Florence Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Sadly, many motorcycle accidents result in tragedy. Due to the nature of these accidents, many are fatal. Unfortunately, very few individuals who survive a motorcycle accident walk away unscathed. A large percentage of people who are involved in an accident while riding a motorcycle suffer serious or permanent injuries.

Motorcyclists deserve respect on the road equal to what drivers of cars, trucks, and other vehicles expect to receive. If any of these other drivers are negligent and cause motorcyclists harm, those individuals need to be held accountable for their actions and behaviors.

Victims of motorcycle accidents and their families shouldn’t suffer alone. They deserve justice for the suffering they’ve endured. Having a Florence motorcycle accident lawyer by your side will help you get winning results. The caring and compassionate car accident lawyers at Ringer, Lingold, & Spencer promise to always offer faithful service to all of our clients. Call our law offices for a free consultation at (601) 845-5050.

Am I Eligible for Compensation After a Motorcycle Accident?

If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident, you may be eligible to be compensated for your losses. In the aftermath of an accident, you may incur many expenses, including but not limited to the following:

• Medical treatments
• Lost wages
• Scarring and disfigurement surgeries
• Ongoing treatments or therapies
• Rehabilitation
• Future medical bills
• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Loss of future earning potential
• Loss of consortium
• Property damage (e.g. bike, helmet, or other personal property).

If a wrongful death occurs due to the fault of another driver, you may also be entitled to compensation for your tragic loss. Your motorcycle accident attorney in Florence will fight for your family. If your family has lost the person who supported your household, your lawyer will ensure the family is provided for. They’ll pursue compensation to make certain your family members don’t struggle to pay medical bills or afford a home or a car, or to buy food.

The lawyers at Ringer, Lingold, & Spencer work here, live here, and love here. They understand the anguish you’re suffering due to injury or the loss of a loved one. To learn more about how we can help you, give us a call at (601) 845-5050.

Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in Mississippi

It’s often assumed that motorcyclists are the at-fault party when an accident occurs. This is because they’re typically blamed for weaving in and out of traffic, speeding, or driving recklessly. Unfortunately, this is a biased assessment of motorcycle drivers. Basically, it’s a stereotype . . . and an unfair one.

In reality, many motorcyclists drive using good safety practices, and it’s the motor vehicle operators who often disobey traffic laws and cause crashes. Common types of driver negligence include the following actions and behaviors that cause crashes with motorcycles.

• Auto and truck drivers fail to notice the much smaller motorcycle on the road and change lanes, sideswiping the biker and knocking them to the ground.
• Distracted drivers who are not paying attention or are using their phone fail to see a motorcycle who is sharing the road with them.
• Left-hand turns where car and truck drivers don’t see a motorcycle due to a blind spot.
• Drivers who ignore speed limits and crash into motorcyclists at high speed, knocking bikers off their bikes and causing serious injury or death.
• Tailgaters and aggressive drivers who are impatient and may get too close to a biker and run them over if traffic stops short.
• Motorists who drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs and don’t see motorcyclists.
• Fatigued drivers who swerve into a motorcyclist’s lane and knock them over or drift onto the wrong side of the road and hit a cyclist head-on.
• Road defects, such as potholes, are present on a road’s surface.

Unfortunately, many car and truck drivers don’t exercise caution when they drive. Due to the smaller size of motorcycles, bikers suffer from this lack of awareness. The experienced attorneys at Ringer, Lingold & Spencer will perform a thorough investigation to uncover the circumstances surrounding the accident and will determine who caused the accident. Most of the time it’s another driver, but in some situations, other parties may be to blame. Your lawyer will collect information to see who was at fault.

What Types of Injuries Result from Motorcycle Accidents?

