Motorcycle Accidents FAQs

Yes. Although there are many insurance adjusters who are honest, the goal of an insurance adjuster is to save his or her company money. This means that even if you have a valid case and you are truly injured, an insurance adjuster will be looking to pay you as little money as possible. Because of this, it is important to know how an insurance adjuster’s words, actions, and gestures could be potential red flags that could negatively affect your case. For example:

• Words. If an insurance adjuster tells you that he is on your side, it’s important to remember that he may be saying this because he wants to earn your trust and get you to accept a small settlement offer. Also, if an adjuster tells you not to hire an attorney, you should wonder why. When attorneys get involved, settlement offers generally increase exponentially.
• Actions. If an insurance adjuster won’t stop asking you for a recorded statement, you should be concerned. An adjuster will like to get your statement for the record in case he can use anything you say against you to limit your financial recovery.
• Gestures. When an insurance adjuster sends you a check for a settlement offer, it is important not to get excited about the money and cash the check. The adjuster’s goal is to get you to accept a quick settlement before you realize the extent of your injuries or how much your case is worth. So if an insurance adjuster is moving fast to settle your case, it should be concerning.

If you are ever concerned about the way your case is being handled by an insurance adjuster, you can always call an experienced accident attorney and get a free consultation. You can reach our office at (301) 942-9118, or you can request a free copy of our book 10 Tips to Get the Maximum Compensation After a Maryland Accident.

There is no doubt that the insurance company for the other driver will look into your past medical history to try and limit its liability by pointing at your pre-existing injury. They do this to try and reduce the amount of money paid to you; however, your claim doesn’t have to be negatively affected.

In order to make sure your injury claim isn’t harmed by a past injury, it is critical that you are up front with your lawyer about any and all pre-existing injuries—even though you may think your past and present injuries are dissimilar. Your lawyer needs to know everything in order to deal with the insurance company correctly. Failing to disclose a past injury can hurt your credibility and weaken your injury claim.

Our job as personal injury lawyers is to show how the motorcycle accident made your pre-existing injury worse. We can do this by comparing your past and present medical tests, such as MRIs and X-rays. We can also hire a medical expert to testify how the motorcycle crash worsened your pre-existing injury. Additionally, if several months or years have gone by that you didn’t have treatment for a past injury, we can argue that you didn’t have an ongoing problem. Thus, we can point to the current motorcycle crash as the source of your pain.

Although a pre-existing injury can negatively affect your motorcycle injury claim, it doesn’t have to. If your claim is handled correctly, you will still be able to collect compensation for new physical and mental injuries and past damages made worse. We will do everything we can to get you the most compensation possible so you have money for your medical bills, lost wages, and other damages. Please call our office for a free legal consultation today at (301) 942-9118.

At Nickelsporn & Lundin, we work on personal injury claims on a contingency fee basis. This means you do not have to come in with any money or pay any attorney fees up front. If we agree to take on your motorcycle accident case, all we’ll ask of you is to sign our contingency fee agreement so we can get started on representing you immediately—with no money exchanged.

By working with our attorneys on a contingency fee basis, it simply means that the legal fee for handling your case will be contingent on the result of the case. For example, if we aren’t successful in getting you a financial recovery, you owe us nothing for our work on your case. On the other hand, if we do get you a settlement or successful jury verdict, our legal fees will come out of that financial recovery at the very end of the case. Legal fees range between 33.3% and 40%, depending on whether your case is settled, mediated, or litigated.

It is important for you to know that a contingency fee agreement is in your best interest because the attorney working on your case will want to get paid for his or her time and effort. By working with us in a contingency fee agreement, you can rest assured knowing that we are doing everything we can to win your case and get you a sizeable recovery.

If we are successful in winning your case, you will receive a log showing our legal fees and other costs our law firm has paid out on your behalf, such as court fees and other costs associated with an injury claim. To talk with us about hiring our firm to represent you in your motorcycle accident claim, or to learn more about contingency fee agreements, feel free to click the chat button to the left of the screen. We’d be happy to answer your questions in a free consultation.

