Columbia Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Trusted Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Serving Victims in Columbia and Across South Carolina

Devastating motorcycle accidents can happen to even the most careful riders, leaving the injured person and their families with questions about liability and how medical costs and other expenses from the crash are going to be paid. If you were hurt in a motorcycle accident, our Columbia injury lawyers are here to help you navigate the legal system and ensure your legal rights are protected. Below, we’ve answered common questions people have after a collision, and we are also available via chat, contact form, or telephone to speak with you and schedule a free consultation. Please contact our Columbia office at (803) 790-2800 for a free consultation. We would be honored to help you evaluate your case and guard your legal rights after being injured in an accident. We take pride in being of service to this community.

What You Should Know After Being Injured in a Motorcycle Accident in Columbia, SC | Your Complete Motorcycle Accident and Recovery Center

We take pride in educating our clients about the legal process and what they should know after a motorcycle wreck to ensure their legal rights are protected. Our complete accident resource center includes a variety of helpful tools — articles, videos, FAQs, and guides — all designed to protect your rights and guide you toward recovery. We offer several resources:

• Contact Our Motorcycle Accident Lawyer | South Carolina Auto Insurance Minimum Coverage
• Do You Have To Wear A Motorcycle Helmet in South Carolina? | South Carolina Motorcycle Helmet Law
• Cause and Effect of Drunk Driving | What to Do If You See a Drunk Driver
• Motorbike Injury Claims
• How Much Car Insurance Do I Need? | South Carolina Motorcycle Insurance Requirements

Common Causes of Motorcycle Crashes in Columbia, SC

Motorcycle wrecks can happen in the blink of an eye—before the rider can react. Accidents happen so fast, in fact, that it’s common for a motorcycle rider who has survived a collision to state, “One minute I was on my bike, and the next I was waking up in the hospital.” Here are some of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents involving cars or trucks:

• Left turns. One of the most common and deadly causes of wrecks is when a driver fails to see an oncoming motorcycle and performs a left-hand turn in front of the rider. These types of accidents account for up to 42 percent of all car-motorcycle crashes.
• Lane changes. Cars and trucks can strike an unwary rider during a lane change, especially if the lane change is sudden.
• Rear-end accidents. Drivers may not see a motorcyclist stop at an intersection ahead and strike the rear tire of the motorcycle, throwing the rider into cross traffic.
• Drunk drivers. Intoxicated drivers can barely operate their vehicles and have a hard time seeing or avoiding other cars, let alone a motorcycle.

Motorcycle Accident Injuries

Since motorcyclists aren’t protected by the frame of their vehicle like a car or truck driver is, severe injuries can result from what would otherwise be a minor collision between two four-wheeled vehicles. Some of the most common motorcycle injuries are:

• Head injuries and traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are extremely common, even when riders are wearing helmets.
• Neck or spinal cord injuries are also common as a result of impact with a vehicle or the ground.
• Leg and foot injuries can result from a side impact when a vehicle crushes the leg against the bike or when the bike falls to the pavement with the rider’s leg underneath.
• Broken bones are a common injury due to the violent impact of a rider hitting the ground or another car. 
• Road rash is a friction-based injury caused by the rider’s body sliding or skidding across the roadway after being knocked from the bike and can cause permanent scarring or disfigurement. Wearing the appropriate gear may help protect the rider to an extent, but there is no gear that can fully prevent road rash.

Other types of motorcycle injuries that are common include muscular damage, nerve damage, chest or abdominal injuries, and internal bleeding or other organ damage. All of these injuries typically require specialized medical treatment and weeks of rehab that can leave the injured person with mounting medical expenses. A personal injury attorney can help you identify and secure insurance coverage from the at-fault party to help cover the costs of the treatment needed after a motorcycle crash.

SC Helmet Laws and How It Can Affect Your Insurance Claim

In South Carolina, the law does not require adults to wear helmets when they are riding motorcycles. So, if you were injured in a motorcycle wreck in Columbia or any other town in South Carolina and you weren’t wearing a helmet, you can still file an injury claim against the other driver, as long as they caused the accident. We provide more in-depth information on this topic in the following article: South Carolina Motorcycle Helmet Laws.

