Have you suffered catastrophic injuries because you were recently involved in a motorcycle crash in Lakeland, Florida? Don’t leave compensation on the negotiating table. Contact Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers and discover how our Lakeland motorcycle accident lawyers can help you maximize your financial recovery.
Since 2001, we’ve provided top-tier legal representation to injured clients and grieving families in need of life-changing compensation. Our clients benefit from a team of award-winning litigators with over 119 years of combined experience who have won millions in awards.
Now it’s your turn to set yourself up for the financial victory you deserve. Contact our law office in Lakeland, FL at (863) 251-6196 to get started – your first consultation is free.
How Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Motorcycle Crash in Lakeland, FL
While you may be entitled to a monetary award, at-fault parties and insurers won’t make things easy for you. They’ll deny responsibility, undercut the value of your claim, and might even try to blame you for the motorcycle accident.
Level the playing field by turning to our Lakeland injury lawyers for help.
For more than two decades, we’ve gone toe-to-toe with powerful insurance companies and well-funded defendants – and won big for clients like you.
When you hire our law firm after a motorcycle accident, you’ll benefit from personalized, compassionate representation and a tough, aggressive approach to your case.
We will:
- Launch an in-depth, thorough investigation into your motorcycle crash
- Gather photographs, police reports, accident reports, witness statements, damaged clothing and safety gear, physical evidence from the scene, medical records, and other evidence that can be used to support your claim for damages
- Consult accident specialists, injury experts, and medical professionals throughout the process
- Aggressively negotiate with other parties to get you top results in a settlement
- Reject lowball offers and bring your case to a jury in Polk County, if necessary
Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers works on contingency, so it costs nothing upfront to hire our motorcycle accident attorneys after a crash in Lakeland. You only pay if we win your case.
Call our Lakeland, FL law office to learn more. Your initial case evaluation is 100 percent free.
How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents in Lakeland and Polk County, Florida?
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reports that there were 308 motorcycle accidents in Polk County in 2021. This reflected an increase from 2020 and 2019, when there were 283 and 297 crashes reported in Lakeland and surrounding towns in Polk County, respectively.
Motorcycle accident fatalities have dropped slightly in Polk County since 2019. That year, 31 motorcyclists were killed in area wrecks. In 2020, there were 25 fatal motorcycle accidents in the area. In 2021, fatalities ticked up slightly, for a total of 26.
As of October 15, 2022, there have already been 229 motorcycle crashes reported in Polk County. Those accidents have caused 14 fatalities and 201 injuries.
What’s My Lakeland Motorcycle Accident Case Worth?
There’s no specific settlement value for motorcycle injury claims. That’s because every situation is incredibly unique. Every victim is different and will experience the consequences of a motorcycle crash in their own way.
There are certain factors that will always be relevant when it comes to valuation.
- How old are you?
- Do you share responsibility for the motorcycle accident?
- What injuries did you sustain in the crash?
- Did the motorcycle accident aggravate any pre-existing medical conditions?
- Has the accident or resultant trauma affected your earning capacity?
- What are your out-of-pocket costs?
- How has the trauma of being involved in a motorcycle wreck changed your life?
The greater the impact the motorcycle accident has on your life, and the more catastrophic your injuries, the more you can expect to recover when you file a personal injury claim for damages.
The best way to learn about the value of your specific case is by reaching out to an experienced personal injury attorney near you in Lakeland, FL. Call Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers to set up a time for a free consultation today.
What Damages Can I Get If I’ve Been Hurt in a Motorcycle Wreck?
Whether you submit a claim to insurance or seek damages in a third-party lawsuit, you can generally recover compensatory awards.
Compensatory damages are divided into two categories.
The first is economic damages, which help to offset the financial costs of your accident.
Examples include:
- Current and future medical bills
- Lost wages
- Disability
- Motorcycle repairs and other property damage
- Rehabilitation
- Nursing assistance
The second is non-economic damages. Non-economic awards compensate for the tough-to-value suffering and life changes you may experience after being in a motorcycle wreck.
