Issaquah Motorcycle Accident Attorney
According to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, motorcycles make up only three percent of road users in Washington State, but they account for 15% of all traffic fatalities and 19% of serious injuries in collisions on Washington roads. About one in five motorcycle collisions end in serious injury or death and 75 riders on average die every year in fatal Washington motorcycle accidents. Despite ever-better safety technologies and more advanced traffic safety laws, these numbers for motorcycle riders tragically stay the same year after year.
The attorneys at Injury Law Group NW are here to help. We understand the serious exposure to injury or death faced by motorcyclists on the road and the many ways negligent drivers can fail to see or appreciate the risks they pose to motorcycle riders. We also know how insurance companies and juries can be biased against motorcyclists and be quick to pin some or all of the blame on the biker even when the accident wasn’t their fault. That’s why our lawyers can be of such help to motorcycle accident victims and their families. We care about making sure accident victims get the help they need, and we have the knowledge, skills, resources and dedication to get results.
If you or a loved one has been hurt in a motorcycle accident in Bellevue, Renton, or other communities around Seattle and throughout King County, call Injury Law Group NW for a free consultation with our Washington motorcycle accident attorneys.
Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in King County
The most common type of motorcycle accident occurs when a motorcycle rider is executing a left turn at an intersection or otherwise across oncoming lanes of traffic. Drivers coming from the opposite direction don’t yield the right-of-way, or they misjudge how far away the bike is or how fast it is going. Sometimes they just don’t notice the bike or the fact that it is turning left into their path. These types of crashes often cause serious injury or death to the rider.
Other common causes of motorcycle accidents in and around the Seattle area include:
Driver inattention
Because motorcycles are smaller than other vehicles and are present on the roads in much fewer numbers, they are especially vulnerable to accidents caused by driver inattention. Drivers who are texting while driving or otherwise have their eyes or attention diverted from the road are more likely to cause a distracted driving crash with a motorcycle. Motorcyclists are also particularly susceptible to accidents when drivers fail to check their blind spots before switching lanes or turning.
Aggressive driving
Many drivers simply don’t respect the right of motorcycles to share the road or don’t appreciate the dangers they put bikers in when they swerve around motorcycles and slow down or crowd them out of their lane. Aggressive driving maneuvers can force a rider to lay down the bike or create a dangerous lane departure incident even if they don’t actually crash into the motorcycle with their aggressive behavior.
Reckless driving
Drivers who engage in reckless behaviors such as speeding, driving while intoxicated, or following too close put motorcycle riders in danger. Traffic laws exist for a reason, and drivers who cause a wreck because of their reckless driving can and should be held liable for the injuries they cause.
Road defects
With their smaller tires and smaller frames, motorcycles are much more sensitive to roadway defects than larger, heavier, and more stable four-wheeled vehicles. Riders risk serious injury if they encounter potholes, cracks, or surface debris from a construction zone or soft shoulder. Government transportation agencies can be liable for negligent design, construction or maintenance of roads, including inadequate signage about speed limits, grades, curves and shoulders. It’s possible to hold the government responsible for motorcycle accidents caused by road defects, but injury victims and their families must act quickly to identify the appropriate agency and provide prompt notice of the accident. You’ll need a lawyer who knows the laws, their applicability and limits when it comes to governmental tort accountability.
How ILG Can Help After a Motorcycle Accident in Washington
Issues of liability and fault can be complex when it comes to a motorcycle accident. Insurance companies seize on the complicated nature of a motorcycle crash to say the rider must have been speeding or otherwise driving recklessly. If they can’t lay all the blame on the rider, they might be able to say the rider was at least partially responsible. Any fault they can lay off onto the rider reduces the amount of compensation that the plaintiff – the injured rider or surviving family members – sorely need to deal with the damages the accident has caused. Our attorneys fight hard on the rider’s behalf. We investigate the accident, marshal the facts, and put forward a strong case proving the other driver’s liability while defending our clients from unfair allegations they were to blame when they weren’t.
Additionally, the injuries in a motorcycle accident can be severe and catastrophic, resulting in immediate and long-term expenses, along with a lifetime of additional challenges and medical care. Washington courts want to see a realistic dollar value attached to the injury so they can properly figure both the economic and noneconomic damages the plaintiff is entitled to. We advocate strongly for our clients to make sure they get the medical care they need along with the compensation to cover the direct and consequential costs they will be forced to endure.
ILG is Here to Help After a Motorcycle Accident in Washington
If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident in King County, or if you lost a beloved family member to a motorcycle crash in Bellevue, Renton, or surrounding areas, call Injury Law Group NW for a free consultation with our experienced Washington motorcycle accident attorneys. We’ll help you navigate your way through this difficult time, and we’ll fight to get you the results you need to deal with the harm inflicted on you.
