Manchester Motorcycle Accident Injury Attorneys

Riding a motorcycle in and around Manchester, Iowa carries a level of freedom and excitement that drivers of enclosed vehicles rarely experience. It also carries a significantly higher risk of serious injury when something goes wrong. If you or someone you love has been hurt in a motorcycle accident, understanding the nature of your injuries, what causes these crashes, and how to protect your legal rights can make a real difference in the outcome of your claim.

Why Motorcyclists Face Greater Risks Than Other Drivers

A motorcycle simply does not offer the crash protection of a modern car or truck. A car has considerably more weight and mass, a roll cage, a roof, airbags, and seatbelts. It also benefits from four-wheel stability that makes it far less likely to go down in an emergency. Because of its larger size, a car is also much easier for other drivers to see on the road.

A motorcycle can offset some of these disadvantages through its ability to stop and turn quickly when necessary, but only when the rider has been properly trained. Unfortunately, that training is far less common than most people realize. According to data cited in studies of motorcycle crashes, 92 percent of riders involved in accidents were essentially without formal training. Most were self-taught or learned from family members or friends. Professional training is the single most important step a rider can take to reduce both the likelihood of being in a crash and the severity of injuries if a crash does occur.

The Most Common Causes of Motorcycle Crashes

Understanding how motorcycle accidents happen is important for both riders and the attorneys who handle their injury claims. The causes tend to fall into several distinct patterns, each with its own risk factors and legal implications.

Another Driver Turns Left in Front of You

This is the most common type of motorcycle crash. A driver approaching or already at an intersection either fails to see the motorcyclist or misjudges the rider's speed and turns directly into their path. Distraction, cell phone use, or simply not looking for motorcycles are all contributing factors. When this happens, the other driver is typically at fault for the resulting collision and the injuries it causes.

To reduce the risk in these situations, experienced riders approach intersections with caution and watch the wheels of other vehicles rather than the vehicles themselves, since wheel movement is the first sign that a vehicle is about to move. Riders should slow down, prepare to apply the brakes, and be ready to take evasive action. Importantly, riders should avoid laying the bike down. The best chance of minimizing injury is keeping the motorcycle upright and applying both brakes to reduce speed as much as possible before any impact. Even reducing speed by 10 to 20 miles per hour can be the difference between going home with bruises and a far worse outcome.

A Car Changes Lanes Into Your Path

Motorcycles can easily fall into another driver's blind spot, and many drivers simply are not watching for them. When a vehicle drifts toward a motorcycle in traffic, the results can be catastrophic. Riders can reduce this risk by staying aware of where blind spots are located and spending as little time in them as possible. A useful rule of thumb: if you can see a driver's eyes in their mirrors, they have the ability to see you. Riders should be especially cautious in situations where lane changes are likely, such as when one lane of traffic slows. Look for warning signs including turn signals, a vehicle moving within its own lane, or a driver's head turning to check mirrors.

Being Struck From Behind at a Stop

A rear-end collision that would amount to a minor inconvenience for a car driver can be fatal for a motorcyclist. When a following driver fails to notice that traffic has stopped, a motorcyclist at a red light or stop sign has almost no protection. Riders can take a few practical steps to reduce this danger. Installing brake lights that flash when the brakes are applied can help alert following drivers sooner. When stopped, positioning the motorcycle toward the side of the center of the lane gives the rider room to maneuver. Keeping the bike in gear and maintaining awareness of approaching vehicles from behind allows a rider to move out of the way if a following driver is not going to stop in time.

Alcohol and Speed

Nearly half of all fatal motorcycle crashes involve alcohol use by the rider. Excessive speed is responsible for a significant portion of crashes as well, whether from taking a corner too fast or failing to have enough distance to stop when another vehicle pulls out unexpectedly. While vehicle failures account for only about 3 percent of motorcycle crashes, most of those are single-vehicle accidents where a flat tire caused the rider to lose control, which at highway speeds often leads to serious injury.

The Helmet Question in Iowa

Iowa is one of the few states in the country where riders have the legal right to choose not to wear a helmet. That said, every rider should make that decision based on the available evidence rather than personal preference alone. Statistics consistently show that a helmet is the most important safety device a motorcyclist has. Modern helmets feature a hard outer shell that protects the brain and distributes impact force, along with an inner liner designed to absorb that force further. Wearing a helmet significantly reduces the chance of sustaining a disabling or deadly brain injury in a crash.

If you do wear a helmet, make sure it meets federal safety standards as established by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It is also worth noting that most other states require helmets, so if you are riding beyond Manchester and into other states, you will likely be required to wear one by law.

Road Rash: A Serious and Often Misunderstood Injury

One of the most common injuries in Iowa motorcycle accidents is road rash, which occurs when a rider's skin is scraped across the road surface during a crash, resulting in lacerations and abrasions. Like burns, road rash is categorized by degree of severity, and the more serious cases require significant medical intervention to heal properly. Wearing protective gear such as leather clothing while riding can reduce the likelihood of serious road rash if the bike goes down.

First-Degree Road Rash

First-degree road rash involves skin redness and irritation at the surface level. These injuries typically do not require major medical treatment and can usually be addressed at home with cleaning and antibiotic ointment.