You aren’t alone in wanting to know how much your case is worth. In fact, this is one of the first questions most personal injury victims want to have answered. It’s a legitimate question and one that makes sense to ask; however, the problem with this question is that every claim is unique and the value is based on the specifics of your case.

The value of a motorcycle injury claim is based on the extent of your injuries. For example, a broken arm will be worth a different amount of money than a traumatic brain injury. While every physical injury will be valued differently by the insurance company, it’s important that you are compensated not just for the physical injuries you suffered but for the other ways your motorcycle crash has impacted your life.

Motorcycle accidents often cause serious injuries that lead to lifestyle changes. If you aren’t able to lead the life you once did or participate in the things you once loved, you should be compensated for that. Additionally, if your injuries have caused you to suffer emotionally, the emotional impact of your crash should also play a factor in the compensation you receive.  If your crash left you with disabling injuries or permanent physical injuries that prevent you from working and making a living, you should also be compensated for lost income and future loss of wages.

Because it can be difficult to know if the insurance company is making you a fair offer, you should speak with an experienced accident attorney to help you determine what an acceptable amount is for your injury claim. Feel free to pick up the phone and call us at (301) 942-9118 for a free case consultation.

In the hours, days, and weeks following a motorcycle accident, the insurance company for the other side will contact you and ask you to provide them with a recorded statement. They may ask you to recount details of the crash as they record it for their records. Although it might sound harmless to simply talk about the wreck with an insurance adjuster, recorded statements taken by the other side are not to be entered into lightly.

Before you agree to provide the other side with a recorded statement, you should think long and hard. Here’s what you should know about recorded statements:

• You are under no obligation to the other side to provide them with a recorded statement. Although the insurance adjuster may make you feel like it is your obligation to do so, the law does not require it.
• Providing the other side with a recorded statement is often a mistake that can harm your personal injury claim.
• Insurance adjusters are trained to ask leading questions in order to use what you say against you. They are notorious for twisting words in order to place some of the blame on you so they can get out of paying you the compensation you deserve.

It is in your best interest not to give the other driver’s insurance company a recorded statement because it’s not going to help you. Unfortunately, it may harm you. Before you make such a mistake, contact us for a free consultation. We can guide you to making smart decisions to protect your injury claim. Call us at (800) 875-9700.

It is very common for people to apologize to others, even if they didn’t do anything wrong. Many people say “I’m sorry” as a way of being polite; however, if the other driver told his insurance company you apologized, they will try to deny your injury claim. This is because Maryland accident claims fall under a rule called contributory negligence.

While most states have laws that fall under comparative negligence, Maryland reviews accidents under contributory negligence. The difference is that under comparative negligence, someone who is partially responsible for an accident can still receive compensation. For example, one person may have been only 10 percent at fault for a crash, allowing him to make a 90 percent recovery. However, the law doesn’t work this way in Maryland.

If you were even slightly responsible for the motorcycle crash you were injured in, contributory negligence won’t allow you to make any type of recovery. This is because the rule in our state doesn’t allow any driver who contributed to a crash to make any type of financial recovery from the other driver. The only way you would be able to make a financial recovery is if the crash investigation revealed that the other driver was 100 percent at fault for the collision.

If you really didn’t do anything to contribute to your motorcycle crash, you can hold the other driver liable for your damages. But because the other insurance company will look for ways to prove your negligence, you and your accident attorney will need to fight back to make sure you get the compensation you are due.

For many people, Facebook is an avenue to share their everyday lives with friends and family.  They regularly post about what they are doing, where they are going, or what just happened to them. Because posting comments and pictures on social media sites is almost second nature, many people who are involved in traffic collisions don’t think twice before posting something about their wreck.

Because we have seen insurance companies use social media postings against people in their accident cases, we would recommend never posting comments or pictures in the immediate aftermath of the crash or even in the days, weeks, or months following the accident. Insurance companies have discovered that social media can be a treasure trove of evidence to prove that people aren’t as injured as they said they were.

