Motorcycle Accidents

Being a former biker myself (19 years on a Harley Softail & 8 years on a Harley V-Rod), I am acutely aware of the dangers in motorcycling. There are the obvious dangers of young and/or inexperienced motorcyclists trying to do tricks, thinking they don’t have to follow the Rules of the Road, riding while under the influence or weaving in and out of traffic. Most riders say: “It won’t happen to me.” Unfortunately, the forces of this sometimes miscreant universe line up “just so” and it DOES happen.

Chilling statistics you should know: (Reference: Motorcycle Safety – nsc.org) “In 2017 there were 5,172 motorcycle riders and passengers who died in crashes. Fatalities among motorcycle riders and passengers have more than doubled since 1997. While motorcycles only make up 3% of all registered vehicles and only 0.6% of all vehicle miles traveled in the U.S., motorcyclists accounted for 14% of all traffic fatalities in 2017. It is NOT only because motorcyclists are bad drivers, but it’s also because DRIVERS of cars and trucks are increasingly failing to follow the Rules of the Road, are under the influence, running red lights, speeding, etc.

When I first started riding, truckers were professionals and would NEVER risk running someone off the road. That is DEFINITELY no longer the case. Back then, car drivers followed the Rules of the Road and obeyed speed limits—even the police were more vigilant. I remember I was stopped by the Sheriff of Will County, doing 90 mph on a straight stretch of Cicero with my girlfriend as a passenger. The Sheriff was driving his personal car, so there was no way for me to tell if he was a cop, and the first thing he did when he pulled me over was show his gold badge. He said he wanted to put me in jail and keep me there indefinitely. Fortunately, he was running late for dinner with his wife and some guests and let me go, but he did say that if he ever saw me again in his County, he was going to stop and arrest me.

I’m now 70 years old and, unfortunately, didn’t always do the right thing while biking, but got much better as I aged. I quit “riding” 14 years ago because two of my biker friends got seriously injured in two separate accidents – one lost a leg, and the other had extensive loss of skin, flesh & scarring on the entire right side of his body, including his face. Truth be told, every spring and fall, I get the “itch”, and it stays with me for weeks, but I’m very, very grateful I never had any serious accident, especially while my wife was on the back.

Coming full circle, do I really need to describe the many serious “injuries” that occur to motorcyclists? Are there any “legal” issues or “tricks” to representing someone involved in a motorcycle accident? No. Generally, the injuries received from motorcycling are serious. I have represented quite a few motorcyclists involved in accidents. If you are injured, due to someone’s negligence, I can assure you, our Firm we will do all in our power to collect ALL $$$$$ damages for your injuries.