What to Do After a Motorcycle Crash in South Carolina

These five steps can help ensure your legal rights are protected after a motorcycle crash in South Carolina.

1. Focus on getting well. After an accident, you should prioritize your health and seek proper medical care. Motorcycle wrecks often leave people with serious injuries, including some that may not be visible to the eye, like a TBI or internal bleeding. Seeking medical treatment after a wreck can help ensure no injuries go untreated.
2. File all medical bills with your health insurance company. Hospitals will often claim they are unable to file your medical bills with your insurance provider if you were injured in a vehicle accident. Do not let them mislead you. If you have health insurance, insist that all bills are submitted to your provider, who will then cover all procedures covered by your plan. For more information on using health insurance after a wreck, read this article: Can the Hospital Refuse to File My Bill with the Health Insurance Company?
3. Proceed with caution when speaking with insurance adjusters. An adjuster’s job is to pay you as little as possible to settle your injury claim. So, when they call to discuss the collision, be mindful of how you describe your health and the wreck and know that you are not obligated to give a recorded statement. We recommend at least consulting with a motorcycle accident attorney before speaking with an adjuster to ensure your rights are protected.
4. Be careful when sharing information on social media. It can be tempting to post details about your motorcycle wreck on social media to let people know how you are doing. Unfortunately, insurance adjusters often try to use this information against you. Sharing updates offline via text or phone call may be a safer route to prevent adjusters from twisting your words to prove you deserve a smaller settlement.
5. Schedule a free legal consultation. After your crash, you may also want to contact a South Carolina motorcycle accident attorney. A lawyer can help you understand your rights pertaining to fair compensation and help you determine whether a lawsuit is worth pursuing.

Protecting Yourself with Motorcycle Insurance

While the state of South Carolina requires drivers to carry $25,000 worth of liability coverage, motorcycle crashes are often severe and can quickly result in medical bills far beyond the minimum coverage amounts. If the person that hit you does not have enough insurance available to cover your damages (medical bills, lost wages, lost enjoyment of life, etc.), filing an underinsured motorist (UIM) claim may be your best option for recovery, if it is included in your policy. If the at fault driver was not insured, you can file an uninsured motorist (UM) claim. Every insurance policy sold in South Carolina includes UM coverage to help protect you against uninsured drivers. If you own multiple vehicles, you may also be able to “stack” these insurance policies to cover your damages. Learn more about our state’s motorcycle insurance laws in this article: The Right Insurance in the Event of a Motorcycle Accident in SC.

Should I Hire a Columbia Motorcycle Accident Lawyer to Handle My Wreck?

While certainly not all motorcycle crashes require you to hire a lawyer, those who have been seriously injured in collisions usually benefit from working with an injury attorney. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, approximately 80 percent of motorcycle crashes result in injury or death, compared to only 20 percent of car wrecks. So, if you were hit while riding your motorcycle, you’ll be more likely to have greater damages, including medical bills, lost wages, lost enjoyment of life, and more. Insurance companies are always trying to pay out as little as possible, so once damages reach a certain point, adjusters often become more difficult to work with, or refuse to disclose how much coverage is really out there. In these situations, motorcycle accident lawyers are better equipped to negotiate with adjusters to ensure you receive a full and fair recovery. Since motorcycle crashes can cause such serious injuries, we always recommend at least consulting with an injury lawyer before settling your claim to ensure your legal rights are protected.

Contact a Columbia, SC Motorcycle Accident Attorney Today

With our central location in Columbia and a second office location in Myrtle Beach, we are able to help injured riders across the entire state of South Carolina. Our goal is to protect your legal rights and ensure that no injured person is taken advantage of by dangerous drivers and the insurance companies that represent them. If you’ve been involved in a motorcycle accident in South Carolina, our team of attorneys will review your individual situation and help you decide on the right course of action in order to receive full compensation for medical bills, rehabilitation, property damage, lost time and wages, pain and suffering, and more. For a free case evaluation, contact us today at 803-790-2800 or via the live chat box below.

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