Injury Attorneys Serving Boca Raton, Ft. Lauderdale, Boynton Beach, Palm Beach County & Nearby Areas of Florida.
The Sunshine State is one of the best places in the country to own a motorcycle. With miles and miles of coastland, beaches and endless views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, Florida is ideal for long-distance motorcycle trips, day rides and just getting around town by bike. While you may do all you can to avoid getting in an accident, sometimes a crash is unavoidable. When that happens, our experienced South Florida motorcycle accident attorney is here for you and your family.
Please see these sections of our online guide for more information:
- Potential Compensation in a Motorcycle Accident Claim
- Wrongful Death Claims
- What Are The Most Common Causes of Motorcycle Crashes?
- What To Do After a Crash on Your Bike
- Relevant Laws in South Florida
- Motorcycle Insurance Laws in Florida
You can rely on Eric Canter to give you clear answers about your options. For a free case evaluation, please call ECanter Lawyers South Florida Injury Lawyers at 561-447-4500. We are available to take your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Motorcycle Accident Injuries
Motorcycles really don’t offer any protection to the rider, so an accident can result in catastrophic injuries. Some of the most common include:
- Burns
- Brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Back and neck injuries
- Amputations
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Fractures
Tragically, it’s not uncommon for a biker to be killed in an accident. Hundreds of people are killed in motorcycle crashes each year in Florida. Wearing reflective gear, a helmet and the right clothing can help keep you safe, but distracted, drunk or otherwise careless drivers cause many of the accidents that injure or kill bikers.
Potential Compensation in a Motorcycle Accident Claim
These crashes usually result in not only property damage, but physical harm and mental pain as well. It is not uncommon for accident victims to feel alone, frustrated and unsure of what to do next. If you were seriously injured because of someone else’s negligence, then you should call our law firm for a free case evaluation as soon as possible. Attorney Eric Canter can pursue compensation on your behalf, fighting for every last penny you are owed as a result of these damages and others:
- Past and future medical bills
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Prescription medication costs
- Assistive technology expenses
Our law firm is available 24/7 to take your call. Day or night, we are ready to provide the clear, accurate and honest information you need in order to decide what to do next. At an overwhelming, painful time like this, you don’t need legalese and confusing insurance information. You need practical, reliable answers about how you can get maximum compensation for your injuries.
Mr. Canter will negotiate with the insurance company so you don’t have to. Insurers have a priority, and that priority is to close the book on your claim as quickly as possible and in a way that benefits their bottom line. Ultimately, their interests lie with maximizing the profit of their company, not in paying you the amount you deserve. Mr. Canter knows the tactics these insurers commonly employ, and he will not back down until he reaches the best outcome for you. If an appropriate settlement agreement cannot be reached, Mr. Canter is fully prepared to pursue compensation from the at-fault party. He has recovered numerous verdicts and settlements on his clients’ behalves, both in and out of the courtroom.
Each of our clients’ cases are unique. As such, there is no single way Mr. Canter strategizes for a case. After meeting you in a consultation and learning more about your accident, Mr. Canter can make recommendations for how to proceed. One thing you can always rely on is getting clear updates about your case from our attorney. He will make sure you know what is happening every step of the way.
Wrongful Death Claims
Although the vast majority of motorcycle accidents result in injury, hundreds lead to fatalities in Florida each year. If you lost a spouse, parent or other family member in a crash, you are most likely entitled to pursue compensation in a wrongful death claim. Mr. Canter has been handling these cases for almost 25 years. He knows just how devastating the grief can be when you lose a loved one in this way. He will fight passionately and adeptly to pursue compensation on your behalf. In a wrongful death claim, compensation may be awarded for all of the losses and damages you have suffered, such as:
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of your loved one’s future earnings
- Loss of your loved one’s benefits and future contributions
- Payment for your loved one’s funeral and burial expenses
- Payment for your loved one’s medical care prior to death
Although no amount of money can undo the harm that has been done, a compensation award will allow you to pay for the financial ramifications of the death while holding the responsible person accountable for causing the accident.
What Are The Most Common Causes of Motorcycle Crashes?
