Somerville, NJ Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Motorcycle accidents are incredibly dangerous, and injured riders often experience life-altering injuries. The medical bills for these injuries are often very expensive, not to mention other costs and expenses related to the accident.

A wide variety of circumstances can lead to motorcycle accidents. Anything from distracted drivers to reckless driving can lead to serious motorcycle crashes. After an accident, you can sue other drivers on the road who might have caused your accident. To hold these drivers liable, you must have evidence. Evidence may consist of photos, videos, statements, or anything else that supports your case. The extent of your damages depends on the severity of your injuries and other losses. The more significant your injuries are, including physical injuries, property damage, and more, the more compensation you can demand.

Our New Jersey motorcycle accident attorney can help you file your lawsuit against the driver or drivers who caused your crash and hold them liable. Call 1-800-529-4464 for a free case review with Jerry Friedman.

How Motorcycle Accidents Are Caused in Somerville, NJ

In many cases, motorcycles collide with cars because the driver in the car was negligent or distracted. You can discuss the cause of your accident with our New Jersey motorcycle accident attorney and begin developing an effective legal strategy to get compensation.

Many accidents happen at intersections when drivers fail to stop at red lights or stop signs. Sometimes, drivers come to a rolling stop at intersections, which is when they slow down, but their vehicle never fully comes to a halt. This often allows drivers to get through intersections quicker, but they may strike a motorcycle rider entering the intersection.

There are times when drivers must yield the right of way to other drivers or motorcycle riders before proceeding. When a driver in a car fails to yield, they may pull into an intersection or roadway too soon, causing a motorcycle rider to collide with their vehicle.

Motorcycle crashes also happen when drivers in other vehicles change lanes without signaling. Even if the driver does signal, they might not check their blind spots and end up striking a motorcycle rider. Since motorcycles are smaller vehicles, they are more easily concealed within drivers’ blind spots, so drivers must always check blind spots before turning or changing lanes.

Who You Can Sue After a Motorcycle Accident in Somerville, NJ

Typically, injured riders sue another driver who caused the collision. In some cases, multiple other drivers share responsibility and can all be sued together.

Many motorcycle accidents involve one other driver that negligently caused the accident. To hold that driver negligently liable, you must establish duty, breach, causation, and damages. Our New Jersey motorcycle accident lawyer can help you begin building your case.

The driver’s duty is their legal obligation toward you and other drivers on the road. This duty consists of their responsibility to drive as safely as reasonably possible under the circumstances. The breach is how they violated this duty, such as by running a red light or failing to yield. Causation is the connection between the breach and the accident, meaning the breach must be the direct and proximate cause of the crash. Finally, you have to show your damages are real and not just potential or hypothetical.

It is also possible to sue multiple drivers. It is common in motorcycle accidents for several drivers to share responsibility. When this happens, you can name multiple drivers as defendants, and the court may determine the extent of each defendant’s blame.

If the driver who hit you was driving commercially or in a professional capacity, like a bus or taxi driver, you can also sue their employer. Employers may be held vicariously liable for their employees’ negligence as long as that negligence occurred within the scope of employment.

Evidence to Prove Liability for a Somerville, NJ Motorcycle Accident

You need evidence to prove that the other driver is liable for your motorcycle accident. Evidence may include anything that helps you establish the other driver’s negligence. Our New Jersey motorcycle accident attorney can help you figure out what evidence you need to support your claims for damages.

After your accident, if you can do so, you should snap some pictures and record videos of the accident scene. Your crash site is likely to be cleared away quickly after law enforcement responds, and pictures and videos help preserve the scene. If you cannot take any photos or videos because you are injured, there might still be other evidence you can use.

Many homes and businesses have security cameras that might have captured the accident. Once you receive medical treatment, discuss the location of your accident with your lawyer. We can check the area for security or traffic cameras and try to get any footage of the crash.

Witness testimony is very important and may be useful for reconstructing the accident scene if photos and videos do not exist. The more witness testimony you can get that supports your claims, the better your odds of success.

Your medical records may be used as evidence of your injuries. These records will help you establish the severity of your injuries and the existence of your damages. It is important to seek medical attention immediately after an accident so your medical records are as accurate as possible.

Damages You Can Claim in a Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit in Somerville, NJ

Damages may be economic, meaning they are connected to a pre-determined price or value. They can also be non-economic or intangible, and their value is more subjective. Our New Jersey motorcycle accident lawyer can help you calculate your damages before filing your claims.

Your medical bills, property damage, and lost income may all be factored into your economic damages. Your medical bills may include any treatment you already paid for in addition to expected future treatment costs. The same goes for lost income. If you are too injured to return to work, you can claim the income you have lost while recovering and any income in the future you will miss out on. Property damage typically includes the costs to repair or replace your motorcycle, which can be very expensive.

Your non-economic damages may include the mental and physical pain and suffering you went through because of the accident. While these damages are not connected to a finite value or price, we can argue for damages based on severely your life has been impacted by your pain and suffering.

Contact Our Somerville, NJ Motorcycle Accident Lawyers for Assistance

Our New Jersey motorcycle accident lawyer can help you get justice and compensation if you were in a motorcycle accident. Call Jerry Friedman at 1-800-529-4464 for a free case review.