Every motorcycle rider knows and loves the thrill of the wind in your face on the open road — especially here in Florida, where motorcycle season lasts almost all year.
Unfortunately, some other drivers fail to respect the rights of motorcyclists, and even resent their presence on the road. This hostility towards motorcyclists can lead to serious accidents, resulting in major injuries, long-term or permanent disability, and even death.
Our motorcycle accident attorneys at Morgan & Morgan understand the special dangers riders face on the road and the challenges they face getting fair treatment when an accident occurs.
We are proud to have successfully represented numerous motorcycle accident victims throughout Florida by helping them get the compensation they and their families need to start picking up the pieces.
Contact us for a free consultation today.
Challenges Faced by Florida Motorcycle Riders
According to the Insurance Information Institute (III) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motorcyclists are 26 times more likely to die in a motor vehicle accident than occupants of any other type of motor vehicle. There are several reasons for this.
Beyond the most obvious reason – the fact that motorcyclists are extremely vulnerable and more likely to be injured when an accident does occur – motorcyclists are also more likely to be involved in accidents, to begin with.
Motorcycles are smaller and less visible, and some drivers wrongfully disregard their presence on the road. It is all too easy for careless motorists to allow motorcycles to slip into a blind spot, to misjudge the speed and distance of an approaching motorcycle, or to fail to see them at all.
Thus, it is all too common for motorists to make left turns in front of approaching motorcycles, pull into traffic in front of them, or change lanes into them when traveling on multi-lane roads.
This type of conduct can cause serious motorcycle accidents and injuries even when there is no actual contact between the vehicles.
A surprised motorcyclist can easily be injured by going over the handlebars, flipping, or laying down their bikes while trying to evade a careless motorist. A motorcycle accident lawyer can help determine who is at fault in these types of wrecks.
Common Motorcycle Injuries in Orlando
Any motor vehicle accident has the potential to cause serious injuries. But motorcyclists involved in accidents in Florida are uniquely susceptible to several especially devastating injuries involving the head and spine.
It is an unfortunate truth that traumatic brain injury and spinal injuries can occur in a motorcycle accident, even when a rider is wearing all proper safety equipment.
Even seemingly minor accidents can cause these injuries, which may not manifest immediately and may be minimized by insurance companies and defense attorneys unless they are backed up by strong medical evidence.
Furthermore, direct contact with the road can cause disfiguring skin injuries, often called “road rash” – a term that belies just how serious it can actually be.
For these reasons and more, experienced attorneys are a must for anyone injured in an Orlando motorcycle accident, no matter how serious it may initially appear.
Orlando Motorcycle Accident Verdicts
- $47.5 million verdict awarded to a 27-year-old man whose motorcycle was struck head-on by a pick-up truck going the wrong way, resulting in multiple broken bones, a shattered jaw, and a collapsed lung.
- $26 million verdict for an Iraqi war veteran who was in a motorcycle accident and sustained permanent brain damage.
- $1.35 million verdict after an SUV driver changed lanes, colliding with a motorcycle and causing closed head injuries for both riders on the motorcycle.
Contact Our Florida Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Today
It is an unfortunate truth that some motorists marginalize, ignore, and even resent motorcyclists, even though they have just as much right to be on the road. That is why if you have been injured in a motorcycle accident in Orlando, you need tough representation.
Morgan & Morgan lawyers have had great success representing motorcycle accident victims, including numerous large settlements, awards, and verdicts for seriously injured motorcyclists and their families. Call us today at (407) 420-1414 or contact us online to have your case evaluated for free by an experienced Orlando attorney.