The number of motorcycle crashes in and around Medford, OR is not easing up, despite repeated warnings and increased awareness of the dangers of riding a motorcycle. This holds particularly true on downtown roads.

Motorcycle injuries, including fatalities are on the rise nationally, even though fatality rates have decreased for all other types of transportation.

This is also true of Medford, Oregon, despite the fact that the city is doing more to prevent traffic deaths through public education, and improved road designs and constructions.

While technology is rapidly advancing to make cars and other modes of transportation safe for all occupants, there are limits to what can be done to keep a rider and passenger safe on a motorcycle.

Safety gear like jackets, helmets, gloves, and boots go a long way in minimizing and preventing cuts, scrapes, and broken bones. However, they are no match for the safety of a truck’s cabin or a car. The top preventative devices in car, such as metal barriers, airbags and seatbelts, have no application in motorcycles.

Injuries from a motorcycle are often severe and life-threatening due to the risky nature of bike riding. You could benefit from the legal counsel of an accomplished Medford motorcycle accident attorney, if you or someone you know has been injured while riding a motorcycle.

Statute of Limitations

Oregon’s general statute of limitations on personal injury cases is 2 years, which means you need to be sure to act fast when pursuing a claim. There are certain exceptions to the 2 year rule that may shorten the limitations period.

Contact a Medford motorcycle crash attorney (right after you obtain medical assistance) to discuss what limitations period specifically applies to you. Your claim could be time-barred if you attempt to pursue it after the relevant statute of limitations is up. In simple words, you may not be able to make a claim if you are late in approaching the law.

Comparative Negligence

Oregon is a modified comparative negligence state, which means that you may collect damages even if you are partially at fault for your injuries, as long as your responsibility for the crash is 50 percent or lower.

Insurance

Medford, Oregon requires all drivers to carry necessary vehicle insurance. If you are driving without insurance and get into an accident, then you may only recover economic damages, such as lost wages and medical expenses, from the other driver.

Non-economic damages such as pain and suffering may not be part of the compensation. The exception includes those drivers whose insurance coverage lapsed within less than 180 days of the collision. (They will also have to prove that prior to the lapse of coverage they had insurance for at least 12 months.)

An experienced Medford motorcycle accident attorney will be familiar with some of the severe, life-changing injuries that could result from motorcycle accidents, such as:

• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Severe bruising
• Loss of a limb
• Damage to internal organs
• Broken bones
• Severe lacerations
• Road rash
• Internal bleeding
• Soft tissue injuries in the neck

You will need immediate treatment if you suffer these or any other injuries in a motorcycle crash in Medford, OR. You may also require ongoing medical care in the weeks and months that follow in order to manage your injuries and have a better chance of recovery.

Motorcycle riders generally don’t realize that injuries in a motorcycle crash can have higher costs of immediate and ongoing medical care, adding up to tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. That is because motorcycle injuries are often more severe than other vehicles.

A proven and astute motorcycle accident attorney in Medford could help you file a personal injury lawsuit or an insurance claim to recover compensation that can enable you to pay your medical expenses, such as:

• Ambulance ride after the crash
• Emergency care
• Prescription drugs
• Blood tests

• Surgery
• X-rays

• CT scans
• MRIs

• Physical therapy and rehabilitation
• Mobility devices, such as canes or crutches
• Appointments with doctors

There are several other forms of compensation that an accomplished motorcycle crash attorney in Medford, Oregon will be able to recover in a personal injury lawsuit or an insurance claim, such as:

Compensation to repair or replace your motorcycle, if it was damaged in the accident can be pursued by a qualified Medford motorcycle accident attorney.

Property damage is available as recovery in a personal injury lawsuit or an insurance claim. It is important to note that property damage compensation through an insurance claim can only be recovered up to the limits of the other driver's policy.

A dependable attorney will help you gather all necessary documentations for the fair replacement value of the bike or the cost of damage to your vehicle.

Motorcycle accidents often result in personal injuries that make it difficult or physically impossible to get back to work right away. It is possible that you may miss work for days, weeks, or even months and lose corresponding wages.

Your Medford motorcycle accident lawyer can pursue compensation for all the wages you lost because of your injuries, if this happens. This may also include lost wages for doctor’s appointment.

Your Medford motorcycle accident lawyer can help you obtain the right documentation for lost wages, including a doctor’s note stating your inability to work because of your injuries, and documents from your employer noting your rate of pay and the times you missed work.

A motorcycle accident injury can cause a great deal of physical pain and emotional suffering. Emotional suffering could also include anxiety, depression, sleeplessness, accident trauma, and reliving the accident in your mind.