However, since you did make a comment about how you walked away from a motorcycle crash, a lawyer can still argue that you were simply amazed to be alive and not killed in a motorcycle accident. While your comment will not help your case, it probably won’t ruin it either. Your best bet is to speak with an attorney about your accident details and share with that lawyer the exact comment you made on Facebook so that you can get a good idea how to proceed with your claim. Don’t go it alone. We have as much experience with social media as the insurance investigators who are out to undermine you, so give us a call and like us on Facebook—that definitely won’t hurt your case!

Yes. It is actually critical to your legal case that you hire an attorney that practices personal injury law in Maryland. Although it may be more convenient to hire someone in your own state with whom you can easily meet in person, it will benefit your case to have a lawyer who is familiar with the local laws, traffic patterns, and the road on which your crash took place.

While it may surprise you, many non-residents are involved in traffic crashes every year while visiting our state. Unfortunately, the assumption is that the visitor is at fault because he or she is not familiar with our roads or traffic patterns; however, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Drivers who live in Maryland and are very familiar with our laws and roads are just as likely to cause collisions.

Unfortunately, there are many drivers who drive distracted or drowsy, and make other negligent driving decisions. In fact, most car-motorcycle collisions are the fault of the car driver because they fail to look out for motorcycles sharing the road with them. If your motorcycle accident was caused by a negligent driver, you have the same rights as those who live in Maryland and you deserve to be represented by an experienced attorney—no matter where you live.

Whether you were just passing through or you were a tourist spending a week at the beach,  if you were injured in a Maryland motorcyle accident, we can talk with you to help you determine the best plan of action for your personal injury lawsuit. To set up an appointment for your free initial consultation, call us at 800-875-9700. Our attorneys are experienced in handling motorcycle cases and we may be able to help you, too.

It is very possible that you have a claim against the manufacturer of your motorcycle helmet, especially if it the helmet is deemed defective and has been approved by the Department of Transportation (DOT). DOT approved motorcycle helmets have safety standards they have to adhere to and that are regulated by the Consumer Product & Safety Commission.

While there are safety regulations in place that manufacturers have to abide by, sometimes manufacturers cut corners or use poor materials, causing a defect in manufacturing or design. Unfortunately, defective motorcycle helmets have been known to make the way onto the market from time to time.

In order to determine if your motorcycle helmet was defective and if you have a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer, you need to do a couple of things. First, take pictures of your helmet and save the helmet—including any pieces that came off the helmet. Then, it is essential that you speak with an attorney who has experience handling motorcycle accident claims. A good lawyer will help you preserve the evidence and get your motorcycle helmet inspected.

If your helmet is determined to be defective, you can hold the manufacturer liable and may be able to collect damages such as your medical expenses, surgical costs, lost income, pain and suffering, and other future damages. If the helmet was not defective, you may still have a claim against the other driver involved.

Rockville-area roads are traveled on by many motorcyclists. Bikers can enjoy the hustle and bustle of downtown, or the quiet and forest-filled back roads. Along with their twists and turns, these less-traveled roads also feature animals.

Deer are a common sight on the sides of roads and are often spotted walking across them. While it may be nice to look at the beautiful creatures, encountering them while you are driving is an entirely different experience.

What Are the Chances You’ll Meet a Deer While on Your Motorcycle?

Striking a deer while you’re riding on a motorcycle is a dangerous proposition for all involved. Bikers can walk away with a variety of injuries after such an accident, if they are lucky enough to walk away at all. As a motorcyclist in Maryland, you should know what your chances are of getting into a collision with a deer.

• If you were playing the lottery, you’d like your chances. According to a study conducted by The Washington Post in 2012, your chances of striking a deer in Maryland are one in 114 or in other words, very high. Virginia bikers have a one in 102 chance of coming in contact with a deer.
• Most deer-related crashes involve motorcycles. The auto club AAA stated that 70 percent of deer-crash fatalities involve motorcycles. Additionally, seven of the eight deer crashes that occurred over a three-year period in Maryland and Virginia involved motorcycles.
• Maryland has lots of deer. Besides hunters and automobiles, deer in this area don’t have many predators. As a result, an abundance of the animals occupy the state, increasing your chances of hitting them.

