2 Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents

All vehicle accidents have the potential to cause serious and even life-threatening injuries. But motorcycles lack the protection of seat belts and airbags, putting motorcycle accident victims at an even higher risk of severe injury.

Riders can protect themselves and reduce their risks by wearing full riding gear, including a full-face helmet, riding jacket and pants, gloves, and boots, but they’re still vulnerable during accidents.

New and veteran riders alike are taught to be aware of common dangers on roadways, including loose gravel, potholes, and slick pavement due to rain or ice. But other drivers remain one of the biggest hazards that motorcyclists face. The following scenarios represent serious threats to every motorcyclist in Virginia and throughout the U.S.:

1. Left-turning drivers – Whether they’re turning left at intersections or into parking lots, many drivers simply aren’t trained to look for motorcycles when crossing lanes of traffic. That can result in serious accidents when they make left turns into the paths of motorcyclists.
2. Drivers changing lanes – Because drivers often aren’t accustomed to watching out for motorcyclists, they may not check their blind spots. When they change lanes, they may drift directly into the paths of motorcyclists or force them off the road.

At Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers, our Norfolk motorcycle accident attorneys have helped many victims who were hurt in motorcycle accidents due to a wide variety of causes, including those listed above.

No matter how your motorcycle accident happened, we want to help. Call today for a free consultation.

Avoid Motorcycle Accidents by Increasing Your Visibility.

Riding a motorcycle puts you at a disadvantage in accidents involving cars, trucks, and SUVs. Unlike drivers and passengers, you don’t have seat belts to hold you in place during accidents or air bags to soften the blow of impact.

Riding gear can help protect you from head injuries and road rash, but motorcyclists still face the risk of suffering severe injuries if they’re thrown from their bikes. That’s why it’s important to do everything you can to prevent accidents from happening in the first place—and increasing your visibility is step number one.

At Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers, our Norfolk motorcycle accident lawyers know that riders can make themselves more visible to drivers when they:

• Wear bright and reflective safety gear. Avoid solid black safety gear when possible. Choose helmets, jackets, and pants that are brightly colored and covered in reflective materials.

• Know where blind spots are and avoid them. All vehicles have blind spots. Larger vehicles, including SUVs, semi-trucks, and buses may have big blind spots that extend several car lengths in adjacent lanes. Avoid those spots to maintain maximum visibility.

• Keep headlights on, even during the day. Headlights are motorcyclists’ best friends when it comes to being seen. Keep them on even when you don’t need the light they emit, as they’ll make you more easily visible to drivers.

Were you or someone you love hurt in a motorcycle accident that was caused by a careless driver? If so, you may be eligible to pursue a claim for compensation for your accident-related expenses. Contact us today for a free consultation.

Motorcyclists: Wear All the Gear, All the Time

With summer temperatures soaring into the high 90s in Norfolk recently, wearing thick riding gear may be the last thing on many motorcyclists’ minds. But hot weather is no excuse to avoid wearing protective clothing and equipment that could save your life.

As a motorcyclist, you’re much more vulnerable during accidents than people inside cars, trucks, and SUVs. Unlike drivers and passengers in passenger vehicles, you don’t have the protection of a steel chassis, seat belts, and airbags. The best way you can protect yourself is by following a simple phrase that saves the lives of many motorcyclists every year: “All the gear, all the time.”

What does that phrase entail? It means always wearing these articles of clothing or equipment:

• Helmet
  Make sure your helmet is DOT, ECE 22.05, or Snell-certified. An effective helmet will cover your entire head, including your face.
• Riding jacket with armor
  The most effective riding jackets include armor—which means padding and cushions that can help reduce the risks of abrasion and soften impact with the road if you’re involved in a crash.
• Riding pants with armor
  Any pair of pants you pull out of your closet or dresser aren’t sufficient for protecting you on your bike. Make sure your riding pants provide abrasion and impact protection, just like your jacket.
• Riding boots
  Good riding boots will be made of a quality material like leather and will include additional height to protect your ankles. Many also include additional protection for toes.
• Gloves
  Your hands are extremely vulnerable during accidents. Make sure they’re protected by always wearing heavy-duty riding gloves, as they’re often the first body part to contact the ground during accidents.

