unpaid until the case settles. Massachusetts Personal Injury Protection laws do not cover motorcycle accidents, but a personal motorcycle accident policy will. Health insurance should also cover most medical bills.
If the police determine you hold less than 50 percent responsible for the accident, compensation can be collected. The other party is obliged to cover any medical costs, pain-and-suffering, and lost earnings. If the at-fault driver is uninsured, you will get compensation from the UIM coverage on your policy.
The outline above is the best-case scenario for your claim. Motorcycle accident yield injuries that usually exceed insurance limitations. When that’s the case, you need to hire a Cape Cod motorcycle accident lawyer. Don’t deal with the insurance companies alone.
What is the statute of limitations to receive compensation in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts law states you have three years from the time of your motorcycle accident to file a claim. Having that accident documented is critical, or else in the eyes of the state, the case doesn’t exist.
Keeping that in mind, don’t waste time hiring a motorcycle accident attorney following the accident. Your bills and lost wages won’t get smaller as the claim lags on. Call the offices of Goldberg Law Group, today for top-flight representation.
Dealing with insurance companies is a tedious experience
Insurance companies stay in business by not paying out claims. Even though the word “insurance” means a “practice or arrangement by which a company or government agency provides a guarantee of compensation for specified loss, damage, illness, or death in return for a payment of a premium.”
When you call your insurance company, they will look to find ways to deny your claim right off the bat. An insurance company has plenty of tricks ready to deploy to make sure they keep their money in the pocket.
Never speak with an insurance company directly unless you retain a motorcycle accident attorney. Motorcycle insurance claim denial can be devastating initially, but your claim doesn’t have to end there.
You need compensation for your injuries
No matter the amount of safety gear a motorcycle rider wears, falling off a motorcycle at high speeds will result in severe injury. The impact with the ground can lead to road rash, broken bones, and possible permanent disfigurement. The other ways a motorcycle rider can be injured are:
- The direct impact between the rider and the car or pavement
- Inability to stay upright in a Crash
- Lightweight motorcycles vs. Heavyweight Cars
- Visibility difficulty in Car blind spots
Road obstructions can also present a hazard for motorcycles. Potholes, foreign objects, and puddles can cause a more significant accident for a motorcycle rider than a car.
What are the common motorcycle injuries?
We’ve repeated over and over on this page about the severity of motorcycle injuries. Being exposed to the open road with not much protection can have devastating consequences. Below is a list of the common injuries we associate with Hyannis motorcycle accidents:
- Road Rash: Asphalt can be like sandpaper for your skin. It won’t cut all of it off, but it can grind down a thin layer. When a rider is thrown from the bike at even low-speeds, these rashes can develop into painful burns.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: These injuries are the result of some worst-case scenarios of motorcycle accidents. A bad fall, being pinned against a car or guard rail can result in a severing of the spinal cord.
- Head Injuries: Always wear a helmet when you ride a motorcycle. Even if the law doesn’t permit it, a helmet is in your best interest. Between a battle of the skull and asphalt, the asphalt wins typically.
- Broken Bones: If you walk away with no broken bones in a motorcycle accident, consider yourself lucky. Broken arms, legs, and ribs are standard if you’ve been thrown from a motorcycle.
Call a Cape Cod Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Today!
Motorcycle accidents are serious business. The injuries are devastating, and the damages come with a high price tag.
That price tag needs to be covered by someone. Insurance companies will not pay for it and will do everything in their power to keep the money.
Don’t fight the insurance companies on your own. Call the Cape Cod accident attorneys at Goldberg Law Group, to be your advocate in court.
Call our Hyannis office any hour of the day at 508-775-9099 for a free, confidential consultation.
