Most people view those who ride motorcycles as engaging in risky behavior, which often leads to the wrongful assumption that when an accident happens, the motorcyclist must be at fault. In reality, the majority of motorcycle accidents are caused by the driver of the other vehicle.
Due to the complete absence of safety features on motorcycles, riders are 35 times more at risk of being killed in an accident than someone inside a passenger vehicle. 80% of all motorcycle accidents result in death or serious injury to the motorcyclist, while the comparable number for passenger vehicles is roughly 20%. If you were seriously injured in a motorcycle crash through no fault of your own, the Detroit motorcycle accident lawyers at the Law Office of Christopher Trainor & Associates will help you file a claim and, if necessary, a motorcycle accident lawsuit.
Our Detroit motorcycle accident attorneys will work diligently to show that the driver of the striking vehicle committed negligence and that negligence was the cause of your accident and injuries. To ensure a successful outcome for your case, our lawyers will:
Call us today to schedule a free consultation with one of the experienced Detroit motorcycle accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Christopher Trainor & Associates.
After decades of fighting for the rights of those injured in Detroit motorcycle accidents, we know exactly how disastrous a motorcycle accident can be. That is why we work hard to obtain the maximum amount of financial compensation under the law at absolutely no upfront cost.
When you partner with our personal injury law firm, you never pay anything upfront for our services and you will not owe any attorney fees unless we achieve a successful outcome to your case. At that point, we will collect our fee in the form of a previously agreed-upon percentage of your total settlement award. This payment arrangement, known as a contingency fee, guarantees that our interests are always aligned with our clients’ interests. We do not get paid unless you do.
As mentioned earlier, a very small percentage of Detroit motorcycle accidents are actually caused by the motorcyclist. In most collisions, the motorcyclist is not found negligent, meaning the crash was not their fault. On the balance, motorcycle accidents occur when a negligent driver ignores the fact that motorcyclists are afforded the same duty of care as the driver of any other type of vehicle.
In Detroit, and throughout Michigan, the leading causes of motorcycle collisions are listed as:
If you ride a motorcycle then you are probably already aware that police like to ascribe fault for any accident to you, even when the other driver was the one to blame. The Detroit motorcycle accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Christopher Trainor & Associates have the experience and skill necessary to thoroughly investigate your accident and prove that you were not the negligent driver.
A total of 2,728 motorcycle accidents took place in Michigan in 2018, representing a slight decrease from the year before. Of those, 192 were fatal and another 2,004 resulted in some degree of injury to the rider, and just under 45% cited driver intoxication as a contributing factor in the crash. Deer were involved in a total of 242 motorcycle accidents that led to 170 injuries and nine deaths.
The largest numbers of motorcycle accident injuries by county are as follows:
In Michigan, the No-Fault Act permits owners and drivers of motor vehicles to collect as much as $1,000.00 from the liable driver and owner to cover any necessary vehicle repairs or replacements. Motorcycle riders, however, are not eligible to file a claim because they are specifically for motor vehicles, and according to Michigan’s No-Fault Act, a motorcycle is not defined as a motor vehicle.
For accidents involving two or more motorcycles, the owner of the motorcycle and the at-fault driver, who may or may not be the same person, are liable for any repairs or damages to your bike. In this case, the victim would file a claim against their own insurance provider in order to get their bike replaced or repaired.
Accidents involving motorcycles often cause severe and even catastrophic injuries to motorcyclists and their passengers. The motorcycle accident injuries that occur most frequently in Detroit are:
Motorcycle accident victims typically require multiple surgeries, extended hospitalizations, and costly physical rehabilitation. Most of the above-listed injuries lead to lifelong disabilities that will have a huge impact on the victim’s family, work, and private life.
When trying to determine who is liable for your Detroit motorcycle accident, odds are that an intoxicated or distracted driver was the cause. If you were not at fault for the collision that caused your injuries and other damages, you should not be responsible for covering them. This means that proving that the other driver was at fault for your accident is an essential step in the claims process.
Our Detroit, MI motorcycle accident lawyers can perform an investigation into your motorcycle accident and gather strong evidence that supports your version of events. If your accident was caused by another person’s negligence, the attorneys at the Law Offices of Christopher Trainor & Associates will work to prove it and ensure that you receive the financial compensation and justice that you and your family deserve.
Common causes of Detroit motorcycle accidents involving negligennce are as follows:
Yes, even if you were partially responsible for your own motorcycle accident and subsequent injuries, you are still eligible to file a claim. However, Michigan fault laws state that any financial compensation awarded to you will be decreased by the same percentage of fault. The state abides by the law of modified comparative negligence, which means that you are still entitled to recover financial compensation provided that you were not responsible for 51% or more of the accident.
