Riding a motorcycle can be exhilarating, and many riders enjoy the thrill of the open road. Unfortunately, negligent drivers put riders at risk of serious accidents and injuries.

Motorcycle accidents are often caused by negligent drivers who fail to spot motorcycle riders or do not care enough to avoid them. Reckless driving, speeding, and ignoring blind spots are common causes of motorcycle accidents. After an accident, you can take legal action to recover damages. An insurance claim might help you get some compensation, and a lawsuit can help you recover additional damages. Damages often include economic and non-economic injuries, and accurately assessing them is crucial. An attorney can help you draft and file your initial complaint, gather strong evidence, and argue for fair compensation in court or a settlement.

Motorcycle riders are very susceptible to severe injuries in accidents, and negligent drivers should be held accountable for their bad behavior. Our Syracuse motorcycle accident lawyers are here to help you in any way they can. Call The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083 for a free evaluation of your case.

Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in Syracuse

Motorcycle riders are not protected within an enclosed vehicle; their only protection is a helmet and the clothes on their backs. As such, when negligent drivers cause accidents, riders are often badly hurt. Our Syracuse motorcycle accident lawyers can help you determine how your accident happened and who should be held accountable.

Reckless driving is a common cause of motorcycle accidents and might include numerous risky behaviors and traffic violations. In some cases, reckless driving includes weaving, failing to stop at lights, or distracted drivers. It can also involve aggressive driving, like road rage or driving in a hurry. A reckless driver is probably more likely to cause an accident, and motorcycle riders are at serious risk of injuries.

Speeding is a major concern in many accidents. Even if speeding is not the direct cause of the accident, it can make the accident and your injuries significantly worse. If the police issued the driver a citation, we can use this as evidence in your lawsuit for damages.

Blind spots are along the sides of most vehicles and cover spaces not visible to drivers. Before merging lanes or turning, drivers must check their blind spots using their mirrors or quickly checking over their shoulders. Since motorcycles are smaller vehicles, they are more easily concealed within blind spots, and drivers who fail to check their blind spots could strike and injure a motorcycle rider.

What to Do After a Syracuse Motorcycle Accident

If you were involved in a motorcycle accident, you might have a few legal options for compensation worth exploring with our Syracuse motorcycle accident attorneys. One of the first options most people investigate is filing an insurance claim. New York is a no-fault insurance state, and drivers must carry personal injury protection (PIP) insurance that covers them regardless of fault. However, motorcycles are not included in the no-fault system, which means injured riders might have to file third-party claims against the driver’s insurance.

According to I.S.C. Law § 5104(a), drivers within New York’s no-fault insurance system can only file a lawsuit if they prove they have a serious injury as defined under I.S.C. § 5102(d). Since motorcycles are excluded from the no-fault system, injured riders are not bound by this restriction and may file lawsuits without proving the severity of their injuries.

You should consider filing a lawsuit if insurance is unavailable or insufficient, or if you want the negligent driver held accountable in a court of law. In many cases, insurance only covers a certain extent of an injured rider’s economic damages, like medical bills, but not their non-economic injuries, like pain and suffering. In a lawsuit, you can claim the full extent of all your damages.

How to Assess Your Damages After a Motorcycle Accident in Syracuse

Assessing damages after a motorcycle crash can be challenging, especially if your injuries and losses are extensive. Our Syracuse motorcycle accident lawyers can help you keep track of your injuries, expenses, and other damages so that you get the maximum compensation possible.

Economic damages revolve around specific sums of money. Medical bills, the cost of repairing or replacing your motorcycle, and lost wages from missing time at work should all be factored into your economic damages calculations. In cases where future losses are reasonably expected, such as future medical bills for ongoing treatments, we can factor in anticipated future economic damages.

Non-economic damages are often unrelated to financial losses but are instead centered on the painful experiences of the plaintiff. For example, many injured motorcycle riders claim physical pain and mental trauma from the accident as part of their non-economic damages. These experiences are often long-lasting and leave both bodily and emotional scars. Other potential damages include humiliation, damage to your reputation, and other painful experiences.

How a Lawyer Can Help Your Motorcycle Accident Case in Syracuse

Insurance claims and lawsuits might be bogged down with complex legal rules and bureaucratic procedures. Our Syracuse motorcycle accident lawyers can help you navigate these legal processes so that you get the compensation you need and deserve as quickly as possible.

The first step in filing a lawsuit after a motorcycle accident is to file a complaint. This is not an easy task, as the complaint is often a lengthy, formal legal document that must contain specific details about the defendant, yourself, the accident, your damages, and the relief (i.e., compensation) you want from the court.

An attorney can also help you gather evidence. Evidence is important for proving your claims in court, but it is also necessary as part of your initial complaint. We must show the court we have at least some evidence demonstrating that your case warrants a trial. If we have no evidence, the court might reject the case.

A lawyer should also be able to effectively argue on your behalf. While legal arguments take center stage in the courtroom, they are important at almost every stage of the legal process. Pretrial motions rely on attorneys’ strong arguments, and settlements are based on legal negotiations between the parties and their lawyers.

Call Our Syracuse Motorcycle Accident Lawyers for Help

Being injured in a motorcycle crash can be devastating, debilitating, and expensive. Our Syracuse motorcycle accident lawyers can help you get the financial compensation you deserve. For a free assessment of the case, call The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083.