Motorcycle Accident Lawyers in Denver, CO

Common Types of Motorcycle Accidents

Most motorcycle accidents involve more than one vehicle. These include truck accidents and car accidents involving motorcycles. Typically in these collisions, one vehicle crashes into another. The danger here is that while the occupants of the car or truck are likely to be hurt, motorcyclists are often thrown from their vehicles and onto the road. They’re likely to be seriously injured.

There are also single-vehicle motorcycle accidents. These usually happen when a motorcyclist loses control of their vehicle. This can happen if the motorcycle skids on a slippery surface, for example, or if a motorcyclist is trying to avoid a crash.

Some motorcyclists think they don’t have a claim if there were no other vehicles involved, but this isn’t true. If your accident was caused by poor road maintenance, a mechanical flaw with your motorcycle, or another reason caused by someone’s negligence, you do have a legal claim. However, you will likely have to work with motorcycle accident lawyers in Denver, CO to find out whether these issues contributed to your crash. An attorney can investigate why you lost control of your vehicle and can find any liable parties in your case. 

Common Injuries Seen in Motorcycle Accidents

Since there’s very little between you and the road, your injuries after a motorcycle accident may be serious. Common injuries in motorcycle crashes include:

• Fractures. Broken bones can easily happen when you’re thrown from your motorcycle. You may try to brace yourself for the fall, which is why fractures affecting the hands, arms, and feet are especially common.
• Head injuries. While wearing a helmet can reduce your risk, if you strike your head without enough force during a collision, you can still suffer a serious traumatic head injury (TBI).
• Spinal cord injuries. The force of the impact can cause damage to your spinal cord, which can leave you paralyzed.
• Amputations. In some motorcycle accidents, the motorcycle can roll over the rider, which can cause serious injuries to arms, legs, hands, and feet. Serious injuries to these areas can result in losing a partial or entire limb.
• Lacerations. One of the most common injuries in motorcycle accidents are the scrapes, bruises, and cuts that happen when you’re thrown from the vehicle. You may effectively scrape against the asphalt before coming to a full stop, a situation that causes “road burn.” In serious cases, lacerations can lead to significant scarring and disfigurement.
• Burns. Car gas tanks are hidden behind layers of metal, but motorcycle gas tanks have fewer protective barriers. In a crash, motorcycle gas tanks may be more likely to crack, spill, and leak, which can create the risk of a fire or explosion, which puts the rider at risk of serious burns.

Internal injuries. Being thrown from a motorcycle with force or having the motorcycle roll over you in a collision creates the risk of injuries to major organs, like the lungs, spleen, kidneys, and other organs.

Unfortunately, statistics show that motorcycle accidents are more likely than car accidents to lead to fatalities. If you lose a loved one in a motorcycle crash, you need to consult with motorcycle accident lawyers in Denver, CO to find out whether you have a wrongful death claim.

How is Fault Determined in a Denver, CO Motorcycle Accident?

To file a claim against liable parties in your motorcycle accident case, you’ll first need to determine who the liable parties are. There may be multiple parties responsible for your accident and injuries. The most common at-fault party are other drivers. They may not be looking at the road or may be driving recklessly, which can cause an accident.

However, you shouldn’t overlook manufacturers. If your motorcycle or any motorcycle components don’t work correctly and this contributed to your crash and injuries, you may have a products liability claim against the manufacturer.

Property owners, too, can be held accountable for motorcycle accidents. If you were driving on private property that wasn’t reasonably maintained, you may have a premises liability claim against the owner.

Another common liable party in motorcycle accidents are governments. State and local governments may be responsible for maintaining roads, deciding on speed limits, and maintaining road signs. If you hit a pothole because the local government was negligent in maintaining the roads, you could have a claim. However, governments enjoy added protections from liability. With a claim against a government, you’ll have less time to file, for example.

It’s also important to look closely at any medical treatment you receive. If you were rushed to a local emergency room after your collision, did you receive the correct standard of care? Medical malpractice claims are common after serious crashes because busy emergency departments don’t always provide an adequate standard of care, especially for complex injuries. If you suffered an infection or complications during your recovery, you may want to speak with your lawyer.

Finding all liable parties is important to ensure you get the financial recovery you deserve. However, it’s not always easy to tell what happened in the seconds before your crash. Was another driver texting behind the wheel? Did a government recently move a road sign, leading to your crash?

Motorcycle accident lawyers in Denver, CO help you uncover the facts, so you know who is liable for your injuries. Attorneys work with investigators and accident reconstruction experts, who use software to recreate what happened to cause a traffic accident. These resources can help you find all likely liable parties in your case.