Motorcycle Accident Overview and Statistics – Practiced Attorneys Serving Clients in New Hampshire
If you have suffered personal injury in a motorcycle accident, you are not alone. Consider the following motorcycle accident statistics: in New Hampshire in 2006, there were 21 motorcycle accident fatalities – 16 percent of the 127 motor vehicle accident fatalities in the state that year.* Fortunately, although being injured in a motorcycle collision can be physically and emotionally devastating, it need not be financially ruinous. The law includes a number of statutes intended to compensate the financial losses victims incur because of an injury. At Proner & Proner, our motorcycle accident attorneys serve clients throughout New Hampshire, working diligently to help clients understand their rights. We are committed to providing the top-notch legal counsel necessary to obtain the damages to which a client is entitled.
Motorcycle Accident Law
When a motorcyclist is injured in a motorcycle accident, if the accident was caused (at least in part) by someone else’s negligence, the motorcyclist may seek damages for his or her injuries. The body of laws that governs the process of seeking damages is known as motorcycle accident law. The law includes a number of strictures regarding who may file suit, when they must file suit, who may be held liable for a motorcycle accident injury, and additional matters. The particulars of the law vary state to state, so it is crucial that injured motorcyclists considering pressing charges hire an experienced motorcycle accident attorney to help them act within their state’s laws.
Types of Injuries
Given the fact that motorcycles offer virtually no protection to riders in the event of a collision, a motorcycle accident is likely to cause catastrophic personal injury, including burn, spinal cord, back, and brain injury and even motorcycle accident death. However, relatively minor injuries are also possible, including “road rash” and broken bones. Whatever the severity of the injury, the injured may be able to pursue damages and should hire an attorney as soon as possible after the crash.
Motorcycle Accident Compensation
A motorcycle accident settlement can include recompense for a number of financial losses caused by the accident, including the victim’s medical expenses, cost of rehabilitation, decreased income, diminished earning potential, pain and suffering, and the costs of maintaining the victim’s household during hospitalization and recovery. The size of the settlement depends on the severity of the victim’s injuries, the circumstances of the crash, the motorcycle accident laws in the state in which the accident occurred, and additional factors.
Filing a Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit
Filing a motorcycle accident lawsuit involves a complex process of proving the fault of negligent party or parties. Hiring a lawyer is the best way to file suit, since only an experienced motorcycle accident attorney can navigate the laws impacting the case while meeting all the legal requirements for handling motorcycle accident claims. If you would like to learn more about filing a lawsuit or another matter related to your rights as a crash victim, Contact Proner & Proner to schedule a consultation with one of our motorcycle accident attorneys. Our law firm serves clients throughout New Hampshire.
Learn more about motorcycle accident laws in New Hampshire.
Motorcycle Accident Statistics
The following motorcycle accident statistics indicate accident trends in New Hampshire and throughout the U.S. since 1998*:
- In 1998, there were 49,000 motorcycle accident injuries and 3,879,450 registered motorcycles in the U.S. – an injury rate of 126. There were also 2,294 motorcycle accident deaths – a fatality rate of 5.9.
- In 1999, there were 50,000 motorcycle accident injuries and 2,472 motorcycle accident deaths.
- In 2004, there were 28 motorcycle accident fatalities in New Hampshire – 16 percent of the 171 motor vehicle accident deaths in the state that year.
- In 2005, there were 44 motorcycle accident deaths in New Hampshire – 26 percent of the 166 motor vehicle accident fatalities in the state that year.
- Thirty-three percent of the 166 highway traffic fatalities in New Hampshire in 2005 (55 deaths) involved driver impairment. Of these fatalities, 44 were motorcycle accident deaths. Of these motorcycle crash victims, 23 percent were wearing helmets at the time of the accident, 15 had a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of .01 or higher, and 29 had no BAC.
- In 2007, there were 23 motorcycle accident fatalities in New Hampshire. Of the victims, 43 percent were helmeted, 13 percent were riding with a BAC of .08 or higher, and 27 percent of which had a BAC of 0.01 or higher.
- New Hampshire is one of three states without a helmet law; 16 that mandate education for riders under a certain age; and 28 where the Highway Safety Office is the lead agency for handling motorcycle safety issues.
Contact Our Motorcycle Accident Attorneys
If you have been injured in a motorcycle crash, you need complete information about motorcycle collisions and your rights as an accident victim. Proner & Proner can help. Contact our firm today to schedule a free case evaluation or learn more about motorcycle accident statistics. Our attorneys serve clients throughout New Hampshire.
*Motorcycle accident statistic references: the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics, and Governors Highway Safety Association websites.
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