Although cars and motorcycles are supposed to safely share the roads together, many collisions between them occur every year. Because the only safety protection that most motorcycle riders have is a helmet, crashes often result in life-altering injuries and even fatalities. Survivors of motorcycle crashes frequently live with lingering physical and emotional injuries, and they may have difficulty paying their medical bills or supporting their families.

If a car driver’s careless or reckless driving caused you to suffer injuries, a High Ridge motorcycle accident lawyer might be able to help you obtain the financial compensation that you need to address all of your losses. Allow a dedicated personal injury lawyer to help with your case.

Frequent Causes of Motorcycle Wrecks

Most motorcycle wrecks occur when drivers do not uphold their duty of care to others on the road, either due to driver negligence or recklessness.

Driver Negligence

Some accidents occur when motorists completely fail to see a motorcycle nearby. Because of their smaller stature, motorcycles can be hard to see and can get lost in a car’s blind spots. However, motorists should be alert to the presence of motorbikes and take special care to look out for them. Accidents often happen when drivers carelessly forget to check their rear or side mirrors before changing lanes, or to look around at an intersection before turning. Drivers who are distracted by their cellphones, radios, GPS, or anything else can also fail to spot a motorcycle in time to prevent a collision.

Driver Recklessness

Other accidents occur when a driver sees a motorcycle but refuses to safely share the road with it. Dangerous crashes happen when drivers try to use the same lane as a motorcycle, squeeze past the motorcycle when there is not sufficient room, follow or tailgate it too closely, or make a turn in front of a bike.

Other Causes

Sometimes, crashes happen even when all of the parties involved are paying attention to their driving duties. When defective or worn-down motorbike parts, such as tires, brakes, or gears, cause a collision, an injured rider could make a claim against the bike’s manufacturer or the mechanic who failed to make needed repairs. Similarly, if a poorly maintained road with potholes causes a biker to crash, that biker could seek damages against the government agency in charge of maintaining the premises.

A lawyer in High Ridge could help determine what caused the motorcycle accident by examining the relevant evidence and consulting with accident reconstruction experts.

What Happens When the Biker Bears Partial Responsibility for the Crash?

In some instances, the motorcycle rider is partially to blame for their own accident, such as when the rider speeds or weaves through traffic. Fortunately, the state of Missouri does not bar claimants from pursuing damages even when they have contributed to the accident. Instead, Missouri utilizes a comparative fault standard, which means that the court would reduce the claimant’s recoverable damages based on the degree to which the claimant was personally responsible.

Even if the rider was more to blame for the accident than the car driver, the rider could still pursue a claim against the driver. An experienced motorbike accident attorney could explain how the comparative fault doctrine might apply to a particular claimant’s situation.

Call a High Ridge Motorcycle Accident Attorney as Soon as You Can

After a motorcycle crash, you are probably worried about your health and well-being. The last thing you should have to worry about is how you will be able to pay for your medical bills and other associated costs. A High Ridge motorcycle accident lawyer could help ease some of your worries by helping you file a lawsuit against the person to blame for causing the accident. Contact the firm today to let a seasoned attorney review your case.

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