Unfortunately, riding gear can only serve to reduce the severity of injuries—not eliminate them. If you were hurt in a motorcycle accident, get in touch with our Norfolk motorcycle accident lawyers today by filling out a free online consultation form.

Making Sure Norfolk Motorcycle Accident Victims Stories Are Heard

If you think being an at-fault driver in an auto accident is stressful, imagine the panic that drivers feel at the scene of a motorcycle accident. The right thing to do would be to own up to it, but not everyone has that level of integrity. Over the years, Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers has seen at-fault drivers tell outright lies to save their own skin, and you can’t assume the other driver won’t do the same.

If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident, proving who is to blame can be difficult on your own. First of all, you probably didn’t get to tell your side of the story at the scene of the accident due to your injuries. The only story the officer heard was that of the other driver. Do you really think they took full responsibility for what they did? Your side of the story should be documented as well. That’s one of the things an experienced motorcycle accident attorney can do for you: make sure your story is heard. Then we’ll go after every dollar in compensation you deserve.

Call an experienced Norfolk motorcycle accident lawyer today for a free consultation. You need to focus on your recovery. Let us focus on getting you justice. We’re ready to review your case at no charge and fight to get you compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and more. There is way too much at stake for you to try and go it alone. Contact us today.

Things to Consider After a Motorcycle Accident

The open road is always calling to a motorcycle enthusiast. It could be the dead of winter, and the only thing on the mind of a dedicated rider is turning that engine over and hitting the road. Virginia has some of the best riding in the country, which is why so many folks in Norfolk own motorcycles. Unfortunately, many drivers in our community don’t know how to properly share the road with riders, leading to significant injuries and even death.

If you’re reading this blog after a serious motorcycle accident, there are a few things you should consider right now. First of all, are your rights as an accident victim protected? If you don’t have an experienced motorcycle accident attorney on your side, they may not be. Second, are you in a position to get the most money for your injury claim? The at-fault driver’s insurance company may try to pay you as little as possible for your injuries. An experienced Norfolk motorcycle wreck attorney will fight the insurance company for every dollar you deserve.

Lastly, are you prepared to pay for someone else’s mistake? If you try to deal with the insurance company on your own, you may do just that. Every dollar you don’t secure from the insurance company is another dollar you give to the person who hit you. You’re essentially saying, “You caused the accident, but I’m going to pay for it.”

Don’t do it.

Call an experienced Norfolk motorcycle accident attorney today for a free consultation. We’re ready to fight for you, so contact us today.

Motorcyclists More Likely to Die in Crash

There’s a certain level of risk that all motorcyclists take when getting out on the road. Motorcycles can be extremely dangerous if not operated correctly, and many accidents occur due to rider error. However, the risks extend well beyond the rider’s ability to properly handle their bike. In fact, we’d propose that Norfolk riders are at greater danger of being hit by another driver than laying the bike down on their own, and when that happens, the results can be devastating.

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motorcyclists are 26 time more likely to die in a crash than car drivers and 5 times more likely to be injured. That statistic has unfortunately become a reality for many Norfolk motorcyclists and their families over the years, and several of them have turned to us to protect their rights to compensation. Motorcycle accident injury claims can be complicated. We have years of experience successfully navigating those complexities for our clients to get them maximum compensation for their injuries.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a motorcycle accident, call our Norfolk motorcycle accident attorneys today for a free consultation. The insurance company has a responsibility to pay you fair compensation for your injuries, and we’ll work to make sure they live up to that responsibly.

Respect Can Save Lives

At Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers, respect is king. We extend it to every client we represent and demand it from the insurance companies we deal with on a daily basis. A lot of the accident victims we’ve helped over the years were injured by someone that failed to respect their right to safety. This is especially true of bicyclists. Although they have the same rights as motorists, they are often overlooked or worse targeted while out on the road. We believe this stems from a lack of knowledge of how to share the road, so here are a few safety tips for both motorists and cyclists that, if observed, could help us reduce the number of bicycle accidents in Norfolk:

Motorists

• Pass cyclists at a reasonable speed, keeping at least three feet between you.
• Cyclists may pass vehicles on either side or even go off the road to pass, so make sure you check your surroundings for cyclists before turning or opening your doors when parked.
• Learn the arm signals cyclists use to indicate turns. Knowing what these signals mean can help you adjust as you approach intersections.

