Tampa Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Riding a motorcycle can be fun and exciting. It’s also an economical and climate-friendly way to get around, whether it’s your main form of transportation or you only take it out for the weekends. Motorcycles are also great for beating rush hour and weekend traffic. But motorcycles can be dangerous too, even deadly. According to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles 2021 Crash Facts, 8,649 motorcycle crashes took place that year, causing 1,991 incapacitating injuries, 5,406 other injuries, and 621 fatalities. In Hillsborough County, 514 people were injured and 37 killed out of 584 crashes, meaning people were injured or lost their lives in 94% of motorcycle accidents. In Pinellas County, 433 crashes caused 383 injuries and 29 deaths, an increase over both 2020 and 2019, continuing a decades-long trend of rising motorcycle accidents.
Whether fatal or nonfatal, the costs of a motorcycle accident can be enormous to victims and their families, not just in terms of medical bills and lost income but also considering pain and suffering, loss in quality of life, and the countless ways individuals and families are impacted by a catastrophic wreck. At Florin Gray, our attorneys dedicate themselves to getting justice and compensation for motorcycle accident victims by holding responsible parties accountable to the people they have harmed. If you or a loved one has been involved in a motorcycle crash in the Tampa Bay area, our law firm is here to help. Call our experienced Tampa motorcycle accident lawyers today.
Florida Is a Dangerous State for Motorcyclists
A 2022 report by the online insurance comparison platform QuoteWizard found that motorcycle fatalities were getting worse every year and breaking records. After considering several factors, the report determined that Florida was the fourth most dangerous state in the country for motorcycles, in addition to having by far the highest number of fatal motorcycle accidents overall.
Even though Florida does not have a mandatory helmet law for riders 21 and over, crash statistics show that about the same number of fatal motorcycle accident victims died with a helmet as without. There is no doubt that helmets save lives and reduce injuries, but the near-total exposure of motorcyclists makes them vulnerable to severe injury or death in a crash despite helmets, leathers and other protective clothing.
Leading causes of motorcycle accidents in Tampa include:
- Drivers making left turns when a motorcycle is coming from the opposite direction. Negligent drivers misjudge the speed and distance of the oncoming bike, turning into its path where the motorcyclist cannot avoid a collision in time.
- Drivers who fail to signal or check their blind spots before changing lanes on the highway. Motorcycles can come up very fast; failing to signal, check mirrors and look over one’s shoulder before changing lanes are all negligent behaviors that can be disastrous for a motorcyclist approaching from behind.
- Aggressive driving. Motorcycles are highly maneuverable, but they can’t safely get out of the way of a driver who is intentionally crowding them out of their lane, and they shouldn’t have to. Motorcycles have every right to share the road with other motor vehicles, and other drivers are legally required to give them the space they need and the respect they deserve.
- Distracted driving. Motorcycles can be harder to spot than other vehicles due to their size, and because there are fewer of them on the road than cars and trucks, drivers are often less aware of their presence. Texting while driving and other distracting behaviors are dangerous in any situation, but they are especially hazardous to motorcyclists in the vicinity.
Recovering Compensation After a Tampa Motorcycle Crash
Motorcyclists in Florida don’t have Personal Injury Protection (PIP); they can’t just make a no-fault insurance claim and collect for their medical bills and lost wages. Instead, injured riders have to make a claim against the other driver’s bodily injury liability (BIL) insurance, or the biker’s uninsured motorist coverage if the other driver didn’t carry BIL. This requires proving that the other driver made some mistake that caused the crash (speeding, drinking and driving, following too close, disobeying traffic signals, etc.) and proving the full extent of damages caused. The bright side is that motorcycle accident victims aren’t limited to the partial recoveries offered by PIP coverage; they can recover for the full amount of their medical expenses, lost earnings, pain and suffering, and other damages so long as they can prove their case.
Florin Gray is the law firm you want on your side to help you achieve success on your Tampa motorcycle accident claim. Our attorneys work together on every case, assembling a custom team responsive to the unique needs of your case. Whether arguing your case before a judge or jury or negotiating a settlement with the insurance company, our lawyers are dedicated to pursuing your case to a successful conclusion, getting you the full amount of compensation appropriate to the harm done. We have a record of success and a long list of client reviews that let you know we strive to get the best results while giving our clients the best service and experience possible.
Call Florin Gray Today
If you have been hurt in a motorcycle accident in the Tampa Bay area, or if you lost a loved one in a tragic, fatal motorcycle crash, the attorneys at Florin Gray are here to help you get justice, care and compensation. Contact our experienced Tampa motorcycle accident lawyers today.
