Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Miami Must-Dos

Finding the best motorcycle accident lawyer Miami has to offer is the fastest way to win fair damages for injuries. Choosing the right legal team is critical if you or a loved one is involved in a motorcycle accident. 

Every motorcycle owner knows it is more dangerous on the roads for bikes than for people driving in cars and trucks. The freedom and excitement of riding a motorcycle come with risks. On a bike, serious injuries are much more likely because there is nothing between you and the road or other vehicles. 

But owning and riding a motorcycle doesn’t mean you are without rights. Motorcyclists enjoy the same rights as other drivers, and in some areas, there are laws designed specifically to protect them. 

Let’s take a look at some of the motorcycle laws in Florida and what you should do after a motorcycle accident. 

Florida Motorcycle Laws

Florida is relatively relaxed when it comes to motorcycle requirements. In some states, people who want to ride motorcycles must take special courses and apply for a different category of driver’s license. Not so in Florida.

Here, riders attend a basic safety course and add an endorsement to the license they already have. Still, there is a lot to know about motorcycle safety. Check out these tips to protect yourself on the road. 

Motorcyclists are required to carry specific levels of bodily injury liability insurance coverage. There are also some property liability insurance coverage requirements. 

Understanding what you must do to ride legally is easy in Florida. If you are ever in doubt, you can ask your insurance company, the DMV, or a motorcycle accident lawyer Miami office for more information. 

What Happens in a Motorcycle Accident?

Motorcyclists often report that other drivers become aggressive around them. For whatever reason, some people resent the fact that motorcyclists are on the road. 

When riders attempt to accommodate other cars or trucks, people assume they are taking advantage of traffic laws. 

When they abide by laws and operate much like a typical car, people accuse them of trying to “own” the road. 

Hot tempers and aggressive driving cause accidents no matter what type of vehicles are involved. When they involve motorcycles, though, the stakes are usually higher. Riders collide with the street, with other cars, and are hospitalized or die at higher rates than people in passenger vehicle collisions. 

What should you do after a motorcycle accident? How do you make sure any negligent or aggressive drivers are held responsible for their actions?

For the best motorcycle accident lawyer, Miami residents must choose a legal team with experience representing motorcyclist clients and a track record of winning settlements in and out of court to pay for recovery. 

How a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Miami Specialist Will Help You After an Accident

An experienced motorcycle accident lawyer will determine fault. Assigning liability is a major step in winning damages and holding people responsible for mistakes on the road. 

Here’s what you can expect:

Gathering Evidence From the Accident

While it’s true that police officers and other first responders deal with a lot of accidents on the road, motorcycle accidents are more nuanced. There are often small details that affected conditions before the accident which require the keen eye of an experienced attorney. 

Access to Recordings

In many places in Florida, intersections have video cameras that capture vehicles. If possible, your attorney will locate any footage of the accident to use in court or during settlement negotiations. Video evidence is a big part of successful motorcycle accident injury cases. 

Assigning Liability 

Who is at fault for what happened? It’s sometimes hard to tell when motorcyclists are hit from behind or blindsided by a vehicle. One of the most important things your lawyer will do is identify liable parties in your accident. Whether it’s an aggressive driver or a trucker driving negligently, you must discover who was responsible for the accident. 

What You Should Do After a Motorcycle Accident

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of riding a motorcycle around in Florida’s great weather. You can take in the sights, feel the breeze, and visit places conveniently. 

All of those benefits to riding a motorcycle, though, come with risks. If you’re in an accident, hopefully, you were wearing a helmet and other protective gear. Even then, the chance of serious injury or death is higher than in passenger vehicle accidents. 

The way you react and what you say and do after an accident is crucial to a successful personal injury case. Here are some tips to follow if you are someone you love is hit while riding a motorcycle. 

• Make Sure Everyone Is OK

Health and safety come first, even after an accident. Before anything else, make sure you and anyone else involved is safe. As a precaution, call EMS and wait for first responders. 

Motorcycle accident injuries are often obvious, but sometimes they are deceiving. When your adrenaline is pumping, you may not notice a sprained neck or internal bleeding. When in doubt, go to the hospital. Don’t move yourself or anyone else who is hurt unless they are in imminent danger. Wait for the ambulance. 

• Take Pictures & Video

Whenever possible, take out your phone and start taking pictures of your motorcycle, the area, other cars around you, and other individuals involved in the accident. Take video recordings to capture the aftermath of the accident. Pictures and videos will help you in court and as you deal with liable parties. 

• Collect Witness Information

You should get the contact information of other people involved in the accident. Additionally, write down phone numbers, emails, or other contact methods of people who saw what happened. 

• Contact Your Lawyer

For a motorcycle accident lawyer, Miami accident victims need a firm with experience and the resources to fight for and win justice. While it shouldn’t be the first thing you do after an accident, it’s up there on the list. Your attorney will guide you on what you should say and do to protect your case and win you the compensation you deserve. It’s important to act quickly because evidence can be lost or destroyed, and witnesses can disappear.

A Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Miami Firm Helps Lessen the Financial Impact

Motorcycle fender benders happen, but serious injuries are very common. For people involved in motorcycle accidents, they often struggle with months off of work due to injuries. They spend a lot of money rehabbing injuries and on doctor visits. The costs are usually significant. 

Not only are motorcycle accident victims out of pocket for medical expenses, but they also lose the income needed to support families. The effects of an accident are sometimes dire. 

On top of all of that, bike repairs cost up to thousands of dollars. 

If your motorcycle is your main mode of transportation, what are you going to do when you can’t drive it anymore?

There’s a lot to consider. 

An expert motorcycle accident attorney will know who to talk to and when. They can help guide you through the maze of medical treatment you may need after a serious motorcycle accident, and will help document your injuries. Your lawyer will also know what to say to insurance companies, the police, other lawyers, or anyone else you talk to. If necessary, they will manage your correspondence for you.

All of this goes into building a winning case with appropriate damages paid for injuries, pain and suffering, and any other negative effects of the accident. 

Finding a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

When looking for a motorcycle accident lawyer, Miami victims need experience and a good track record. Your lawyer must have a demonstrated track record of success negotiating settlements and winning cases in court. 

Don’t just assume you’ll settle out of court after an accident. Many times, insurance companies and other liable parties offer small settlements in hopes their victims will accept quickly in the face of financial hardship. 

Your lawyer will tell you what is fair and what to pass on. This is often a challenge because accident victims need money quickly. Taking too little too soon, however, sometimes ends up costing you in the long run as medical bills run up and disability and worker’s compensation dry up. 

Do your research. Find motorcycle accident attorneys who win significant settlements for their clients. Read online reviews and look for news clippings to find a successful law firm. 

Legal Consultations with Expert Lawyers

At Leighton Panoff Law, we help clients win damages after motorcycle accidents leave them injured or unable to work. Our team has years of experience working with all types of personal injury cases, and we can talk to you in a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss the details of your case. 

Take action now and win the compensation you or a loved one deserve after an accident. Talk to our team today about the best next steps.