DO YOU NEED A SAN LUIS OBISPO MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT ATTORNEY?

Yes. An experienced motorcycle accident attorney can provide many benefits as you file your claim. Many people worry about the cost associated with an attorney. Gomez Trial Attorneys can start with a free consultation to help both us and you better understand your accident and the compensation you deserve.

You may find that an attorney:

• Helps collect evidence to help you file your claim
• Offers valuable advice about the compensation you deserve for your injuries
• Provides you with a guide to help you move through the claim process
• Negotiates on your behalf

Many motorcycle accident victims have found that working with Gomez Trial Attorneys increases the compensation they receive even after paying their legal fees. A free consultation can with us give you a better idea of what to expect, both from our San Luis Obispo motorcycle accident attorneys and from your claim.

COMMON SAN LUIS OBISPO MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT INJURIES AND THEIR IMPACT

Motorcycles offer little in the way of protection to their riders. In some accidents, motorcycles can cause even more damage, especially if the rider loses control of the motorcycle and it lands on top of him. Not to mention the accidents caused by truck accidents, car accidents, or even just pedestrian accidents typically leave riders with severe injuries, including:

TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

Traumatic brain injury can transform every aspect of a motorcycle accident victim’s life. Victims with traumatic brain injury not only face substantial medical costs, they may lose their cognitive processing abilities, ability to focus, or even emotional regulation.

Traumatic brain injuries can cause the following complications in victims’ lives:

• Inability to return to work due to difficulties with cognitive function. Many jobs require workers to engage in normal cognitive function: remembering simple instructions, focusing long enough to carry out tasks, and working out solutions for problems along the way. Traumatic brain injury can interfere with all of those functions, making it incredibly difficult for victims to return to their jobs until symptoms subside. While victims with mild traumatic brain injury may make modifications to make it easier to return to work, victims with moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries may struggle to take up daily life tasks.
• Inability to care for themselves. Victims with traumatic brain injury may struggle to remember how to complete even the simplest tasks. Sometimes, traumatic brain injury interferes with short-term memory, which can make it difficult for victims to remember if they have eaten.
• Difficulty maintaining relationships. Traumatic brain injury can cause gaping holes in the victim’s long-term memories, but those memories often return over the course of recovery. Worse, for many loved ones of traumatic brain injury victims, victims may struggle to communicate. Some lose language skills as a result of the injury, while others may lack the emotional regulation necessary to interact with loved ones normally. Some victims may have unexpected outbursts that work to further degrade relationships.

Many victims experience chronic symptoms after the accident. Wearing a motorcycle helmet when riding can decrease the risk of traumatic brain injury or decrease the severity of those injuries, but it may not eliminate it.

SPINAL CORD DAMAGE

A blow to the spinal cord during your motorcycle accident can cause severe complications: a single instant, with a lifelong impact. In an incomplete spinal cord injury, the spinal cord does not sever completely, but the victim may lose a substantial amount of motor function and control, as well as feeling, below the site of the injury. Complete spinal cord injuries can cause complete paralysis below the site of the injury.

Victims with spinal cord damage may find that their injuries substantially impact their daily lives.

• Inability to walk. Paralysis from the waist down can make it difficult or impossible for victims with spinal cord injuries to walk. While some can manage some movement with heavy braces and other assistive devices, others cannot move their legs at all. This can leave spinal cord injury victims confined to a wheelchair.
• Difficulty with fine motor control. Even victims with incomplete spinal cord damage may struggle with fine motor control, especially if they suffered damage high on the spinal cord.
• Trouble caring for themselves. Victims with complete damage high on the spinal cord may struggle with basic self-care tasks for the rest of their lives. Victims with lower spinal cord injuries may still need assistance with many basic tasks, from bathing to getting dressed. Occupational therapy can help many victims relearn how to care for themselves despite those injuries, but some victims require assistance for the rest of their lives.

AMPUTATIONS

Some San Luis Obispo accident victims suffer immediate amputation at the scene of the accident, a limb removed by the force of the accident. Others may require amputations upon arrival at the hospital due to severe crushing damage. Still others may find that lack of blood flow to a limb causes it to necrotize, requiring amputation weeks after the accident. Many amputees go on to live full, active lives assisted by prosthetic devices.

Amputees, however, may face many challenges on the road to recovery.

• Inability to carry out self-care tasks. Occupational therapy can help an amputee learn how to take care of many basic self-care tasks, especially with the aid of a prosthesis. It may take some time, however, before the victim learns how to manage these vital tasks in spite of amputation.
• Mobility challenges. Loss of a foot or leg can make it very difficult to get around. Amputees may need to use a wheelchair at least part time, especially until the amputation heals.
• Difficulty with some work responsibilities. The difficulties faced by an amputee may vary depending on the type of work the victim usually performs and the extent of the injuries.

