Easy Riders

When negligence occurs and things go bad for a motorcycle rider, they often go very bad.

No two Personal Injury matters are ever the same. So many aspects of each injured person’s situation, such as the amount of liability coverage, health insurance coverage and liens, lost wages and possible life changing permanent injury must all be addressed to their full conclusion before settling any injury claim.  

All these issues are magnified by 1000 when the person who was injured due to the negligence of another was riding a motorcycle.  Bikes are an incredible form of transportation that offer an experience unlike that of any other vehicle.  Most riders are extremely passionate about their bike and the lifestyle it provides, and they take their riding very seriously.  The downside is that drivers of other vehicles are often less serious and attentive about their driving. Motorcycles enjoy all of the laws which apply to other vehicles, but they are often overlooked by drivers of cars and commercial vehicles.    

When negligence occurs and things go bad for the rider, they often go very bad.  For many riders the initial collision is just the beginning.  Once the personal injury claim process begins, there are so many issues that must be considered to protect riders and ensure adequate compensation under Virginia Personal Injury law.  

LIABILITY INSURANCE:     One of the biggest issues is determining who is liable for the damage and how much liability insurance is available.  Let’s say that a biker is sitting at a red light waiting for a signal change when suddenly they are hit from behind by a driver of a car that was looking down at their phone.  In this situation, it is easy to determine who is at fault, but the questions should not stop there.  Because the rider may have suffered significant injury, it is very important to determine all the insurance that may apply to the distracted driver’s negligence.  
The first place to look is the insurance coverage that applies to the vehicle that caused the accident.  Is the owner of the car the driver who caused the injuries?  If not, the insurance company that covers the driver of the car, if there is any, can also be brought in on the claim.  

UIM COVERAGE:  Oftentimes, the most important coverage that can help address a rider’s injuries is the insurance policy for the motorcycle itself.  If the person who struck the motorcycle and caused the rider’s injuries does not have enough insurance coverage to address the claim, the insurance company who insures the bike will essentially step into the shoes of the defendant and that coverage, known as UIM, will be available to the injured rider.  For this reason, it is VERY important that a rider carry as much liability coverage on their bike as they can afford to.  If a rider were to suffer devastating injuries, they may be limited to how much coverage there is on their own bike.  Please, protect yourself and buy as much coverage as possible.

Motorcycle injury claims are unique in the Personal Injury world.  Miller Injury Group treats them as unique.  Call or come and sit down I will explain why motorcycle injury claims are unique and how our representation for those injuries differs from other firms.   I am confident that you will appreciate what we have to say.  We pride ourselves in looking out for our clients’ interests first and foremost and motorcycle claims are an area where we are different from other firms.  Motorcycle injuries are unique, and the injured parties deserve a fresh approach toward compensation.  Let’s talk and see how we can ensure the best result for you.