Vehicle Accidents

Motorcycle Accidents

Jump Down:

Overview

There are many different types of financial compensation that victims of motorcycle crashes or their loved ones can receive. A motorcycle accident can be traumatic both physically and emotionally for not only the victim, but for their loved ones as well.

With Sheff & Cook in your corner, you will have a partner who is dedicated to helping you navigate a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit. Our goal is to serve as your partner in the legal process, helping you to recover the damages and compensation you deserve.

To start, our team can help with navigating complex insurance policies. While Massachusetts is a state that requires no-fault Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage on auto insurance policies, regulation allows insurers to exclude motor vehicle insurance from covering a motorcycle PIP for injuries suffered during motorcycle crashes. This is why it is key to contact an experienced attorney as soon as possible after a crash. Though PIP benefits will typically help victims of bike or car crash accidents, these benefits are not available for those involved in motorcycle accidents.

Depending on the severity of the motorcycle crash, there are many different types of compensation we can help you recover. We want to ensure that negligible parties are held responsible, so we can help you get compensated for any medical expenses incurred, long-term care costs and other costs associated with a motorcycle accident. We may be able to recover compensation for the following:

Medical expenses
Physical therapy
Long-term care
Disfigurement and scarring
Disability
Emotional distress
Pain and suffering
Lost wages
Motorcycle repair or replacement
Decreased quality of life

While many factors can cause motorcycle accidents, in personal injury cases one of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents is driver negligence, or distracted driving by another party. Though many drivers are accustomed to monitoring their surroundings for other cars and larger passenger vehicles, distracted drivers often simply will not see motorcyclists in their path. As a result, drivers of passenger vehicles will speed, tailgate and drive recklessly.

When faced with a settlement following a motorcycle accident, the lawyer you choose can make a big difference. Sheff & Cook has successfully fought for people hurt or killed in motorcycle accidents for years, and we understand how challenging it can be to get the compensation you or your loved one deserves.

Our goal is to ensure that families and victims receive representation against the team of insurance company lawyers, adjusters and specialists who will try to minimize liability payments. When you are involved in a motorcycle accident lawsuit, you need an experienced, knowledgeable attorney who can even the playing field. You need the expertise of the team at Sheff & Cook.

Additional Information

How Common are Motorcycle Accidents?

According to the NHTSA, there were 4,985 people killed in motorcycle accidents across the US in the year 2018. While this represented a 5% decrease in accident victims from the previous year, the NHTSA determined that motorcyclists are still about 27 times more likely than people in passenger cars to be killed in a traffic crash. Overall, motorcyclists accounted for 14% of all traffic fatalities. It is estimated that about 82,000 motorcyclists were injured during accidents in the same year.

4,985 people died in motorcycle accidents in the US in 2018.
Motorcyclists are 27 times more likely to be killed in an accident than those in passenger cars.
Motorcyclists accounted for 14% of traffic fatalities in 2018.
82,000 motorcyclists were injured in accidents in 2018.

There were an estimated 1,704 motorcycle accidents in Massachusetts during the year 2020, according to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). Of those crashes, about 3.4% of motorcycle accidents in the state of Massachusetts occurred in the city of Boston. About 3% of the 1,704 motorcycle crashes in Massachusetts resulted in a fatality.

1,704 motorcycle accidents occurred in Massachusetts in 2020.
58 motorcycle accidents occurred in Boston in 2020.
57 people were killed in motorcycle accidents in 2020.

Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries

When a person is involved in a motorcycle crash, oftentimes the only thing that stands between them and the road is a motorcycle helmet. Therefore, motorcycle accidents can cause injuries that result in significant pain and suffering, disability or even death. These types of injuries can be costly for victims, as victims are often responsible for expensive medical bills while suffering from lost wages and a reduced quality of life.

Brain injuries and closed head injuries are among the common types of injuries caused by motorcycle accidents, as these can occur in any situation where the head is subjected to extreme force. While traumatic brain injuries might not always be outwardly visible, it is important to pay attention for signs of brain injury after a motorcycle accident. These can include headaches, blurred vision, dizziness, nausea and memory loss.

Other common injuries suffered as a result of motorcycle crashes can include: