The Kitsap Peninsula is a great place to enjoy the weather and the scenery while riding your motorcycle. Take a look at any Silverdale-area road, and it will not take you long to see a motorcyclist doing just that.
But look for long enough, and you might witness one of the many horrific motorcycle accidents that occur on our roads every year. In 2015 alone, Washington state roads saw 2,208 motorcycle riders injured, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation. Sadly, 78 of those motorcyclists died.
Also tragic is the fact that many of those motorcycle accidents were avoidable. If the other driver had been paying more attention, had not been drunk, or had not been drowsy, those thousands of motorcyclists might not have been hurt.
For motorcyclists who have been injured because of a negligent driver, Washington’s state laws can provide a glimmer of hope in a dark time. Our personal injury laws allow those who have been harmed because of someone else’s negligence to pursue compensation from the at-fault party. And compensation is more than necessary after a serious motorcycle accident.
To learn more about motorcycle crash lawsuits in Washington, call the experienced Silverdale motorcycle accident lawyers at Ryan, Montgomery & Armstrong, Inc., P.S. and read the information below.
Fighting Stereotypes About Bikers
Aside from their injuries, motorcyclists face a major roadblock when they decide to pursue compensation from the motorist who hurt them: the “reckless biker” stereotype. Most motorcyclists are aware of this unfair and untrue stereotype, but they may not realize that insurance companies and at-fault drivers’ attorneys like to weaponize it to use against them during lawsuits.
How do they do this? By using the stereotype to suggest that you bear some or all of the blame for the accident that injured you. And this is extremely important because you will lose an amount of compensation that corresponds with the percentage of fault a court believes you hold for the accident. This concept is called comparative fault. It means that multiple people can hold the blame for an accident, and they should only pay for the amount of damage they had a hand in causing.
This is a classic tactic used against motorcyclists who are suing for compensation after an accident. Fortunately, a qualified motorcycle accident attorney can help you show what really happened and avoid any unfair blame being laid at your feet.
Injuries in Silverdale Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycle accidents tend to produce some of the most severe injuries of any accident type. The reason is simple: You do not have the exterior protection that a car or truck can provide. So when a careless driver slams into you, they hit you — not the outside of your vehicle.
That amounts to two tons of speeding metal and glass directly hitting your body. The end result is often life-altering, permanent injuries like the following:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Paralysis
- Spinal fractures
- Facial disfigurement
- Lost limbs
- Broken and fractured bones
- Severe skin damage
Each of these injuries can have profound effects on your life for years. You deserve full compensation if someone else caused you to suffer an injury like this.
Compensation You Could Recover
If you can dodge the blame and overcome the dishonest tactics the other side will use against you, you have a chance at recovering compensation for every way in which this motorcycle accident has harmed you. Below are some common damages listed in motorcycle accident claims. You may be able to recover compensation for the following:
- Pain and suffering
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Mental trauma
- Damage to your motorcycle
- Medical treatment related to your accident
- Lost income during your recovery
- Permanent or temporary disability
An experienced motorcycle crash attorney in Silverdale can help you maximize the compensation you receive for every damage you have suffered.
Reach Out to a Silverdale Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
After a motorcycle accident that someone else caused, you have a rough road ahead. You face not only your physical and mental recovery, but skyrocketing medical expenses, time away from work, and the knowledge that someone else’s carelessness is the reason you are going through all of this.
On top of all of that, you face the stress and anxiety of filing a lawsuit to recover compensation. But you do not have to face this alone. You can enlist the help of a trusted legal ally from Ryan, Montgomery & Armstrong, Inc., P.S.
Our Silverdale motorcycle accident law firm is committed to helping clients get fair treatment and maximum compensation for what they have been through. We will not accept baseless accusations of fault from the other side, lowball settlement offers, misleading and dishonest tactics, or anything less than every dollar you deserve.
To speak with a trusted Silverdale motorcycle accident lawyer at our firm today, schedule your free initial consultation by calling us at 360-307-8860 or sending us an email.
