Throughout Florida and in Saint Petersburg in particular, the roadways are extremely congested, especially during peak times. While motorcycles have every right to fully occupy traffic lanes on the roadways throughout the state, heightened traffic times, such as rush hour, increase the risk of collisions.
When motorcycles are involved in motor vehicle accidents, the injuries to a motorcyclist are usually much more severe than those sustained by the occupants of a vehicle. Due to the lack of safety afforded to bikers, any collision could cause them to be thrown from their bike, resulting in devastating injuries.
This is often because motorists are inattentive, or because motorcyclists may be over-crowded by surrounding traffic. No matter the circumstances of a crash, there are unique aspects of St. Petersburg motorcycle accident cases that are important for any biker to understand. If you were injured in a crash, a knowledgeable and experienced attorney could help to explain these elements and guide you through the legal process to pursue compensation.
How Fault is Determined After a Motorcycle Crash
The principles of determining fault in motorcycle wrecks are the same principles that are used in any other motor vehicle accident claim. However, there are some unique factors when it comes to identifying what happened.
Because of this, an individual could benefit from finding an attorney who is experienced in handling these types of claims. Specifically, it is crucial to find a lawyer who is familiar with the operation of a motorcycle and with the life insurance requirements for motorcyclists, so that they know what drivers must do who are in close proximity to bikers.
Furthermore, it is also important to find an attorney who can guide an injured motorcyclist through the process of determining who is at fault. This could be critical, because anyone who is unfamiliar with motorcycle crashes may underestimate their complexity.
Is Saint Petersburg a Comparative or Contributory Negligence Jurisdiction?
Saint Petersburg follows the law of comparative negligence. While some states still follow contributory negligence, meaning if a person is even partially at-fault, they cannot recover compensation, this is not the case in Florida.
In many accidents, fault can be distributed between all parties involves, to varying degrees. Insurance company representatives and juries can assign whatever percentage they want to the participant in an accident.
However, this means that even if a person has a percentage of fault assigned to them, they might still be able to receive compensation for their injuries through a claim. However, the awarded damages would be reduced to match their percentage of fault. For instance, if a motorcyclist was found to be 25 percent at fault for a collision, they could still recover 75 percent of the total sum.
The Importance to Understand the Increased Risks of a Collision
Motorcyclists are just like any other motor vehicle in the state of Florida. They are entitled to use the roadways, they are entitled to occupy a lane, and there are no limitations as to what a they can do versus a regular car.
However, in order to protect themselves, they need to be aware that there are a lot of people who ride in big SUV vehicles, trucks, and other large cars. Those vehicles have a lot of blind spots, meaning it is critical to avoid these areas while on the roadways.
Because of these and other unique aspects of a St. Petersburg motorcycle accident case, anyone who has been injured in a crash should consider reaching out to a compassionate lawyer for assistance. By enlisting legal help, you could rest assured that your questions will be answered and that a dedicated professional is working to help you through this difficult time. To learn more, schedule a consultation today.