There are many factors that can ultimately contribute to causing a motorcycle accident. Weather, uneven terrain, wet surfaces and tight corners are just a few of the reasons a biker can crash. But sometimes another motorist’s negligence is the cause of the accident. The following are some of the most common ways that carelessness can cause a motorcycle wreck:
- Left turn in front of an oncoming motorcycle
- Failure to provide a motorcycle the full use of a lane
- Following a motorcycle too closely
- Swerving in front of or changing lanes into the path of a motorcycle
- Failing to see and recognize a motorcycle in one’s blind spot
- Failure to yield right-of-way to a motorcycle
- Misjudging a motorcycle’s speed
Although bikers get an unfair reputation for being reckless or dangerous drivers, it is in fact other motorists who often cause motorcycles to wreck. Today’s commonplace activity of texting and using a phone while driving is just one way that motorists fail to recognize motorcycles nearby. Sometimes the outcome is not even a collision with the car, but the biker losing control because of a maneuver made in response to the motorist’s careless actions.
What To Do After a Crash on Your Bike
Mr. Canter and our team immediately begin building a case that, among other ends, demonstrates just how massively this injury has impacted your life. Each case is unique, but a typical case may include the following:
- Taking pictures of the crash scene
- Gathering police reports
- Collecting statements from any witnesses present at the crash
- Re-creating the scene of the accident
- Reviewing medical aftermath and gathering your medical records
- Gathering expert testimony
- Contacting and negotiating with insurance companies
Your first priority should be to take care of yourself. Get the medical care you need, and be sure to ask for copies of any documentation generated by these visits. Eric Canter and our staff will handle the negotiations and investigation associated with your case, so that you can focus on healing and getting well.
Relevant Laws in South Florida
Each state has its own laws related to the ownership and operation of motorcycles. Florida is no different. Florida statutes from 2016 tell us the following about the operation of a motorcycle in the state:
- You are not required to wear a helmet IF you are at least 21 years old AND carry an insurance policy with at least $10,000 in medical benefits
- People under 21 must wear a helmet approved by the Department of Transportation securely fastened to their heads
- All motorcycle drivers and riders, of all ages, must wear eye protection
- Motorcycles are entitled to the full use of a lane. Other motorists shall not drive in a way that deprives bikers of the full use of the lane
- Motorcycle riders are not allowed to ride more than two side-by-side in a lane (known as “lane sharing”)
- Motorcycle riders are not allowed to ride between lanes of traffic (known as “lane splitting”)
- Motorcycles cannot pass another vehicle if they are passing inside of the same lane as the other vehicle
These are just some of the laws particular to our state. There are many others, and several exceptions and even multiple interpretations. The key is to rely on a lawyer who has extensive experience with motorcycle accident cases in Florida. Mr. Canter has decades of experience in this area of law. He not only fully understands motorcycle laws in our state, he can determine if and how they apply to your situation and whether they can help you recover compensation for your claim.
Motorcycle Insurance Laws in Florida
In many states, insurance laws for motorcycles and automobiles are largely the same. This isn’t really the case in Florida. Our state has a specific set of insurance laws for motorcycle riders. One such difference has to do with no-fault insurance coverage, also known as Personal Injury Protection coverage, or PIP.
Generally speaking, motorcycle riders do not have to carry PIP coverage for their motorcycle policy. But you are required to carry this coverage on your car, truck or any other vehicle traveling on 4 or more wheels. Your other vehicle’s PIP coverage does not extend to your motorcycle.
Although PIP law doesn’t apply to Florida motorcycles, the Financial Responsibility Law does. This law has to do with ensuring you have the financial capability to pay for injuries caused in an accident. Because of this law, it’s a good idea to carry liability insurance on your motorcycle. Regular health insurance coverage may also be adequate. Additionally, Uninsured Motorist Coverage can be very helpful if you are injured in a crash caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver.
Insurance issues can quickly become complex. If you were recently involved in an accident, call Mr. Canter to get straightforward answers about your coverage. Our attorney will work to make sure you are getting the compensation you need and deserve following a motorcycle accident.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident in Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, Boynton Beach, Palm Beach County or anywhere else in South Florida, please call the law firm of experienced accident attorney Eric Canter at 561-447-4500. We offer FREE, 24/7 case evaluations. We will stand at your side, fighting tirelessly for what is in your best interest.