When You Are Injured in an Accident

Are you the victim of a motorcycle accident due to another person’s negligence? If so, the legal team of Nickelsporn and Lundin want to help. Contact us today to find out how we have helped many crash victims in the Montgomery County area get the compensation they deserved.

Maryland is known for its lush landscape, which is particularly gorgeous when seen from a motorcycle. Whether you are taking a tour of downtown Silver Spring or want to ride through the picturesque back roads of Montgomery County, a motorcycle is a prime vehicle on which to do so.

If you’re going to take a ride on your motorcycle, however, you’ll need the proper protection. Maryland law states that all motorcycle riders must wear the appropriate helmets, or face penalties as a result.

Making Sure Your Head Is the Right Place: Choosing the Appropriate Helmet

Before you hop on your bike, make sure your noggin is properly protected with the appropriate helmet. The helmet you choose must conform to the standards set by the Maryland Department of Transportation, which include:

• The outer shell. The outer shell of your helmet must consist of Kevlar, graphite, fiberglass, polycarbonate, thermoplastic, or carbon fiber, or a combination of these materials.
• Shock-absorbing liner. Perhaps the most important component of the helmet, the shock-absorbing liner, is a firm, expanding polystyrene system that helps absorb the impact and disperse the shock of a blow.
• Comfort liner. Designed to help the wearability of a helmet, the comfort liner improves the helmet’s fit and should be made from velour, micro fiber, terrycloth, or brushed nylon.  

The helmet must fit properly to provide the needed protection. Try several helmets on to ensure the right fit. The helmet should feel snug, but not tight. Additionally, never purchase a used helmet.

Obtain Additional Protection From an Attorney

No matter how good they are, helmets can’t prevent accidents from occurring. While the helmet can protect your head, you’ll require another type of protection after the crash: an attorney.

The legal team of Nickelsporn and Lundin wants to help you fight for your rights and receive the compensation you deserve. Contact us today to learn how. 

Each year around the holidays, thousands of drivers take to the roads to visit family, friends, and loved ones and celebrate the season. Unfortunately, this also inevitably leads to an increased number of impaired driving-related accidents. It is no different for motorcyclists. Driving while under the influence is a dangerous activity that should be avoided at all times, but drivers should be especially diligent during these busy weeks.

Five Reasons Why Driving a Motorcycle While Under the Influence Is Dangerous

Driving a motorcycle while under the influence this winter puts your safety at risk. In addition, you could face criminal and financial penalties. The Montgomery County Police Alcohol Holiday Task Force is set to continue through January 1^st, 2015. For the reasons below, motorcyclists should practice responsible driving habits over the course of the next several weeks:

1. The Montgomery County Police Alcohol Holiday Task Force is placing extra emphasis trying to crack down on impaired drivers, penalizing those who do.
2. In 2012, Maryland experienced 189 alcohol-impaired fatalities. The number of impaired driving accidents for motorists of all kinds increases during the holiday season.
3. During the holiday season, there is a big increase of vehicles traveling on Maryland’s roadways. This increases the chances of an accident due to sheer volume. When alcohol is added to the mix, the chances increase even further.
4. Motorcycles offer little in the way of external protection in the event of a crash. If a driver is operating the bike while under the influence, the odds of an accident increase. When a crash does occur, a motorcyclist faces the risk of significant injury or even death.
5. Operating any type of vehicle is more dangerous while under the influence of alcohol because reaction time is slowed and judgment is impaired. In some cases, motorcycles can be less forgiving than other, larger-sized vehicles when it comes to these issues relating to driving, increasing the chances of a crash.

Staying safe this holiday season is crucial to ensure that you enjoy all of the celebrations that you plan to attend. We hope that you will help us spread the word to your friends and loved ones by sharing a link to this article on Facebook and Twitter!

Although the weather is turning colder, you just can’t face having to put your motorcycle away for an entire five months. Five months! That’s 300 days—if you’re lucky and winter doesn’t last through April. You just can’t do it. You need at least three…four…okay, maybe five more rides in order to sustain yourself. But, will it be safe to continue riding, even though the weather is getting colder?

