Motorcycle Accident Lawyers in Fort Lauderdale
A higher-than-average number of motorcycles in the Sunshine State increases the risk of motorcycle crashes. If you have been injured in a motorcycle crash in Fort Lauderdale, a Fort Lauderdale motorcycle accident lawyer at Meirowitz & Wasserberg may be able to help you recover substantial compensation.
Expertise
Samuel Meirowitz is “Top 100 Trial Lawyer” and an accomplished personal injury lawyer, trial attorney and relentless advocate for his clients. Previously, he served the State of New York for four years as a prosecutor in the Bronx District Attorney’s office. Mr. Meirowitz is admitted to practice law in New York and Florida State Courts.
Content written by Samuel Meirowitz
- Expertise
Samuel Meirowitz is “Top 100 Trial Lawyer” and an accomplished personal injury lawyer, trial attorney and relentless advocate for his clients. Previously, he served the State of New York for four years as a prosecutor in the Bronx District Attorney’s office. Mr. Meirowitz is admitted to practice law in New York and Florida State Courts.
Experienced Personal Injury Attorney
Florida is home to 620,077 registered motorcycles, second only to California, according to Statista. This corresponds to a high number of motorcycle crashes. In 2022, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles recorded 9,126 crashes statewide, including 627 accidents in Broward County alone, which resulted in 33 fatalities and 507 injuries.
The Fort Lauderdale motorcycle accident attorneys at Meirowitz & Wasserberg help riders who have been injured in motorcycle accidents recover significant damages.
Quick Links
- Why choose the Fort Lauderdale motorcycle accident lawyers at Meirowitz & Wasserberg?
- How much compensation can I recover in a Fort Lauderdale motorcycle accident case?
- How can Sam ‘n Dan help with my motorcycle accident case in Fort Lauderdale?
- Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries
- Who is liable for my motorcycle accident injuries?
- How is liability established in a motorcycle accident?
- What to Do After a Fort Lauderdale Motorcycle Accident
- When should I contact a motorcycle accident attorney in Fort Lauderdale?
- How much does a Fort Lauderdale motorcycle accident attorney cost?
- Contact Sam ‘n Dan for a Free Case Evaluation
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Our Personal Injury Lawyers in Fort Lauderdale
Why choose the Fort Lauderdale motorcycle accident lawyers at Meirowitz & Wasserberg?
Sam ‘n Dan are nationally-recognized attorneys with the resources and skills to stand up to large corporations and insurance companies while treating each client like family. Their work ethic and commitment to their clients have won them serious accolades from the legal community, including the following:
- Rising Stars
- Super Lawyers
- Top 100 Trial Lawyers
- Top 100 Civil Litigators
Their hard work and commitment consistently yield results for their clients, who regularly provide feedback such as the following:
“The lawyers at Meirowitz and Wasserberg are incredibly professional and amazing at what they do. They treated me with respect and made my process quick while keeping me in the loop. I got the results I was hoping for and would recommend them to anyone looking for a law firm.” —Steven Karczewski
“Meirowitz & Wasserberg, LLP fights all the way through until the end. They actually care about your well-being, not just the case. Highly recommend 10/10, I wouldn’t look anywhere else.” —Conor Reagan
How much compensation can I recover in a Fort Lauderdale motorcycle accident case?
If you have been seriously injured in a motorcycle accident, you may be eligible to recover significant damages. Every case is unique, and calculating your case value will require consideration of the following factors:
- Your earning capacity before and after the accident
- The length of time you will be unable to work
- The impact of your injuries on your quality of life
- The extent to which you will recover from your injuries
- The available insurance
- The liable parties
Types of Compensation
Compensation following a motorcycle accident may include the following types of damages:
- Economic damages – Compensation for actual monetary losses, including lost wages, medical expenses, and property damage
- Non-economic damages – Compensation for subjective losses to your quality of life, such as pain and suffering
- Punitive damages – Damages awarded when the injurious conduct was caused by deliberate misconduct or gross negligence, up to $500,000 or three times the total compensatory damages, whichever is greater
Motorcycle accidents may result in catastrophic injuries with a lifetime of disability and ongoing medical costs. Case value includes future medical expenses, future lost wages, and future non-economic losses.
How can Sam ‘n Dan help with my motorcycle accident case in Fort Lauderdale?
When you have been seriously injured in a motorcycle accident in Broward County, our personal injury lawyers in Fort Lauderdale can ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve. We accomplish this by doing the following:
- Consult a professional accident reconstructionist to identify all the factors that contributed to your accident.
- Refute fault unfairly assigned to you.
- Consult with life care planners, economists, and medical experts to calculate an accurate case value.
- Put our skills to work negotiating a maximized settlement from the liable insurance companies.
- Take your case to trial if the liable parties refuse to pay the compensation you deserve.
- Answer your calls and maintain contact with you throughout your case.
Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries
We have represented motorcycle riders with such injuries as the following:
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injuries
- Broken bones
- Soft tissue injuries
- Burns and road rash
- Post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from the accident
Who is liable for my motorcycle accident injuries?
