As temperatures heat up, it’s natural to want to spend more time on your bike—cruising the open road. It’s important to recognize, however, that motorcycle accidents are some of the deadliest on our roadways. When you’re on your motorcycle, after all, there’s absolutely nothing other than your helmet and gear to protect you from the impact of an accident. If another driver’s negligence has left you or someone you care about injured—or worse—in a motorcycle accident, seek experienced legal counsel.
Deadly Philadelphia Motorcycle Accidents
On one Thursday in June, Philadelphia saw two separate deadly motorcycle accidents. The first involved a woman motorist who made a U-turn into the path of a 27-year-old biker, who died from the injuries he incurred. The second accident involved a biker who was riding in a pack of bikes. When the motorcyclist attempted to change lanes, another biker hit him—causing the 41-year-old man to lose control of his bike and crash into a tree. The man later died in the hospital. When motorists fail to exercise appropriate caution, their negligence can lead to deadly motorcycle accidents in the blink of an eye.
Wrongful Death Claims
When someone else’s negligence causes your loved one to be killed, you could have a wrongful death claim. In Pennsylvania, the victim’s spouse, parent, or child can bring a wrongful death claim. With such a claim, you seek compensation for those losses you suffered because of your loved one’s untimely demise. Such losses can be both financial and emotional. While no settlement amount can ever bring your loved one back to you, just compensation can help you and your family to better navigate the path toward emotional and financial recovery.
If you’ve lost a loved one in a motorcycle accident that was caused by another driver’s negligence, you know how devastating that is, and you need experienced legal counsel. Losing a loved one in a case of wrongful death is exceedingly difficult to process, but the dedicated legal team at The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers in Philadelphia is here to work with you through this process. Our experienced wrongful death attorneys have the determination, skill, and compassion to fight for your just compensation.
Financial and Emotional Damages
If you’ve lost a loved one to a fatal motorcycle accident that was caused by another driver’s negligence, you’ve likely suffered considerable financial losses, including the medical expenses incurred. Further, if the victim was the primary breadwinner (or a breadwinner) in your family, you’ll also suffer from wages lost and from earning potential that has been cut short. The financial damages associated with wrongful death claims are often exceedingly high.
The emotional damages associated with these claims, however, can be even more staggering and difficult to endure. Your family has lost the deceased’s love, companionship, parenting, and comfort (to name but a few relationship roles), and it’s impossible to put a price on that. Juries are instructed to come up with values that they consider fair in relation to the circumstances of the claim. It’s a difficult but important calculation.
The Statistics
Motorcycle accidents are exceedingly dangerous and are often deadly. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) forwards several grim statistics related to motorcycle accidents that occurred in 2015:
- Motorcycle fatalities were up by 8 percent (over the 2014 fatality rate).
- Motorcyclists accounted for 14 percent of all traffic-accident deaths, 4 percent of all traffic-related injuries, 17 percent of all vehicle occupant fatalities (including cyclists and passengers), and 4 percent of all vehicle occupant injuries.
- Motorcyclists are nearly 29 times more likely—per vehicle, mile traveled—to die in traffic accidents than are drivers and occupants of cars.
These dire statistics highlight just how treacherous motorcycle accidents can be. When you ride, always make riding safely your top priority.
Negligent Drivers
Negligent drivers (and even other bikers) sometimes cause serious, often deadly, motorcycle accidents. Negligence refers to driving without appropriate concern for the safety of others on the road—including motorcyclists. There are many varieties of negligent driving:
- Driving while distracted
- Driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs
- Driving aggressively, including speeding
- Ignoring traffic signal, lights, and signs
- Failing to accommodate for the condition of the road, including the effects of inclement weather
Distracted Drivers
Distracted drivers are so prevalent and so dangerous that it’s important to take a closer look at the issue. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines distracted driving as any driving in which the motorist’s attention is focused on anything other than the paramount task of driving safely. Distractions come in many forms, but the pinnacle of distractions is the ever-popular smartphone. As we become increasingly attached to our smartphones, distracted driving continues to skyrocket.
The NHTSA forwards several grim statistics related to distracted driving:
- In 2016, 3,450 people were killed in traffic accidents involving distracted drivers.
- In 2015, 391,000 people were injured in traffic accidents involving distracted drivers.
- During daylight hours, about 481,000 motorists are engaged with their smartphones while driving.
- When drivers text, they take their eyes off the road for an average of 5 seconds at a time, which is tantamount to driving blind for the length of a football field (when traveling at 55 miles per hour).
Start Looking for Motorcycles
When you ride, you have the obvious disadvantage of not being as visible as other vehicles on the road. Some drivers simply fail to look for or see motorcycles in their midst (distractions don’t help). An important element of driving safely is paying attention to other vehicles on the road, including motorcycles.
If You’ve Lost a Loved One in a Motorcycle Accident, Talk With an Experienced Philadelphia Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Losing a loved one in a motorcycle accident caused by another driver’s negligence is tragic, and you’re likely not to have any idea how to proceed. You aren’t alone, however. The dedicated legal team at The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers in Philadelphia is here to help. Our experienced motorcycle accident attorneys have the skill, determination, and compassion to help guide your claim toward just resolution. We’re here to help, so please contact or call us at (215) 825-5183 today.