Every time a biker gets on the road with their motorcycle, they are facing significant risks. Motorcycles don’t offer the type of protection that other vehicles do, so what would only be a fender bender for a car could be a life-threatening crash for a biker.
If you have been in a motorcycle accident in Jacksonville, Florida, and suffered injuries, legal help is available. At Coker Law Personal Injury Lawyers, our Florida motorcycle accident lawyers can help you fight for compensation after suffering an injury because of another party’s misconduct. Contact us today at (904) 356-6071 to schedule a free consultation.
Learn more about common motorcycle injuries in Jacksonville and how our attorneys can assist you as you navigate the claim system.
How Coker Law Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Motorcycle Accident in Jacksonville, FL
There are many potential causes of motorcycle accidents, but the negligence and wrongful conduct of other drivers is the most common reason for these crashes. If you have sustained injuries and face steep medical bills, lost wages, and emotional and physical distress, you may be entitled to start a personal injury claim.
The Jacksonville motorcycle accident attorneys at Coker Law Personal Injury Lawyers offer assistance that includes:
- Evaluating your claim during a free consultation
- Investigating the motorcycle accident to understand how the injuries occurred
- Gathering evidence to prove that another party was responsible
- Calculating your full losses to fight for fair compensation
- Negotiating with insurance adjusters
- Litigating, if disputes make settling impossible
Our compassionate and experienced attorneys will treat you like family, offering personalized attention and the support you need throughout the entire process. Schedule a free consultation with a Jacksonville personal injury lawyer today.
Frequent Jacksonville Motorcycle Accident Injuries
Even if you follow all helmet laws in Florida, take safety courses, and are aware of the dangers other drivers pose to you on the road, you can still be involved in an accident. These crashes can result in a variety of injuries.
The following are the most common:
Road Rash
Road rash occurs when your skin scrapes against a hard surface, like asphalt. It is a friction burn injury that exposes you to infections, nerve damage, and scarring. Reconstructive surgeries involving skin grafts could be necessary.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Soft tissue injuries involve your muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Sprains and strains are the most common, along with bruises. These injuries cause swelling and pain, limiting the mobility of the impacted area. The symptoms can take hours or even days to begin, so you may not realize you sustained an injury until later.
Broken Bones
Because a bike doesn’t have a structure that protects your limbs from a direct hit, it’s common to sustain broken bones in an accident. These can be minor stress fractures or more severe breaks, like comminuted fractures.
Rib breaks are a frequent issue, especially if you’re thrown from the bike. These are particularly difficult to treat because your ribs can’t be immobilized for faster healing.
Internal Bleeding
Hurting an organ or a blood vessel can result in internal bleeding. This is a medical emergency that can lead to shock as a result of life-threatening blood loss. Organs can begin to shut down because they don’t receive the oxygen they need as blood pressure plummets. This is another injury that doesn’t always make itself known immediately after it occurs.
Head Trauma
Even if you wear a helmet, you can still sustain head trauma that involves brain injuries like concussions. Although concussions are considered to be mild injuries, they can still result in significant symptoms that can last for days or weeks.
There are other types of brain injuries a biker can sustain, too, depending on the severity of the accident. One of the most severe is a diffuse axonal injury, which damages the brain’s nerve fibers and all too often leads to comas.
How Long Do You Have to File a Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit in Florida?
In most cases, Florida law gives you two years from the date of a motorcycle accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. This deadline is established by Florida’s statute of limitations and generally applies when you are seeking compensation from a negligent driver or another responsible party.
However, exceptions can shorten or extend the filing deadline depending on the circumstances. Missing the applicable deadline could prevent you from recovering compensation through the courts. Speaking with a Jacksonville personal injury attorney as soon as possible can help you determine how much time you have and preserve your right to pursue a claim.
Contact Our Jacksonville Motorcycle Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation
If you have been in a motorcycle accident and suffered injuries as a result of misconduct, you could be eligible to begin a claim and recover your losses. This requires demonstrating that the other party is to blame for the accident. Proving negligence or wrongful conduct is not easy, and neither is negotiating with insurance companies for a fair settlement.
At Coker Law Personal Injury Lawyers, we can assist you through every step of the claim process. With dedicated attorneys by your side, you have a better chance of obtaining the settlement or award you deserve. Schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with our Jacksonville motorcycle accident attorneys.