You’ve read all the safety manuals, taken countless riding courses, and have all the protective gear that the shop suggested, but you’re still worried. Are you just being paranoid, or is riding in cold weather really that dangerous? Why does a few degrees make such a difference on whether or not you should be riding your motorcycle?

Cold Weather Hazards for Motorcyclists

Over the past several decades, it has been a somewhat assumed fact than most motorcyclists in colder climates store their bikes during the winter months of September through March. Due to freezing temperatures and unpredictable weather, you rarely see a biker on a Maryland highway after Thanksgiving. As a result, motorcycle accident rates for these months were barely existent. However, over the past few years, this assumption has begun to lose conviction and accidents are on the rise.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that winter motorcycle accidents have almost tripled since 2000. Although significant research hasn’t been conducted as to why the sudden influx, the NHTSA does report that motorcycle traffic has also drastically increased throughout these months, even though the same winter riding risks from before 2000 still apply.

These risks include:

• Windchill affecting your concentration. Windchill is how the amount of wind effects how the temperature feels on your skin. As the wind increases, it draws heat from your body, driving down your skin and internal body temperature, making the actual outside temperature appear to be colder. When you suffer the effects of a temperature drop, you can become disoriented, shaky, and irritable.
• Frostbite affecting your control. Frostbite occurs when your body tissues begin to freeze as a result of heat loss. Symptoms includes the burning, tingling, or the loss of sensations in the affected areas, along with a deep reddening or purpling of the skin.
• Hypothermia affecting your awareness. Hypothermia occurs when your body temperature falls below 95 degrees Fahrenheit, due to heat loss and freezing temperatures penetrating your skin and muscles. Warning signs include loss of feeling in your extremities, disorientation, incoherence, memory loss, slurred speech, drowsiness, exhaustion, nausea, and uncontrollable shivering.
• Slippery roads affecting your traction. Motorcycles already have less traction than normal four-wheeled vehicles, and slush, melting snow, freezing rain, and ice, can decrease that traction even further. When your traction is decreased, your risks of slipping, sliding, and losing control are immeasurably increased.
• Road damage affecting your stability. Ice, salt, excessive rain, and blisteringly cold weather can cause roadways to crack, split, and crumble—increasing your risk for collisions.

Protecting Yourself During and After a Winter Ride

Riding a motorcycle always comes with risks. The simple truth is this is what makes riding so thrilling for many motorcyclists—the element of danger. However, you can still have that thrill without risking your life, or potentially putting others in harm’s way. If you choose to ride during colder weather, make sure you take all the necessary precautions to stay warm, maintain your bike, and keep control. Otherwise, your thrill could cost you your life.

Have you already been injured and need advice about your motorcycle accident claim? Contact us today for a free consultation and more information about how our experience can help you and your family.

Don’t be a statistic! Pay attention, follow motorcycle safety guidelines, and use your best judgment when it comes to winter riding. You can also help decrease future collisions by sharing this page with your friends, family, and social connections. Click the media icons on this page, to promote winter riding awareness, and show your support for motorcycle safety. Help us keep our roads safe for the New Year, share now!

You were minding your own business, waiting for the traffic light to turn green, when all of the sudden the SUV behind you began inching closer and closer to you. Although you tried to maneuver to the side, he continued to pull forward straight into you. The impact—although small—knocked you and your Harley to the ground. You instinctively extended your right arm to try to catch yourself and prevent your bike from crushing you. Unfortunately, the weight of your hog was too much for you and collapsed onto your shoulder.

The driver of the SUV got out and helped lift the bike off of you, but as you attempted to lift yourself up, you crumpled back down in agony.

The pain was excruciating and you couldn’t move the entire right side of your torso. You could hear someone calling the cops. What is wrong and how will the hospital treat such a painful injury?

Typical Treatment Options for Broken Clavicles

Depending on the type of break you sustain, treatment and recovery can vary from simple setting procedures to full blown surgery, and recovery time can vary from three weeks, to three months. The U.S. National Library of Medicine, in conjunction with the National Institute of Health, define these two types of clavicle fractures as aligned (meaning that the broken ends meet) and not aligned (meaning the broken ends do not meet). Once your injury type has been diagnosed and assessed, your treatment options are as follows:

Aligned

• Arm support. A simple arm sling or wrap can be used for immediate comfort after the break, and are used to support your arm and help keep it in position while it heals.
• Medication. Pain relievers can help dull the pain while the bones heal and grow back together.

