As a veteran rider, accident victim, and San Francisco Bay Area resident for over 33 years, Scott Righthand knows the ins and outs of riding on the Bay Area’s largest thoroughfares and windiest back roads. He knows that motorcyclists are prone to more serious injuries than operators of other vehicles because they travel everywhere that cars go, but the rider is exposed and without the protections automobiles are designed to give occupants.

Motorcycle accidents can lead to more serious injuries than car accidents. This happens for a number of reasons. Motorcycles do not have all the safety features found in a car, truck, or SUV. They are lighter and smaller than other vehicles, are more vulnerable to unfavorable weather conditions, and they can be difficult for other drivers to see, especially when they appear in a driver’s “blind spot.”

Some of the most serious injuries that can result from a motorcycle accident are fractures, spinal cord injury, and traumatic brain injury. Although symptoms of brain injury might not appear directly after the accident, they can be life altering and debilitating. Beyond this, motorcycle accidents have a higher probability of being fatal relative to other types of vehicular accidents. This is because motorcyclists are exposed to the open road. Helmets and protective clothing are all that stands between a rider and the pavement.

Motorcycle accidents have causes that are unique to motorcycles, along with potential causes that contribute to all types of vehicular accident. Reckless or drunk drivers are responsible for an overwhelming amount of accidents. Drivers who claim they failed to see cyclists is a very typical refrain. Unsafe road conditions also contribute to increasing the likelihood of injury. Slick surfaces such as cable car tracks can cause skidding. Ridges in pavement or abrupt changes in road levels can cause a motorcyclist to lose control, rain grooves can result in cycle instability, and guardrails meant to keep cars on the roadway can prove fatal if a motorcyclist is thrown from his or her bike and collides with a piece of hardware. Like bicycle accidents, motorcycle accidents can involve another car, truck, or SUV, or they can involve one single motorcycle in the case of a road design flaw that causes a motorcycle to crash.

If you or someone you love has been hurt in a motorcycle accident, there are a few preliminary steps you can take to increase your chances of receiving fair compensation. First, if you are capable of functioning, obtain the critical information from the person who hit you. Second, do your best to relate your side of the accident to the police for their report. In other words, it is important that your side of the story is heard immediately. Second, make sure to seek medical attention immediately after the accident. It is extremely important that you see a doctor, even if you feel totally fine. Often, accident victims are in a state of shock following their accident, which prevents them from accurately assessing their own physical and mental state. If you never seek medical care, or if you delay in seeking post accident care, it is more difficult to prove that any of your injuries were directly related to the crash.

At the Law Office of Scott Righthand, we know that sometimes motorcycle riders can be stigmatized by other drivers and jury members, who tend to think that all riders are reckless and out of control. We know that this is often not true, and we know how to effectively prevent those negative stereotypes from affecting your case. If you have been the victim of a motorcycle accident, please contact us, and take the first steps on the road to compensation.