If the investigation into the accident determines that the driver had negligently hit you and remains responsible and liable for the accident, you can sue for a motorcycle rear-end collision. You may also receive compensation through a settlement with an insurance company, which could remove the need to pursue a lawsuit regarding your motorcycle rear-end collision.
Understanding Motorcycle Rear-End Collisions
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) research indicates that there are nearly 8.5 million motorcycle registrations in the United States. Unfortunately, with motorcycles on the roadways, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicates that there are 88,000 motorcyclists who suffered injuries from a motorcycle accident in 2013. Additionally, the NHTSA affirms that six percent of all collisions involving motorcycles were rear-end collisions.
Rear end collisions with a motorcycle can happen anywhere on the roadways or intersections. When a vehicle collides into the back of a motorcycle, it can result in catastrophic injuries or fatalities. In many of these cases, the accident occurs as a result of the other motorist’s negligence.
Types of Injuries Resulting from Motorcycle Rear-End Collisions
Sometimes, motorcycle rear-end collisions can leave the motorcyclist with serious injuries. Some of the types of injuries that result from motorcycle rear-end collisions include the following:
- Traumatic brain injuries (including concussions, brain bleeds, etc.)
- Broken and/or fractured bones
- Nerve damage
- Internal organ bleeding and/or internal organ damage
- Neck and spine injuries (including whiplash, spinal cord damage, paralysis, etc.)
- Lacerations, burns, and bruising
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
Determining Liability and Responsibility for Your Motorcycle Accident
You can sue for motorcycle rear-end collision injuries and losses if the investigation of the motorcycle accident confirms that another person held liability and responsibility for the collision. While every motorcycle accident is different, in some cases, if a vehicle hits a motorcycle from behind, the driver may remain liable to compensate the motorcyclist for any injuries or losses.
In some cases, an investigation remains a necessary component to build a personal injury case and determine liability. A motorcycle accident attorney can assist you with conducting an investigation of your motorcycle accident and help you receive compensation for your injuries and losses.
Compensation Following a Motorcycle Accident
Depending on the circumstances of your motorcycle rear-end collision, you may have the legal right to pursue awards for your medical costs, lost current and future wages, property damage, mental anguish, and pain and suffering.
In some cases, a victim receives punitive damages, which is a way for the court to provide additional compensation to a motorcycle accident victim when the motorist’s actions were particularly egregious or reckless.
Insurance Company Settlement Offers vs. Suing a Negligent Party
You can sue a negligent party following a motorcycle rear-end collision. However, motorcycle accident cases can receive settlement offers from insurance companies long before a case ever gets to the trial stage. While a victim may receive settlement offers from an insurance company, these offers are not always reasonable or fair and do not always cover all of a victim’s injuries and losses.
If you have been in touch with an insurance company regarding your motorcycle rear-end collision and do not feel that your settlement offer properly compensates you for all of your injuries and losses, you have the right to fight for a higher settlement or sue the negligent party directly to receive the compensation you deserve.
Statute of Limitations for a Motorcycle Accident
Every state has a specific law regulating deadlines by which a victim must bring a legal claim against another person or lose their legal right to do so. Victims of motorcycle rear-end collisions may miss these deadlines, known as the statute of limitations, because the insurance company may have stalled the settlement process. If a victim fails to sue another party by the statute of limitations deadline, they risk losing all of their legal rights to pursue justice and compensation for their injuries and losses.
Consider Consulting a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
In order to ensure that you do not miss the statute of limitations deadline and retain your legal right to pursue awards for your injuries and losses after a motorcycle rear-end collision, consider speaking with our legal team to learn how a motorcycle accident lawyer at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can help ensure your legal rights remain protected. Contact us for a free consultation regarding your motorcycle rear-end collision today at (800) 223-5115.