Motorcycle accidents are often extremely serious. The impact from another motor vehicle or with a fixed object typically throws the rider from the motorcycle, resulting in painful, debilitating injuries. When the negligence of other drivers has caused a motorcyclist to sustain bodily harm and other losses, an Altoona motorcycle accident lawyer may be able to help.
You may be facing a long road to recovery from broken bones, road rash, head trauma, and internal injuries, and you may suffer permanent impairments as a result. Consulting an experienced personal injury attorney in this situation may be highly beneficial.
Why Select Marcus & Mack as Your Motorcycle Accident Lawyers?With over 100 years of combined legal experience, Marcus & Mack has served thousands of injury victims throughout Pennsylvania. Our profound legal knowledge in personal injury claims enables us to tackle the complexities of motorcycle accident cases head-on, ensuring you receive the compensation you deserve.
Our reputation for success is not just talk – it is proven and tested, backed by consistently winning complicated motorcycle accident cases. We craft rock-solid, prepared legal solutions unique to each client’s circumstances, resulting in numerous satisfied clients over the years.
We only do one thing at Marcus & Mack, and we do it extremely well — personal injury law. Our exclusive focus allows us to dedicate all our resources, skills, and knowledge, ensuring that each motorcycle accident case receives our undivided attention and that our clients get the representation they deserve.
Whether we are negotiating with insurance adjusters or presenting your case in court, our lawyers are known for their assertiveness and commitment. We do not back down from a fight; instead, we challenge insurance companies’ tactics and relentlessly advocate for the compensation you are entitled to.
At Marcus & Mack, your needs are our top priority. We comprehend the physical, financial, and emotional turmoil a motorcycle accident can impose and commit to working tirelessly on your case. We strive to lift the burden so you can focus on recovery while we focus on delivering justice.
When you choose Marcus & Mack to represent you in a motorcycle accident case, you choose a team that demands respect, commands success, and sincerely cares about helping you get back on your feet. Let us fight for you as we have for others in Pennsylvania for over 42 years.
Motorcycle accident injuries often result in extensive medical costs and lost wages due to recovery time. If you’re the victim of such an accident, consider consulting with an experienced personal injury attorney. They can guide you through the process of pursuing compensation for these damages, ensuring your rights are protected.
Motorcycle wrecks tend to leave riders with catastrophic injuries, especially when these accidents involve a collision with a larger vehicle. Motorcycles offer little protection from impact, and they also carry the risk of a motorcyclist being thrown from the bike to the pavement. These factors can result in devastating injuries in even seemingly minor accidents. Some of the most common motorcycle accident injuries include:
Head and brain injuries are among the most severe and potentially catastrophic injuries. Wearing a helmet can significantly reduce the risk but doesn’t eliminate it entirely. Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) can lead to cognitive impairment, behavioral changes, and, in severe cases, a vegetative state or death.
The impact of a motorcycle accident can damage the spinal cord, leading to partial or complete paralysis. This kind of severe injury often requires long-term medical care and can significantly alter the victim’s lifestyle and career prospects.
In a crash, motorcyclists can suffer from broken bones in their arms, legs, ribs, collarbone, and pelvis. Depending on the injury’s severity, fractures may require surgery and extensive physical therapy to regain mobility.
When a motorcyclist slides across the pavement during a crash, severe skin abrasions, commonly called “road rash,” may occur. This injury can cause intense pain, permanent nerve damage, infections, and scarring.
Gas from vehicles can sometimes ignite during an accident, leading to burn injuries.
This category includes sprains, strains, contusions, and other injuries to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Such injuries may seem minor at first but can cause long-term pain and complications if not properly treated.
The psychological impact of a motorcycle accident should not be underestimated. Victims can experience PTSD, depression, and anxiety, affecting their quality of life and even hindering physical recovery.
A seasoned Altoona motorcycle crash attorney could evaluate a rider’s medical records after a crash and advise them of their chances of recovering compensation for these injuries.
Many situations leading to motor vehicle accidents can also result in motorcycle accidents. Unfortunately, all too often, motorcycle accident victims are unfairly assumed to be the ones responsible for these crashes. Our attorneys will work diligently to determine the cause of your accident and ensure that justice is served.
Distracted drivers who are focused on their cell phones, talking with their passengers, or mapping their course on a GPS device can cause crashes with motorcycles. This level of distraction may cause drivers to leave their lanes, fail to obey traffic signs and signals, or engage in other reckless driving behaviors.
