South Florida Injury Attorney Blog

A Mulberry man has died after his motorcycle was rear-ended by a car, the Ledger of Lakeland reported April 16. Charles Sheridan of Mulberry had stopped his motorcycle when he was rear-ended by a Toyota Camry. The collision threw Sheridan, who was wearing a helmet, from his bike. He was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa, but died there April 14. The Camry’s two occupants were not injured.

As a motorcyclist and a Hialeah motorcycle accident lawyer, I can’t help thinking that this accident could have been much less severe if both parties had been in cars. The article does not say how fast the Camry was going, but if it was slowing for a stop, chances are good that it was under 30 miles per hour. Rear-end accidents at that speed aren’t necessarily free of injuries, but when they involve two cars or trucks of a similar size, victims are not likely to be fatally injured. According to a 2007 report from the federal Department of Transportation, only 5.5% of fatal car accidents that year were rear-end accidents; that’s about a quarter of all rear-end accidents.

By contrast, about half of all rear-end crashes involving motorcycles were fatal that year. The DoT does not explain why, but as an experienced Davie motorcycle crash attorney, I can guess. Whether or not they choose to wear helmets, motorcyclists don’t have the advantage of seatbelts or a steel-reinforced structure around them. That means almost every motorcycle accident throws its victim from the bike -- and being thrown from the vehicle means the victim will hit something very hard. This can lead to extremely serious injuries, including brain injuries, damage to the spinal cord and multiple fractures. In many cases, the results are devastating and permanent.

Because their injuries are so often serious, motorcycle crash victims frequently have substantial financial problems as well. A serious injury can cause six figures or more in medical bills -- and in many cases, the victim can no longer work to pay those bills. If auto insurers blame the victim or try other tricks to avoid paying what they owe, victims may be forced to file Miramar motorcycle accident lawsuits. In a lawsuit, injured motorcyclists and grieving families can win money to replace lost wages, pay medical bills and provide for the future of someone who was permanently disabled by another person’s negligence.

If this sounds like your situation, or the situation of someone in your family, my firm, Cohn, Smith & Cohn, can help. Our Pompano Beach motorcycle wreck lawyers represent motorcyclists throughout South Florida who were seriously hurt by another motorist’s carelessness. We offer free initial consultations, so there’s no risk in speaking to us about your situation and your future needs. To learn more or schedule a consultation, please contact us online or call us at (954) 431-8100 today.