Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Serving West Virginia and Ohio
Frequently Asked Questions
What injuries are most common in motorcycle accidents?
The most common is head injury, and this causes the most deaths. They are not all fatal, but they are usually serious and can cause permanent disability. Also frequent are spinal injuries, which again can cause permanent disability, burns, and bone fractures.
When the accident occurred I was wearing no helmet. Does that matter?
It depends on how you were injured. If you were not injured in the head, but in the legs, for example, where a helmet would not have protected you anyway, it will probably not matter. However, the amount of damages you eventually receive will perhaps be reduced because you wore no helmet. You can discuss your specific case with a motorcycle accident lawyer to learn more.
What sort of compensation could I receive?
Your exact compensation will be an individual matter. But in general, you could be compensated for:
- Medical costs, present and future
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
- Lost wages, present and future
- Lost relationship with your spouse
- Out-of-pocket expenses related to your injuries
Punitive damages, awarded to punish a negligent driver who caused the accident, are not frequent, but in cases where the other driver was particularly negligent, are sometimes awarded to the injured person.
I lost a loved one in a motorcycle accident. What recourse do I have?
Family members may be able to file a wrongful death claim, depending on the particulars of the accident. You would need to consult a wrongful death attorney for specific information in your case. It would be wise to consult such an attorney as soon as possible.
How can I best protect myself as a motorcycle rider?
Wear a helmet. This is the law in Ohio and West Virginia. Certainly obey the rules of the road; that’s a given. Riding a motorcycle is exhilarating and it’s easy to break speed limits, so pay particular attention to the posted limits. Remember that too often drivers cannot see you, or do not see you quickly enough. Sometimes that’s because of lighting conditions or fog, for example, but often it’s because a motorcycle is relatively small. So avoid impulsive movements like darting into another lane, or suddenly passing a vehicle. Remember that most drivers have a blind spot. If you can’t see the driver’s face in his rear view mirror, he probably can’t see you either, so move further forward, or fall back a little. In general, safe motorcycle riding calls for more caution and attention to surrounding vehicles.
Our practice is to treat all our clients with the utmost respect, starting with the initial consultation. We start by listening, to try and form a clear picture of your particular motorcycle accident, and then we ask some questions to fill out the picture. Please call or email the law offices of Jim Leach today for a confidential appointment. From there, we can start building a case for you.
Our motorcycle accident lawyer represent injured victims throughout West Virginia and Southern Ohio including the communities of Belpre, Marietta, Parkersburg, Morgantown, Charleston, Wheeling, Athens, Jackson, Vienna, Huntington, Ravenswood and Ripley.
1.866.janjim1