Impaired drivers also regularly cause motor vehicle collisions, including those involving motorcycles. Whether impaired by drugs or alcohol, those drivers tend to have slowed reaction times, poor judgment, and poor motor skills, which can make it impossible to avoid an accident. A second of hesitation could easily lead to disaster.
The size and weight of most motor vehicles, as compared to motorcycles, are also crucial factors in the severity of the accidents that can result. When combined with the lack of safety features for motorcycle riders, such as seatbelts and airbags, injuries for motorcyclists are often very severe. A dedicated motorcycle accident lawyer in Altoona could represent the interests of those motorcyclists who have been injured in car accidents as well as truck accidents.
When motorists are negligent in operating their vehicles, they can be liable for any accidents that cause property damage and personal injuries to others. Drivers have a legal obligation to drive in a way that is reasonably safe for others on the roadway. When they drive recklessly or carelessly, they may be negligent. In this situation, drivers may be responsible for any injuries that occur as a result of their careless behavior.
In some cases, motorcyclists may also be partially negligent in causing the accident that led to their injuries. Under 42 Pa.C.S. §7102, however, if motorcyclists are less at fault for the crash than other negligent parties, they still can pursue compensation from those parties based on principles of comparative negligence. Their recovery of damages, however, decreases proportionately according to their percentage of fault for the accident.
Injured bikers can recover various forms of financial compensation after an attorney helps them successfully navigate an injury claim. Medical bills are the most common expense after a crash. In addition to any emergency medical care or ambulance bills, a claim could recover the cost of additional surgeries, medical devices, or ongoing physical therapy and follow-up visits.
Property damage is also a common part of any motorcycle accident claim. These damages can help repair or replace the damaged property belonging to the plaintiff, including their motorcycle. Other types of compensation could include:
If someone caused a motorcycle wreck that killed a close family member, a lawyer can advise whether you qualify to bring a wrongful death claim and represent you throughout the process. If successful, you could recover damages for funeral and burial costs, final medical expenses, and loss of income and support, among others.
Pennsylvania follows a choice no-fault system regarding insurance claims, meaning motorists can choose either Full Tort or Limited Tort insurance when purchasing a policy. For motorcyclists, however, only the Full Tort coverage is available, according to Pennsylvania’s Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Law (MVFRL). This means motorcyclists can sue for all damages, including non-economic ones such as pain and suffering, without meeting a severity threshold.
An injured motorcyclist has essentially two ways to recover compensation following a motorcycle accident in Altoona. The first is by negotiating a settlement with the at-fault party. The second is by obtaining a judgment at trial. In either case, you need a motorcycle accident lawyer for help.
Most motorcycle collisions are resolved through settlements. If the at-fault driver and their insurance company acknowledge that he or she was responsible for the motorcycle wreck, the parties may be able to negotiate a reasonable settlement for the damages. Losses in motorcycle accident claims should include not only your immediate medical bills but also the long-term needs and lost wages that you may face due to your injuries. However, dealing with insurance companies is seldom straightforward. Insurance providers often employ strategies to reduce the compensation they have to pay. They may dispute the extent of injuries or argue that the motorcyclist shared fault in the accident.
If the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, the case could go to trial. If your attorney prevails at trial, you will obtain a judgment. Whether through a settlement or court award, an attorney can fight tenaciously to ensure you receive the full amount of compensation you need.
If the at-fault motorist is uninsured or underinsured, the Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage (UM/UIM) of the injured motorcyclist’s insurance policy may come to the rescue. It covers losses when the other driver’s liability coverage is insufficient or non-existent. A knowledgeable motorcycle accident attorney in Pennsylvania can accurately interpret your insurance policy, manage communication with the insurance companies, negotiate assertively on your behalf, and relentlessly fight for the highest compensation.
The statute of limitations for personal injury claims in Pennsylvania is two years from the date of the injury. The same deadline applies to wrongful death claims. Certain exceptions may exist that can extend the time you have to file, but claims against government entities typically have far shorter deadlines to file an injury claim.
You must contact an attorney as soon as possible to discuss your case. They can determine the deadlines that apply to your case and ensure they file all necessary paperwork before the statute of limitations expires.
Robert S. Marcus, Altoona Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Involvement in a motorcycle crash can result in devastating injuries that may leave you facing a long period of rehabilitation, an inability to work, and suffering from physical and emotional trauma. All these items may be compensable through a personal injury claim.
An Altoona personal injury lawyer could assess your situation and determine whether you have a viable claim for damages relating to your injuries. Contact us today at Marcus & Mack to schedule a consultation.
By: Kera N.
1216 11th Ave Suite 219
Altoona
PA
16601
Phone: (814) 942-9443