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Motorcycle Accidents

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Tampa Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

The number of motorcycles registered in the U.S. has been increasing throughout the twenty-first century, with California and Florida leading the nation. Florida now has more than 623,000 registered motorcycles and Hillsborough County alone has over 30,000, with hundreds of motorcyclists from other states adding to that number throughout the year.

It is no wonder, then, that there are a lot of motorcycle accidents each year in Florida. According to data from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, more than 9,100 motorcycle crashes occur in a single year in Florida, including 581 accident-related fatalities. In Tampa and surrounding Hillsborough County alone, there have been over 600 motorcycle accidents per year, with 45 accident-related fatalities.

If you have recently been seriously injured in a motorcycle accident, you may be experiencing many challenges all at the same time. In addition to pain, suffering and the need for medical treatment, you may be experiencing mental distress, family issues and financial hardship due to your accident injury.  You may not be able to do all the things you used to do at home, and you may not be able to work as you used to. Meanwhile, medical bills keep mounting.

Indeed, when you or a family member has been injured in a motorcycle accident, coping with the present situation can be extremely difficult, and worrying about the future can be overwhelming. The experienced Dennis Hernandez Tampa motorcycle accident lawyers understand how devastating a serious accident injury can be and want to help. We have helped hundreds of families throughout Florida get the financial compensation they need for a secure future after a serious accident injury and will put our experience, skill and determination to work for you.

Call us at 855-529-3366 or fill in the FREE CASE EVALUATION form on our website to get started on your Tampa motorcycle accident case.

Common Questions about Tampa Motorcycle Accident Injury Cases

What Causes Motorcycle Accidents in Tampa?

While safety measures for motorcyclists have improved in the past ten years, people driving cars and trucks still often do not share the road safely with motorcycles. They may drive while fatigued, distracted or impaired. Furthermore, they may speed, drive recklessly or otherwise not adhere to Florida’s traffic safety laws.

Motorcyclists can, of course, also cause accidents, especially when they are inexperienced.  However, as the National Transportation Safety Board reports, the leading causes of motorcycle accidents include:

  • Perception failures, especially motorists failing to see the motorcycle – It can be difficult for people driving large vehicles to spot a motorcycle on the roadway, given the size of a motorcycle compared to a passenger or commercial vehicle. Motorists frequently fail to see a motorcycle in their mirrors or even right next to them. At intersections or when changing lanes, this perception failure can result in a collision.
  • Decision failures, especially motorists failing to make the correct decision to avoid a dangerous situation. When drivers decide to change lanes in front of a motorcycle, turn in front of a motorcycle or pass a motorcycle when there isn’t enough room to do so safely, they can cause serious accidents.
  • Door accidents – Occupants of parked vehicles often fail to check carefully for oncoming traffic before opening a vehicle door. This can be deadly for an approaching motorcyclist.
  • Dangerous road conditions – Wet roadways, uneven pavement, chipped asphalt, and obstacles in the roadway can all lead to a catastrophic collision.
  • Rider inexperience – By their very nature, motorcycles are more difficult – and more dangerous – to operate than cars and trucks. Inexperienced riders can easily lose control of their bikes and wind up crashing them.
  • Impaired drivers – Whether it’s the motorcyclist or the driver of another vehicle who is impaired, driving while under the influence on the part of either driver is a leading cause of serious accidents.

The Dennis Hernandez Tampa motorcycle accident lawyers are experienced at investigating accidents and getting evidence to show fault on a driver’s part. If you or a family member has been seriously injured in a motorcycle accident, you can trust our lawyers to investigate the accident thoroughly and find the evidence needed to prove the driver’s negligence caused, or at least contributed to, the accident.

What Are Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries in Florida?

Unfortunately, more than 80% of motorcycle accidents cause injuries. They can be as minor as road rash, but many are very serious or fatal. According to the Florida Department of Transportation, the most common types of fatal injuries from motorcycle crashes are injuries to the torso, lower extremities, and spinal column and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). For injuries that are not fatal but are serious enough to require hospitalization, more than 60% involve bone fractures and more than 27% involve injuries to internal organs.

Some of the more common serious motorcycle accident injuries in Florida include:

  • Broken or fractured bones – When a motorcycle crashes, the rider and/or passenger is often thrown from the bike at a high rate of speed. This can result in multiple broken or fractured bones, injuries that can affect accident victims for the rest of their lives.
  • Injured limbs – When a person’s hands, feet, arms or legs are seriously injured, it may be necessary to amputate them.
  • Spinal cord injuries – When someone is thrown from a motorcycle during an accident, a spinal cord injury can occur. This type of injury can cause permanent paralysis.
  • Traumatic brain injury (TBI) – If the rider or passenger is thrown from the motorcycle, they could suffer a head and traumatic brain injury (TBI). This type of injury can cause anything from a mild concussion to severe, even fatal, brain damage.
  • Death – Many serious motorcycle injuries ultimately lead to the victim’s death.

If you are a surviving family member of a motorcycle accident victim who suffered a fatal injury, you may be able to bring a wrongful death claim against the at-fault driver for damages, including your loved one’s pain and suffering, medical and funeral expenses, and lost income, as well as your losses related to losing a family member. The Dennis Hernandez Tampa wrongful death lawyers can help you understand the legal process involved in filing a successful wrongful death claim and pursuing the full, fair compensation to which you may be entitled.

