British Columbia Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
Motorcycle riders are often depicted in the media as having a reckless, devil-may-care attitude on the road. In reality, however, motorcycle riders are among the most responsible and safety-minded road-users.
Operating a motorcycle requires skill, experience, and an overwhelming degree of caution. Unlike the operators of passenger vehicles, motorcycle riders have only wearable safety gear to protect them from the dangers of the road. Owing to the major discrepancies in size, weight, and built-in safety measures, if a motorcycle rider is involved in a collision with a car, truck, or other large vehicle, the consequences can be disastrous.
Motorcycle accidents can be fatal. Unfortunately, in British Columbia, the rate of fatal collisions involving motorcycles is on the rise. Recently, the British Columbia Coroners Service reported a 50% year over year increase in deadly motorcycle accidents throughout the province.
The majority of experienced motorcycle riders are well aware of the risks associated with their preferred method of travel. Most motorcyclists appreciate the inherent danger involved in sharing the road with larger vehicles and, as a result, take necessary precautions to protect themselves from other drivers.
However, even the most conscientious, overly cautious, and skilled motorcycle rider is vulnerable to actions of a negligent driver. When other drivers violate the rules of the road, they jeopardize the very lives of the people with whom they share the road, including vulnerable motorcyclists.
For those who manage to survive serious motorcycle accidents, the consequences of another driver’s negligence can be far-reaching and all-encompassing. Injured motorcycle accident victims often face a number of debilitating challenges. The physical repercussions of their injuries could be painful, isolating, and require drastic overhauls to an accident survivor’s daily life. The psychological consequences can affect an injured motorcyclist’s ability to return to work, maintain social relationships with friends and loved ones, and continue enjoying activities they participated in before their collision. Furthermore, the economic impact of injurious motorcycle accidents can be truly devastating. Few people are financially prepared for the exorbitant costs associated with overcoming severe injuries. These costs frequently include:
- Prescription drugs
- Mileage to and from medical appointments
- Mobility aids
- Ambulatory assistive devices
- Medical equipment
- Physiotherapy
- Psychological treatment
- Attendant care
- Lost wages
- Reduced future earning capability
- Home renovations to accommodate newly acquired disabilities
- And more
All residents of the province who operate motor vehicles– including motorcycles– are required to hold Basic Autoplan insurance coverage from ICBC. As such, all injured motorists should have access to Part 7 accident benefits. Plan 7 benefits are intended to offset the costs of injury-related expenses in the wake of serious collisions, regardless of which party was at-fault for the accident.
However, it can be extraordinarily difficult for motorcycle riders to recover the insurance coverage to which they should be entitled. Due to the unfair stereotype of motorcyclists as unlawful thrill-seekers with little regard for their own safety, ICBC insurance adjusters often display an unfair bias against injured claimants seeking compensation for injuries sustained in motorcycle accidents.
That is why, if you have been injured in an accident, before submitting a claim to ICBC, it could be advisable to consult with our British Columbia motorcycle accident lawyers. The ICBC claims process can be complicated, lengthy, and unfair– especially for those who were injured while riding a motorcycle.
By taking advantage of a free initial consultation with our motorcycle accident lawyers serving British Columbia, you could receive important, case-specific insights about the amount of compensation to which you should be entitled as well as personalized advice about how to ensure your claim is processed fairly. To learn more, schedule your free initial consultation with Preszler Injury Lawyers by contacting us today.
The Human Costs of British Columbia Motorcycle Accidents
The wrongful conduct of negligent drivers can cause countless community members to suffer profound grief unnecessarily. Drivers who decide to get behind the wheel of their vehicles while inebriated, reckless motorists who exceed the speed limit or engage in street racing and stunt driving, careless or distracted drivers who ignore traffic signs and signals, and those who choose to check their cell phones while operating dangerous motor vehicles can destroy families with their total disregard for the safety of other road-users.
Driver negligence can also cause motorcycle accident victims to sustain severe, life-altering injuries. When motorcycle riders suffer catastrophic injuries as the result of someone else’s negligence, they frequently feel the effects of their accident for the rest of their lives.
Depending on the severity of the injuries they have sustained, catastrophically injured motorcycle riders could face profound losses. These non-pecuniary losses are often just as impactful– if not more so– than the financial losses incurred by catastrophically injured motorcycle accident victims.
The emotional and economic burden associated with catastrophic injuries can be earth-shattering. For example, in this country, the average lifetime economic burden of sustaining a traumatic spinal cord injury is between $1.5 and $3 million. On top of incurring overwhelming economic losses, motorcycle accident survivors who have sustained profound, permanent, catastrophic injuries could lose their capabilities to work in their chosen profession, their independence, their mobility, their control over their bodily functions, and their abilities to participate in the activities they enjoyed before their accidents.
How Our British Columbia Motorcycle Accident Lawyers May Be Able to Help
Injured motorcycle accident survivors face enormous challenges, but they should not be required to do so alone. Our motorcycle accident lawyers serving British Columbia have combined decades’ of experience helping injured survivors of serious collisions navigate the complicated ICBC claims process and recover the compensation to which they are rightfully entitled.
If you sustained injuries as the result of a collision with another vehicle, our British Columbia motorcycle accident lawyers may be able to help you prepare your ICBC claim and review any settlement you might be offered to assess its fairness. Before you submit anything to ICBC, it could be extremely important to speak with our motorcycle accident lawyers serving British Columbia.
At Preszler Injury Lawyers, all prospective clients receive a cost-free, no-obligation initial consultation during which they have the chance to ask questions about their claim and receive case-specific legal advice. To take advantage of your free initial consultation, call our British Columbia motorcycle lawyers today at 1-844-373-8202.
