Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Serving Lee County, FL

If you or someone you know has been injured in a Fort Myers, FL motorcycle accident or car accident in Lee County, you probably have a lot of questions about what to do next. We’d like to offer some answers. To learn what you should do in the aftermath of a motorcycle accident, please continue reading or call us today at 1-866-511-2605.

Call the Police and Make a Written Report

• Be careful of what you tell others at the scene
• Do not leave the scene before the police arrive
• Give the police whatever information they request
• Ask for the police report number and obtain a copy as soon as you can

Document the Accident

• If no one requires immediate medical attention, acquire contact and insurance information from all drivers, passengers. and/or pedestrians involved
• Write down the make, model, and license plate numbers of all vehicles involved
• If possible, take pictures of the scene with a camera or camera phone
• Draw a diagram of the accident, noting where each vehicle was on the street and the direction it was going

If You Are Injured, Seek Immediate Medical Attention

Motorcycle accidents can be extremely dangerous, leading to amputation, back and neck damage, brain trauma, broken or fractured bones, and paralysis, among other serious injuries. You cannot afford to underestimate the physical trauma you may have received in an accident.

Even if you are unsure whether you might be injured, it’s important to call for an ambulance because injuries are not always immediately clear. Make sure to fully inform doctors and paramedics about your injuries and any prior health conditions.

Be Careful of What You Say to Insurance Companies

• You SHOULD contact your insurance company immediately after the accident and inform them of your injuries. However, DO NOT admit to being at fault under any circumstances. If you do, your insurance company may not be willing to help you.
• You SHOULD NOT grant an interview or provide any information about your accident to the adjusters from the other driver’s insurance company, since the information you provide may ultimately be used against you.

Contact an Experienced Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Abrahamson & Uiterwyk’s team of motorcycle wreck attorneys have been seeking justice on behalf of Florida motorcycle accident victims for more than two decades. With over 100 years of combined experience, our lawyers know how to help.

In most collisions between motorcycles and other vehicles, driver negligence is to blame. Whether distracted, drowsy, drunk, or simply being inattentive, drivers who fail to maintain control of their vehicles are frequently at fault for motorcycle riders’ accident-related injuries.

Limited Visibility Motorcycle Accidents

The term “limited visibility accident” refers to any type of motorcycle accident in which motorcyclists are injured due the inability of drivers to recognize and yield to motorcyclists on the street, on the highway, or in dense traffic.

When a driver causes an accident by failing to yield to a motorcyclist going straight, passing, or overtaking another vehicle, he or she may be considered at fault.

It’s rare that a driver fails to yield to a motorcyclist on purpose. Much more frequently, limited visibility accidents are caused by driver inattention or negligence. Some common causes of limited visibility accidents include:

• Distracted Driving: When drivers divert their attention from the road to use cell phones, electronic gadgets, or simply to talk with other passengers, limited visibility accidents are much more likely to occur.
• Impaired Driving: When drivers operate vehicles under the influence of alcohol or drugs, they are much less likely to be focused on the road, becoming a danger both to themselves and others.
• Drowsy Driving: When drivers don’t get the sleep they need, their ability to focus on the road and keep track of other drivers’ movements is significantly reduced.

Distracted Driving Motorcycle Accidents

Distracted driving is a major cause of motorcycle accidents, responsible for approximately 20,000 injuries and 400 to 500 deaths per year, according to statistics provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Distracted driving is defined by the NHTSA as “any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving.” According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), there are three main kinds of driver distractions:

• Visual – Taking your eyes off the road
• Manual – Taking your hands off the wheel
• Cognitive – Taking your mind off of driving

Some common distractions which endanger the safety of motorcycle drivers include:

• Text Messaging
• Using a Mobile Phone
• Eating and Drinking
• Talking with Passengers
• Using a G.P.S / Navigation System
• Adjusting a Radio or Music Player

Aggressive Driving Motorcycle Accidents

Aggressive driving is one of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents.

It’s a major reason why more than half of all motorcycle accidents involve another vehicle, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). With Florida motorcycle accidents on the rise over the past decade, aggressive driving is as severe a problem as it’s ever been.