For instance, if you are found 25% at fault for the accident and the other driver is found 75% at fault, you may still bring a claim for 75% of your total damages. Any compensation award you receive will be lowered in proportion to your measure of fault, but you will not be totally barred from collecting.
Our lawyers have been handling the complexities of comparative negligence and its impact on motorcycle accident victims for decades. Our primary aim is to decrease your percentage of fault and maximize your financial recovery by as much as possible. We will fully investigate you accident and demonstrate how and why the other party bears the larger portion of the liability.
After being injured in a motorcycle crash, it must be determined if you are eligible for no-fault benefits, and if so, which insurance carrier is responsible for covering your medical bills and expenses.
Many motorcyclists also choose to purchase MedPay coverage to supplement their motorcycle insurance and ensure that, in the event of a serious accident, their medical expenses will be covered. This is crucial because if your accident did not involve another vehicle, your no-fault benefits won’t be paid out and your medical bills will not be covered. When it comes to lost earnings, motorcycle accident victims are eligible to collect 85% of their income for up to three years. Michigan personal injury law does place a monthly cap on this benefit.
If a member of your family was killed in a motorcycle accident that they did not cause, certain surviving relatives are entitled to bring a wrongful death lawsuit against the at-fault party. A claim of wrongful death is one that pursues financial compensation for the pain and suffering endured by the victim before their passing, the loss of fellowship endured by surviving members of the family, as well as additional claims as permitted pursuant to the state’s wrongful death act.
In order to begin building your case, your motorcycle accident attorney is going to ask you a lot of questions. This allows us to find out details that will assist us in ensuring that we build the most compelling case possible on your behalf. This process will also include negotiating with insurance carriers and, if necessary, submitting evidence in court.
As we work on your case, we will draft a persuasive and robust narrative that fully explains the how, who, and why of your motorcycle crash, injuries, and damages, all of which are paramount to the success of your injury claim. Your Detroit motorcycle accident lawyer might ask you questions such as:
About 95% of all pending personal injury lawsuits in the United States are resolved with a pre-trial settlement. So, it is highly unlikely that your motorcycle accident case will end up in court. On the off chance that court does prove necessary, a Detroit motorcycle accident lawyer from our team can litigate the case on your behalf.
For a lot of people, especially injured motorcycle accident victims, the mere thought of having to go to court can be overwhelming. Fortunately, when you work with an attorney from the Law Offices of Christopher Trainor & Associates, we will deal with every aspect of the personal injury process for you and let you concentrate on getting better.
Although the majority of motorcycle accident claims are settled through strategic and complex negotiations without ever seeing the inside of a courtroom, if the insurance company refuses to compensate you fairly, we will represent you in court. Our objective is to settle your case out of court because it is the quickest path to you collecting a compensation check and avoiding the stress of a trial. However, from day one, we begin preparing your motorcycle accident case with a trial in mind so, should the moment arrive, we will be ready to offer you the best legal representation possible. This also makes insurance companies more likely to offer full and fair financial compensation because they know our firm will not hesitate to take them to court.
Following serious motorcycle accidents, injured victims often find they have a lot on their plates. They are undergoing medical treatments and working to recover from their injuries, and they are worried about finding a way to pay their bills while they are out of work, all while trying to figure out how to file a claim. This is where a skilled attorney can step in and oversee the legal aspects of your case while you focus on healing. Other ways in which our attorneys can help you after a Detroit motorcycle accident include:
Our Detroit motorcycle accident lawyers will be by your side through the claims process. We will offer reliable advice, make sure you know and understand your rights, and fight to win you the settlement you need and deserve.
Motorcyclists should be able to enjoy the freedom that comes with riding without having to worry about what will happen if they are injured due to another party’s negligence. Unfortunately, given their lack of physical protection, accidents involving motorcycles often lead to severe injuries whose treatment can run into the tens of thousands and even millions.
Many motorcycle accident victims require extended courses of rehabilitation, therapy, and medical treatment, which can cause them to be unable to return to work, and even require a lengthy time in a residential rehabilitation facility. All of this means that victims incur massive and continuing medical expenses. If you lost a family member in a fatal motorcycle accident, you could also be facing huge medical bills, funerary costs, and other expenses related to your loved one’s passing.
The Detroit motorcycle accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Christopher Trainor & Associates have the experience, knowledge, skill, and resources you need to obtain the maximum settlement amount for your damages. Contact us as soon as possible by calling (248) 886-8650 or filling out the contact form on our website to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.
