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Motorcycle enthusiasts who ride the open road and explore the world with a sense of freedom say there’s nothing better. Being close to nature and having the wind in your face feels like paradise to many riders. However, with over 500 motorcycle fatalities occurring each year in California, that feeling of freedom carries significant risks.
A motorcycle accident can be life-changing, causing catastrophic injuries that may take years to heal. You may also suffer psychological scars, including depression and emotional pain, due to the often permanent nature of the injuries.
After a motorcycle accident, your life may never be the same. That’s why it’s important to hire an experienced motorcycle accident injury attorney at Case Barnett Law. They have helped many Laguna Beach injured victims receive a fair settlement after a motorcycle crash.
Laguna Beach Motorcycle Accident Injuries
When you drive or ride in a car, you’re secured inside a metal frame and surrounded by protection features, including airbags. If you’re involved in a crash, you could suffer many types of injuries, but they’re likely less catastrophic than in a motorcycle accident. When a motorcycle driver or rider is thrown from their bike, they risk being launched against hard objects or crushed when their bike lands on top of them.
While a motorcyclist may experience road rash, which can be serious, painful, and cause permanent scarring, there are other injuries they may suffer in a motorcycle accident that may significantly impact the rest of their life. In 2022 California recorded over 10,500 motorcycle crashes, with 8,500 injuries and 532 deaths.
Common Laguna Beach Motorcycle Crash Injuries
- Neck injuries. When a motorcycle rider’s head makes contact with a hard object, the body moves in the opposite direction. The force on the neck creates bending and twisting that moves the bones out of alignment.
- Spinal cord injuries. A front-end collision with another vehicle can cause spinal cord injuries, especially if the motorcycle driver and the car driver are moving at high speeds. Head-on collisions exert extreme physical force on all body parts.
- Burns. Second-degree burns are very common in motorcycle accidents. This type of burn often happens when the leg of the motorcyclist gets too close to the hot muffler of the motorcycle.
- Arm and hand injuries. Because motorcyclists often put out their hands to break their fall when crashing, hand and arm injuries are common. These include torn rotator cuffs, muscle, ligament, tendon damage, and “biker’s arm,” where the force of the crash can shatter the bones in the hands and arms and result in permanent nerve damage.
- Leg and foot injuries. To avoid broken bones and tendon injuries in your legs and feet, you should wear boots that cover your ankles. They can help protect you from broken or dislocated ankle bones. It’s also important to wear long pants to cover your shins so your skin is protected from road rash or other severe scrapes.
- Facial injuries. Because there are small and delicate bones in your face, they are easily broken in a motorcycle crash. If you’re projected from your bike and land face-first on the pavement or ground, you could break your cheekbones, your jawbone, and/or your nose. These painful injuries could result in facial scarring and disfigurement.
- Paralysis. When a motorcyclist suffers a spinal cord injury, they may become paralyzed, depending on the part of the damaged spine. Partial or total paralysis will likely require expensive long-term care and treatment. It’s possible that the motorcyclist will never fully recover from this type of injury.
You Need Legal Counsel After a Laguna Beach Motorcycle Crash
It’s important to contact a motorcycle crash attorney following your accident. They understand the quick action needed to help ensure you receive fair compensation. One primary benefit of hiring an attorney is to have an advocate on your side who will communicate with the insurance companies.
A skilled Laguna Beach motorcycle accident attorney will communicate with insurance adjusters and the at-fault party’s lawyer. Because insurance companies want to pay out as little as possible, they will use unethical and underhanded tactics to get statements from you that may damage your case. Your attorney will manage communication with all parties involved, so your primary job is to get better.
Other Benefits of Hiring a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer After Your Laguna Beach Crash
- Your attorney will preserve evidence. Gathering evidence is a critical step toward obtaining a fair settlement for your motorcycle personal injury claim or lawsuit. Preserving that evidence is especially important. There may be video footage taken by a nearby camera that could be deleted or go missing if an attorney doesn’t protect it. Your attorney also knows the right kind of evidence that will be crucial to your case.
- Your attorney will be paid on a contingency fee basis. As you recover from a crash, you’ll likely face expensive medical bills and be forced to take time off work to recover from your injuries. The attorneys at Case Barnett Law understand how difficult it can be to pay these bills when you have no immediate income. Our Laguna Beach attorney team works on a contingency fee basis, so you only pay us if you receive a settlement or judgment.
- Your attorney will value the claim. Our attorneys will evaluate your personal injury claim and determine its worth. Because they understand personal, emotional, and physical property loss, they will include all aspects of your case, including compensation or long-term care needs, property damage, lost wages, pain and suffering, and out-of-pocket expenses.
- Your attorney will provide advice on how to avoid mistakes. There are many mistakes you can make that might damage your motorcycle personal injury claim. For example, you might give a recorded statement to an insurance adjuster or give them access to your medical records. You might also post information about the accident on social media. Insurance adjusters want evidence that shows you’re not as injured as you say, and they’ll use your posted photos to prove it. Your attorney will advise you to stay off social media while you’re recovering.
