Riverview Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Riverview Motorcycle Accident Attorney

The Riverview area of Florida is a busy hub of traffic, especially along Interstate 75 and US Highway 301. Accidents happen on these major highways every day for many reasons, and it’s vital for every driver in the area to know what to expect in the aftermath of an unexpected crash. Motorcycle accidents are particularly damaging due to the fact that motorcycles offer very little physical protection to their riders when they are involved in collisions. In May of 2023, a motorcyclist lost control of their vehicle and suffered fatal injuries when their bike collided with a utility pole on US 41. This is just one example of the risks all motorcyclists face due to the inherent dangers of their vehicles.

Helping Motorcycle Crash Victims Recover in Riverview, FL

While less common than passenger vehicle accidents, motorcycle crashes tend to be far more damaging. If you or a family member recently suffered injuries in a motorcycle accident on I-4 or elsewhere in Hillsborough County, an experienced Riverview personal injury attorney is the ideal asset to have on your side as you navigate the complex series of legal proceedings likely to follow the incident.

Santini Law Firm has extensive professional experience representing victims of motorcycle accidents and other vehicle collisions in the Riverview area. Throughout the years of our firm’s operation, we have successfully assisted many motorcycle accident victims in their recovery efforts, so we know the various legal challenges you might encounter as you seek compensation for your damages. The no-fault rule for vehicle accidents may appear as an impediment to your recovery, forcing you to use your own auto insurance to pay for your damages, but this may not be your only option for recovery, especially if another driver is clearly at fault for the accident.

How to Prove the Other Driver Was at Fault for a Motorcycle Accident in Riverview

Florida follows the no-fault rule for vehicle accidents, meaning all drivers are required to have their own auto insurance that includes personal injury protection (PIP) of $10,000. This insurance will help pay for the motorcycle driver’s medical expenses and lost income following an accident, regardless of fault. Auto insurance can also pay for motorcycle repair costs. However, do not make the mistake of assuming that the no-fault rule means you cannot pursue legal recourse against another driver if they are clearly liable for your motorcycle accident.

Whenever any vehicle accident results in damages that cannot be fully repaid through auto insurance alone, the injured driver has the right to seek compensation from the at-fault driver with a personal injury suit. The injured driver will need to use their insurance first to pay for their damages, but the remainder that insurance can’t cover can be cited as damages in a personal injury suit. A few of the most common ways that drivers incur liability for causing motorcycle accidents in the Riverview area include:

• Speeding, is not only a common cause of all vehicle accidents but also a major contributing factor to the number of fatal motorcycle crashes reported throughout Florida each year. Excessive speeding may also lead to reckless driving charges against the driver whose negligence led to the injury to the motorcyclist
• Moving violations, such as failure to yield the right-of-way, performing an illegal turn, or failing to stop for a red light or stop sign. Any moving violation can potentially disrupt the flow of traffic in various ways, especially in dense metropolitan traffic. Motorcyclists are especially vulnerable to moving violations because they are smaller and easier to overlook than standard passenger cars. Heed the bumper stickers that implore us to look twice for motorcycles. There are real stories of loss behind these bumper stickers of families who lost loved ones to motorcycle wrongful death accidents.
• Distracted driving. This is one of the most commonly reported causes of vehicle crashes throughout the Riverview area. A distracted driver caused a fatal crash on I-75 in 2019, resulting in the death of a 9-year-old boy and serious injuries to both of the boy’s parents and his sister. The driver was recently sentenced in June of 2023 to 30 years in prison along with $100,000 in fines and permanent revocation of his driver’s license. This accident led to state lawmakers banning the use of cell phones while driving and is a clear example of how dangerous distracted driving can be. Motorcyclists are at increased risk from distracted drivers because they are less obvious than larger vehicles and, therefore, more likely to be struck by distracted drivers.
• Driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs. This is the most common illegal cause of motorcycle accidents and other vehicle crashes in the Riverview area. A driver who causes a DUI accident faces civil liability for damages exceeding the victim’s insurance coverage as well as criminal charges. Penalties for DUI conviction automatically increase substantially when a defendant has caused serious bodily injury or death. When a DUI motorcycle accident occurs, the at-fault driver is also subject to punitive damages. Punitive damages in Florida can increase the recovery of a Riverview personal injury lawsuit by 3 times.

