Single Motorcycle Accidents

Attorneys Assisting Injured Riders in the Schaumburg and Wheaton 

Not all motorcycle accidents involve a collision with another vehicle. Many motorcycle accidents occur as a result of the motorcycle swerving, rolling over, or making some other maneuver. If you have been injured in a single-motorcycle accident that you believe was not your fault, you should consult a skilled Wheaton or Schaumburg motorcycle accident attorney. At Therman Law Offices, we will discuss your case with you and help you understand your legal rights and options. We know what it takes to investigate an accident and hold the responsible parties accountable.

Causes of Single-Motorcycle Accidents and Related Injuries

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, nearly half of all motorcycle accidents are single-vehicle accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that there is an 80 percent chance of injury or death in a motorcycle accident, compared to 20 percent for passenger vehicles. Data show that about a quarter of all motorcycle deaths come from single-vehicle crashes into a fixed object.

You may be wondering who is liable in a single-motorcycle accident, and the answer is that it depends on the facts of the case. Single-motorcycle accidents may have a variety of causes, including:

1. Lane change accidents: When motor vehicles change lanes without properly making sure that it is safe, they can force a motorcycle to suddenly swerve to avoid a collision. In doing this, riders can lose control of the bike and end up getting into a single-vehicle accident.
2. Sudden stop collisions: If a car or truck suddenly hits the brakes, the following motorcycle may be forced to suddenly brake and could go end over end, tossing the cyclist and resulting in serious injuries or even death to the cyclist.
3. Open door accidents: Often, motor vehicle drivers open their doors in the path of oncoming motorcyclists. In such cases, the motorcyclist often needs to swerve to avoid hitting the door and could end up hitting someone or something else.
4. Accidents involving stationary objects: Due to many factors, a motorcyclist may lose control of their vehicle and hit a stationary object, such as a tree, fence, or roadside barricade.
5. Poor road conditions: Sometimes, single-motorcycle accidents are caused by poor road conditions, such as potholes, uneven pavement, grooves, or other hazards. These conditions can lead to the cyclist “wiping out.”
6. Defective motorcycle parts: In some cases, a motorcycle accident is caused by a faulty motorcycle part, such as defective brakes or tires.

Many victims in single-motorcycle accidents assume that they cannot recover compensation, but this is not always the case. In cases in which another driver’s actions, such as sudden braking, improper lane changes, or opening the door carelessly, caused or contributed to your accident, you may be able to file a negligence claim against the other party. Negligence takes place when another driver causes injuries or death by failing to use reasonable care behind the wheel.

In cases in which poor road conditions caused the crash, you may be able to file a claim against the government entity responsible for maintaining that road. Lawsuits against the government are complex because they have strict procedural requirements, including a shorter deadline to file the claim. Our attorneys can examine your case and determine the viability of your claim.

In cases in which accidents are caused by a defect or malfunction in the motorcycle, you may be able to file a product liability claim against the manufacturer. These claims tend to arise from a design or manufacturing defect in one of the bike’s components. A design defect is a defect in the inherent design of the product, whereas a manufacturing defect simply means that the product was built improperly or incorrectly. In these cases, the plaintiff’s attorney would need to show that they had been using the motorcycle as intended, and the motorcycle had not been altered since purchase. Essentially, the point is to highlight that the manufacturer put a defective product into the stream of commerce, and that product was the direct cause of your injuries.

Hire an Aggressive Motorcycle Accident Lawyer After a Crash in Wheaton or Schaumburg

Single-vehicle accidents may not involve a collision, but they can have similarly devastating, even deadly consequences. If you or someone close to you has been injured in a single-motorcycle accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your harm. At Therman Law Offices, our attorneys are committed to providing personalized and detail-oriented representation in each case that we take. We proudly represent victims of motorcycle and bicycle accidents in Wheaton, Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Streamwood, Elgin, Bartlett, Hanover Park, Bensenville, Wood Dale, Bloomingdale, Roselle, and Carol Stream, among other communities. Call us at 312-588-1900 or contact us online.