Federal Way Motorcycle Accident Attorney

Motorcycle accidents are often more serious than car accidents, causing severe injuries to the rider and passenger, as well as causing damage to property. Motorcycles are less stable than cars, which means that riders have a greater chance of being thrown off, even in minor collisions. There’s also far less protection in an accident if you’re on a motorcycle.

If you or a loved one was in a motorcycle accident in Federal Way, WA our firm is here to help. Contact our Federal Way motorcycle accident attorneys right away to discuss your options at (206) 312-0954 or by fill out our online contact form.

What Are Some Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries?

Motorcycle accidents can cause a wide variety of injuries, both to the rider and to any passengers. Some of the most common injuries include the following:

• Head injuries
• Neck injuries
• Back injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Broken bones
• Lacerations
• Burns
• Internal organ damage

If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, it is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible. Failure to do so could result in further injury or even death. Availability of the medical records always play a significant role in personal injury cases, so seeking medical help is an important first step to take.

Examples of Negligence

To be successful in a motorcycle accident case, your Federal Way motorcycle accident attorney will need to prove that the other party involved was at fault and was negligent. This means proving that the at-fault party failed to exercise reasonable care, which caused the accident and your injuries. Some examples of negligence include:

• Driving too closely behind another vehicle
• Failing to obey traffic laws or signage
• Illegal turns/passing on blind hills and curves
• Speeding
• Texting or being on the phone

Negligence is not the only grounds on which an injured motorcycle accident victim can file a claim. Driver recklessness is also a common tort. Recklessness means that the driver displayed a willful and wanton disregard for the safety of others or knew that his or her actions would create a foreseeable risk of injury but committed them anyway. A common example of recklessness is driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Who Can Be Held Responsible for a Washington Motorcycle Accident?

If another driver was negligent and this caused your motorcycle accident, his or her car insurance policy is what will pay for your medical bills and property repairs under Washington’s fault-based law. The fault law states that the person or party most responsible for causing a motor vehicle accident must pay for related losses. It is up to the victim, however, to prove fault for eligibility. In a no-fault state, on the other hand, drivers seek compensation from their own insurance companies, regardless of fault.

Driver error is the number one cause of motorcycle collisions in Washington. All drivers in Washington State are required to carry minimum amounts of liability insurance to pay for the damages caused in an accident. However, it is also possible that a third party caused or contributed to your collision. If a pothole or road defect made you crash, for example, the Federal Way government may be held responsible for failing to ensure a safe roadway. Another possibility is holding a motorcycle manufacturer liable for an auto part defect.

Can Multiple Parties Be Responsible for a Motorcycle Accident?

Yes. Fault for a motorcycle accident can be divided into percentages that are allocated to more than one party. If an investigation finds that multiple parties contributed to the crash, such as other motorists and the city, they will each be assigned an appropriate percentage of fault. Under Washington’s joint and several liability law, each defendant will be responsible for paying an amount in proportion to his or her share of fault. No defendant will be responsible for paying for another defendant’s share of fault unless an exception exists.

If you are found to be partially at fault for your own motorcycle accident, a different law will apply – the contributory fault law. This law states that the proportion of fault allocated to the claimant will diminish his or her compensatory damage award proportionately but not bar recovery. This means that you can still be eligible for at least partial compensation even if you contributed to your motorcycle accident.

What Damages Can I Recover After a Motorcycle Accident in Washington?

Bringing a motorcycle accident claim in Washington could help you and your family recover from the crash and move forward with the financial compensation (also known as damages) that you need to pay for related bills and expenses. There are two main types of compensatory damages in a motor vehicle accident case: economic and noneconomic. Economic damages are the monetary losses associated with the accident, while noneconomic refer to the intangible effects the crash had on the victim.

If you get injured in a motorcycle accident in Federal Way, you could be eligible for the following damages:

• Past and future medical bills
• Motorcycle damage repairs
• Replacement of a totaled motorcycle
• Lost wages
• Disability costs
• Lost capacity to earn
• Diminished quality of life
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional and psychological distress
• Wrongful death damages, if applicable
• Punitive damages

The value of your motorcycle accident case will depend on your specific circumstances, such as the gravity of your injuries and costs of your medical bills. Work with an attorney to determine how much your case is worth before accepting an insurance settlement. While a car insurance company may try to take advantage of you, a lawyer will fight for maximum financial compensation on your behalf.

What Is The Statute of Limitations in a Washington Motorcycle Accident?

If you were injured in a motorcycle accident, there’s a certain deadline you must file your case by. This is known as the statute of limitations. If you fail to file the case by this date, you will miss out on any compensation that you’d otherwise be legally entitled to.

In Washington state, the statute of limitations for personal injury cases is three years from the date of the accident or your injuries. If you try to file a lawsuit after this deadline has passed, it will almost certainly be dismissed.

Contact Our Federal Way Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

Being involved in a motorcycle accident in Federal Way, Washington can be an incredibly scary and traumatic experience. If you suffered significant physical injuries, your main goal is probably to heal and get back to your normal life as soon as possible. Our Federal Way motorcycle accident attorneys understand, and we will do everything in our power to make this process as quick and stress-free as possible for you.

When you hire us, you’re hiring a legal team that is always available to answer your questions. You can reach us via phone, text, email, zoom call, or we can even speak with you in person at your home or even in the hospital if necessary. Contact Caffee Accident & Injury Lawyers right away to discuss your options by calling us at (206) 312-0954 or by filling out our online contact form.