Hartsville, SC Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Crashing your bike on your own can be a terrible mistake, but when someone else causes your accident, it is a legal wrong that can be redressed in court. Lawsuits and insurance claims can be filed for motorcycle accidents to get you justice for what happened to you against the negligent or dangerous driver who hit you.

In many motorcycle accident cases, victims need substantial compensation for their medical bills and other damages, and getting those damages paid in full is where our lawyers can help. We can fight insurance companies and seek to hold drivers accountable for the full value of the damages they caused you, even if that is a very high amount. No injury case is too big or small for our lawyers to help.

Call (803) 451-4000 for a free case review with our motorcycle accident lawyers at Burriss Ridgeway Injury Lawyers today.

How to Handle a Motorcycle Accident in Hartsville, SC

Many people do not know precisely what to do after a motorcycle accident and might overlook various steps. Our motorcycle accident lawyers are experienced with these kinds of cases and typically recommend that injury victims take the following steps after a motorcycle accident:

Get to Safety and Call for Help

First and foremost, after a motorcycle accident, do what you can to get yourself to safety and call 911. This means getting out of the roadway to avoid a secondary crash and calling for both police and an ambulance (and if there is a fire, the fire department).

Once the ambulance crew arrives, they can look you over and determine what care is needed right away. Remember that, after an accident, adrenaline is likely going to mask the injuries that you face, potentially making it hard to feel even very serious injuries. The EMTs can provide a level-headed analysis of your injuries and take you to the hospital if you need additional care.

The police can help clear vehicles and resume the flow of traffic to help avoid additional accidents. They can also arrest any belligerent drivers, issue tickets for DUI or other unsafe driving, and fill out a report for your accident case. These arrest records and reports will be vital in helping you build your case.

Collect Evidence

If you can stay at the accident scene, collect as much evidence as possible. Get the contact info for all participants in the accident, take photos of the crash scene if you can, and note the road conditions, lighting, and weather. Also, make a good note of the specific location of the accident and the presence of any speed limit signs, stop signs, traffic lights, and other traffic control devices and signs.

Follow Up with Medical Care

If you have to go straight to the hospital, make that your core focus after an accident. If the EMTs released you, monitor yourself for additional injuries, such as whiplash, back injuries, and bruises, which might make themselves known in the hours and days after the accident. Some injuries are not immediately obvious because of the adrenaline in your system, but some are not apparent until the next day or even later.

Make sure to follow all recommended care from the EMTs and doctors who treated you and to follow up with your doctor or the ER if any new injuries or symptoms arise. It is vital to document these immediately so that our lawyers can link them to this accident and fight any accusations that they happened in the days after the crash. Especially when it comes to head and spinal injuries, get medical help immediately.

Call a Lawyer

Calling our attorneys as soon as you can after a motorcycle accident allows us to begin our work right away. We can guide you through getting medical care and advise you on whether you should see your primary doctor or go to the hospital. We can also help you keep track of your medical expenses and other expenses as they arise. And, of course, we can help you with any claims you need to file.

Any delays in calling a lawyer will result in delays in getting you the payments you need for your injuries, and serious delays can run into trouble with the statute of limitations. If your lawsuit is not filed within 3 years of the accident, your claim will be barred. Insurance claims often have a shorter filing requirement instated by the insurance company. This all means you should call us as soon as you can.

Insurance Claims vs. Lawsuits

We have mentioned both insurance claims and lawsuits, and it is important to understand how these might both arise in your injury case. Overall, an injury case is potentially made up of multiple claims and lawsuits. First, you might have your own insurance that can cover you with first-party benefits, such as MedPay or uninsured motorist insurance. Then, the at-fault driver’s insurance should cover your damages, too.

If, at any point, the insurance companies refuse to cooperate, it might be best to file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver. In a lawsuit, the court decides the case instead of the insurance company, potentially resulting in a better outcome or higher damages. Ultimately, the at-fault driver’s insurance policy should still mean that the insurance company pays – helping the defendant afford your damages – whether the case is settled or taken to trial.

Our lawyers can help you understand the value of your case and what route you should take, but the final decision of when and whether to settle is yours.

Call Our Hartsville Motorcycle Accident and Injury Attorneys Right Away

For help with your injury case, call the motorcycle accident lawyers at Burriss Ridgeway Injury Lawyers at (803) 451-4000 right away.

$6 Million

The Plaintiff was injured as a result of a failing component of a commercial motor vehicle that fell from the vehicle into the roadway. The Plaintiff brought claims against the owner and operator of the tractor trailer as well as the manufacturer of the vehicle.

$4.1 Million

The Plaintiff was insured as a result of a refrigeration system that malfunctioned, spraying ammonia gas into the Plaintiff's face. As a result of this event, the Plaintiff sustained significant vision loss. The Plaintiff brought claims against his employer and the manufacturer of this system.

$2 Million

The Plaintiff was injured while riding his motorcycle when he collided with another vehicle. This event occurred in the city of Columbia and the Plaintiff sustained significant bodily injury resulting in extensive medical expenses and permanent injury.

$1.8 Million

The Plaintiff was injured when he was rear-ended by a tractor trailer on Interstate 20. The Plaintiff brought claims against the owner and driver of the tractor trailer for his injuries relate to his lower back.

$1.5 Million

The Plaintiff sustained significant injury when she was attacked by a dog while performing repairs on a rental property. The Plaintiff was at the rental property as part of her employment with a rental management agency. She was attacked by the animal and sustained permanent nerve damage in her legs.

$1.3 Million

The Plaintiff was killed as a result of a collision with a logging truck that had been improperly loaded by a timber harvester. The proceeds of the settlement were funded by both the timber harvester and the owner of the logging truck.

$1.5 Million

The Plaintiff underwent surgery to her neck as a result of injuries sustained when she was struck on the head by a piece of loading equipment at her job. The Plaintiff was employed by a national retailer and was engaged in stocking shelves when the piece of equipment failed. After settling her workers' compensation claim, the Plaintiff brought a claim against the manufacturer of this equipment.

$1.1 Million

The Plaintiff brought a claim against a local medical facility for a false positive HIV reading. As a result of this false positive, the Plaintiff lived for 4½ years believing that she had the virus which leads to what she feared was an eventual AIDS diagnosis.