Motorcycle accidents in Phoenix can lead to severe consequences. From the bustling streets of downtown to the open highways of the surrounding area, motorcycle riders face unique challenges and risks.
A motorcycle lacks a car or other enclosed vehicle’s protective barriers. Without a car's structural frame and safety features, riders are directly exposed to the impact of a collision. Additionally, motorcycles' smaller size and visibility make them less noticeable to other drivers, increasing the risk of accidents.
After a crash, especially one involving other vehicles, a motorcycle accident can result in severe injuries and even death. On average, a car can weigh anywhere from 2,500 to 4,000 pounds or more, depending on its size and type. In contrast, motorcycles are much lighter, typically 300 to 700 pounds. This vast difference in weight influences the outcome of collisions.
For help after a serious accident, contact the experienced Phoenix motorcycle accident lawyers at Impact Legal. We will work to secure compensation for your injuries and losses.
Schedule a free consultationWhy Choose Impact Legal for Your Phoenix Motorcycle Accident Claim?
Choosing Impact Legal for your Phoenix motorcycle accident claim is a wise decision. We understand the unique challenges and complexities of motorcycle accident cases.
We understand that motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable in crashes. There are no restraint systems like the ones in cars, such as seat belts and airbags, which can mitigate injuries in an accident.
Our experienced Phoenix personal injury lawyers are committed to providing compassionate, professional, and effective legal assistance.
Our team has a proven track record of successfully representing clients in Phoenix, ensuring they receive the compensation they deserve. We prioritize your well-being and are dedicated to making the legal process as straightforward as possible. When you choose Impact Legal, you're choosing experienced advocates who are passionate about helping you through this difficult time.
With offices in Phoenix, we are familiar with local and state laws that may affect your right to file a personal injury claim. Call us at (602) 345-1818 to discuss your unique case with an attorney. We're ready to help.
Our Phoenix Office Location and Headquarters
Impact Legal Car Accident Attorneys is at 16202 North Cave Creek Road, Suite D, Phoenix, AZ 85032. You can call us at (602) 345-1818 to meet with one of our personal injury attorneys to discuss your claim.
Phoenix Accident Statistics
According to the Arizona Department of Health Services (AZDHS), the third leading cause of injury-related deaths in the Greater Phoenix Area was unintentional motor vehicle traffic crashes, at 349, or 22 percent of injury-related deaths in the Phoenix area.
The second most reported victims of traffic-related accidents are motorcyclists. There were 62 deaths among motorcyclists, making up 18 percent of the total number of traffic fatalities.
The Phoenix Street Transportation Department recorded 25,224 collisions annually, resulting in 9,173 injuries and 185 fatalities. Seventy-eight percent of all crashes were either rear end, left turn, angle, or single vehicle. There were 556 reported motorcycle crashes, resulting in 437 injuries and 39 fatalities.
The City of Phoenix averages 85 traffic crashes per day, according to the City of Phoenix Transportation Department. There is an average of one fatal crash every other day.
Statewide, in its most recent crash facts summary, the Arizona Department of Transportation (AZDOT) reported 119,991 traffic crashes. These crashes resulted in 35,878 injuries and 1,178 deaths. Phoenix led the state with 38,331 crashes, 282 fatalities, and 10,668 injuries.
AZDOT noted that this means approximately 3.55 people die in traffic accidents in the state every day, and about 144 people are injured in traffic crashes daily.
Hazards for Motorcycle Riders in Phoenix
Motorcycle riders across the United States, including those in Phoenix, face several common hazards. Motorcycles lack the protective enclosure that cars provide. In an accident, riders are exposed to the impact, increasing the risk of injury.
Motorcycles are also smaller and less visible than cars, making it easier for other drivers to overlook them in traffic.
Uneven road surfaces, potholes, gravel, and debris pose a higher risk to motorcyclists, as these factors can lead to loss of control. Riding at high speeds, especially on highways, increases the severity of accidents. Motorcycles are less stable at high speeds.
The behavior of other drivers can pose significant dangers to motorcyclists. Many drivers still need to learn how to share the road with motorcycles, leading to misjudgments and accidents.
While Arizona doesn't have many specific laws for how other motorists interact with motorcycles, following these general guidelines promotes safe and respectful sharing of the road with motorcycles and helps reduce the risk of accidents.
- Respecting Lane Position: Motorcycles often change positions within their lanes to increase visibility and avoid road hazards. Give them space, and do not crowd them in their lane.
- Maintaining a Safe Following Distance: Motorists should maintain a safe following distance behind motorcycles. Motorcycles can stop more quickly than cars, making tailgating particularly dangerous.
