South Carolina Motorcycle Accident Laws and Statistics
Although traveling by motorcycle offers many advantages, it is also inherently dangerous. Consider the following motorcycle accident statistics: in South Carolina in 1999, there were 65 motorcyclist deaths – 6 percent of the state’s 1,065 total traffic fatalities*. If you have suffered personal injury in a motorcycle collision, you may be able to obtain damages for your injuries, pain, and suffering. Proner & Proner can help. Our motorcycle accident attorneys serve clients throughout South Carolina, providing the excellent legal counsel crash victims need. When you enlist the services of our team, we will work diligently to protect your rights.
Motorcycle Accident Law
When a motorcyclist is injured in a motorcycle accident caused by someone else’s negligence, the motorcyclist can seek damages for his or her injuries by filing a motorcycle accident lawsuit. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the crash and on state law, a number of parties may be held liable for the victim’s injuries. Liable parties may include the designer, manufacturer, and distributor of a defective auto part or motorcycle part; the motorist with whom the motorcycle collided; those responsible for maintaining safe road conditions; and even the motorcyclist himself or herself.
Types of Injuries
The severity of a motorcycle accident injury depends on the circumstances surrounding the crash, including whether the motorcyclist was wearing a helmet. Because motorcycles offer little in the way of external protection, motorcycle accident injuries are typically catastrophic – including back, burn, spinal cord, and brain injury, and motorcycle accident death.
Motorcycle Accident Compensation
The size of a motorcycle accident settlement or jury award depends on several factors, including the severity of the victim’s injuries, the circumstances surrounding the crash, and the skill of the victim’s lawyer. A settlement may include compensation for the victim’s medical treatment related to the crash, his or her rehabilitation, the cost of maintaining his or her household during recovery, lost income, decreased earning potential, and additional losses. Families who have lost loved ones in motorcycle accidents can file wrongful death claims.
Filing a Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit
In order to seek damages for a crash-related injury, it is necessary to file a motorcycle accident lawsuit. The process of filing suit – and of proving the fault of the negligent party – can be overwhelming without the assistance of an experienced motorcycle accident attorney who is well-versed in the laws impacting motorcycle accident claims.
If you or a loved one has sustained an injury in a motorcycle collision, contact Proner & Proner today to schedule a consultation with one of our motorcycle accident attorneys. Our law firm serves clients throughout South Carolina. We will provide aggressive legal counsel on your behalf.
Learn more about South Carolina motorcycle accident laws.
Motorcycle Accident Statistics
The following motorcycle accident statistics reflect accident and injury trends in South Carolina and throughout the nation since 1998*:
- In 1999, there were 2,472 motorcyclist fatalities in the U.S. – 178 more deaths than there were in 1998.
- Between 2004 and 2006, the number of motorcycle accident deaths in South Carolina increased (from 88 in 2004 to 109 in 2006), while the number of motor vehicle accident deaths decreased slightly (from 1, 046 to 1,037).
- In 2005, there were approximately 106 motorcycle accident deaths in South Carolina – 11 percent of all motor vehicle fatalities and three percent of motorcycle registrations that year.
- Of the 1,094 highway traffic fatalities in South Carolina in 2005, 36 percent (396 deaths) involved driver impairment. 106 of these deaths were motorcyclist fatalities. 75 percent of these victims were un-helmeted, 43 had a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of .01 or higher, and 63 had no BAC.
- In 2007, there were 119 motorcyclist fatalities in South Carolina. Of these victims, 26 percent were helmeted, 47 percent of which were riding with a BAC of 0.01 or higher and 40 percent with a BAC of .08 or higher.
- South Carolina is one of 18 states with a motorcycle safety program assessed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Program; 6 states without a Sharing the Road Program; 2 states whose driving manual does not include information about sharing the road with motorcyclists; and 17 states with anti-impaired riding education efforts.
Contact Our Motorcycle Accident Attorneys
If you have suffered personal injury in a motorcycle collision, you need an experienced lawyer on your side. Proner & Proner can help. Contact our law firm to learn more about motorcycle accident statistics. Our attorneys serve clients throughout South Carolina.
*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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