Unfortunately, there are many people today who still associate all motorcycle riders with the fabled Hell’s Angels of old. Such people see you as a wild, reckless thrill-seeker—an outlaw on two wheels with no regard for safety and no respect for traffic laws. If you were in a crash, they assume it was your fault. This type of prejudice, unfortunately, can be found among many groups of people:
- Jurors
- Law enforcement officers
- Witnesses
- Insurance companies
- Paramedics
- Doctors
- News media
As common as it is, this stereotypical notion could not, in fact, be further from reality. Approximately 75% of motorcycle wrecks involve a bike and one or more cars. In most of these cases, the driver of the other car causes the accident by failing to obey a traffic light or stop sign and violating the motorcycle’s right of way in an intersection. Other accidents occur when drivers don’t pay attention to motorcycles turning, merging, or changing lanes. Poor road conditions, over which the motorcyclist has no control, can also be a factor.
Beating Biker Bias to Protect Your Legal Rights
You do not want to rely on the accident report prepared by potentially biased police officers or the defendant’s insurance company, which will do anything it can to dispute your claim and offer you a low award. Your motorcycle accident lawyer knows this and will:
- Send a private accident investigator to the scene.
- Reconstruct the accident if necessary and present visual evidence in the form of photos or video.
- Thoroughly gather and present all evidence to prove the cause of the accident.
- Utilize the testimony of your doctors, co-workers, witnesses, family, and friends to make the court see you as an individual and not a stereotype.
- Cite motorcycle accident statistics, your safe driving record, and other data to overcome prejudice.
Contact Experienced Sioux Falls Motorcycle Accident Attorneys
The first step toward overcoming biker bias and getting your just compensation is to consult an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer. Contact us online or call us at 605-644-5003 to schedule a free consultation. You pay no attorney fees until we win your case.