Every motorcycle accident is unique, but one problem is common: too many people quickly blame the motorcyclist after an accident. If you’re a motorcyclist who has been in an accident, you could be left holding the blame unfairly if you don’t act quickly and decisively.
Attorney Jason E. Taylor investigates motorcycle accidents from the vantage of a lifelong motorcyclist and an aggressive litigator. He and his legal team know how to gather the evidence that shows what happened in an accident and demonstrates the full extent of the victim’s losses. From there, he can negotiate or go to court from a position of strength to obtain the compensation the injured deserve.
If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident in North Carolina or South Carolina, The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor can advocate for you and your rights.
If contacted promptly after a motorcycle accident, The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor team can collect useful evidence from the crash scene. Skid marks and crash debris indicate the speed and direction of vehicles at the time of the crash.
We also look at the road or other paths traveled by the motorcyclist and other vehicles involved in the accident.
Poor road conditions, such as broken pavement, an obstructed view, or pooled water, may be identified as contributing factors to an accident. At the crash scene, we take measurements and photographs and create sketches of the site.
Near the accident scene, there may be red-light or security cameras that captured footage of the accident. In our canvass of the area, we look for cameras (you can spot them if you know where they are likely to be) and follow up with owners to review footage.
Crash scene evidence disappears quickly, so it is crucial to start working with a motorcycle accident attorney as soon as possible after an accident.
As part of our investigation, we want to see the vehicles involved, including your bike and the other party’s vehicle. Damage to a car or truck may indicate how badly the motorcyclist was hit – such as a windshield smashed by a rider’s body.
Many recent model passenger cars and trucks have a computerized Event Data Recorder (EDR). The EDR records information, including the vehicle’s speed, speed changes, the rate of speed changes, whether the driver applied brakes, wore their seatbelt, or if airbags deployed.
A crashed car’s EDR data can be downloaded to provide information about the driver’s actions before and at the time of a crash. However, it is the car owner’s property and we usually have to obtain a court order for access to the EDR. Obtaining this order is not difficult, but we must do it promptly. A car can be sold or scrapped, or the data can be overwritten in a drivable vehicle.
A crashed car may also contain other evidence, such as a receipt indicating the recent purchase of alcohol or takeout food or even empties from the driver’s drinking and eating while driving.
As part of our investigation, we want to see the vehicles involved, including your bike and the other party’s vehicle. Damage to a car or truck may indicate how badly the motorcyclist was hit – such as a windshield smashed by a rider’s body.
Many recent model passenger cars and trucks have a computerized Event Data Recorder (EDR). The EDR records information, including the vehicle’s speed, speed changes, the rate of speed changes, whether the driver applied brakes, wore their seatbelt, or if airbags deployed.
A crashed car’s EDR data can be downloaded to provide information about the driver’s actions before and at the time of a crash. However, it is the car owner’s property, and we usually have to obtain a court order for access to the EDR. Obtaining this order is not difficult, but we must do it promptly. A car can be sold or scrapped, or the data can be overwritten in a drivable vehicle.
A crashed car may also contain other evidence, such as a receipt indicating the recent purchase of alcohol or takeout food or even empties from the driver’s drinking and eating while driving.
We obtain statements from the other driver and any passengers and bystanders who witnessed the accident as part of our investigation. Once again, this is best done soon after an accident, before memories fade or become confused. We obtain the police report filed in your accident and follow up with the law enforcement officer if necessary, following the court case if police brought charrges against the driver.
Beyond interviewing the other driver, we investigate their prior activities, which may be related to the crash. For example, cell phone data, which also requires a court order to obtain, may indicate a distracted driver at the time of the crash or, through geographic data, a fatigued driver who had traveled a long distance over a lengthy period.
In complex accidents, another person we bring into the case is an accident reconstruction specialist. This forensic engineering expert can use the evidence gathered and their own investigative work to develop a thorough technical understanding of your accident. Their multi-media report and, if necessary, courtroom presentation can provide critical information about how an accident occurred.
In some cases, the evidence we collect leads us to identify additional people who may be held liable. A common “third party” claim is against a store or bar employee or a party host who sold or served alcohol to a drunk driver. In other cases, the employer of a driver traveling for business may be liable for their employee’s crash.
The client is part of our investigation. We conduct a full review and analysis of our client’s injuries, including prognosis for recovery and related medical expenses. We also calculate other losses, such as property damage to the motorcycle and riding gear, lost income from being out of work, and future losses if the injuries cause ongoing disabilities.
We compute the financial damage clients have suffered and their pain and suffering to determine the total compensation to seek in a personal injury lawsuit. With a lawsuit filed, we can negotiate formally with the other drivers’ and any third parties’ insurers for a settlement.
A settlement, if we can obtain one that is appropriate and agreeable to the client, removes the uncertainty of the outcome and gets money into the victim’s hands more quickly. If we cannot reach a settlement, we have a solid case that we are more than ready to take into court.
The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor, motorcycle accident investigation, documents the crash, all other parties’ involvement, your injuries, their costs, and the pain and suffering you have endured. Our work helps clients obtain the maximum compensation available for their losses.
Jason Taylor is an experienced motorcyclist and personal injury lawyer in North and South Carolina. He understands and appreciates what injury victims have been through in a severe motorcycle accident and will face in the weeks, months, and years ahead.
Contact us today to speak with one of our Charlotte, Hickory, Greenville, Rock Hill, or Columbia attorneys.
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