Motor vehicle drivers are often liable for these types of accidents because they fail to watch for motorcycles. According to the Florida Motorcycle Safety Coalition, vehicle drivers experience motion-induced blindness if they fixate on one object for more than two to three seconds while driving, resulting in a failure to see motorcycles.
Motion-induced blindness may be responsible for accidents involving a car turning left in front of a motorcycle that was going straight. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, this scenario accounts for 42 percent of fatal motorcycle crashes.
Drivers are also liable when the following behaviors cause or contribute to a motorcycle crash:
- Distracted driving
- Drunk driving
- Failure to yield
- Failure to obey traffic controls
- Driving too close
- Improper passing
Florida’s no-fault system does not apply to motorcycle riders. In the event of an accident, the at-fault party’s liability insurance generally pays compensation. The liable party is not always a driver, and in some cases, multiple parties may be liable, including the following:
- A tire manufacturer
- A vehicle or motorcycle parts manufacturer
- A government entity responsible for maintaining roads
- A mechanic
- A vehicle owner
- An employer
Discovering all the contributing factors is one of the most important jobs of a motorcycle accident attorney in Fort Lauderdale because it increases the available insurance and resources available to pay compensation. This increases your case value.
How is liability established in a motorcycle accident?
In most cases, you must prove the liable party was negligent by establishing the following:
- A driver, mechanic, or other party breached a legal duty of care.
- The breach of duty caused or contributed to the crash.
- You suffered an injury that you would not otherwise have suffered.
- The motorcycle accident and not something else was the cause of the injury.
It is not necessary to prove negligence against all parties. For example, an owner of a vehicle or an employer may be vicariously liable for the negligent conduct of the driver. Manufacturers may be liable for defective products under the doctrine of strict liability, even if they were not negligent.
What to Do After a Fort Lauderdale Motorcycle Accident
After a motorcycle accident, call 911 and avoid movement except as necessary for safety. Document the accident to the extent you are able by taking pictures and video footage. Obtain a copy of your crash report from the Fort Lauderdale Police Department records division. Contact an experienced Fort Lauderdale motorcycle accident lawyer as soon as possible.
Do NOT do any of the following:
- Admit fault to the other party, the insurance company, or anyone else.
- Discuss your accident on social media.
- Speak with the insurance company.
- Sign documents from the insurance company without an attorney present.
- Skip any medical treatment.
Following through with medical testing and treatment is crucial to proving your injuries and foundational to your case value.
When should I contact a motorcycle accident attorney in Fort Lauderdale?
The Florida statute of limitations requires you to file a civil lawsuit within four years of the incident. However, you should contact a Fort Lauderdale motorcycle accident attorney as soon as possible after your accident. This will ensure your attorneys can access evidence before it degrades and interview witnesses while they can still recall important details.
How much does a Fort Lauderdale motorcycle accident attorney cost?
Our Fort Lauderdale motorcycle accident lawyers provide services on a contingency basis, which means we collect a percentage of the compensation we recover for you after we win. We advance your filing fees and case costs, taking on all your case risks for you. If we fail, you owe us nothing.
Contact Sam ‘n Dan for a Free Case Evaluation
If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, you may be entitled to recover substantial compensation. Contact Sam ‘n Dan today for a free consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are answers to questions we frequently receive.
Do I need a lawyer to file a motorcycle accident claim in Fort Lauderdale?
When you have been seriously injured in a motorcycle accident in Broward County, legal matters may feel like a low priority. However, you will need significant financial resources to support your ongoing medical treatment and make up for your lost wages.
Without an attorney, you may not be able to identify the liable parties. The insurance company may blame you for the accident or make a lowball offer. When you retain one of our motorcycle accident lawyers in Fort Lauderdale, you can focus on your recovery while we take care of the legal matters.
How long does it take to settle a motorcycle accident case in Florida?
Settling a motorcycle accident case can take anywhere from a few months to a year or longer. Before your case value can be calculated, your health care provider will need to determine to what extent you will recover. For some injuries, your prognosis is not immediately apparent.
Settlement negotiations may last from a few days to a few months, depending on the complexity of your case. If your case goes to trial, it could take longer than a year. We understand how important it is to recover your compensation quickly, and we work hard to win you the compensation you deserve as soon as possible.
Can I recover compensation in Florida if I am partly at fault for the accident?
Florida is a pure comparative fault state, which means each party is held liable for its own share of the fault. If part of the fault is yours, you can still recover compensation from the other parties who contributed to your accident in proportion to each party’s share of the fault.
What is Florida’s helmet law?
Motorcycle helmets are only required for riders under the age of 21. Riders over the age of 21 who do not wear a helmet must carry at least $10,000 in insurance for injuries. Riding without a helmet could result in reduced compensation if the defendant successfully argues that your lack of a helmet contributed to your injuries.
Is lane-splitting legal in Florida?
Florida § 316.209 prohibits motorcycles from sharing a lane with a car or passing cars between lanes of traffic. However, it is legal for a maximum of two motorcycles to ride side-by-side in the same lane.
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