Cyclists

• Remember that you are subject to the same traffic laws as every other vehicle out on the road. Respect other drivers by adhering to these laws every time you get on the bike.
• Learn the proper arm signals and use them every time you make a turn.
• Ride only with the flow of traffic, never against it.
• Never ride more than two abreast or impede traffic.

If you’ve been injured in a bicycle accident, give our Norfolk bicycle accident attorneys a call today. We’ll investigate the cause of your accident and hold the negligent driver accountable.

The Reality of Going It Alone

You’ve been in a serious accident. You’re injured, scared, and are considering calling a lawyer to help with your injury claim, but you are not completely convinced you need one. Thousands of people each year handle their own injury claims. While some do okay for themselves, most leave a lot of money on the table. The reality is, an injury claim isn’t something you want to handle on your own, and here are a few reasons why.

• You’ve never done it before. If you’re anything like me, you like to tackle home improvement projects yourself, rather than calling in a professional. There’s just something about figuring it out on your own that’s rewarding. However, a personal injury claim isn’t a DIY project. You only get one chance to get it right, and the learning curve is steep. The chances of you maximizing your claim having never done it before are slim.
• You need to focus on your recovery. Getting fair compensation for your injuries is vitally important to your financial future. However, it’s even more important that you fully recover from your injuries. Handling your own injury claim can be time-consuming and frustrating, leaving you stressed and unable to focus on your recovery.
• The insurance company loves do-it-yourselfers. People who file their own injury claims without the assistance of a lawyer are playing right into the insurance company’s hands. Why? Because accident victims without a lawyer on their side will more than likely take the first settlement offer the insurance company offers, which is probably not enough to cover the full extent of your injuries.

At Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers, we know a serious accident can leave you uncertain of what to do next. That’s why you should call an experienced Norfolk motorcycle accident attorney. We’ve helped hundreds of accident victims just like you get the compensation they need, and we’re ready to help you too. Don’t take on the insurance company alone. Call us today.

Insurance Bias Against Motorcyclists

One of the reasons we’re so passionate about defending injured motorcyclists is we know they might not get a fair deal from the insurance company otherwise. There are many in the legal profession who believe there is an unfair bias against motorcyclists due to denied claims. The reason for the denied claims? The driver was operating a motorcycle. Imagine being seriously injured in a motorcycle crash and your health insurance company refuses to pay your medical bills.

How can they do this? By adding “exclusions” into the fine print of your policy. These exclusions release the insurance company of their responsibility to take care of you in the event that you sustain injuries while operating a motorcycle. Don’t wait until you’ve been in an accident to find out if you’re protected. Read your policy closely or call your insurance provider to find out if there are any exclusions on your policy that you’re not currently aware of.

If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident and you’re getting the runaround from the insurance company, give our Norfolk motorcycle accident attorneys a call. We believe motorcyclists should have the same freedoms and protections that every driver enjoys, and we defend those freedoms by standing up to the insurance company and demanding they do the right thing.

Common Norfolk Motorcycle Accident Causes

Motorcycles are a popular mode of transportation in the Norfolk area. Our area also accounts for a majority of the commonwealth’s motorcycle accidents as well. The Department of Motor Vehicles reports Norfolk had the third highest motorcycle accident fatality total in Virginia in 2014, accounting for 80 deaths. The city had the fourth highest motorcycle crash total and third highest motorcycle accident injury total.

Our Norfolk motorcycle accident lawyers at Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers explains that one of the most commonly reported causes of motorcycle accidents in our area is a motorist’s failure to recognize and yield the right of way to an oncoming motorcycle. In fact, this was the cause of a recent collision that left two riders with injuries.

According to the Norfolk Daily News, the crash happened on Friday, July 31, at approximately 9:45 p.m. along Highway 275. Reports indicate that the 17-year-old driver of a Chrysler Sebring sedan was pulling out of an access road when she failed to see an oncoming westbound motorcycle.

The 20-year-old operator of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle didn’t have time to stop and collided with the Sebring.

The impact of the collision left the young motorcyclist and his 18-year-old passenger seriously injured.

Accidents like this are why it’s so important for motorists to be aware of motorcycles on the road. Our team of Norfolk personal injury attorneys at Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers says this means looking twice in both directions for motorcycles and other obstacles before pulling into or maneuvering in traffic.