Car and motorcycle accidents happen across the Clearwater area weekly. Sometimes, these accidents result in minor injuries; unfortunately, severe injuries can occur. While both types of accidents can cause injuries and fatalities, motorcycle accidents are likelier.
While there are many differences between car and motorcycle accident cases in Clearwater, there are also similarities. A similarity is that you could file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault party if you get in either accident. Personal injury attorneys could help you seek compensation for your injuries.
Top Differences Between Clearwater Car And Motorcycle Accident Cases
Motorcycle Accidents Have A Higher Fatality Rate
Motorcycles have significantly more fatalities when comparing the percentages of car and motorcycle accidents to their fatality rates. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) crash dashboard, in Pinellas County, where Clearwater is located, 26% of motorcycle accidents led to a fatality in 2022.
Common Injuries Differ Between Car And Motorcycle Accident Cases
It’s common for motorcyclists to suffer much more severe injuries than people in cars. The lack of protection around motorcycle riders is the most common cause of more severe injuries. Also, motorcycle riders could sustain injuries that car accident victims don’t typically sustain, such as road rash or burns from the motorcycle.
Common Causes Of Accidents
While the same causes can happen for motorcycle and car accidents, some accidents are more likely to cause a motorcycle accident than a car accident. A lack of motorcycle experience commonly causes accidents. Motorcycles have more limitations than cars. When the driver doesn’t understand those limitations, they could cause an accident.
Distracted driving commonly causes car accidents. It occurs when a car driver does anything that takes their attention off the road. Eating, texting, or changing the radio are all distractions. While inattentive motorcyclists could cause an accident, it is not the leading cause of these collision types.
Similarities Between Car Accident And Motorcycle Accident Cases In Clearwater
While there are many differences between car and motorcycle accident cases in Clearwater, there are also several similarities.
Drunk Driving Is A Common Cause For Both Accidents
Unfortunately, people engage in driving while intoxicated while operating cars and motorcycles. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), drunk driving causes 31% of car accidents. The National Safety Council (NSC) states that 28% of motorcycle accidents occur because of an impaired driver.
When people choose to get behind the wheel of a car or motorcycle after drinking, they could have significant impairments. These impairments could cause them to run off the road, turn into oncoming traffic, and make other poor driving decisions. Although people know drinking and driving is dangerous, intoxicated motorcycle and car drivers continue to cause accidents.
You Could Seek Compensation For Your Losses In Both Types Of Accidents
In motorcycle and car accident cases, if you sustained injuries in the accident, you can file a claim against the liable party. When you file a claim, you aim to recover from the losses that the accident caused. An attorney can help you identify your losses so that you know how much compensation to seek. Examples of losses you could recover in either a motorcycle or car accident include:
- Medical expenses: Car and motorcycle accident injuries could require you to seek medical care, such as emergency transportation, emergency room treatments, hospital stays, doctor’s visits, specialist visits, and medications. These costs could vary depending on the severity of your injuries. An attorney can help you gather the appropriate documentation to prove you suffered medical losses.
- Lost income: When you get in a car or motorcycle accident, your injuries could prevent you from working. Depending on how long you miss work, you could lose substantial income. You could also lose future income if you cannot return to work in the near future. Your attorney could help you prove past and future income losses so you could seek compensation for them.
- Physical pain: Injuries in either type of accident could cause you to endure significant physical pain. In car accident and motorcycle accident cases, you could seek compensation because you had to deal with that pain. When you hire an attorney, they can help you understand if you qualify to seek compensation for this loss.
- Emotional distress: The trauma from a motorcycle or car accident could leave you with significant emotional distress. In both cases, you can seek compensation for any negative psychological issues the accident caused. Negative psychological issues could include anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, sleeping issues, or in severe cases, depression.
- Loss of enjoyment: Another non-monetary loss you could seek compensation for in both accidents is loss of life enjoyment. These losses could compensate you for the lack of ability to participate in activities you could before because your injuries now prevent you from doing so. Your attorney can help you gather evidence to prove you can no longer do the things you could before.
Seeking compensation for these damages in car and motorcycle accident cases can help you recover financially after an accident causes injuries. Attorney can help with these cases and provide representation through this process. By having a strong legal advocate on your side, you can get help building a more solid case to help prove you deserve compensation.
Contact Us for a Free Consultation – Our Clearwater Lawyer Can Help After a Car or Motorcycle Accident
The differences between car and motorcycle accidents in Clearwater mainly correlate with the severity of injuries and number of fatalities. Whether you sustained injuries or your loved one passed away, you can act against the liable party in both cases. When you file a claim, you need strong evidence to support your claims to recover compensation. Hiring an attorney through this process can help significantly.
Contact a car or motorcycle accident attorney from the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine Today. You can speak to our attorneys at no cost during a consultation to learn about your legal options.
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