Manchester Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
Compelling representation for bikers and passengers
Motorcycles are not just vehicles; they have become a lifestyle for many people. Being a part of New England, Connecticut offers beautiful scenery along the coast and inland for cruising around during the warmer months, and hazardous icy roadways throughout our frigid winters. Whether you are riding out on the open road alone or as part of a group, safety is always a significant concern.
If you have been injured while driving a motorcycle through no fault of your own, the practiced Manchester motorcycle injury attorneys at Barry, Barall, Taylor & Levesque, LLC will fight to make sure you are compensated fairly by the insurance company and anyone else responsible for causing your suffering. Our job is to help you and we take our job very seriously.
Common causes of Manchester motorcycle accidents
Motorcycle riders are 28 times more likely than drivers or passengers of cars and trucks to die in a vehicle collision as reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). According to the National Motorcycle Institute (NMI), there are 15 motorcycle deaths for every 1 million people in the United States, which number has doubled in the last 20 years.
You would think that there is a vast difference between riding a more substantial cruiser, such as Harley Davidson, or a sports bike like a Kawasaki Ninja when it comes to injuries and deaths. Cruising bikes tend to be used for more relaxed, long distance traveling while racing bikes are built for high speed performance and primarily are used for shorter travel distances. Based on the research by NMI, both bike styles are equally at risk for an automobile collision fatality.
Similar to any other vehicular accident, motorcycle accidents are caused by:
- Dangerous road conditions. You cannot predict how your vehicle will respond to various road conditions, and hazards won’t always be easily visible. There could be an obstacle in the road causing you to swerve instinctively without realizing a motorcycle is close by. There may be black ice - an invisible danger everyone in Connecticut understands all too well. Until you skid across it, you won’t know it’s there. Drivers can easily lose control of their vehicles, violently taking a motorcycle and its rider down to the ground.
- Driving under the influence. Driving while you are intoxicated or drugged means your ability to react to traffic situations is severely compromised. Everyone around you is being placed in danger because you lack the ability to quickly make judgments and maneuver accordingly, including when vulnerable motorcycles are around you. Knocking into a 2-wheeled vehicle can have catastrophic consequences for its driver and passenger.
- Improper lane changes. Turn signals, rearview and side mirrors exist on vehicles for a reason. Drivers are required to check their mirrors for surrounding traffic, and even turn to look at their blind spot before signaling a lane change. Motorcycles being naturally smaller than the average car or truck, can be more difficult to see unless you properly follow the rules of the road. Failing to check traffic and to signal are negligent behaviors that can injure or kill a motorcyclist.
- Manufacturing defects. Equipment on a motorcycle or automobile can fail causing serious injury. Helmets are required to be worn in Connecticut by any riders 17 years of age or under. Regardless of who is wearing the helmet, if you crash and it doesn’t do its job – protecting your head – you could experience a concussion, brain damage, or even death. If your helmet failed to protect you then you could have a products liability claim against the manufacturer.
- Sudden vehicle stops. When traffic is moving and someone ahead of you stops abruptly giving you little time to react, the person riding the less protected motorcycle is certain to be injured. Whether a motorcycle driver is left no time to react to a vehicle stopping short in front of him or her, or whether the motorcycle stops short and is hit from behind by a distracted driver, the result is certain to be devastating.
The passionate motorcycle accident attorneys at Barry, Barall, Taylor & Levesque, LLC are here to help secure fair compensation to get you up on your feet and back on the road.
Motorcycle accident injuries can be life-altering
Motorcycles symbolize something to those who have an affection for them and once you’ve driven one, you’re probably on track to become a lifetime aficionado. Their loud, powerful engines, wind in your face, and ability to take to the road making instant friends anywhere you pass through make these machines attractive to a wide range of people.
Unfortunately the very qualities that make motorcycles attractive, also attract injuries and deaths, especially in Connecticut where the injury and death rate has increased at an alarming rate. According to a 2017 Governors Highway Safety Association report, just 48 percent of motorcyclists in Connecticut use a helmet, and motorcycle accidents accounted for 17.7 percent of all traffic deaths.
Motorcycle collisions put riders at risk for injuries such as:
- Amputations. When a collision results in a motorcycle and rider becoming separated, or a bike sliding under a vehicle, a rider or passenger can be launched into traffic, pinned by a vehicle, or impaled by an object - all causing potential loss of a limb.
- Broken bones. Anytime a body is forcefully thrown into contact with a solid surface, bones are likely to become broken. Add an impact at a high rate of speed and an arm or leg being awkwardly twisted and bone breaks are virtually guaranteed.
- Burns. When your motorcycle is involved in a crash with another vehicle, you are at risk for coming into contact with exhaust pipes from your bike or the other vehicle causing burns.
- Road rash. Many motorcycle riders wear long sleeves, pants, closed toed boots and other protective gear to prevent road rash - the risk of your bare skin scraping across the ground in a vehicle crash. Even the best intentions may not prevent road rash from occurring if the accident is forceful enough.
- Spinal cord injury. Vehicle crashes with motorcycles pose a serious risk of riders becoming airborne and landing hard on another vehicle, the ground, or other surface in the area. Spinal cord damage can easily occur, even by your neck being struck in the wrong place.
- Traumatic brain injury. Though helmets are supposed to protect against injuries to your head, brain injuries are still likely to occur just by the sheer force of your protected head powerfully knocking against the ground, or bouncing off another vehicle.
- Wrongful death. Motorcycle-related deaths from collisions with auto accidents are increasing at a fast rate. Because motorcycles lack the 360 degree protection of a car or truck, drivers are much more vulnerable to succumbing to fatal injuries from collisions.
No family should ever experience the pain of losing a loved one who was out riding a motorcycle as a relaxing activity, or was injured just heading home from work. Our attorneys will fight for your right to recover compensation that can begin to help you heal.
What can I expect from a Manchester motorcycle accident attorney?
Because the attorneys at Barry, Barall, Taylor & Levesque, LLC live and work in the Manchester and Hartford areas, we consider it a privilege to take care of our neighbors and our community. Obtaining the results that make our clients happy is what’s most important to us, and that is what we strive to do each and every day.
Insurance carriers serve a purpose – to keep the money they make. They are not invested in taking care of our citizens, but our attorneys are. When you hire us to handle your personal injury case, your stress becomes our burden to carry, and we won’t rest until that weight has been lifted. We will vehemently go after the damages you suffered and seek compensation for:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Current and future loss of income
- Pain and suffering
- Wrongful death claims
- Punitive damages
Preserving the rights of Manchester motorcycle injury victims
Our attorneys know that when you have been injured in a motorcycle accident that your entire life has been thrown into an upheaval. If you have been hurt in a motorcycle accident, speak with one of our Manchester motorcycle injury attorneys at Barry, Barall, Taylor & Levesque, LLC. To schedule a free consultation, call 860-649-4400 or complete our contact form. We’re located right off I-84 or I-384 in Manchester.