If you or someone you care for has been injured in a wreck while riding a motorcycle through no fault of your own, learn more about how a Raleigh motorcycle accident lawyer can help you recover your losses.
The Bishop Law Firm offers free case reviews, and we do not get paid unless you win. Start your free case review by phone or online now.
Motorcycle Rider Injury Statistics
While motorcycles can be great fun, they offer significantly less protection to riders than car passengers in a crash.
This is frightening considering the number of self-reported distracted NC drivers, those who were texting and driving, using cell phones while driving, though under 18, and drunk or otherwise inebriated drivers, putting everyone's life at risk.
In 2024, at least 17% of crashes in North Carolina involved distracted drivers (NCDOT).
The lack of physical protection while riding a motorcycle, in addition to the negligence of others, can result in grave injuries or a fatal accident.
In 2022, U.S. statistics showed that motorcyclists were 22 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a crash per vehicle mile traveled.
Between 2020 and 2024, there was an average of 3,457 motorcycle injuries per year in North Carolina.
In 2024, there were 193 motorcycle deaths, according to NCDOT.
In Wake County, in 2024, there were 256 motorcycle crash injuries and 13 deaths. This equates to a person being injured every 33.5 hours and over one death per month.
Also read Raleigh Car Accident Statistics & Twenty Ways to Avoid Raleigh Car Accidents.
Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries
Unfortunately, motorcyclists involved in vehicle accidents tend to sustain the worst injuries of all accident victims.
Injuries can range from superficial skin injury (road rash) to broken bones to organ-penetrating injuries (catastrophic), depending on the circumstances of the accident.
Helmets are required in NC, but motorcycle accident victims can still sustain a severe traumatic brain injury even with the use of a helmet.
In a study from 2006, head injury, trunk injury (including rib fractures), thoracic spine injuries, and abdominal injuries are common after a motorcycle accident (NIH).
Recovering from your injuries can be a long and daunting task, let alone providing medical records, lost wage statements, other supporting documents, and negotiating with the insurance company.
This is where many injury victims and their families decide to call a Raleigh personal injury lawyer for their motorcycle accident claim.
Also read Raleigh Car Accident Injuries and North Carolina Catastrophic Injuries.
North Carolina Law for Injury Victims
Negligence is integral to recovering damages in a personal injury claim.
The at-fault party must be negligent for injured riders to recover.
Negligence is a failure to perform an owed duty that results in injury to a victim.
For example, if a driver is distracted, makes an unsafe lane change, and runs a motorcyclist off the road, causing injury, negligence has occurred.
In addition, under North Carolina's contributory negligence law, the victim must not be at fault to obtain compensation.
If a motorcyclist is following too closely while speeding and the driver in front suddenly brakes to stop for a stopped vehicle, and the motorcyclist rear-ends the car, the motorcyclist cannot recover for their injuries because they were contributorily negligent.
Police officers usually determine liability at the accident scene, but an unclear narrative in the accident report can cause a victim additional headaches when trying to recover compensation.
Also see NC Contributory Negligence.
What can a motorcycle accident victim recover?
There are two forms of damages that a victim can recover: economic and non-economic.
To understand the difference between the two types of damages: all damages with a set price tag (medical expenses, lost wages) are economic, while damages that have no set price (pain & suffering, punitive damages) are non-economic.
Non-economic damages are harder to quantify and thus attain.
Insurance adjusters rarely offer sufficient compensation for non-economic damages, and litigation is required.
In addition to current damages, future damages must be calculated and included in any demands in severe injury cases.
An expert (e.g., a life care planner) may be needed to assess a victim's future needs.
What To Do After a Raleigh Motorcycle Accident
Step One: Seek treatment and follow medical advice
After your Wake County motorcycle crash, you should seek and follow all medical advice.
If your doctor tells you to rest, take medicine, use crutches, etc., do so.
Step Two: Take photographs
Photographs of your damaged motorcycle and the car that hit you should be taken as well (if possible).
In addition, photographs of your injuries immediately after the accident, as well as photographs as you heal with dates, will help tell your journey to recovery.
Step Three: Document lost wages and expenses
Also, document your missed workdays and the pay you would have received on those days.
Please read "Ways to Prove Pain & Suffering Damages."
Step Four: Be cautious on social media
If you choose to post about your accident on social media, do not include accusations or assumptions regarding the cause of the car wreck or the at-fault driver(s).
Step Five: Obtain the police report
The first step to recovering from your Raleigh Motorcycle accident is obtaining the police report.
Police reports are available from the Raleigh Police Department. You should obtain the police report as soon as possible to ensure that the description of the accident is correct.
If the police report is not correct or you are unsure of how to decipher it, read Raleigh Car Accident Reports.
Step Six: File a claim
Filing your claim with the at-fault driver's insurance company should be straightforward.
Still, insurance adjusters often delay or deny liability for various reasons, including visibility or driving conditions.
They may even claim the motorcycle accident victim is at fault, even though the negligent driver clearly caused the accident.
Insurance companies can also try to settle your claim quickly to avoid paying for all your medical treatment.
This can leave a victim with unpaid medical expenses and nowhere to turn for future medical care.
Also read What not to do after a Raleigh Car Accident & Twenty Steps to take after a Raleigh Car Accident
Step Seven: Hire an Accident Lawyer in Raleigh
A victim's decision to hire a lawyer depends on their comfort level dealing with the insurance company and whether they consider the insurer's offer a fair settlement.
Often, an adjuster makes an offer without all the necessary evidence.
Without all the evidence, an adjuster cannot make the right offer.
An experienced motorcycle accident lawyer can evaluate a victim's case and obtain documentation of medical bills, lost income, emotional distress, physical pain, and future needs to ensure the victim's damages are fully recovered.
If the insurance company is unwilling to compensate a victim fairly, a personal injury lawyer can discuss the pros and cons of a personal injury lawsuit with a victim.
Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Serving Raleigh, North Carolina
Our motorcycle and car accident attorney can help you recover costs for medical expenses, lost wages, pain & suffering, and any future necessary medical treatment, while allowing you and your family to focus on your recovery.
The Bishop Law Firm does not get paid unless you win your motorcycle accident case.
We are committed to helping you recover a fair settlement for your losses and be compensated for all your damages (past, present, and future).
Also read What does a Raleigh Car Accident Lawyer do?
Contact our team of knowledgeable and skilled motorcycle accident attorneys today for a free case evaluation at (919) 615-3095 or start online now.
Related articles: Wake County Car Accident Lawyer & Raleigh Car Accident Resources