Not Aligned

• Surgical treatment. If your bones are displaced your doctor may recommend surgery. Surgery can align the bones and hold them in the proper position while they heal, improving shoulder strength throughout your recovery.
• Plates, pins and screws. During your operation, the bone fragments are first repositioned into their normal alignment, and then held in place with special screws, pins, or metal plates. The incisions for pin placement are usually smaller than those used for plates, but can be extremely irritating on your skin and must be removed. Plates and screws are usually left in after the fracture has healed.

Both

• Physical therapy. While you’re wearing the sling, you’ll likely lose muscle strength in your shoulder. Once your bone begins to heal, the pain will decrease and your doctor may have you start strength training, massage, and motility exercises. These exercises will help prevent your muscles from atrophying or becoming stiff and weak.
• Doctor follow-up appointments. You’ll need to see your doctor regularly until your fracture is healed. He’ll examine you and take X-rays to make sure the bone is healing in a good position. After the bone has healed you will be able to gradually return to your normal activities.

Although it is a slow process, following your physical therapy plan is an important factor in returning to all the activities you enjoy.

Getting the Help You Need to Get the Care You Deserve

The costs of an unexpected hospital visit and surprise surgery can definitely hurt you when you’re already down. This is why it is important to have an experienced lawyer on your side—to help you get the care you require without damaging your financial future. Contact us today for a free consultation and review of your accident claim, and see if you’re entitled to damages and compensation for your injuries. Don’t allow someone else’s mistake to affect your stability. You owe it to yourself to get the help you need.

Safety is the most important thing for you and your family. Help us spread the word about collarbone injury treatment and recovery by sharing this page on Facebook and Twitter. 

It has been two days since your unfortunate motorcycle accident caused the wounds on your legs and forearms. You were riding your motorcycle behind a minivan who had just turned out of Pacci’s. When you approached the intersection at Sligo, you noticed a pizza box on the hood of the car. The next thing you knew, the box flew off the car—catapulting scalding hot pizza all over you. Obviously, you weren’t prepared for this, and wound up crashing your bike to the ground—dragging your body with it.

Although the accident was humorously ridiculous in hindsight, your road rash isn’t funny. Even though you’ve cleaned it and bandaged it, it appears to be getting worse. It stopped bleeding, but it’s really hot to the touch and you can see pus.

Could the wound be infected even though you cleaned it? Even though it’s already been two days, should you go see a doctor?

Symptoms of Infection

Your skin is your first defense against infections and diseases. However, when your skin is scraped, cut, or peeled off, bacteria, infections, and diseases have a clear path into your blood stream. Unfortunately, this is the case for many motorcyclists who experience road rash. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that nearly 200,000 motorcyclists a year suffer from some sort of accident-related road rash.

Studies performed by The Mayo Clinic, as well as the CDC, have also found that an increase of “super bug” infections—MRSA and other antibiotic resistant infections—are becoming more and more common in road rash victims. This is why it is extremely important to be able to recognize signs of infection before becoming too late to treat your infection.

Common symptoms of infection include:

• Redness. Although a wound can become red from mere inflammation, if the redness spreads or gets darker, you may have an infection.
• Increased pain. If the pain worsens over time, an infection may be present.
• Swelling. Swelling is a common side effect of scrapes, but if the swelling doesn’t subside or if it gets worse over time, it could be a sign of an infection.
• Radiating heat. If your wound feels warm to the touch, it could be an indicator that your body is trying to fight off an infection.
• Pulsing. If you feel as though your wound is pulsating you may have an infection.
• Drainage. Any drainage is a classic sign of infection. White blood cells attempt to fight bacteria and fluid is produced as a result of dead cells, bacteria, and toxins.
• Fever. When an infection affects the blood stream, you may experience flu like symptoms such as fatigue and a fever.

