Motorcycle Accident Lawyers in Fairfax, VA
Society as a whole tends to think poorly of motorcyclists, leading them to assign blame in accidents—even when the motorcyclist was clearly not at fault. This attitude is especially rampant in Fairfax, where there’s almost always traffic, and angry drivers. Whether you’re on interstate 66, or Lee Hwy, there’s almost always some kind of danger for motorcyclists.
You deserve better. You deserve a legal team that believes passionately in your right to safety on the road and that is committed to fighting for justice when you’re injured because of someone else’s negligence. At Olmstead & Olmstead, our team of Fairfax motorcycle accident attorneys is here to fight aggressively on your behalf as you recover from your injuries. Call us at 703-361-1555 to set up a consultation right now.
Why You Should Hire a Fairfax Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
The statistics on motorcycle accidents in Virginia are frightening. Motorcycle collisions make up 1.7% of all traffic accidents in Virginia, yet motorcyclist fatalities make up more than 10% of all traffic deaths in the state. Furthermore, serious injuries among motorcyclists account for 10% of all serious injuries in traffic accidents. Simply put, a motorcyclist involved in an accident is far more likely to be killed or seriously injured than someone in a passenger vehicle.
This means that after a crash, you’re likely to discover moderate or serious injuries. These types of accidents are very expensive for victims, often leading to tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills, thousands of dollars in lost wages, and the loss of a hobby that they love. Even if it’s clear that you’re the victim of the crash, don’t count on insurance companies paying what your claim is worth. They aren’t there to do the right thing—they are there to make money for their executives and shareholders.
While it’s difficult for any accident victim to get the compensation they are owed after a crash, motorcyclists have it even worse than the average crash victim. When you connect with the other party’s insurance company, there’s a good chance the blame will automatically be pinned on you. Were you visible enough? Were you driving too fast? Were you wearing your helmet? Rather than listening to what happened to you, they start by looking for ways you could be at fault.
Working with the team at Olmstead & Olmstead helps you push back against these harmful assumptions and fight hard for the compensation you deserve. We know how insurance companies are prejudiced against motorcyclists, but we have the knowledge and experience to push back against those beliefs and fight for the compensation you deserve. The insurance company has an entire legal team backing them up when they deny claims or offer pitiful settlements. You deserve an advocate whose only goal is to get you the compensation you’re owed.
Common Types of Motorcycle Injuries
Even in a minor motorcycle accident, you’re likely to sustain some sort of injury that requires medical care at a local facility like Fairfax Medical Center, Inova Fairfax Hospital, or CareMed Urgent Care. This is because a motorcycle offers almost no protection in a collision, and any protection you do get comes from safety gear and a helmet. Some of the most commonly reported motorcycle accident injuries include:
- Broken bones
- Road rash and infections associated with it
- Soft tissue damage, such as muscle sprains, ligament sprains, and deep-level damage to muscle tissue
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries, which are particularly common for motorcyclists who are not wearing a helmet at the time of a crash
Some of these injuries can be lifelong. Traumatic brain injuries range from mild concussions to the permanent loss of certain skills and freedoms. People who suffer from severe traumatic brain injuries may be left in a comatose state or unable to communicate verbally, ambulate independently, control their bowel or bladder, or use their extremities like they used to.
Compensation for Accident Victims in Virginia
You may be awarded both economic and non-economic damages after your Fairfax motorcycle accident. Economic damages are those that are easily assigned a monetary value, including:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Property damage
Non-economic damages don’t have a clear monetary value, and they include pain and suffering, mental anguish, and loss of consortium.
A fair settlement or court award should compensate you for everything you have already lost due to the accident and what you are likely to lose in the future. If you have already made a full recovery from your injuries, you’re unlikely to have future losses related to your crash. However, those who suffer permanent injuries will lose an entire lifetime of earnings, decades of unexpected medical bills, and the loss of the previous relationships they enjoyed with their loved ones. These losses must be accounted for in your settlement.
How Contributory Negligence Could Harm Your Claim
One factor that complicates any Virginia personal injury claim is pure contributory negligence. The majority of states allow victims to recover compensation for a crash even if they share some responsibility for it. Generally, they allow victims to receive compensation that is decreased in a way proportionate to their liability or receive compensation as long as they are less than 50% at fault.
Virginia takes a different approach. If your case goes to court and you are found to have any liability at all, you will receive nothing. Even if the other person’s clear negligence was the primary cause of the crash, you will be left with nothing. This factor does change how negotiations play out in Virginia, and so it will affect how your attorney proceeds.
Start Your Accident Claim with Olmstead & Olmstead Now
We know that motorcyclists deserve a fair shot at full compensation after a crash, and when you choose Olmstead & Olmstead, you’ll benefit from our body of knowledge and experience. Set up your initial consultation now by calling us at 703-361-1555 or filling out our contact form
