Motorcycle riders tend to be passionate about their chosen form of transport, and the appeal might be easy to understand. Motorcycles may provide a sense of freedom and movement that most people in West Virginia simply do not feel when sitting behind the wheel of a larger motor vehicle. Unfortunately, it is drivers of those vehicles that are more likely to cause motorcycle accident injuries.
Those who ride motorcycles usually understand that they are at a higher risk for injury on the road. Not only are they more exposed than they would otherwise be in a passenger vehicle, but they are also smaller and sometimes more difficult to spot. Neither of these things excuse other drivers from acting negligently behind the wheel, though. Despite this, many still do.
So how bad is the problem? Approximately 66 percent of all accidents involving a motorcycle and another vehicle are caused by the driver of the other vehicle violating the motorcyclist’s right of way. This includes things like turning in front of a motorcyclist or cutting them off in traffic. These types of accidents could potentially be avoided if drivers behaved appropriately behind the wheel and kept a careful eye out for all types of vehicles, not just those on four wheels.
Those on the back of a motorcycle are five times more likely to suffer a serious injury than those in passenger vehicles, and they are about 26 times more likely to end up dying. Compensation for these types of motorcycle accident injuries is essential for surviving victims and West Virginia families who have to prematurely bury their loved ones. Whether through a personal injury claim or wrongful death lawsuit, legal recourse can provide both financial compensation as well as a much-needed sense of justice.
