Most people that ride motorcycles ride because they have a passion for riding. Bikers come from all socio-economic classes, all nationalities and all walks of life but the one thing they have in common is a love of riding. Unfortunately, that love of the open road and the wind in your hair often comes at a high price. The same features that allow the rider to feel so free when riding are what make motorcycles inherently more dangerous. Motorcycles offer virtually no protection when involved in a collision. The driver or passenger in a vehicles has, at a bare minimum, a metal casing to protect her in the event of a collision. In many cases, reinforced doors with built in air bags cushion the driver from the impact when involved in a collision. The motorcyclist, on the other hand has nothing but air between him and the oncoming vehicle. To make matters worse, despite efforts to make car drivers more aware of the presence of motorcycles, many automobile drivers still admit that they simply do not notice motorcycles. So, not only are bikers less protected in a crash but they are more likely to be involved in one – often with fatal results.
There are approximately four million motorcycles registered in the United States. Those bikes represent about two percent of all registered vehicles. Motorcyclists, however, represent about five percent of all fatalities on United States roadways. Clearly, bikers suffer more fatalities than they should. Put another way, almost 80 percent of all motorcycle crashes result in injury or death compared to only 20 percent of car crashes. According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study, just over 18 cars in every 100,000 end in a fatal accident while over 55 per 100,000 bikers end up in a fatal accident. The facts are indisputable, bikers are at a significantly greater risk of being involved in a fatal accident. So what can a family member do if she has lost a loved one in a fatal motorcycle accident?
In California, you may be entitled to file as the claimant in a wrongful death action if you have lost a loved one in a motorcycle accident due to the negligence of another driver. As a claimant, you may be able to recover compensation for the death of your spouse, child, parent or other loved one if the accident was caused by the negligent actions of another person. Exactly what compensation you will be entitled to receive will vary by case but may include compensation for future earnings, medical and funeral expenses and compensation for loss of companionship or consortium among other things. Of course all the money in the world can’t bring back your loved one, but the compensation you may be entitled to can help assure your families’ financial future.
If you feel that you may be entitled to file as a claimant in a motorcycle wrongful death claim and would like a free and detailed evaluation of your case, please contact the motorcycle wrongful death law firm of Ledger & Associates at 1-800-300-0001 or visit the firm’s website for more information at www.ledgerlaw.com.