BURNS, INCLUDING ROAD RASH

Victims of San Luis Obispo motorcycle accidents often suffer road rash: severe friction burns caused by flesh dragging across the pavement. Wearing protective gear, including leathers and gloves, when riding can reduce the risk of road rash substantially. Motorcycle accident victims may also suffer burns if they come into contact with caustic chemicals, or when a gas leak causes a fire following an accident.

Burn victims often face substantial challenges.

• Severe pain. Burns frequently cause more severe pain than any other type of injury. Even minor burns can lead to substantial pain and suffering for accident victims.
• Scarring. Many burn victims, including victims of friction burns and road rash, have severe scarring. Scarring can permanently affect physical appearance and may require plastic surgery to restore normal appearance.
• Mobility challenges. Severe burns can cause the skin to draw up and contract, especially around joints. Contracture can make it difficult to move the affected limb fully. Some burn victims lose some mobility following their accidents.
• Infection. Burns remove the skin: the body’s natural barrier against infection. Exposure to bacteria can lead to severe infection, which may delay healing and increase other complications as the victim recovers.

BROKEN BONES

Many motorcycle accident victims suffer severely broken bones due to the force of the accident. Direct contact with a motor vehicle, striking the pavement, or running into other objects on or around the road can all lead to broken bones. Many victims suffer multiple broken bones, including arms, legs, and ribs.

Broken bones, especially multiple broken bones, can pose challenges for victims.

• Difficulty with basic self-care tasks. Motorcycle accident victims with broken bones may struggle to take care of themselves immediately after the accident. Tasks like bathing and dressing can require assistance for some time. Cooking, shopping, and cleaning may remain difficult until recovery progresses.
• Trouble with mobility. Victims with broken bones may need to use crutches to get around. Unfortunately, many victims also break bones in their arms and hands, making crutches problematic. Motorcycle accident victims with broken bones may require a wheelchair or need assistance getting around until those broken bones begin to heal.
• Trouble completing work tasks. Victims with broken bones may struggle to complete basic works tasks. Using a computer keyboard can prove difficult with broken bones in the hands and arms, while victims in more physical professions may struggle to handle moving heavy objects or walking around a factory floor with broken bones.

WHO BEARS LIABILITY FOR MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT INJURIES?

Drivers often fail to note the presence of motorcycles, and their riders, around them. Distraction, from cell phone use to trying to converse with someone inside the vehicle, can lead to considerable difficulty paying attention to anyone on the road, including motorcycle riders. 

Drivers may also fail to look twice to see motorcycles and their riders. Many drivers become highly focused on the presence of larger vehicles on the road and may fail to note motorcycles, pedestrians, and bicyclists. While driver distraction contributes heavily to motorcycle accidents, however, it may not represent the only cause of an accident.

Other factors may contribute to motorcycle accidents, including:

• Mechanical failure
• Driver fatigue, especially in commercial drivers who have spent long hours on the road
• Poor maintenance on a vehicle
• Missed problems with the vehicle
• Unrealistic requirements for commercial drivers

In some cases, other entities, including the company that employs a commercial driver, a mechanic who recently worked on the vehicle, or a vehicle manufacturer may share liability for your motorcycle accident. Contact an attorney for an evaluation of your accident if you feel other factors contributed to the accident. You can file a personal injury claim against all parties that contributed to your motorcycle accident, often substantially increasing the compensation you can receive for your injuries.

SEEKING COMPENSATION FOR MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT INJURIES

The amount of compensation you can receive for motorcycle accident injuries varies. Consult an attorney to get a better idea of what compensation you deserve for your claim. Keep in mind that insurance companies may not give you an accurate picture of what you deserve for your injuries, since many insurance companies may attempt to decrease their financial liability following a motorcycle accident as much as possible.

Consider:

Who caused your accident? In California, drivers must carry minimum liability coverage that offers at least $15,000 in protection for individuals injured in auto accidents. Other entities, including companies with commercial fleets, may carry substantially higher insurance that can offer more protection and compensation following a motorcycle accident.

How severe are your injuries? Severe motorcycle accident injuries can lead to skyrocketing medical costs. The more severe your injuries, the more compensation you may seek for them. Most people include these elements in a personal injury claim:

• Medical costs
• Lost wages due to time missed at work after the accident
• Pain and suffering from the accident
• Lost earning potential, if relevant

CONTACT A SAN LUIS OBISPO MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT LAWYER TODAY

If you suffered serious injuries in a motorcycle accident in San Luis Obispo, you may need an experienced personal injury attorney to help you seek compensation for your injuries. Contact Gomez Trial Attorneys today or call us at our San Luis Obispo office at (619) 237-3490 to schedule an evaluation of your accident, and learn more about the compensation you might obtain for your injuries.

Gomez Trial Attorneys
1334 Chorro Street
San Luis Obispo, 93401
Phone: (619)-237-3490