- Use of Turn Signals: Always use turn signals to indicate your intentions to other road users, including motorcycles. This helps riders anticipate your actions.
- Checking Blind Spots: Motorists should routinely check their blind spots before changing lanes or making turns. Motorcycles are harder to spot due to their smaller size.
- Right-of-Way: Give motorcycles the right-of-way when it is their turn, just as you would with any other vehicle.
- Avoiding Distracted Driving: Distracted driving, such as texting or using a phone while driving, is a significant hazard for all road users, including motorcyclists. Avoid these behaviors.
- Being Cautious at Intersections: Intersections are common locations for motorcycle accidents. Motorists should exercise extra caution and double-check for motorcycles before proceeding.
- Sharing the Road Respectfully: Treat motorcyclists with the same respect and courtesy as you would other drivers. Don't attempt to impede or block them.
Arizona does have specific laws and regulations that apply to motorcycle riders. These include:
- Helmet Laws: Arizona has passed no universal helmet law. However, riders under 18 must wear a helmet. Riders over 18 need not wear a helmet if they have at least $20,000 in medical insurance coverage.
- Eye Protection: If a motorcycle lacks a windshield, riders must wear protective eyewear, such as goggles or a face shield.
- Handlebar Height: The handlebars on a motorcycle cannot be higher than the rider's shoulders when seated on the motorcycle.
- Passenger Footrests: Motorcycles carrying passengers must have passenger footrests.
- Insurance Requirements: Like all motor vehicle operators in Arizona, motorcycle riders must carry liability insurance.
Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries
Motorcycle accidents can result in severe injuries due to the lack of protection inherent in riding a motorcycle.
Common motorcycle accident injuries include:
- Head Injuries: Traumatic brain injury (TBI), concussions, and skull fractures are common motorcycle accident injuries. Helmets significantly reduce the risk of head injuries but do not entirely prevent injury.
- Biker's Arm: Riders may instinctively extend their arms to break their fall in a fall or collision. This can lead to fractures, dislocations, and nerve damage in the arms, often called biker's arm.
- Leg Injuries: Leg injuries are common due to the exposed nature of a motorcycle. These can include fractures, severe contusions, and knee or ankle damage.
- Foot and Ankle Injuries: Injuries can range from sprains and fractures to more severe damage, often requiring surgery and long-term treatment.
- Crush Injuries: The motorcycle or another vehicle can trap or crush riders' legs during an accident, leading to complex injuries and the risk of compartment syndrome.
- Compartment syndrome: A medical condition that develops when pressure within a muscle compartment becomes excessively elevated. This can restrict blood flow, leading to muscle and nerve damage.
- Limb Amputations: In catastrophic accidents, limb amputations may occur, leading to permanent disability and significant lifestyle changes.
- Road Rash: When riders skid along the road surface, they can suffer from road rash, a painful skin abrasion. Proper protective gear, including abrasion-resistant clothing, can help mitigate this injury.
- Fractures and Broken Bones: Motorcycle accidents frequently lead to broken bones, such as wrists, arms, legs, and collarbones.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: These can result in paralysis or long-term disability, depending on the severity of the injury.
- Disfigurement: Severe accidents can result in disfigurement, including facial injuries and scarring, which can have lasting psychological and emotional effects.
- Soft Tissue Injuries: Muscular strains, ligament sprains, and other soft tissue injuries are common, often due to the abrupt forces exerted on the body during a crash.
- Internal Injuries: Blunt force trauma can lead to internal injuries, including damage to organs, which may not immediately appear but can still kill a motorcyclist.
- Burns: In some accidents, motorcycle riders can suffer burns due to contact with hot engine parts or the road surface.
- Emotional Trauma: Beyond physical injuries, motorcycle accidents can also lead to emotional trauma, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety.
- Wrongful Death: In the worst cases, a motorcycle rider or passenger may die in a crash.
Motorcycle riders should wear appropriate protective gear, including helmets, gloves, jackets, and pants, to reduce the risk and severity of these injuries. Safe riding practices, defensive driving, and obeying traffic laws can prevent accidents and their associated injuries.
Unfortunately, even when motorcycle operators take every precaution, a serious accident may injure them through no fault of their own. If you were seriously injured in a motorcycle accident or a negligent driver killed a loved one, contact a personal injury lawyer with experience handling motorcycle accident claims.
Impact Legal has helped hundreds of people file personal injury claims or wrongful death lawsuits to recover compensation for their losses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Should I Hire a Phoenix Motorcycle Accident Attorney?
