Hickory Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Hickory Motorcycle Accident Attorney

Riding a motorcycle can be a thrilling experience. Hitting the open road on these vehicles allows you to take in the beautiful North Carolina landscape and enjoy the state’s seasonable weather. Unfortunately, due to their nature, motorcycles offer riders less protection than the average car or truck, so when an accident occurs involving a motorcycle, the rider typically suffers severe injuries. A Hickory motorcycle accident lawyer can help recover compensation.

Our Firm Has More Than 40 Years of Experience Helping Personal Injury Victims

At Roberts Law Firm, P.A., we have over 40 years of experience assisting clients who have suffered injuries or property damage in a wide array of personal injury cases, including those involving motorcycle accidents. If you suffered injuries due to the negligent or reckless driving or behavior of another individual or entity, the team at Roberts Law Firm, P.A., is passionate about securing you compensation and justice so you can focus on rest and recovery.

Additionally, if you lost someone you love due to a motorcycle accident, our attorneys can help file a wrongful death claim against the liable party in order to recover compensation to assist you through the loss of your family member and help you adjust to life following their death. At Roberts Law Firm, P.A., we understand that these are difficult times and hope to offer the legal care, counsel, and representation you deserve as a victim of a motorcycle accident.

Common Reasons for Motorcycle Accidents in Hickory, North Carolina

Many motorcycle accidents occur because the at-fault driver did not notice their presence on the roadway prior to the occurrence of the accident. Common types of motorcycle accidents include the following:

• Left-turn accidents. These accidents happen when the liable drivers turn left in front of a motorcycle who is attempting to legally pass them or who is approaching in the oncoming lane of traffic.
• Lane change accidents. These accidents occur when a vehicle changes lanes before checking its mirrors or blind spots and sideswipes a motorcycle in a parallel lane of traffic.
• Head-on collisions. These accidents happen when the liable driver maneuvers their vehicle into the oncoming lane in order to pass another car and collides with a motorcycle that is coming from the opposite direction.

There are many reasons why these accidents take place. In Hickory, North Carolina, common reasons for motorcycle accidents include the following:

• Distracted driving. When a driver takes part in any action that removes their eyes from the road or their hands from the wheel, it is considered to be distracted driving. Common behaviors of distracted driving include texting and driving, eating, grooming, or drinking while driving, interacting with passengers, reaching for something inside the vehicle, or tuning the radio or temperature controls.
• Reckless driving. When a driver takes part in actions of reckless driving, such as speeding, racing, aggressive driving, road rage, or violating traffic laws, they can cause serious accidents that can affect other drivers around them, including motorcycles.
• Fatigued driving. When a driver falls asleep at the wheel or is driving while less alert, they have a slower reaction time, which can make them more likely to be involved or cause an accident.
• Driving under the influence. Not only can driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol cause devastating injuries and even fatalities, but it is also illegal. Alcohol or illegal drugs are not the only substances involved in these wrecks, either. Even some over-the-counter or prescription medication can cause a driver to operate their vehicle in an impaired manner, causing them to have poor judgment and a slower reaction speed.
• Tailgating. Many car and truck drivers don’t realize that a motorcycle can stop much quicker than they can and at a lesser distance than they can. A tailgating driver can find it impossible to keep from hitting the motorcycle if the motorcycle driver stops suddenly.
• Poor road conditions. When a local or state governing body fails to maintain its roads, it can cause conditions for accidents to arise. These conditions can include loose gravel, cracked or missing pavement, and potholes.
• Inclement weather. When a roadway is affected by fog, ice, rain, heavy wind, or snow, it can cause conditions where a driver may lose control of their vehicle more easily.
• Malfunctioning or defective vehicle components. When a car or motorcycle suffers malfunctioning or defective parts or systems, such as brakes, tires, engines, or steering systems, accidents can occur.

If you suffered any of these accidents or believe your motorcycle accident was caused by one of these conditions, Roberts Law Firm, P.A., can help. In cases where you do not know the cause of your motorcycle accident, we can review the details of the crash and help determine a cause. In doing so, we have the ability to uncover the liable party and hold them accountable for the damages you have sustained.

Roberts Law Firm, P.A.: Supporting You After a North Carolina Personal Injury

For years, the team at Roberts Law Firm, P.A., has been helping folks get back on their feet physically and financially after suffering an injury due to the negligence or reckless behavior of another individual or entity. We hope to provide all of our clients with the compassion and care they deserve, and we are ready to serve you with our experience and resources to ensure you receive the compensation necessary to recover from your injuries.

When you work with the team at Roberts Law Firm, P.A., you can expect us to take the following actions in your case:

• We can review the details of your motorcycle accident in order to determine the cause, liability, and how much your claim may be worth.
• We can work to gather certain forms of evidence to support your claim, such as photos or videos of the scene or of your injuries and property damage, along with copies of the police report, eyewitness statements, and any pertinent surveillance footage.
• We can help file the necessary paperwork for your claim within the official deadlines as imposed by the state of North Carolina and ensure everything is filed through the proper channels.
• We can then enter into negotiations with the at-fault party, their legal team, and their insurance company to reach a fair settlement amount that satisfies the damages you have sustained.
• If these negotiations are not fruitful and the opposing parties do not cooperate, we can take your case to court and argue your claim before a judge and jury to make sure you get all of the recompense you deserve.

When you work with us on a motorcycle accident injury claim, there are a few elements we need to prove in order to demonstrate the validity of your claim of negligence and liability. We can use collected evidence in order to prove the following elements:

• The liable party owed you a duty of care to operate their vehicle in a reasonably safe manner.
• The liable driver, through negligence or reckless behavior, breached this duty.
• This breach of duty caused the motorcycle accident.
• Due to this breach of duty and the resulting accident, you suffered injuries that caused you to sustain certain economic and non-economic damages.

Common forms of damages that the attorneys at Roberts Law Firm, P.A., can seek for you because of the motorcycle accident damages that you suffered include:

• Economic damages. These damages are those which can easily be assigned a monetary value. They can include items such as medical bills, lost wages, the loss of your earning ability due to temporary or permanent disability, and future anticipated medical costs.
• Non-economic damages. These damages offer a higher degree of difficulty when trying to assign them a monetary value. They can include things like pain and suffering, loss of consortium, loss of the enjoyment of life, emotional distress, and mental anguish.
• Punitive damages. Though these damages are rarely awarded, they can come about in cases where the courts believe the actions of the liable party to be especially egregious or grossly negligent. Punitive damages are typically awarded in order to punish the liable party and keep them from making similar actions in the future.
• Wrongful death damages. When an individual dies as a result of their injuries, certain family members, such as a spouse or child, can file a claim for wrongful death damages. These can include things like medical bills incurred due to the accident and prior to the family member’s death, the lost wages of the deceased, and any funeral or burial costs.

Common Injuries That Result From Motorcycle Accidents

Victims of motorcycle accidents can suffer a variety of devastating and even fatal injuries. Common types of these injuries include broken bones and fractures, amputations, road rash, burns, soft tissue damage, nerve damage, internal bleeding, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and damage to the internal organs.

Speak With a Compassionate Hickory Motorcycle Accident Lawyer to Discuss Your Case

If you suffered injuries or property damage in a Hickory motorcycle accident, Roberts Law Firm, P.A., can help. Contact our offices today to learn more information regarding our services and to schedule your initial consultation.