WHAT CAUSES MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENTS? HOW BADLY CAN YOU BE HURT?

From: New York attorney Gary E. Rosenberg (personal injury and accident attorney and lawyer; serving Brooklyn Queens Bronx; Brooklyn Injury Attorney)

Many drivers think that motorcycle riders are authors of their own mishaps, that they are carefree and careless and disregard the health of themselves, their passengers and other people on the road. However, studies show that most people hurt in a motorcycle accident are injured through the negligence of another driver.

Often forgotten is that drivers of cars, trucks or buses may fail to pay attention to motorcycles. They may not hear the bike; they may not see it. As a result, there are several common types of car versus motorcycle and truck versus motorcycle accidents.

Most common is a vehicle making a left turn in front of a motorcycle. If the bike doesn't have sufficient stopping room the rider is presented with just two choices, either of which typically leads to injury: (1) put the bike on the ground and slide and hope not to hit the other vehicle or not to hit it too hard, or, (2) hit the other vehicle broadsides, and hope that your flight through the air after you're unseated from your bike is not fatal.

Other types of accidents are:

• Vehicles striking motorcycles in the rear (the rear-ender);
• Lane changes by cars or trucks or buses without signaling;
• Another vehicle right-turning from the center lane and not seeing a motorcycle to its right;
• Cars or trucks forcing motorcycles into a guard rail; and,
• Vehicles "eating" a red light or stop sign without noticing the motorcycle.

There are few minor or "little" injuries where a motorcycle collides with another vehicle. Motorcycle accidents tend to result in catastrophic injuries because of the size and weight difference between a motorcycle and the other motor vehicle involved in the accident. Furthermore, many vehicles have protective cages built in. Not so with a bike, where the rider is open and exposed except for (hopefully) a helmet and protective clothing.

Motorcycle accidents frequently result in wrongful death.

Bike operators may also suffer motorcycle a multitude of other hurts, such as:

• Brain damage;
• Spinal cord injury, including paralysis;
• Fractured or broken bones;
• Neck and back "soft tissue"-type injuries;
• Injury to the shoulder joint or knee joint;
• Scarring and disfigurement;
• Road rash requiring skin grafts from other parts of the body;
• Burns from hot motorcycle parts;
• Amputation of extremities, such as arm(s) or leg(s).

There are strict time limitations for initiating motorcycle accident claims in New York. Also, No-Fault motor vehicle insurance does NOT apply, so getting bills paid can be difficult for riders with no heath insurance. Finally, miss a deadline, and your claim might be lost forever.