According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA), 556 people lost their lives in Florida motorcycle accidents in 2008. While the number of fatalities appears to have dropped significantly in 2009, Florida remains one of the top two states in the nation in terms of motorcycle fatalities. Many Floridians harmed by such accidents turn to Sarasota and Fort Lauderdale motorcycle accident attorneys for help.

Because motorcycle riders are less protected by their vehicle, motorcycle accidents often result in far more serious injuries than other types of Florida traffic accidents. They also often have long-term traumatic effects on the lives of the surviving victims and lead to different disputes in regard to fault.

In most cases, riders who have been injured in accidents caused at least in part by someone else's negligence (or by a defective product) can recover compensation for their medical bills, for wages lost or that may be lost in the future due to the injury, and for their pain and suffering. First, however, they must be able to show that someone else's negligence did, indeed, cause or contribute to the cause of the accident.

Insurance adjusters and attorneys will look at various factors involved in the accident, including the road conditions, the time of day, the speed of the vehicles involved, evidence of distracted or impaired driving (i.e. driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs), and any evidence of unsafe maneuvers. Lane splitting, for example, may be seen as contributory negligence on the part of a motorcycle rider. Contributory negligence would reduce the amount of compensation provided to the injured party.

If you have been involved in a motorcycle crash, you should consider hiring an experienced Florida motorcycle accident attorney as soon as possible. Such an attorney would (among other things) help you collect and preserve key evidence that may otherwise be lost; determine the full extent of the harm for which you may be compensated; select the experts whose help may be needed in assigning a monetary value to such abstract concepts as "pain and suffering"; and negotiate effectively on your behalf.

If you were involved in a motorcycle accident in Fort Lauderdale. Sarasota, Boca Raton, or surrounding areas, please contact The Law Offices of Jamie L. Allen, P.A. right away. Simply fill out and submit our online form, or call one of our offices:

Fort Lauderdale Office: (954) 793-4170
Sarasota Office: (941) 227-4350
Boca Raton Office: (561) 948-4384
Toll Free: (888) 954-3454