Motorcycle wrecks can cause life-altering injuries. If you were involved in a motorcycle accident in Lebanon, PA, an experienced Lebanon motorcycle accident lawyer at Marzzacco Niven & Associates can help you fight to hold the at-fault party liable for damages. You may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and your pain and suffering.
Our lawyers have over 120 years of combined experience, which has allowed us to recover tens of millions of dollars on behalf of accident victims like you.
We’re here to answer your questions and stand by your side every step of the way. Just call or contact our law offices in Lebanon, Pennsylvania to schedule a free consultation today at (717) 995-8963.
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How Marzzacco Niven & Associates Can Help After a Motorcycle Accident in Lebanon
Anyone who’s ever filed an insurance claim knows that insurance companies don’t always make the process easy. They’ll try to twist the facts to their advantage at every turn. They’ll probably even try to blame you for the accident.
An experienced personal injury lawyer in Lebanon can fight to prevent these tactics from working.
At Marzzacco Niven & Associates, our legal team includes attorneys who have been recognized as Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers of America, and Super Lawyers’ Rising Stars. More importantly, we’ve helped thousands of clients like you recover fair compensation for their injuries–so we know how the insurance company works.
Our lawyers will fiercely advocate for you by:
- Providing solid legal advice throughout the process
- Reviewing your medical records and consulting experts to estimate your future costs
- Defending you if and when you’re blamed for the accident
- Gathering strong evidence to prove causation and liability
- Identifying all sources of compensation
- Negotiating with the insurance companies on your behalf
The insurance company knows how to build a strong case against you. Our Lebanon personal injury lawyers are here to protect your best interests. To learn more about creating an attorney-client relationship, call our law firm for a free consultation today.
How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents in Lebanon?
Motorcycle accidents are more common than many people would like to believe. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation reported 3,503 motorcycle crashes in 2020. Approximately 217 people were killed in motorcycle wrecks that year; 3,227 people were injured in non-fatal motorcycle accidents.
Motorcycle crashes in Pennsylvania are also becoming much more severe. While the number of motorcycle wrecks increased by 14.1% between 2019 and 2020, the number of fatal injury accidents increased by 22.9%
Unfortunately, the data shows that motorcycle drivers are much more likely to be drinking and driving than drivers of other types of vehicles.
What is My Lebanon Motorcycle Accident Case Worth?
The value of a personal injury case depends heavily on the severity of the injuries involved. Of course, motorcycle riders are much more likely to sustain serious injuries in a car accident than occupants of enclosed vehicles.
The same factors that determine the value of any other motor vehicle accident claim are relevant in motorcycle injury claims.
Those factors include:
- The cost of your medical care, including rehabilitation and future costs
- The length of your recovery
- Whether you can work during recovery
- Whether you’ll suffer any permanent disability
- How your future work prospects will be impacted
- Your physical pain and suffering
- Any lifestyle changes made necessary by the injuries
- Whether you contributed to the accident
- The strength of your negligence case
Accepting a fast settlement offer can be tempting. After all, you’re probably already watching your expenses pile up. However, it’s important to speak with an experienced lawyer first. Once you accept the offer, you can’t go back and seek additional compensation if your expenses are higher in the future.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Motorcycle Accident Victims in Lebanon, PA?
Under Pennsylvania personal injury laws, accident victims can pursue compensation for their non-economic losses and their full financial expenses.
You may be entitled to compensation for:
- Emergency room costs, hospitalization, and other medical expenses
- Lost wages and income
- Permanent disability and lost future earning capacity
- Rehabilitation
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Diminished quality of life
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Anxiety or depression
- PTSD
- Loss of consortium
It’s also possible that punitive damages might be available. While rarely awarded, punitive damages are awarded in cases involving gross negligence or intentional wrongdoing. For example, if a drunk driver caused your accident, the courts may award punitive damages as punishment.
Can I Recover Damages If I’m Being Blamed for a Motorcycle Accident in Pennsylvania?
