Motorcycle accidents can be devastating and result in serious injuries and even death.
Hit-and-run motorcycle accidents can be especially traumatic when you are left wondering who is going to pay for your injuries as well as the damage to your motorcycle.
If you’ve been injured in a hit-and-run motorcycle accident, you need an attorney on your side to make sure you’re fully and fairly compensated for your injuries and the responsible party is held accountable.
Our motorcycle accident attorneys in Boston are pros when it comes to recovering money for motorcycle accident victims. Our skilled and aggressive lawyers will work tirelessly to help you recover the money you deserve.
Our law firm provides free consultations and takes cases on a contingency fee basis. This means there are no out-of-pocket costs unless we win your case and recover money for you.
We can help with hit-and-run motorcycle accidents involving all types of vehicles, including cars, trucks and other motorcycles.
While all motorcycle accidents can be stressful, hit-and-run crashes can be complicated as well. Our skilled and experienced attorneys can answer your questions and start building a case to recover maximum compensation for you.
Often, these cases can be time-sensitive, so it is important that you contact an attorney as soon as possible to increase your chances of success.
Hit-and-Run Laws in MassachusettsHit-and-run motorcycle accidents happen more frequently than you might expect. A quick scan of the headlines for the greater Boston area shows a number of recent accidents:
In Massachusetts, hit-and-run drivers face a variety of penalties, including fines and time in prison. You can read about state laws governing a driver’s “failure to stop after a collision” on the state’s website at mass.gov.
Drivers who cause minor damage to vehicles and leave the scene of an accident are guilty of a misdemeanor under state law. They are subject to a small fine and imprisonment of no more than two years.
Drivers who knowingly strike or cause injury to another person and flee the scene of an accident are guilty of a misdemeanor. They face a mandatory minimum prison sentence of six months or a fine up to $1,000.
If the fleeing driver is convicted of causing an accident that resulted in the death of another person, the driver is guilty of committing a felony offense and faces imprisonment and fines of up to $5,000.
Hit-and-Run Accidents Can Cause Serious InjuriesA hit-and-run accident is an accident that occurs when a motor vehicle strikes a car, truck, motorcycle or pedestrian and flees the accident scene.
Certain hit-and-run accidents involve what are known as “phantom vehicles.” A phantom vehicle is a vehicle that causes injury or property damage without making any physical contact. For example, a phantom car could veer from a lane on a road and force a motorcyclist from the road and into an accident.
Cases involving phantom vehicles are especially hard to prove and legal representation is strongly advised.
All motorcycle hit-and-run accidents can result in serious injury or death. If the hit-and-run driver is the only person who witnessed the accident, the accident victim might not receive urgent medical care. In motorcycle crash cases, immediate medical treatment can be the difference between life and death.
Motorcycle drivers are at risk for head injuries, lower extremity injuries and internal injuries.
Some of the common injuries that result from motorcycle accidents are:
Motorcycle accident victims who suffer broken or shattered bones often require surgical placement of rods, screws and other stabilizing hardware. These injuries can require multiple surgeries and can be extremely painful. In many cases, accident victims need expensive long-term physical therapy and may have a life-long impairment or disability.
The severity of injuries depends on a variety of factors, including the point of impact and the speed and size of the accident vehicle.
In Massachusetts, motorcycle drivers are required to wear helmets. While helmets reduce head injuries, they do not prevent them. Following a collision, motorcyclists are likely to be ejected from their vehicles, which can lead to concussions and other head trauma.
You can read more about motorcyclist safety in Massachusetts on the state’s website at mass.gov.
Why Would a Driver Hit a Motorcycle and Run?There are many reasons to explain why a driver would strike a motorcyclist and then leave the scene of the accident. The driver might be afraid of getting in trouble for a variety of reasons.
Some of the reasons why a driver would flee the scene of an accident are:
In other cases, drivers may not realize they have hit a motorcycle or other vehicle. These crash cases oftentimes involve elderly drivers. After conducting a thorough investigation of your case, the attorneys at the Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers can help determine the cause of your accident and identify all responsible parties.
We Can Help with a Hit-and-Run Motorcycle Accident Claim
Who is on the hook for your injuries if the hit-and-run driver is never found or if the driver doesn’t have adequate insurance coverage to compensate you for your injuries?
We can review your insurance policy and explain your coverage and how it applies to your accident.
Having a good attorney on your side can be the difference between receiving insufficient compensation or maximum compensation for your injuries and damages, even when you’re dealing with your own insurance company. Your insurance company is likely to contest the severity of your injuries and the value of your claim and offer less than you’re owed. Our motorcycle injury attorneys are skilled negotiators and are not afraid to go head to head with big insurance companies to win.
If an insurance company contacts you after your accident, refer the insurer to your attorney. Don’t sign off on a settlement until your attorney has a chance to look over the papers and provide you with legal advice. Accident victims tend to settle claims before they know the true extent of their injuries. An attorney will prevent you from entering into a settlement too soon and losing out on money that you deserve.
Hit-and-run accident cases are more complicated than other motor vehicle accident cases because they often involve criminal charges. Our attorneys will be able to oversee all legal proceedings and keep you informed on a consistent basis.
What Should I Do after a Hit-and-Run Motorcycle Accident?If you’re involved in a hit-and-run motorcycle accident, you should call 911 as soon as possible. The police will file an accident report and you will be able to receive emergency medical treatment.
A police report and proper medical documentation are important to substantiate your injuries and to prove you are entitled to compensation. You’ll need this information as you move forward with an insurance claim or personal injury case.
In some cases, the police will be able to track down the vehicle that hit you using information provided by you or witnesses at the scene. More hit-and-run drivers are being identified and brought to justice these days because of information provided by surveillance camera footage, dashcams and pictures or videos taken by accident witnesses using cellphones.
If you’re able, take photos of the accident scene, including the damage to your motorcycle and any injuries you sustained. In addition, obtain contact information for any witnesses.
Keep all receipts related to the accident, such as bills for towing or motorcycle repair and any medical services that you receive.
State Farm Insurance Co. has a list of dos and dont’s for dealing with hit-and-run accidents. The insurance company recommends that accident victims try to record as much information about a fleeing vehicle as possible, including the license plate number; make, model and color of the vehicle; and a description of damage to the vehicle. This information could be useful in helping the police locate a fleeing driver.
State Farm said it is not a good idea for accident victims to follow the hit-and-run driver after a collision. Doing so could be dangerous and could cause the police to question who was at fault for the accident.
To maximize your chance for a successful outcome, contact a motorcycle accident attorney as soon as possible. An attorney can start investigating the accident and build a case designed to net you maximum compensation for your injuries and damage sustained.
To learn more about how our motorcycle accident attorneys can help you with your hit-and-run motorcycle accident case, contact Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers today at (617) 777-7777 or use our online form.