What Are the Long-term Effects of Motorcycle Accident Injuries?

Many Tampa motorcycle accident victims require lengthy hospital stays, ongoing medical treatment and rehabilitation, and care at home. They suffer pain and emotional trauma and face many challenges, including:

  • Chronic pain
  • Stress and mental anguish
  • Inability to do many of the things they used to do
  • Loss of income
  • Mounting medical bills

Compensation for injuries doesn’t stop pain or prevent depression. However, it can alleviate many of your problems by helping you and your family handle the financial burden of medical and care expenses and focus on your recovery.

To obtain the full substantial compensation you deserve for your pain, suffering and losses, it is important to get help from an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer. Dennis Hernandez has been helping injured accident victims in Florida for over twenty-five years. His team of legal experts has helped clients receive millions of dollars in settlements and awards. We look forward to putting our successful experience and expertise to work for you.

What Kind of Compensation Is Available for Tampa Motorcycle Accident Injuries?

If you have been injured in a Tampa motorcycle accident caused or partially caused by someone else’s negligence, Florida law allows you to bring a personal injury claim against them, holding them liable for damages. In other words, you are entitled to sue the negligent party or parties for monetary compensation for the physical, emotional and financial damages caused by the accident.

By filing a claim, you may be able to obtain substantial compensation for both economic and non-economic damages, including:

  • Existing and future medical bills, including office visits, hospital stays, procedures, diagnostic testing, medications, assistive devices, rehabilitative therapy and transportation to appointments
  • Damage to your motorcycle
  • Lost wages due to not being able to work or to work in the same capacity as before the accident
  • Diminished earning capacity in the future
  • Mental anguish, PTSD and anxiety related to the accident and your injuries
  • Physical pain and suffering
  • Diminished enjoyment of life
  • Your family’s loss of your companionship, assistance and guidance
  • Other damages recoverable under Florida law

The Dennis Hernandez motorcycle accident lawyers are well equipped to assess the numerous damages you and your family have suffered because of the accident, amass the evidence needed to demonstrate your need for substantial compensation and fight to make sure you get the settlement or award you deserve.

Do I Need a Lawyer to Settle My Tampa Motorcycle Accident Case?

If you were seriously injured in a motorcycle accident, it is in your best interest to work with an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer. You are not required to have an attorney represent you, but having a good lawyer protecting your rights and advocating on your behalf can make a big difference in the amount of financial compensation you receive.

A settlement offer from the other driver’s insurance company is likely to be much less than the amount you would receive if you had an attorney negotiating on your behalf. Insurance company adjusters and other company representatives may try using several different tactics to get you to agree to a low settlement, or they may try denying payment altogether. However, they know that experienced Dennis Hernandez motorcycle accident lawyers will not be deterred from fighting for what their clients deserve, so they typically will not use the same tactics with us.

Moreover, having an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer negotiating on your behalf means that you do not have to communicate with the other driver’s insurance company at all.  If someone from the insurance company contacts you and asks for information, you can simply direct them to your lawyer.

Finally, if the insurance company does not make a satisfactory offer, an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer will be prepared to take your case to trial and fight in court for the full, fair amount you deserve. The Dennis Hernandez motorcycle accident attorneys never give up or settle for less than the full amount to which you are entitled.

How Long Do I Have to File a Claim for a Motorcycle Accident Injury in Florida?

The Florida statute of limitations for bringing a claim against another driver for a motorcycle injury accident is four years from the date of the accident. If you wait more than four years, you cannot file a claim.

Consulting with an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer as soon as possible can help you understand your legal rights and options and help ensure that your claim is filed within the appropriate time limit.

Why Should I Hire Dennis Hernandez Tampa Motorcycle Accident Lawyers?

If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, getting expert advice and help from an experienced Dennis Hernandez motorcycle accident lawyer is highly recommended. As an avid biker and personal injury lawyer with more than twenty-five years of successful experience helping clients throughout Florida, Hernandez understands the challenges you could be facing and wants to offer his firm’s expert advice and assistance to help you.

At the Dennis Hernandez law firm, you will get the best legal representation possible, and you pay nothing until we win a satisfactory settlement or jury award. As your lawyers, we will:

  • Listen closely to your description of the accident and its effects on your life.
  • Plan and implement a case strategy to help you obtain the maximum compensation.
  • Utilize our firm’s resources to assure that all evidence necessary to prove negligence and demonstrate the full extent of your need for substantial compensation is collected in a timely manner.
  • Negotiate aggressively with the at-fault driver’s insurance company for the total amount of compensation you deserve.
  • Keep you abreast of all developments in your case and respond promptly to all of your questions and concerns.
  • Never advise you to accept a settlement offer that is less than you deserve.
  • Be well prepared to take your case to court and fight to win the substantial award you need and deserve.

Many Florida personal injury lawyers will do everything in their power to settle with insurance companies and avoid going to trial, but we never back down.

We will build a strong case to demonstrate your need for compensation for physical, emotional, and financial damages resulting from the motorcycle accident, and we will leverage our trial experience, resources and skill to fight for the compensation you deserve. Working with us means you will be supported through the entire legal process.

Call us today at 855-529-3366 or fill in the FREE CASE EVALUATION form on our website to get the expert legal help you need to win your Tampa motorcycle accident case.

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