Fighting the Infection and Cause

If you experience any of the above symptoms after a road rash accident, seek medical attention immediately. Although it may not seem like a big deal, an infection can cause serious damage to your tissue and bone—even result in poisoning your blood. Don’t take chances and see your doctor.

Fighting an infection can be an exhausting and unnerving experience, but having to fight your insurance company in addition to your injuries can be even worse. We know how frustrating it can be to deal with your injury claim while you’re still recovering. Fortunately, you don’t have to go through it alone.

If you’ve recently been injured in a motorcycle accident and need help, advice, and guidance when filing your injury claim, contact us today. The consultation is free, but we’ll give you the support you need to get the settlement you deserve. We’re waiting to help you.

Did you find this article interesting and helpful? Help us raise road rash awareness by sharing this page on Facebook or Twitter. You never know who may need the information or advice. With a simple click, you could help someone in need. Please, share now. 

The subject of motorcycle anti-lock brake systems (ABS) is highly contended amongst the Slow-Riders, Platinum Rollers, and the biker community as a whole. Many purists were taught on older bikes that weren’t equipped with ABS and therefore, believe that they aren’t necessary. Others believe that anti-lock brakes can cause even more problems than they solve.

“ABS will increase your stopping distance…When it fails, you won’t have any brakes at all…It’s dangerous when you’re not on pavement”…and so on and so forth.

However, as BMW can attest (as of 2012 ABS has been standard on all of their motorcycles), motorcycle anti-lock brake systems are life-saving and accident-preventing necessities. ABS has been evaluated both nationally and internationally as an important factor to increasing safety and reducing motorcycle accident numbers.

Benefits of Motorcycle ABS

The American Motorcycle Association, in conjunction with Bosch Engineering, proved to set the record straight about ABS. They performed numerous testing, research groups, and discussions with highly qualified automotive engineers, to conclusively show the benefits of ABS. The conclusions are as follows: 

• When braking, ABS not only allows you to maintain some control, but it allows you to stop in a shorter distance by keeping the wheels from locking up and skidding when you grab the brakes.
• If the ABS unit fails, the braking system reverts to its traditional braking function.
• ABS-equipped motorcycles allow you to perform a panic stop on slick (non-pavement) surfaces, with more control than non-ABS-equipped motorcycles. In deep sand or very rough terrain, ABS may cause unwanted pressure or retention when braking. However, when ABS is installed, an override switch is available so the rider can turn the system off when the bike is going to be rode in true off-road environments.

No matter what your position on the purity of a motorcycle, the next time you decide to upgrade, you should seriously look into your anti-lock brake options. They don’t affect your normal ride, but could wind up saving your life during an accident. Although, neither ABS nor any other type of motorcycle technology can replace experience and proper training, added protection can never hurt.

Safety is the most important thing for you and your family. Help us spread the word about the benefits of motorcycle anti-lock brakes, by sharing this page on Facebook and Twitter or recommending it on Google Plus. More and more drivers are opting for the thrill of motorcycles over the mundane safety of normal cars. Help them be as safe as possible—share now.

Have you already been injured and need advice about your motorcycle accident claim? Contact us today for a free consultation. We’ll be happy to provide you with information, support, and advice to help you and your family get the injury compensation you deserve.

No, a motorcycle accident is not always the fault of a biker. It might feel like there is a prejudice against bikers and that insurers and others tend to blame motorcyclists for all bike crashes on I-895, I-695, and other Maryland roads. However, just because the insurer is trying to make that claim does not mean that it is necessarily true.

You Will Have to Prove Your Case

If you are claiming that someone else, such as a car or truck driver, was responsible for your accident and injuries then you are going to have to prove your case. You are going to have to present evidence that someone else’s distracted, drunk, or otherwise negligent behavior resulted in your accident and injuries.

But You Don’t Have to Do it Alone

Instead, an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer can investigate your case and provide evidence to the insurance company during settlement negotiations and to a judge or jury at trial about the other party’s negligence.

