Nevada personal injury attorneys frequently represent victims of motorcycle accidents. Although modern medicine and the efforts of emergency medical personnel help most motorcyclists survive their crashes, the choice to ride a motorcycle greatly enhances your danger in traffic compared to passenger vehicles. The physical exposure of motorcyclists makes them vulnerable to severe injuries, including brain damage and spinal injuries.
Vehicle Miles Driven
Government agencies, like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), organize vehicle crash, death, and injury statistics according to vehicle miles driven (VMD). For 2020, the most recent year with a complete data analysis, 31.64 motorcycle fatalities occurred for every 100 million VMD.
Compared to passenger cars, motorcyclists have a fatality rate 28 times higher than car accidents on the basis of VMD. When compared to light-duty trucks, motorcycles prove to be even riskier. Deaths of motorcyclists per VMD are 43 times higher than fatalities in light-duty truck accidents.
In Nevada, fault determines whose insurer must pay accident damages. Responsibility could lie with a negligent driver, defective motorcycle parts, or even neglected road maintenance or signage. Injury attorneys in Nevada investigate accidents for their clients and gather evidence to support their claims for damages.
Approximate Odds of Dying in a Motorcycle Accident
According to the National Safety Council, the general population has a 1 in 747 chance of death in a motorcycle crash. When all types of motor vehicle accidents are lumped together, the death odds increase to 1 in 93. This is because most people ride in passenger vehicles instead of motorcycles. Only about 3% of all registered vehicles are motorcycles. In 2020, motorcyclists accounted for 14% of all traffic fatalities.
Motorcycle Injuries Compared to Fatalities
2020 data reported by the NHTSA indicted 5,579 deaths and 82,528 injuries from motorcycle accidents. If you set aside accidents that caused little to no injury and compare injuries to fatalities, you get a ratio of approximately 14.79 injuries to 1 death. This translates to having a 14 times greater likelihood of surviving with injuries than dying in the crash.
Motorcycle Fatalities on the Rise in Nevada
Having a high chance of surviving a motorcycle crash does not eliminate the risk of death. Motorcyclists have been dying in growing numbers on Nevada’s roadways. Nevada Public Radio reported that motorcycle accident deaths increased by 32% in the state from 2020 to 2021. The Office of Traffic Safety blamed the jump on motorcyclist deaths on impairment, speeding, and failure to yield.
After a motorcycle accident, you may have been removed from the scene in an ambulance. This likely denied you the opportunity to collect evidence or even know for sure what happened. A Nevada injury lawyer could request the police report and gather other evidence to build a picture of who was at fault for the purposes of an insurance claim. If you are uncertain what happened, you should speak with a motorcycle accident lawyer in Las Vegas before answering questions from an insurance adjuster.
Motorcycle Helmet Use
Wearing a proper Department of Transportation approved motorcycle helmet has a huge impact on surviving a crash. This is why Nevada law requires motorcyclists and riders to wear helmets.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concluded that helmets reduce the risk of dying in a motorcycle accident by 37%. By putting on a helmet, you also enjoy a 69% lower risk of head injury.
An insurance company examining a claim for damages after an accident may be very interested in whether you were wearing a helmet. Even if the accident is clearly someone else’s fault, failing to wear a helmet could give the insurer a reason to lower your settlement. This is just one reason why it is important to have a Nevada injury lawyer defend your rights in a personal injury case.
Wrongful Death and Personal Injury
A bad motorcycle accident can disrupt your life and perhaps your future significantly. You could miss work for weeks or months and potentially suffer a disability that slashes your ability to earn for the rest of your life. Part of the job of injury attorneys in Nevada is to help clients fully calculate their losses.
In cases of motorcycle fatalities, Nevada personal injury attorneys can represent the surviving family. When you lose someone in a motorcycle crash, you may have a right to file a wrongful death claim. If the evidence is on your side, then you could collect compensation to cover the victim’s hospital bills for the accident prior to death. Burial expenses and loss of household income may also be recoverable.
Because most people survive motorcycle accidents, people are most likely to need legal support collecting damages for their injuries. Representation from a Nevada injury lawyer could help you counterattack attempts by an insurer to rush you into accepting a settlement. You may need more time for your doctors to determine how well you will recover physically or mentally. In contentious cases with questions about fault, a lawsuit might be necessary if an insurer will not offer adequate compensation.
Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Las Vegas
A legal opinion about your accident case empowers you to understand your rights and protects you from tactics meant to deprive you of rightful compensation. Insurers are in the business of limiting accident settlements as much as possible. Darren J. Lach and his team at Lach Injury Law are in the business of holding negligent parties fully accountable for the financial damages they have caused. For straight answers about your legal situation, schedule a free consultation with us today.
