Motorcycle Accidents

Long Island Motorcycle Attorneys

RGLZ Personal Injury Law has years of experience in representing motorcycle riders. As the home of Motorcycle Mike Esq, Long Island’s premier motorcycle attorney, we’re extremely proud of the work we do for motorcyclists. We know that anyone who rides a motorcycle puts a premium on safety, and though they’d love other drivers on the roads and highways to do the same, they know that many drivers are simply oblivious to motorcyclists. An accident involving a motorcycle is twice as likely to result in a severe injury, and we’ve helped many victims of motorcycle accidents secure compensation for lifelong injuries such as head trauma, neck injuries, spinal cord injuries, severe road rash and scarring, fractured limbs and paralysis.

Motorcycle Awareness: Every New York Driver’s Duty

In terms of “per miles traveled”, insurance estimates show that motorcyclists face 27 times the chance of serious injury or death on the road compared to automobile drivers. Many of these accidents are the clear fault of other drivers on the road, with drivers of cars, trucks, and other vehicles often failing to take the simple, easy steps that can save lives; like looking around them before changing lanes.

Only about 7 percent of motorcycle wrecks occur without the involvement of another vehicle. More than 90 percent of motorcycle accidents involve other vehicles.

Despite the heightened dangers motorcyclists face, motorcycle use is actually on a steady upward trend in New York. In fact, with fuel prices going through the roof and the daily commute that feels like a job, motorcycles are gradually becoming a more practical choice for the way New Yorker’s get around. Add our amazing, and growing, Long Island biker community to that, and you have the 4th leading state in the nation in terms of registered motorcycles. The daily use of motorcycles, mopeds, scooters and other two-wheeled vehicles on New York streets and highways continues to grow.

Motorcycle Fatalities on the Rise

Today, the rate of motorcycle fatalities is as high as it has been since the late 1980s. At least part of this increase is due to changing policies in federal oversight over state helmet laws. Beginning in 1989, the federal government began withholding as much as 3 percent of federal highway funding to states that didn’t enforce adequate helmet laws. In 1995, many of those conditions were repealed, and states, in turn, digressed to looser helmet law enforcement. Today, in many states, only minors (or those under the age of 18) are required to wear helmets. Only 20 states and the District of Columbia require helmet use from all riders. Not surprisingly, New York is among those 20 states. New Hampshire is the only state that does not have a motorcycle helmet law.

We’ll Make Justice Work for You

As a law firm that often helps those injured in traffic accidents, RGLZ and Motorcycle Mike go out of their way to promote motorcycle safety on the road. Many of our past clients have been motorcyclists, and we’ve helped them obtain the compensation they’ve needed to endure lifelong injuries such as head trauma, neck injuries, spinal cord injuries, severe road rash and scarring, fractured limbs and paralysis. When motorcycle accidents end in fatalities, we are also there to help loved ones of the deceased obtain what they need to survive.

So if you’re looking for an attorney for your motorcycle case, look no further. Give RGLZ a call at 866-639-5567 and ask for Motorcycle Mike ESQ, because he’s one of us.

FAQs

How are my medical bills paid when I am injured riding a motorcycle?

The no-fault law in New York does not protect motorcyclists, as they are not entitled to no-fault benefits. Nor is the driver of the other vehicle responsible for payment of your medical bills. If you have private insurance, your medical bills are the responsibility of your private health insurance carrier. If you do not have private insurance, then your bills may be submitted to Medicaid or Medicare, if you are eligible. Otherwise, they are your responsibility.

What sort of insurance coverage should I have on my motorcycle?

The single most important thing that you can do to protect yourself in the event that you are injured due to the negligence of another driver is to purchase the most Supplementary Underinsured Motorist (SUM) coverage that you can afford. At a minimum, you should purchase at least $100,000 of SUM coverage, but ideally, you should have $250,000 or more of SUM coverage. Thus, in the event that you are injured by a driver who has the minimum coverage required in NY, $25,000, you can receive additional compensation from your own insurance carrier up to the maximum amount of your SUM coverage, less whatever sum of money you have received from the offending driver’s liability insurance carrier.

Visit NHTSA for motorcycle safety stats: https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/motorcycles