Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog
Many people enjoy riding motorcycles, and the state of Florida is great place to ride. The weather is nice most of the year, and there is no shortage of open roads with incredible coastal views and other breathtaking scenery in the Sunshine State.
However, there is also no question that riding a motorcycle is also dangerous. It is not that there are more motorcycle accidents than there are car accidents, but rather that the level of injury sustained in a motorcycle is often far more severe than what would be suffered, if any, in a car or truck.
We have probably all been in car accident at some point in lives. While most people have not been in a major car accident, most have been in what we would describe as a typical fender bender. In these types of accidents, you might not suffer any personal injury, or you might suffer a soft tissue injury to your neck or spinal column, as is often the case. However, if you were in this same level of impact while riding a motorcycle, it might result in serious personal injury or death. This is because there is virtually no protection on a motorcycle, and there are no airbags. You are hopefully wearing a helmet, but even a helmet will not stop a traumatic brain injury in many cases.
What many may not realize is that if you are on a motorcycle and you are injured due to the negligence of another driver, that driver may be held liable for the full extent of your injuries despite the fact that you might not have suffered them had you been in a car instead of a motorcycle. In other words, you should not be penalized or said to have assumed the risk because you chose to ride a motorcycle.
As our Miami-Dade motorcycle accident lawyers can explain, pursuant to Florida law, you can ride without a helmet if you are over the age of 21, but you are required to carry an insurance policy of at least $10,000 to cover you in case of accident, but it is probably a better idea to wear a helmet and not take any chances. For a more detailed explanation of the helmet law you can see Florida Statute 316.211.
One example of how a motorcycle crash can happen at any time is discussed in a recent news article from WCTV, where a man was injured when his motorcycle crashed into a 10-foot alligator. The 27-year-old rider was riding south of Tampa he saw the massive gator in the roadway in front of him. Authorities have said he tried to swerve to avoid the creature, but could not get out of the way and crashed into it. He suffered serious personal injury and was rushed to a level-one trauma center. A private alligator trapper was called into to remove the gator that was killed in the motorcycle accident. This was actually the second accident in one week caused by a vehicle colliding with a large alligator. The other accident occurred in the Sarasota area.
Call Freeman Injury Law — 1-800-561-7777 for a free appointment to discuss your rights. Now serving Orlando, West Palm Beach, Port St. Lucie and Fort Lauderdale.
Additional Resources:
Man injured when motorcycle hits 10-foot gator in Florida, May 19, 2017, WCTV
More Blog Entries:
Employers Urged to Crack Down on Driver Distraction, April 24, 2017, Orlando Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Blog