Second-Degree Road Rash

Second-degree road rash is more serious because the outer layer of skin breaks. This type of injury involves greater discomfort and pain, but in many cases can still be managed with home treatment, depending on the location and extent of the wound.

Third-Degree Road Rash

Third-degree road rash is a genuine medical emergency. This level of injury affects all layers of the skin, exposing the tissue beneath and in serious cases damaging muscle and other underlying structures. Medical intervention is required, and skin grafting is a common surgical treatment for third-degree motorcycle road rash.

Skin grafting must be performed in a hospital setting while the patient is under general anesthesia. Recovery is often lengthy and difficult. Patients may require weeks of hospitalization for observation of both the donor site and the graft site, as doctors monitor whether the body accepts the transplanted skin. Even after being released from the hospital, movement can remain limited for several more weeks as the graft heals, making a return to work or normal daily activity impossible for some time.

If your road rash injuries required hospitalization, surgical treatment, or extensive time away from work, those losses are compensable in a motorcycle accident claim in Iowa, provided the other party was at fault.

Your Legal Rights After a Motorcycle Accident in Manchester

If another party was at fault for your crash, you may be entitled to seek compensation for your damages through a motorcycle accident claim or lawsuit. Recoverable damages can include medical expenses, property damage, lost wages during your treatment and recovery period, and pain and suffering. An experienced Iowa motorcycle accident attorney can review the specific facts of your case and advise you on the full range of damages you may be able to pursue.

Proving fault is one essential element of a successful motorcycle accident case. Proper documentation of every loss you have suffered is the other. From the moment you are able to begin gathering information after your crash, the records you keep will directly shape the value of your claim.

Five Critical Steps to Protect Your Motorcycle Accident Claim

Whether you eventually hire an attorney or not, the following steps are essential to receiving fair compensation for your injuries after a motorcycle accident in Manchester.

1. Tell Your Doctor Everything That Hurts

Your medical records are one of the most critical pieces of evidence in your case. Your doctor is required to keep accurate and detailed records that include your description of how you were injured, your physical complaints, the doctor's examination findings, and the treatment you received. The insurance company will base its offer to you on this information. If you fail to report every symptom and area of pain, not only will it go untreated, but no one will know about it. If you begin reporting a problem weeks or months after the accident, the insurer will likely argue that it was unrelated to the crash and reduce their offer accordingly.

2. Follow Your Doctor's Orders

If your doctor prescribes therapy three times a week and you attend only once a week, you will damage your claim. Insurance companies will argue that you could not have been seriously injured if you failed to follow your own doctor's recommendations. Consistent compliance with your prescribed treatment plan is both important for your recovery and essential to protecting the value of your case.

3. Keep a Daily Injury Diary

Most people do not think to write down how they feel from day to day, but a personal injury diary is one of the most useful tools available to a motorcycle accident victim. Recording the details of your injuries and how they affect your ability to function on a daily basis provides accurate, contemporaneous documentation that is difficult for an insurer to dispute. Your diary can directly affect how your claim is evaluated and can mean a higher recovery for your losses.

4. Document Every Day of Missed Work

Keep careful records of all time you miss from work because of your injuries. This includes saving doctor's excuses for missed days and tracking any time spent away from your job to attend medical appointments. Lost wages are a recoverable component of your damages, but only if you can document them thoroughly.

5. Be Careful What You Say to the Insurance Company

The insurance company and their lawyers will use anything you tell them against you. The best approach is to always tell the truth, because a small inconsistency or a single lie can destroy your credibility entirely. What this also means in practice is that you should be thoughtful and careful about what you volunteer. Having an attorney handle communications with the insurer on your behalf is the most effective way to ensure that nothing you say is used to minimize your claim.

Gathering Evidence to Support Your Case

In addition to your medical records and injury diary, there are other types of evidence that are important to a motorcycle accident case in Manchester. Obtain a copy of the police report and any witness statements collected by the officers who responded to the scene. Gather any photos or videos of the accident, the vehicles involved, the road conditions, and your injuries. If you took notes at the scene or shortly afterward, provide those to your attorney as well. The stronger and more complete your evidence, the better positioned you will be when dealing with an opposing insurance company.

Proving fault requires demonstrating that another party acted negligently and that their negligence directly caused your injuries and losses. An attorney experienced in motorcycle versus car accident claims can help you identify what evidence is most important in your particular situation and ensure that nothing critical is overlooked.

Consulting a Manchester Motorcycle Accident Attorney

The toll from severe motorcycle injuries can encompass substantial medical expenses and long-term care costs for victims and their families. Lost wages may compound matters, especially if employment becomes unrealistic for an extended period. Getting help from a motorcycle accident attorney allows the pursuit of comprehensive compensation, from financial damages and emotional distress such as pain and suffering.

Victims of these accidents should seek consultation with a motorcycle accident attorney, as damages may be extensive and recovery of compensation is important.

At Walker, Billingsley & Bair, our motorcycle accident attorneys can represent you in dealings with your insurance company, or when filing a personal injury claim. Set up your consultation now by calling 641-792-3595. 

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