The Most Common Types of Motorcycle Accidents In Utah
A motorcycle ride is an exhilarating experience in the open air, especially in beautiful, scenic Utah. It’s also a gas-friendly option for daily transportation to work or school. Unfortunately, the same open-air, unencumbered design that makes a motorcycle fun to ride is also what leaves motorcyclists vulnerable to serious injuries in an accident.
Although motorcyclists sometimes make mistakes, many accidents result from negligence or recklessness on the part of car and truck drivers who share the road with motorcycles and neglect their duty of reasonable care. A Salt Lake City motorcycle accident lawyer will be able to answer any questions you have pertaining to cases like these and guide you through the entire claim/lawsuit process.
Call Handy & Handy today at (385) 404-6398 or contact us online for a free consultation case appointment.
What Types of Motorcycle Accidents Happen In Utah?
A motorcycle accident is 9.5 times more likely to result in fatality than other types of traffic accidents. There were 1,158 accidents involving motorcycles in Utah in 2023 and 41 fatalities. Furthermore, Utah motorcycle accident claims for compensation often cite a variety of causes of crashes:
- Distracted drivers
- Speeding drivers
- A driver’s unsafe lane change or merging
- Left turn accidents
- Drivers who fail to leave enough distance between the front of their vehicle and the back of a motorcycle (tailgating)
- Impaired drivers
- Fatigued drivers
- Car-dooring accidents
- Road hazards
- Defective motorcycle parts
Phantom driver accidents are also more likely to occur in motorcycle crashes in Utah. A phantom driver accident happens when the driver of a car or truck fails to see a motorcycle and forces it off the road or into another lane, causing an accident without making contact with the motorcycle. In many phantom car accidents, the negligent driver isn’t aware that they caused an accident — a personal injury attorney in Salt Lake City can help you pursue justice for this neglience.
Proving Liability for a Motorcycle Accident In Utah
When a motorcyclist suffers serious injuries and property damage in a motorcycle accident caused by another party’s fault, they have a right to file a compensation claim for their damages against the driver at fault for the accident. Proving driver liability for any of the above types of motorcycle accidents caused by a car driver requires showing the following:
- That the at-fault driver owed a duty of care to take reasonable actions to avoid causing injury to the motorcyclist
- They breached this duty through negligent, reckless, or wrongful actions
- Their breach of duty caused the accident and injury to the motorcyclist
- The injury victim suffered economic and non-economic damages from the injury
Less commonly, a motorcycle accident victim can file a claim for damages against a negligent road maintenance agency due to potholes, dangerous debris, or obstructed signs. If a motorcycle accident was caused by a defective part, the injury victim may file a claim against the manufacturer under the strict liability laws for defective products.
How Can a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer In Utah Help?
It’s difficult to take on a complicated legal claim against a negligent driver and their insurance company while also undergoing the painful recovery process after a motorcycle accident. Often, insurance companies hold a bias against motorcyclists and protect their profits at the injury victim’s expense.
Contact Handy & Handy, the Utah motorcycle accident law firm with years of experience navigating this type of claim so you can maximize your chances of obtaining compensation for damages such as medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.