Compensation for all physical and emotional issues that you are experiencing can be pursued by your motorcycle accident lawyer in Medford, OR through a personal injury claim.

A solid legal counselor will also help you obtain the proper documentation of these damages, since they have no monetary value assigned to them, like property damage or medical expenses.

For instance, the attorney can help you obtain medical records showing the severity of emotional and physical problems that you are dealing with. They may also recommend that you maintain a journal where you note down the emotional struggle and physical pain you are dealing with every day.

You should strive to collect as much evidence as possible for your pain and suffering, as it may increase your chances of recovering this form of compensation.

Severe motorcycle injuries are almost always life-altering because they limit the victim’s ability to do different aspects of their work that prevents them from returning to their jobs.

Due to physical limitations, some victims have to enter a completely new line of work. This can hurt your earning capacity, both current and future.

You may be entitled to compensation for lost earning capacity if your injury affects your ability to earn in any way. Based on your experience, skills and education, this amount shall be calculated on your projected earnings as if the injury had never occurred.

Get in touch with a judicious Medford, OR motorcycle accident attorney today who will determine all forms of compensation you may be entitled upon reviewing your situation.

An experienced legal pro will know that compensation can be critical to your recovery as you attempt to move on with your life.

It is important for motorcycle accident lawyers in Medford to be knowledgeable about different types of motorcycle accidents, including:

Left-turn crashes

These can occur when a car passing an intersection makes a left turn into or in front of the motorcyclist, heading in the opposite direction.

Rear-end crashes

These accidents can happen when a car does not stop in time at stop signs or red lights to avoid hitting the back of the motorcycle.

Car-door accidents

This type of crash may occur when a car occupant opens the car door next to an active lane of traffic and a motorcyclist crashes into the door.

Lane-change accidents

These accidents occur when a car crashes into a motorcyclist as it veers into another lane.

You may be able to obtain legal compensation in Medford, Oregon if you were injured in these or any other type of motorcycle accident that was caused by another driver’s negligence.

Some common forms of driver negligence resulting in Medford motorcycle accidents include:

• Not checking blind spots when changing lanes
• Speeding
• Failing to yield to a motorcycle when moving through an intersection
• Entering any roadway without looking out for motorbike riders
• DUI of narcotics or alcohol
• Failing to use turn signals
• Following a motorcycle too closely
• Distracted driving
• Drowsy driving
• Disobeying traffic signs or signals

Regardless of the type of motorcycle accident you were involved in, a hard working Medford motorbike accident attorney will know how to handle the situation and conduct a detailed investigation to determine whether the other driver acted negligently.

It can be difficult to conduct a thorough investigation on your own and is one of the main advantages of working with a legal representative.

Your Medford motorcycle accident lawyer will be prepared to thoroughly investigate your crash by doing the following:

• Take pictures of your injuries to document their severity
• Collect pictures from the scene to show damage done to your vehicle
• Consult medical experts to learn how the crash caused your injuries
• Obtain the police report on the crash
• Determine how negligence contributed to your injuries by reconstructing the accident

If possible, try taking pictures right after the crash of your motorcycle and the entire crash scene. Most of the times pictures taken immediately after an accident might do a better job of documenting the scene of crash.

Get in touch with a Medford, OR motorcycle accident lawyer today to understand how they can help you pursue legal compensation for your injuries, if another driver was partly or fully responsible for it.

A Medford legal professional can get to work for you to investigate your accident and pursue the compensation you may be entitled to, as soon as you enlist their services.

On top of this, the statute of limitations sets a deadline for filing a lawsuit over your injuries, which makes it critical that you contact a Medford motorcycle accident attorney as soon as possible.

The statute of limitations for personal injury claims, including motorcycle accident claims in Oregon is two years from the date of cause.

In case of a motorcycle crash, you get two years from the incident to file a lawsuit and claim damages. You will be unable to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation once this deadline passes.

You should know that two years is not a long time when you factor in the time spent in negotiating an insurance claim. You and your attorney should ideally have the maximum possible time to prepare for and file a lawsuit if your insurance claim is unsuccessful.

Dwyer Williams Cherkoss is passionate about providing fair legal representation and seek justice for motorcycle accident victims.

We have helped motorcycle accident victims in Medford and other parts of Oregon obtain maximum legal compensation to move forward with their lives.

Our attorneys have extensive experience in investigating motorcycle accidents to collect the right kind of evidence that can help prove another driver is liable for your motorcycle injuries. We also understand the importance of documenting your damages to improve your chances of recovering the best possible compensation.

We can negotiate with insurance providers and other responsible parties on your behalf after determining the best way to pursue your rightful claim for compensation. Call us today at 800-285-8678.