The increase in motorcycle accident is alarming. Nearly 4000 motorcyclists die in accidents each year, and the number of people injured in motorcycle accidents is close to 67,000. In Michigan, the number of motorcycles involved in crashes between 2006 (3386) and 2007 (3821) has increased by 12.8%.  The mortality rate during that same time rose by 9.1%, while the number of motorcyclists injured rose by 11.8%.  In the last decade, the number of Michigan motorcycle accidents shot up by 45%. The number of accidents that resulted in death in Michigan grew by an alarming 98%.

Unfortunately, motorcycle accidents are too often blamed on motorcyclists not following traffic rules, being inexperienced or disobeying the rules of the road. The truth is that motorcycle accidents are very frequently the result of a mistake made by another motorist, which can injure, maim, or kill even the most experienced motorcyclists.

Because the motorcycle accident victim may be seriously injured after the incident, the biker’s account or version of the accident may never be heard.  The police agency investigating the accident may wrongly blame the biker for the accident.   As a result, a seriously injured biker may go uncompensated for an accident caused by someone else.

My firm understands this problem and we take quick and prompt action to prove that the biker was not at fault in the accident.  When we are hired to represent an injured biker, we immediately obtain all eyewitness statements and have our investigator canvas the area for additional witnesses.  We then take our own statements, which are often different than what the police put in their reports.  We also take extensive photographs of the accident scene and the vehicles involved in the accident.  It is important to take photographs before vehicles are repaired or sent to the salvage yard.

To further determine the actual cause of the accident, we hire the country’s best accident reconstruction experts to recreate the accident.  Measurements of roadways, skid marks, and other pertinent markers are taken.  We even have a specialist that can download the data on the “Black Box” in many newer vehicles to prove the speed of the negligent motorists both before impact and at the time of impact.

As you can see, it is important to find an experienced Michigan motorycle accident lawyer to handle your case immediately after your accident.  The attorney that you choose for your case is often the difference between a great settlement or no settlement at all.  A delay in hiring a lawyer often means lost evidence and lost witnesses, which can prevent the truth from ever making it to the courthouse.  For more information on our firm, visit www.BuckfireLaw.com or call us at (800) 606-1717.

After a Michigan motorcycle accident, there are several things that every biker should do to protect their legal rights.  You should be aware that a negligent motorist who causes the accident and his insurance company will attempt to blame you for the accident and your injuries, even though you were not at fault in the accident.  Hopefully, your injuries will be minor and you can take the following steps to protect yourself and your rights.

Here are some important tips:

• Ask someone to call ambulance if anyone needs medical assistance.
• While you are at the accident scene, exchange important information like name, address, telephone number and driving license number; also get the vehicle registration number of every vehicle involved and the insurance information of every other driver.
• Remember to write down the make and model of the vehicles involved in the crash.  
• Identify witnesses of accident and see if they are willing to make a statement. In case no one is willing to make a statement, write down their cars’ license plate.
• Call the police or get someone to call them without any delay.  Even if you do not feel like you were seriously injured, it is still important to make a complete report.  Make sure that the police get your version of the accident and not just the version of the other driver.
• If you have a digital camera or can use your cell phone to take pictures, take photos of the vehicles in the accident, including the license plates numbers of every vehicle.  A negligent motorist may attempt to give incorrect information and this is a great way to prove exactly who was in the accident.
• Report the accident to your insurance company and obtain your claim number.  Many insurance companies later try to claim they were never put on notice of the accident and therefore they do not have to pay benefits.
• Take photographs of your injuries.
• If you are injured, follow up with your doctors immediately.  If you delay in seeking treatment but later on learn you had a serious injury, the insurance company will claim you were not really injured because you did not seek prompt medical attention.

If there is a serious bike accident, the at-fault driver or the insurance agent may try to trick the injured motorcyclist into forfeiting some of his or her rights.  To make sure this does not happen, remember:

• Avoid any argument or fight with the at-fault driver
• Never sign on any document without your lawyer reviewing it first
• Never send your motorcycle for repairs, until your attorney has it  inspected and photographed
• You are not answerable to the insurance agent or attorney who is representing the at-fault driver. Do not make any comments or statements describing the motorcycle accident.  They may try to trick you into signing a release and forfeiting your right to sue forever.

If you would like more information about your rights after a Michigan motorcycle accident, you can order our FREE book, “The Ultimate Michigan Motorcycle Accident Handbook” by visiting our law firm web site.  We will send it along with other important information. 

For more information about Michigan motorcycle accident cases, visit our law firm web site at www.BuckfireLaw.com.  If you would like to speak with one of our Michigan Motorcycle accident attorneys about your case, feel free to call us anytime at (800) 606-1717 or simply submit this contact form and we will get back to you quickly.

Welcome to our Michigan Motorcycle Lawyer Blog site.  Our Michigan law firm specializes in representing injured bikers in Michigan motorcycle accident cases.  We created this blog to provide motorcycle enthusiasts with a resource on important legal issues affecting the rights of bikers in Michigan ranging from safety issues to insurance issues. 

Unlike other lawyer websites, this blog will be updated daily with new information on all types of legal issues and with reports of serious motorcycle accidents in Michigan.  Our blog site should be the “go to” resource for all Michigan bikers. 

We want michigan motorcycle riders to know their rights and understand the important issues affecting their lives after an accident.  We also want bikers to understand the important issues, especially with respect to insurance coverage, even before they take their bike to the roadways.  Our FREE BOOK and FREE REPORT should be read by every biker visiting this blog site. 

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We encourage all visitors to comment on our posts and ask important questions that we can answer so that all other visitors can benefit from that information.  We also encourage any biker to pick up the phone and call our lawyers to ask your legal questions.  We enjoy speaking with you!