Don’t let a prejudice against bikers prevent your fair recovery. Instead, learn the facts about your own case and work with someone who isn’t afraid to fight for justice. You may be able to recover damages that include compensation for past, current, and future:

• Medical expenses
• Lost income
• Out-of-pocket costs
• Pain and suffering

You may be able to recover damages that make a big difference in your life and allow you to recover to the maximum medical extent possible. Don’t let a fight deter you. Instead, read our testimonials and case results to find out how we’ve helped other people who have been hurt in accidents.

When you regained consciousness, you were in a hospital bed at Holy Cross, and had bandages wrapped around your torso, neck, and arms. Your family was sitting outside and your wife and mother were sitting next to you. They explained what happened, that you crashed on Sligo Creek and your motorcycle dragged you 15 feet into the Golf Course, causing severe road rash over 20 percent of your body—which was not protected by pads. After allowing this to sink in for a minute, they both took turns yelling at you for not taking proper precautions.

You attempted to calm them down by assuring them that road rash isn’t fatal, so they have nothing to worry about. Right?

Risks of Road Rash

Although road rash itself isn’t generally life threatening, the damage it causes could be severe enough to cause life-altering changes. In cases of severe, or third-degree road rash, skin can actually become flayed off, exposing bone, tissue, and severing nerves as well as creating large scars. In these cases, the risk for permanent damage is extremely high. Additionally, if severe abrasions aren’t carefully cleaned, maintained, and monitored, they could cause critical risks that could change your life or even be potentially fatal. These risks include:

• Infections – If not treated, infections can spread from the wounded area to your blood stream and then to your organs and brain.
• Blood loss
• Amputations
• Tetanus – If not vaccinated.
• Disfiguring scars

No matter the severity of your injuries or the degree of your abrasions, you should always seek medical attention after a motorcycle accident to assess any and all possible damage. Not only is this in your best interest health wise, but getting a fully documented injury assessment can also be beneficial for your injury claim.

Not sure if you want to pursue a compensatory claim? Contact us today to review your case and find out how much you may be entitled to for damages and suffering. Treatments and recovery can not only be long and arduous, but extremely expensive. Don’t become overwhelmed in medical debt when you deserve to have them paid for you. Call or contact us today for a free consultation—we’re here to help you.

Make sure your family and friends know the risk of motorcycle road rash by sharing this page with them via Facebook or Twitter.

Where did you come from?”  

“Officer, he came out of nowhere!”

“I swear, I couldn’t see you.”

“It’s not my fault—your motorcycle is hard to see.”

As a motorcyclists, do any of these phrases sound familiar?

According to the Maryland Transportation Authority, motorcycles can be extremely hard to spot and may be one of the leading causes of motorcycle accidents in the United States. If a vehicle can’t see you, they can’t avoid hitting you.

So, what steps or preventative measures must you take to ensure that you and your motorcycle are safely visible to other cars?

How to Be Seen

It’s always better to be overly cautious than seriously injured.  Follow these five simple visibility tricks to make sure you’re seen, rather than taking unnecessary risks and just hoping that other motorists notice you when riding your motorcycle.

• Wearing bright and reflective colors—especially at night—will aid in visibility.
• Turning on your headlights, even during daylight hours, can help motorists identify you better.
• Never ride parallel to another vehicle for too long, periodically speed up or slow down so the vehicle knows you’re still there. Riding for too long in a potential blind spot, can increase your chance of being forgotten about.
• When approaching an intersection, slow down, even if you have the right of way. This helps to make sure any vehicles who may be turning, have enough time to see you so they don’t turn in front of you. 
• When stopped at an intersection, driveway, or exit, try to occupy the center of the lane as much as possible.

It may seem unnecessary to take extra visibility precautions just because you ride a motorcycle. If drivers just paid attention they’d see you. It’s not like your invisible, right? Unfortunately, this ideology won’t protect you if a driver looks past you or doesn’t notice you when he makes his turn. Protect yourself and help prevent a tragedy by taking the extra incentives to be seen. You won’t regret them.

Need more information about motorcycle safety or motorcycle accident claims? Feel free to browse our site to see how our vast experience and knowledge can help you get the information and settlement you deserve.

Feel free to share this page with your friends and family, or leave a comment to let us know if you found this article informative and resourceful for motorcycle safety awareness.