Aggressive driving is defined as “the operation of a motor vehicle in a manner that endangers or is likely to endanger persons or property,” according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Driving aggressively can take a wide variety of forms, and each of them pose their own individual dangers. Some of the more common examples include:

• Speeding
• Driving too fast for road conditions
• Improper lane changing
• Improper passing
• Tailgating or driving too closely to other vehicles
• Flashing headlights excessively at oncoming traffic

Failure to Yield Motorcycle Accidents

Failure to yield to motorcycles is consistently one of the leading causes of serious motorcycle accidents in Florida every year. There are reasons for that. Motorcycles are harder to see, for one. Drivers have an easy time spotting other cars, large trucks, passenger vans, and the like. But motorcycles require a little extra attention. Drivers have a duty to look carefully and confirm that they have the right of way before proceeding or making a turn.

Unfortunately, some drivers simply maintain a negative attitude towards motorcycles. Some irresponsible drivers are quick to cut bikers off or to take risks around motorcycles that they would not take with other vehicles. Some experts believe that this attitude is derived from a feeling of power (the driver of the larger vehicle feels less exposed to risk) or bad experiences those drivers may have had with motorcyclists in the past. Whatever the reason, though, that attitude is unfair and dangerous.

We commonly see a failure to yield to motorcycles in the following traffic situations:

• Vehicle proceeds through an intersection out of turn, “skipping” the motorcycle’s right of way
• Vehicle runs a red light or stop sign
• Vehicle makes a left-hand turn in front of the motorcycle
• Vehicle suddenly changes lanes (or swerves) into the motorcycle’s path
• Vehicle pulls out of a parking lot or driveway without looking and moving directly into the motorcycle’s path

More often than not, the failure to yield is the result of basic negligence. Examples include:

• Speeding
• Tailgating
• Texting while driving
• Other forms of distracted driving
• Drowsy driving
• Drunk driving
• Incomplete stops at stop signs and intersections
• Running red lights
• Failure to look both ways before entering an intersection or road
• Failure to check blind spots before turning or changing lanes
• Failure to use turn signals

Negligent drivers may be held liable for any of these careless behaviors.

Accidents Caused by Motorcycle Defects

There are times when motorcycles are found to have defective parts such as the engine, frame, fuel tank, brakes, handlebars, and tires. Majority of motorcyclists know how to observe warning signs. However, the defective parts can contribute to a crash that might otherwise not occur.

These defects might be detected when the motorcycle wobbles when driven fast and brake failure occurs while riding a recently purchased bike. It has also been observed that some bikes have dangerous designs that can result in damages and injuries.

Motorcycle Accidents Caused by Poorly Maintained Roads

Riders are not usually aware of any potential dangers of road conditions. Obstacles such as rocks, potholes, sharp turns, standing water and animals on the road can cause accidents. These barriers get realized at a fraction of a second making the majority of them unavoidable. They may result in instant braking, which can make the motorcyclist lose control resulting in injuries and damages to the bike.

Because motorcycles do not offer the crashworthiness or protection that a car or truck does, injuries from motorcycle accidents can be serious and life-altering. Common motorcycle accident injuries include:

Traumatic Brain Injury

The most common injury in a motorcycle accident is a head injury which can range anywhere from a mild concussion to severe trauma to the brain. Damage to the brain can be debilitating and life-threatening. The importance of wearing a helmet cannot be overstated. Use of a motorcycle helmet can significantly reduce the risk of traumatic brain injury.

Bone Fractures

Fractures, especially of the leg, are very common in motorcycle accidents. Because a motorcycle is on two wheels, most motorcycle accidents result with the motorcycle and the rider hitting the pavement. The result is that the motorcycle falls on the rider’s leg causing a fracture. Arm and wrist fractures are also common since most riders will naturally try to break their fall by throwing their arms and hands out.

Road Rash

Motorcycles don’t provide the protective barrier that a car does so there is nothing to prevent a motorcyclist from making contact with the road in an accident. Road rash is a skin injury caused by sliding contact with the pavement. Depending on the nature of the accident, road rash can range in severity like burns from first-degree surface injuries to third-degree complete removal of the skin. Protective measures such as kneepads, gloves, and jackets can help reduce the chance of road rash.

Neck Injuries

Motorcyclists who are struck from behind or thrown backward off a bike can sustain serious neck injuries like whiplash, even if they are wearing a helmet. Neck injuries can cause serious damage and even paralysis in severe cases.

Internal Injuries

Damage to internal organs or internal bleeding can be caused by the blunt force trauma that occurs when a motorcyclist makes contact with the roadway. Internal injuries can also occur if something sharp like broken glass or debris penetrates the skin.

Read more about types of motorcycle degloving injuries in Florida.