Motorcyclists often face unfair stigma. Insurance companies and even judges are often inclined to believe that the motorcyclist was responsible for the crash. If you don’t fight back, the shared fault laws in Pennsylvania could limit the amount of compensation you receive. It’s even possible that you’ll walk away with nothing at all.
Pennsylvania follows modified comparative negligence laws. If you share some of the blame, your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault. However, if you’re more than 50% liable, you can’t recover any compensation at all.
The insurance companies know how to use this rule to their advantage. Fortunately, our lawyers know how to protect you. We’ll do everything possible to downplay your share of the blame after a crash. To get started, call for a free case evaluation today.
We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Motorcycle Accident Injuries
Even when a motorcycle wreck isn’t deadly, the motorcyclist will likely suffer severe injuries. Some of those injuries can be life-changing.
At Marzzacco Niven & Associates, our attorneys often represent clients who have sustained:
- Broken bones
- Traumatic brain injuries and other head injuries
- Neck injuries
- Road rash and burns
- Facial injuries
- Whiplash
- Soft tissue damage
- Nerve damage
- Spinal cord damage
- Crushing injuries
- Chest injuries
- Back injuries
- Organ damage
- Amputations
- Paralysis, including paraplegia and quadriplegia
- Catastrophic injuries
Helmets are valuable, but they can’t protect against all fatal injuries when riding a motorcycle. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 5,579 motorcyclists in the United States died in fatal crashes in 2020. That makes motorcyclists 28 times more likely to die in a crash when compared with occupants in passenger vehicles.
If you lost a loved one, our accident lawyers in Lebanon can help you fight to recover fair compensation for wrongful death.
What Causes Most Motorcycle Accidents in Lebanon, Pennsylvania?
Motorcycle accidents often occur because of human error. Drivers in larger vehicles often fail to pay attention to motorcycles sharing the road. That alone can lead to a crash.
Additional factors that often cause motorcycle accidents include:
- Distracted driving
- Failure to yield the right-of-way
- Drunk driving
- Driving under the influence of drugs
- Tailgating
- Speeding
- Improper lane use
- Unsafe passing
- Dangerous lane changes
- Dangerous turns
- Running a red light or stop sign
- Vehicle defects
- Dangerous road conditions, including potholes and other hazards
Our Lebanon motorcycle accident attorneys at Marzzacco Niven & Associates are here to help with your investigation. We’ll carefully review the facts and conduct our own investigation to determine the cause of your accident.
It’s never too early to get started, so call for your free case review today.
How Do I Prove Negligence After a Motorcycle Accident in Pennsylvania?
Driver error, or negligence, is the root cause of most motorcycle accidents.
To recover fair compensation, you must prove that the at-fault party:
- Owed you a legal duty of care
- Breached the duty of care and caused your accident
- Caused you to suffer damages because of the accident
The proof required to establish these elements can vary from case to case. That’s why our lawyers always conduct our own investigation and review police and accident reports.
We’ll search for evidence, such as:
- Video surveillance footage from nearby businesses or traffic cameras
- Dashcam footage
- Eyewitnesses who can testify on your behalf
- Data from the crash scene, including vehicle damage and skid marks
- Road conditions at the time of the crash
- Photos of the aftermath
Because motorcycle wrecks are often severe, we might bring in specialists in accident reconstruction to testify about the cause of the accident.
Every case is different. You deserve an experienced lawyer who will put in the time necessary to prove your case. You can learn more about how Marzzacco Niven & Associates can make a difference in your case by calling for a free initial consultation today.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Motorcycle Accident in Pennsylvania?
Under Pennsylvania personal injury laws, motorcycle accident victims have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit. The two-year clock starts running on the date of the accident. Once the statute of limitations runs out, you forfeit your right to compensation–even if your injuries were severe or catastrophic.
The statute of limitations in wrongful death cases is also two years.
Contact a Lebanon Motorcycle Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
An experienced attorney can help you understand your legal options and protect you from insurance scare tactics. Call our legal team at Marzzacco Niven & Associates to schedule your free consultation with a Lebanon motorcycle accident lawyer today.