St Paul Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

EXPERIENCED MINNESOTA MOTORCYCLE CRASH ATTORNEYS

According to the Insurance Information Institute, motorcyclists get in fewer accidents than cars. However, unlike auto accidents, motorcycle accidents are much more dangerous. In fact, motorcycle wrecks are 26 times more likely to cause death. This is why motorcycle safety is such a major part of the legal process involved with accident claims. To avoid injury and negligence, you should always wear a helmet, avoid lane splitting, and obey motorcycle-specific laws. If you’re injured in a motorcycle accident, contact a St Paul motorcycle accident lawyer at Sand Law.

Motorcycle accidents are distressingly frequent even among the most prudent riders. The exposed nature of riding a motorcycle leads to injuries as a common consequence. And due to the smaller size compared to the average automobile, many drivers don’t treat motorcyclists with the same spacing respect as they would a car. Even though the law requires it.

This makes riding a motorcycle a serious hobby to undertake. Enjoying a pleasant motorcycle trip can quickly take a nasty turn. All riders should have an action plan ready in case a collision or other cause of injury happens during a ride.

If you are a motorcyclist, this page will help you navigate the intricacies that are involved with motorcycle accidents. This information will help you to better understand what you should do to prevent motorcycle accidents. And of course, if you are injured, get the right help after being involved in a St Paul motorcycle accident. Contact an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible.

Motorcycle Accident Statistics

The need for motorcycle riders to protect their recovery rights after an accident is always important. Especially when you consider the following statistics:

• Another driver violates a motorcyclist’s right of way, causing an accident, in about two-thirds of all motorcycle accidents that involve other vehicles.

• Motorcyclists are 5 times more likely to be severely injured in an accident. And 26 times more likely to die in a crash than someone in a car.

• Since 1999, the fatality rate has more than doubled for motorcycle accidents. During that same time, the fatality rate has steadily fallen for car and truck passengers.

Dangers of Riding a Motorcycle

The reasons why these statistics exist primarily are due to the very dangerous problems that motorcycle riders inherently must have to face out on the road. Some of these problems include:

• Visual Recognition: Motorcycles are always smaller visual targets than cars. This makes them hard to see out on the road among other cars, especially at night and during certain weather conditions. Intersections can be really dangerous for motorcyclists because people don’t see them well enough. That’s where about 70% of motorcycle-car collisions occur.

• Road Hazards: Whereas a hazard on the road may be rather minor for a car, it can be catastrophic for a motorcycle. These road hazards include debris, puddles, potholes, oil slicks, uneven pavement, ruts, railroad tracks, and more.

• Speed Wobble Accidents: Sometimes a motorcycle can begin to shake or wobble near the front tire when a rider is going at very high speeds. This can cause the motorcycle to become unstable and difficult to control. These kinds of problems can be due to a long-term maintenance issue that’s been put off. For example, it could be a misalignment in either of the tires. This could be the manufacturer’s fault due to a motorcycle’s product liability theory. So the manufacturer could potentially be at fault for the resulting injuries from this kind of problem.

• Riding Familiarity and Skills: Motorcycles, in general, are much more difficult to drive than a car. And they require a lot of skill and coordination to become familiar with. A lot of motorcycle crashes are simply due partly or wholly because of a rider’s lack of skill. This problem can also include a rider not appreciating the limitations of their motorcycle and its operating capabilities and doing something reckless.

St Paul Minnesota Motorcycle Helmet Laws Prevent Serious Injury From an Accident

Some states require motorcyclists to wear a helmet at all times, but there have been some instances where these regulations have been challenged and successfully overturned in certain places. Nevertheless, it’s safe to say that wearing a helmet is always the best option while operating a motorcycle. And it’s a fact that people who do not wear helmets are three times more likely to suffer a traumatic brain injury in the case of an accident.

Failing to wear a helmet, especially in a jurisdiction where there is a law requiring helmets to be worn by motorcyclists, can potentially prevent the monetary recovery process. Even when an accident isn’t the motorcyclist’s fault. The reason this could happen is that the opponent in the accident case can claim that the motorcyclist acted negligently by not wearing a helmet and that negligence is at least part of the contribution to the accident and the damages/injuries created by the accident. These instances can put a motorcyclist in a really bad legal situation. And they can cause the injury claim to be reduced or even eliminated altogether.

In Minnesota, it’s the law that all motorcycle riders under 18-years-old must wear a helmet. Additionally, so must riders with learner’s permits, regardless of age. Minnesota is overall very lenient when it comes to wearing helmets. But that’s not the case with eye protection. All motorcycle operators must wear some kind of eye protection at all times, which needs to be compliant with the Minnesota Commissioner of Public Safety’s standards.

Helmet laws change frequently. So no matter where you are riding, you need to understand these types of laws of the roads you’re riding on.

What to Do After a St Paul Motorcycle Accident

Above all, seek emergency medical care. Motorcycle accident injuries can occur even while wearing the highest-quality protective gear. Some common injuries resulting from motorcycle accidents include:

• minor and major brain injury
• broken bones
• road rash scars

Minor injuries can quickly turn to major ones without proper medical intervention, especially if the victim is unaware that they are experiencing the symptoms of a concussion.

After a motorcycle accident, you should take the following steps: 

1. Call 911 if anyone is critically injured. Otherwise, contact the local police department to file a police report.
2. While waiting for the police to arrive, take pictures of the scene, including pictures of your motorcycle, the other vehicles, and any visible injuries you have. You can also use this time to record a statement for yourself while your memory is still fresh.
3. Talk to any witnesses and get their contact information. Encourage them to stick around and speak to the police.
4. Seek immediate medical attention upon leaving the accident scene. Go directly to the hospital, an emergency room, or urgent care.
5. Contact a motorcycle accident lawyer before speaking with your insurance company. Insurance companies will try to get you to settle for less, and they’ll offer you quick cash in exchange for your signature. By speaking with a lawyer first, you can prevent early damage to your claim.