Motorcyclists are at a higher risk for injury than other drivers because, in a crash, their body is subjected to the full impact of hitting another vehicle or being pushed to the ground. Other drivers are better protected because they are inside of their vehicles and don’t have the risk of being thrown off balance. It’s a big difference for drivers of vehicles with four wheels versus those operating a bike with two wheels. As a result, the injuries motorcyclists sustain are often more serious. In 2019, Mississippi was ranked as the “most dangerous state” for motorcycle riders. Common injuries they sustain include many of the following types of injuries:

• Broken bones
• Facial fractures
• Leg and arm injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
• Spinal cord injuries
• Back and neck injuries
• Road rash
• Organ damage
• Muscle damage
• Degloving (these are serious lacerations that often require surgery).

While motorcycle riders may recover from injuries, sadly, many are left with life-altering ones. The victims of these crashes often suffer from permanent nerve damage, disability, and disfigurement. A TBI injury, which is rated as mild, moderate, or severe, can forever alter your life. Even mild TBIs, such as concussions, can drastically have an impact on your and your family’s lives.

Establishing Liability in a Mississippi Motorcycle Accident

To be able to claim compensation in the State of Mississippi after a motorcycle accident, you’ll need to establish liability of the at-fault driver. Mississippi has what is called “pure comparative negligence” under its Code Section 11-7-15. What this means is you can recover damages from the other driver, but how much you might be eligible to receive is reduced according to a percentage assigned based on your share of negligence. For example, if it’s determined you’re 10% at fault for the crash, your award will be lowered by that amount.

In other words, whether the other driver is 100% at fault or only partially to blame, Mississippi law is written in a way where you can still collect some compensation for your injuries. Your motorcycle accident lawyers will collect evidence to help establish the other party’s liability. This includes the following:

• Police accident report and any information related to traffic tickets issued
• Witness testimony from other motorists, pedestrians, or other witnesses
• Photos taken at the scene to demonstrate the events of the accident (If able, always take pictures after any crash or ask someone else to do so.)
• Surveillance images from traffic cameras, nearby businesses, or other recordings
• Medical records to show the court the extent of the physical injuries, mental anguish, and other health-related conditions you suffered.

Drivers who are reckless should be held responsible for their negligent actions. Unfortunately, it is sometimes difficult for victims to prove fault because the other party’s insurance company is going to actively work to try to prove their clients didn’t cause the accident. Essentially, their priority isn’t your suffering, but they just want to pay out the least amount in damages they can get away with. This usually equates to them trying to put the most blame on you.

How Experienced Motorcycle Accident Lawyers in Florence, MS, Can Help You Get Compensation for Your Injuries

It’s important to consult with a personal injury lawyer who is knowledgeable about Mississippi’s laws as soon as possible following a crash. The other driver’s insurance company will actively try to blame you at a time you may be struggling with your injuries or other stressors created by the accident. The aftermath of a crash can be a challenging and emotionally difficult time.

Your attorney will ensure you’re not taken advantage of or assigned blame in the accident that wasn’t yours. You may feel pressured to accept an early settlement offer. However, this settlement may not come close to covering your losses and could be drastically lower than what you’re probably entitled to receive. Your motorcycle crash attorney can advise you when a settlement offer comes in.

Your attorney can help you to recover compensation for your losses to help pay for your medical bills, lost wages, and other financial burdens you suffer after a motorcycle accident. Connecting with a skilled personal injury attorney who will meticulously examine the details of the case, gather evidence, and work hard to demonstrate negligence on the part of the at-fault driver can make a huge difference to securing the financial future for you and your family.

Contact Our Personal Injury Lawyers Today

The Ringer, Lingold & Spencer law firm is committed to helping accident victims. Our partners have collectively more than 73 years of legal experience. We are Mississippi Proud. Our compassionate lawyers promise to work diligently to protect the rights of motorcycle drivers and others who are injured in car accidents.

If you, or a loved one, is injured or you lost your loved one in a wrongful death, our attorneys will actively strive to make certain you receive justice and financial compensation for your losses. We are a small-town law firm that has a warm heart. However, we’re not afraid to use tough legal approaches. Our attorneys are all skilled negotiators and aggressive litigators. We understand your suffering and want to advocate for you and your family.

To obtain a free consultation, call the personal injury attorneys at Ringer, Lingold, & Spencer today at (601) 845-5050.