A Phoenix motorcycle accident attorney with experience in this field can navigate the intricacies of personal injury law and insurance claims. An experienced attorney can help you pursue the maximum compensation you deserve for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages your motorcycle accident caused you.
Attorneys can thoroughly investigate the accident, gathering evidence to support your claim. This includes obtaining witness statements, accident reports, and medical records.
Attorneys are skilled negotiators who can engage with insurance companies on your behalf to secure a fair settlement. Motorcycle accident attorneys understand the tactics used by insurance companies to minimize payouts and can counter these strategies effectively. If the insurer balks at a fair settlement, an attorney can take your case to court and represent your interests before a judge and jury.
An attorney protects your rights throughout the legal process so you don’t unintentionally make statements that could harm your case.
Dealing with a motorcycle accident and its aftermath can emotionally and physically tax you. An attorney can shoulder the legal burden, allowing you to focus on recovery. A good attorney provides compassionate guidance throughout the legal process, understanding a motorcycle accident’s physical and emotional toll.
The Impact Legal team works on a contingency fee basis, so you only pay if we secure compensation for you. A qualified motorcycle accident attorney in Phoenix enhances your chances of a successful outcome, protecting your rights and obtaining the compensation needed to recover from the accident.
Who May You Hold Liable for a Motorcycle Crash?
Liability in a motorcycle crash can vary depending on the specific circumstances, but potential parties that you may hold liable include:
- Other Drivers: Often, the primary liability falls on another driver who acted negligently, such as by running a red light, failing to yield the right of way, or driving recklessly.
- Vehicle Manufacturers: If a defect in the motorcycle caused a motorcycle crash, you can hold the manufacturer liable for a product liability claim.
- Government Entities: Poorly maintained roads or inadequate signage and road design can contribute to accidents. In such cases, you can hold the government agencies responsible for road maintenance liable.
- Passengers or Third Parties: Passengers on the motorcycle or other third parties could share liability if their actions contributed to the accident.
Determining liability in a motorcycle crash requires a thorough investigation to establish fault. Consult a qualified attorney who can assess the specifics of your case and identify the responsible parties.
Potential Damages for a Phoenix Motorcycle Accident Claim
You can seek economic and non-economic damages in a Phoenix motorcycle accident claim.
Here’s a breakdown of potential damages in each category:
Economic Damages
- Medical Expenses: This includes past and future medical bills related to your injuries, such as hospitalization, surgeries, doctor’s visits, medications, and rehabilitation.
- Lost Wages: Compensation for the income you lost due to the accident, including time off work for recovery or medical appointments.
- Property Damage: Reimbursement for repairing or replacing your motorcycle and other damaged personal property.
- Future Earnings: If your injuries result in a long-term disability that impacts your ability to work and earn a living, you can claim damages for future lost earnings.
Non-Economic Damages
- Pain and Suffering: Compensation for the physical and emotional distress, pain, and suffering you’ve endured because of the accident and your injuries.
- Emotional Distress: Damages for psychological trauma, anxiety, and other emotional suffering that can result from a motorcycle accident.
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life: Compensation for losing the ability to enjoy life’s activities and experiences as you did before the accident.
- Loss of Consortium: If the accident affected your spousal relationship, your spouse may recover damages for the loss of companionship, support, and intimacy.
- Scarring and Disfigurement: Additional compensation for any permanent scarring or disfigurement resulting from the accident.
- Wrongful Death Damages: In cases of a fatal motorcycle accident, surviving family members can seek compensation for funeral expenses, loss of financial support, and the emotional impact of the loss.
- Punitive Damages: In rare cases involving extreme negligence or intentional misconduct, punitive damages may punish the at-fault party and deter similar behavior.
The specific damages you can claim will depend on the circumstances of your case and the extent of your injuries. Consult an experienced motorcycle accident attorney who can assess your situation and help you seek the appropriate compensation.
How Long Do I Have to File a Phoenix Personal Injury Claim?
The Arizona Statute of Limitations sets a two-year time limit for filing a personal injury claim. Failing to file within this timeframe can zero out your claim’s value.
Contact Impact Legal Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Today
If you're in a motorcycle accident, you need experienced legal guidance.
Contact Impact Legal motorcycle accident attorneys today. We're here to provide the support and representation you need to navigate the complexities of your case.
We make your well-being and the compensation you deserve our top priorities.
We explain the legal process in a straightforward manner, ensuring you understand every step of your car accident claim.
Your case is unique, and we tailor our strategies to fit your specific needs and circumstances.
Our personal injury lawyers are a call or text away. Contact us for a free consultation at (602) 345-1818, or fill out the contact form on this website, and we'll contact you.