Seek Legal Consultation for Your Motorcycle Accident Injuries

Motorcycle riders are in a unique position compared to people in traditional vehicles. Most obviously, they are much more exposed to danger than drivers surrounded by steel. But they also experience a lot of freedom; it’s fun and rewarding. Presumably, that is why we do it.

It’s extremely important for all motorcycle riders to know their legal rights if they are involved in a motorcycle accident. Insurance companies are always looking to save money and deny cases. That’s why Sand Law helps St Paul, Minnesota motorcyclists navigate the laws of the North Star State following a motorcycle accident through experienced representation, free consultation, and these informational pages.

After any motorcycle collision or related incident causing injury, it is in your best interests to seek legal consultation as soon as you are able. Have a plan in place with loved ones in case you are not in the physical condition to do this yourself.

Let the investigation speak for itself. Personal injury attorneys focus on leveraging their knowledge of the law to advocate on their client’s behalf.

Many motorcycle injuries are due to negligence on behalf of other drivers. But an experienced attorney can also help with cases where an injury resulted from poorly maintained roads, bad lighting, or other preventable circumstances.

And even if the initial facts of the incident point towards the motorcycle rider as the party at fault, attorneys can dig deeper into the evidence and sometimes come up with a more accurate result that definitively proves the driver as exhibiting negligent behavior.

Knowing Your Rights Under Minnesota Law

Motorcycle accidents are prone to being tough on motorcyclists in terms of determining fault, and that’s partly because of the stigma that’s largely attached to motorcyclists. But in the courtroom, these types of cliché stigmas have started to subside, and just like any other car accident case, it’s negligence that means the most in determining who caused the crash.

Many times, a motorcyclist is partially at fault for the causation of the accident, and that can be for any reason. At times, we see situations in which the motorcyclist doesn’t receive any damages because of contributory negligence principles. When comparative fault is used then the amount of each party’s fault is calculated and subsequently divided by the percentage of fault applied.

At times, there is little doubt motorcyclists get treated differently than car drivers in accident cases. This is why it’s extremely important that you have the right representation in the courtroom with you so you get the best result possible.

Minnesota law does not define motorcycles as “motor vehicles” in the same category as most automobiles. This means the best insurance option is often no-fault insurance, which is particularly relevant to motorcycle riders given how often car and truck drivers are found at fault. Note that motorcycle riders are required to have some form of insurance in Minnesota.

If you have no-fault insurance, your injuries will likely receive financial coverage for some or all of your medical expenses. Due to the effect this has on premiums, even with full coverage you should seek legal representation. Prove to your insurance company that you were not at fault, and remain a prudent, safe rider.

Receiving Just Compensation For Your Motorcycle Injury

Personal injury lawyers will seek recompense for missed working days, any potential loss of future income due to your injuries, as well as the more abstract pain and suffering.

If your injury was no fault of your own, you deserve better than simply having your medical bills covered. These incidents are life-changing events, and you should receive the best legal attention you possibly can to take full advantage of the protections built into Minnesota and United States law.

Motorcycle Recalls and Defects

Motor vehicle recalls and defects are terrifying in general, and for motorcycles, it’s even scarier because of the higher chances of endangerment.

Many motorcycle accidents could be the result of a design defect. This is the result of a manufacturing company intentionally designing a specific model in a way that could foreseeably result in an accident or malfunction of some sort. A manufacturing defect is when something wrong happened during the assembly of the motorcycle that was different from its intended design. And this lemon had a deviation that ended up being dangerous.

When a recall is made by a manufacturer, it is the manufacturer’s responsibility to make a public report that entails:

• details of the defect
• the specific make and model that the recall is for
• reasons that lead up to the recall and the recall’s schedule

Motorcycle manufacturers have the responsibility to make sure they notify any owners of recalled models. And they also have the responsibility to fix the defect-free of charge.

Sometimes it’s hard to be notified if your motorcycle has been recalled if you purchase it used. A good way to make sure you stay in the loop just in case of any recall is to inform the manufacturing company who made your motorcycle which model you own and get on their mailing list.

Minnesota Vehicle and Motorcycle Accident Statistics

Minnesota, just like many other states, suffers a lot of motorcycle accidents and injuries.

In 2015, 411 people died while being on one of the state’s highways, and 61 of those deaths were motorcyclists. Although the number of accidents is decreasing in Minnesota over recent years, the number of fatalities has unfortunately risen.

An average day in Minnesota includes around 205 crashes, 82 injuries, and around 1.1 deaths.

Motorcycle injures and deaths have increased dramatically as well in recent years throughout the state. What’s so devastating, is about 78% of those people who were killed in motorcycle crashes were NOT wearing a helmet.

The main factors for motorcycle crashes that involved only one motorcycle were:

• chemical impairment (11%)
• driver inexperience (11%)
• distraction (11%)
• speeding (19%)

Motorcycle accidents that involve a car are mainly due to one party’s failure to yield (40%) and distracted driving (17%). Alcohol was involved in 47% of all these kinds of accidents.

Finding the Best Motorcycle Attorney to Advocate on Your Behalf

If you’ve received an injury from a motorcycle accident in St Paul, Minnesota, get in touch with a Sand Law lawyer. Our experienced team has successfully handled many motorcycle injury cases in the past. And we’ll use every ounce of our legal expertise to get you the best monetary reward possible.

To arrange a no-pressure consultation with a top-rated motorcycle accident attorney, please send us a message online or call 651-291-7263. There is no fee unless we obtain compensation for your case.