Your Riverview motorcycle accident lawyer can be instrumental in gathering the evidence you will need to firmly prove liability for your recent accident. They can assist you in obtaining traffic camera recordings, statements from witnesses who saw the accident happen firsthand, and digital evidence such as the other driver’s cell phone records or vehicle computer data. Gathering critical evidence and firmly establishing liability is a common requirement after many serious vehicle crashes.

What Compensation Can I Receive After a Motorcycle Crash in Riverview?

Every driver must have auto insurance that includes property damage liability coverage and personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. However, PIP will typically only cover up to $10,000 worth of damages following an accident, such as medical bills and lost income.

Your motorcycle accident attorney in Riverview, FL can be invaluable for the assistance they can provide with the insurance claim filing process after an accident. If the fault for the accident is clear, then your insurance claim is likely to be just the first step in your recovery efforts. The no-fault rule does allow you to seek compensation from the at-fault driver if you suffered serious injuries and your damages exceed the extent of available insurance coverage.

If you have grounds to file a personal injury claim against the at-fault driver, you are entitled to recover compensation for any damages that insurance can’t cover, such as:

• Medical expenses. While your PIP can be a valuable source of initial compensation for medical bills following an accident, motorcycle crashes have a high chance of causing catastrophic injuries such as traumatic brain damage, spinal cord injuries, and other harm that can require extensive ongoing rehabilitative care. The at-fault driver is liable for any medical expenses you incur from the accident that insurance cannot cover.
• Lost income. Many people who suffer serious injuries in motorcycle accidents cannot work and earn income as they recover. Some are left permanently disabled and cannot work at all in the future. If your ability to earn income has been impaired by your recent motorcycle accident, a good attorney can help you hold the at-fault driver accountable for your lost wages and lost earning capacity.
• Property damage. Your motorcycle may have been completely destroyed in your recent accident, and available insurance coverage may not fully cover the entire extent of your claimable property losses. Any remainder can be cited as economic damages in your personal injury claim.
• Pain and suffering. Florida law allows the plaintiff in a personal injury case to seek compensation for the physical pain and emotional distress they experienced because of a defendant’s negligence or intentional misconduct, and there is no limit to the amount they can claim. The average motorcycle accident victim may have trouble assigning a dollar value to intangible damages, but an experienced personal injury attorney can provide helpful direction in this aspect of their case. Your motorcycle accident attorney can help secure pain and suffering compensation that reflects the time it will take for you to fully recover and the overall severity of the harm you suffered. If you sustained any permanent damage, your pain and suffering compensation could be the largest portion of your total case award. “Award” refers to the amount of money a motorcycle accident victim recovers in a personal injury case.

Ultimately, every motorcycle accident claim is unique, and the average claimant could face numerous procedural challenges with their insurance claim and a subsequent personal injury suit. Santini Law Firm has years of professional experience helping Riverview area clients recover from these incidents, and we are ready to put this experience to work for you in your recovery efforts.

Our firm takes time to learn each client’s story. We will immediately begin helping you gather the evidence you will need to prove fault, and our firm will not add to your financial troubles in your motorcycle accident case by charging expensive hourly legal fees. Santini Law Firm accepts personal injury clients on a contingency fee basis, meaning you do not pay a fee to our team unless we win your case, and your fee is a percentage of the total compensation we recover for you. You have a limited time in which to pursue your recovery after a motorcycle accident, and the sooner you connect to legal counsel you can trust, the more likely you are to maximize your total compensation. Contact Santini Law Firm today to schedule a free case review with a Riverview motorcycle accident attorney you can trust with your case.