If you ride a motorcycle, you know the enjoyment and danger that comes with it. There’s a feeling of freedom because you’re not enclosed in a vehicle, but there’s also the greater risk of injuries, and that injuries will be more severe because a vehicle’s not protecting you. Add drunk drivers to the mix, and that lack of protection could cause you severe injuries in an accident.
If you’re a motorcyclist who’s a victim of a Kentucky drunk driver, we can help. You may have legal rights to compensation for your injuries that you need to protect. Call The Fleck Firm for a free consultation at (270) 446-7000 if you’ve been hurt in a vehicle accident so we can talk about how we can help.
Why are Drunk Drivers Dangerous?
In Kentucky last year there were 4,978 alcohol-related collisions, causing 181 deaths and 2,662 injuries (527 were suspected to be serious), according to the Kentucky State Police. That’s nearly 14 drunk driving accidents daily, about a fatality every other day, and more than one serious injury each day last year.
As intoxication increases, the driver is more affected and more likely to cause a vehicle accident. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration links blood alcohol content (if police detect 0.08%, you can be arrested) with decreased driving ability:
- 0.02%: There’s a decline in visual functions (so it’s harder to track a moving target), and it’s more difficult to perform two tasks at the same time
- 0.05%: The person is less coordinated, less able to track moving objects, steering is more difficult, and it takes longer to respond to emergency driving situations
- 0.08%: The ability to concentrate suffers. There’s short-term memory loss, decreased speed control, less able to process information (such as what the driver sees), and impaired perception
- 0.10%: Less able to stay in a lane and brake appropriately
- 0.15%: Substantially impaired vehicle control, difficulty paying attention to driving, and poor processing of what the driver sees and hears
Other attorneys take contingent fees of 33% to 50% of your settlement.
We want you to keep more of your money.
Our contingent fee is only 30% on cases settled prior to filing suit.
Why are Motorcyclists More Likely to be Injured or Killed in an Accident?
Unlike a motor vehicle, there’s no steel frame around you, no crumple zones in front and behind you, and no seatbelt or airbags to restrain you. If you crash into another vehicle, you will probably be thrown off the motorcycle and hit that vehicle, the pavement, another object, or another vehicle. Not only do you suffer the trauma of the original crash, but from the impact of coming off the bike and striking other things.
The severity of your injuries varies with:
- Your speed and that of the other vehicle
- The angle at which you hit
- Whether you’re wearing a helmet
- Your health before the accident
Motorcyclists were almost 29 times more likely than passenger car occupants to be killed in an accident per vehicle mile traveled in 2019, according to the Insurance Information Institute.
Why Should I Hire an Attorney If I’m in an Accident With a Drunk Driver?
Motorcycle accident injuries are more likely to be severe compared to those of vehicle passengers. As injuries become more serious and long-lasting, they have a greater impact on your life. There’s less you can do, you miss work, you lose income (maybe your job), your relationships suffer, and your medical and rehabilitation bills increase. These factors also boost your case’s value.
The greater the value, the more you have to lose if you try to negotiate a settlement with an insurance company by yourself. You could, without realizing it, say or do things that could end your legal rights to compensation or significantly reduce your potential settlement or jury verdict.
You probably know little or nothing about Kentucky negligence or insurance law. You also likely have little or no experience negotiating anything, let alone an issue that may be worth six figures, with someone like an insurance adjuster or attorney who is educated and experienced in negotiation.
You may be injured in a complex accident with several parties involved. That may mean multiple legal claims against different defendants, each with their own insurance company and lawyers. Are you ready to take that on?
By not hiring Tyler Fleck, you may sell yourself short. You pay him nothing until there’s a negotiated settlement or jury verdict in your favor. The share of that recovery you pay to him is an investment that will probably pay you an excellent return.
Get the Help You Need from an Attorney You Can Trust
If you’re injured in an accident, call The Fleck Firm for a free consultation at (270) 446-7000 today. We’ll discuss it, your injuries, Kentucky law, and your best options to proceed. Insurance companies have lawyers. You should have one too.
