Attorney for Injured Motorcycle Passengers
Motorcycle Passenger InjuriesWhen a passenger on a motorcycle is injured, they are victims regardless of whether another driver or the motorcycle operator is at fault. With no control of the situation, they are helpless to prevent or stop what may occur on the road. The motorcycle rider is the person operating the motorcycle; the passenger is a person seated on, but not operating, the motorcycle; the motorcyclist is a general term referring to either the rider or passenger. Many accidents are due to the negligence of other drivers, if a passenger on a motorcycle is injured in a single-vehicle crash or because of the operator’s actions, they have legal rights to be compensated for their injuries.
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Statistics on Motorcycle Passenger Injuries
Many motorcycle accidents do not involve other vehicles, making the fault of the accident land on the operator of the motorcycle.
- Although not all accidents are due to recklessness or intentional negligence, in these cases the passenger is still just a victim. 37% of motorcycle riders who died in single vehicle crashes in 2016 were impaired by at the time.
- Of the 5,286 motorcyclists killed in traffic crashes, 94 percent (4,950) were riders and 6 percent (336) were passengers.
- In 2016, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Fatality Analysis Reporting System showed that per vehicle miles traveled that year, motorcyclist fatalities occurred nearly 28 times more frequently than passenger car occupant fatalities in traffic crashes. NHTSA estimates that helmets saved 1,859 motorcyclists’ lives in 2016, and that 802 more lives could have been saved if all motorcyclists had worn helmets.
Damages For Motorcycle Passenger Injuries
When a passenger on a motorcycle is injured, they are entitled to have their injuries covered by the person responsible. If another vehicle is involved, the question could be which driver was at fault? With passenger injuries, the passenger could pursue either party’s insurance to seek compensation for their damages. This is true if the motorcycle operator is to blame for the accident or another vehicle. Just as in a passenger vehicle accident, the motorcycle driver is responsible for the safety of their passenger. However, there are a few reasons that passengers may refrain from filing a claim.
Most times the person riding as a passenger has a close relationship with the motorcycle operator. They may be concerned about the cost of the accident to the operator. It is important to remember that insurance is specifically designed to cover these types of accidents. No passenger should feel obligated to pay for their medical expenses when they are hurt in a motorcycle accident. In most cases, a payment to an injured motorcycle passenger is made directly by an insurance company.
Legal Assistance For Houston / Galveston Motorcycle Passenger Injury Claims
Anytime there are insurance company is involved, it is best to have an experienced motorcycle accident attorney to protect your legal rights. By hiring the Pascoe Law Firm, we will stop the annoying phone calls you are getting from the insurance company and will have us on your side to negotiate your claim. Insurance companies are not on your side and have a goal of paying as little as possible. Some motorcycle passengers may also feel more comfortable not having to negotiate a claim themselves against a personal acquaintance, even if it is through their insurance company. The Pascoe Law Firm handles motorcycle passenger injuries and other types of motorcycle accident claims. Contact our Motorcycle Accident Lawyer today to schedule a free appointment to discuss your motorcycle injury case at 713-829-4317.
Additional Resources
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