Motorcycle accidents can happen at intersections when negligent drivers fail to yield to motorcycle riders or simply fail to notice motorcycles around them. Unfortunately, because motorcycle riders lack the protection of a vehicle frame or other safety features like seatbelts and airbags, riders tend to suffer severe injuries in collisions with other vehicles. Learn more about these types of motorcycle injuries at the link.

When a motorcycle rider is injured in an accident at an intersection by a negligent driver, he or she needs experienced legal representation to help them recover compensation for their injuries and damages.

How Intersection Accidents Happen

Intersections are a dangerous place for any motorist, more so for a motorcycle rider. Drivers should be paying close attention to the road whenever proceeding through any intersection. However, accidents at intersections usually occur because:

• Speeding: Drivers may speed through an intersection in order to beat a red light. However, once the light turns red, the driver no longer has the right of way as the light will then turn green for cross-traffic. As a result, a driver blowing through a red light is a serious risk for causing a broadside accident with a motorcycle or other vehicle.
• Failure to yield on left turns: A driver may take a left turn without yielding to oncoming traffic, resulting in a head-on or broadside collision with a motorcycle or other vehicle
• Read-end accidents: Drivers may fail to appreciate that motorcycles can stop in a much shorter distance than other vehicles, leading to rear-end accidents when motorcycles approach intersections because the driver was following too closely
• Distracted driving and driving-under-the-influence: Of course, a driver may collide with a motorcycle rider at or approaching an intersection because the driver has taken their focus off the road, or because the driver’s reactions are impaired by alcohol or drugs

Injuries Suffered in Motorcycle Accidents at Intersections

Unfortunately, motorcycle accidents at intersections tend to result in serious injuries for riders, including:

• Cuts and abrasions
• Broken bones
• Soft-tissue injuries, including tendon, ligament, and muscle damage
• Organ damage and internal bleeding
• Spinal injury and paralysis
• Head injuries and traumatic brain injuries

What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident at an Intersection

If you are a motorcycle rider who suffers an accident at an intersection, the first thing you should do is seek medical treatment. Even if you refuse treatment at the scene, you should follow up with a medical provider to promptly diagnose any injuries you suffered. If you wait to identify any injuries, the other driver or the insurance companies may claim that your injuries arose from something other than your accident or that you were not as seriously injured as you claim. 

You should also try to document the accident scene, including the positions of vehicles, damage to vehicles, skid marks on the road, the traffic controls at the intersection, and the weather, lighting, traffic, and road conditions.

Finally, you should seek legal representation for your injuries and damages. Insurance companies will try to limit the amount of money they pay you to the furthest extent possible. Having experienced legal representation on your side gives you a much better chance at getting full compensation for your injuries and losses.

Contact a Clark Personal Injury Lawyer to Discuss Your Motorcycle Accident Case in New Jersey

Did you or a loved one sustain serious injuries due to a motorcycle accident in New Jersey? Don’t let the medical bills pile up while you wait for the negligent party or their insurance company to do the right thing. Right now, you need an aggressive personal injury attorney on your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need, want, and deserve. Motorcycle accident lawyer Andrew Prince Esq. represents clients injured because of motorcycle accidents in Clifton, Trenton, Camden, Passaic, and throughout New Jersey. Call (908) 304-8197 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at 136 Central Ave., Clark, NJ 07066, as well as offices at 5603 Bergenline Ave, West New York, NJ 07093.

The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.