Maryland Motorcycle Lawyer

Motorcycle accidents are bound to increase, particularly as motorcycles become more popular in this age of rising gas costs and high traffic congestion.

NATIONAL STATISTICS

• The number of fatal motorcycle accidents has more than doubled from 1998 (2,294) to 2007 (5,154).
• The number of fatal passenger vehicle collisions has decreased from 1998 (31,899) to 2007 (28,933).
• The majority of motorcyclists killed are white/Caucasion (77%), followed by African-American (9%).
• There were 90,000 motorcycle accident-related injuries in 2009.

MARYLAND STATISTICS

• There were 69 fatal motorcycle accidents in 2009.
  1. Of those, 22 had a blood alcohol level (BAC) of 0.08 or more
  2. Of those, 59 were wearing helmets.
  3. There were 550 total number of traffic fatalities in 2009.
  4. There were 47,263 traffic-related injuries in 2009.

Maryland Motorcycle Accidents

There are many logical reasons for why motorcycle accidents are more likely to happen and cause injury and death:

• Motorcycles are smaller that cars, and are often overlooked by other drivers
• Motorcycles are less protected than cars, so an accident with a motorcyclist is more likely to cause injury to that motorcyclist
• Weather conditions, such as wet roads, are more dangerous to motorcycles than other vehicles

MARYLAND MOTORCYCLE INSURANCE LAW

In Maryland, insurance companies are not required to offer Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits to motorcyclists.  There’s no good reason for this law—motorcycle drivers are the same as others.  This is simply based on the negative perception of motorcyclists, that they are more likely to drive aggressively and cause accidents.

MARYLAND MOTORCYCLE LAWSUITS

The biggest problem in motorcycle accident lawsuits is perception.  Most motorcyclists are safe and responsible drivers, but the non-riding public tends to perceive motorcyclists as reckless and dangerous to themselves or others.  Ask any group of people what they think of motorcyclists, and at least a few will mention an experience with a motorcyclist who was speeding excessively while weaving in and out of traffic.

Because of this negative stereotype, lawyers face an uphill battle trying to prove that a motorcycle collision was solely caused by the negligence of someone else.  In Maryland, if the judge or jury believes the motorcyclist was even one percent responsible for the accident, he will lose the case.

Our lawyers are familiar with the intricate issues surrounding motorcycle accident lawsuits.  We work aggressively to determine the true cause of any accident, and to prevent testimony or argument at trial about factors that are irrelevant to the outcome of the case (particularly important in motorcycle cases).  If you or a loved one has been involved in a Maryland motorcycle accident call us at 1-800-553-8082 or click here .

MORE INFORMATION

• Sample Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit (filed by our lawyers this year)
• Wrongful Death Motorcycle Accident Demand Letter
• Sample Deposition of Police Officer in Motorcycle Accident Case
• Sample Deposition of the Defendant in Motorcycle Accident Case (how to guide to tripping up at-fault driver)
• Motorcycle Motion In Limine to Exclude Evidence of the Type of Motorcycle
• Maryland Insurance Code regarding Personal Injury Protection (PIP) for Motorcycles

Sources:

• NHTSA:  Motorcycle Crash Causes and Outcomes, June 2010
• MDOT:  2011 Annual Attainment Report