Examples include:
- Pain and suffering
- Scarring
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Depression and anxiety
- Embarrassment
- Loss of consortium
Punitive damages may be available in a very limited number of situations. There must be convincing evidence that you were hurt because of someone else’s intentionally harmful or malicious conduct or that they displayed a flagrant disregard for your safety.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in Lakeland?
Despite the fact that everyone on the road in Lakeland shares a responsibility to follow traffic laws and drive safely, there are still hundreds of motorcycle crashes in the area every year.
The vast majority of these motorcycle accidents are caused by negligence.
Negligence means that someone had a duty of care, breached it in some way, and caused an accident where another person got hurt.
Common examples and contributing factors in motorcycle accidents include:
- Speeding
- Lane splitting
- Failing to yield the right of way
- Tailgating
- Driver distraction
- Drunk driving
- Fatigued driving
- Driving without a valid motorcycle license
- Ignoring Florida motorcycle laws
- Negligent vehicle or equipment maintenance
Dangerous road conditions, road defects, defective vehicles and safety equipment, and inclement weather can also cause motorcycle crashes in Lakeland.
Who Could Be Liable For My Motorcycle Accident Injuries?
Liability can extend to all parties who directly or indirectly contribute to a motorcycle crash in Florida.
Depending on what caused your motorcycle accident, liable parties might include:
- Negligent motorist
- Another motorcyclist
- Truck driver
- Pedestrian
- Bicyclist
- Property owner
- Manufacturer
- Government agency
Our top-rated legal team in Lakeland will aggressively fight to recover compensation from everyone who played a role in your catastrophic motorcycle accident.
What Happens If I’m Blamed For My Florida Motorcycle Crash?
You will not automatically be barred from seeking compensation. However, you will only be entitled to a fraction of your financial award if you are assigned any blame.
Florida is a pure comparative fault state, so damages are reduced based on your role in causing the motorcycle crash. The more fault you’re assigned, the less your personal injury case is worth.
Expect an insurance company or a negligent party to attempt to shift blame away from them onto you. These strategies, unchallenged, can hurt your ability to recover all of the money you need and deserve.
Our Lakeland motorcycle accident attorneys will be there to fight for you and work to disprove or minimize the impact of these types of allegations. We will do everything in our power to make sure that fault is assigned appropriately and that you are able to achieve the best outcome in your motorcycle accident case.
Motorcyclists Can Sustain Catastrophic Injuries in Lakeland Auto Accidents
It’s well-known that wearing a motorcycle helmet reduces the risk of severe brain injuries and death when a rider is involved in a car accident. However, even when riders wear motorcycle helmets, they are still at serious risk of life-changing injuries.
Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers represents motorcyclists who have sustained:
- Spinal cord injury
- Tetraplegia
- Quadriplegia
- Back injury
- Neck injury
- Nerve damage
- Traumatic brain injury
- Concussion
- Amputation
- Dental injury
- Trauma to the eyes and face
- Hearing loss
- Road rash
- Burn injury
- Joint injury
- Ligament damage
- Internal trauma
- Catastrophic injury
Our law firm is also here to help support and guide families if a fatal motorcycle accident causes the wrongful death of a loved one in Lakeland.
Do not hesitate to reach out to our personal injury lawyers in Lakeland after you have sought emergency medical treatment at the closest hospital in Polk County.
What’s the Deadline To File a Florida Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit?
Florida has a four-year statute of limitations that applies to most motorcycle accident cases.
You will have two years to initiate a wrongful death lawsuit after losing a family member in a deadly motorcycle wreck.
Once the statute of limitations expires, so does your opportunity to seek and recover the compensation you deserve.
Set Up a Free Consultation With an Experienced Lakeland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
You don’t have to deal with the aftermath of a tragic motorcycle accident in Lakeland on your own. Turn to the trusted team at Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers to help you stand up and fight for the financial accountability you deserve.
Put 119 years of collective legal experience in your corner. Benefit from a team that will take a tough, no-nonsense approach to your motorcycle injury claim. Call our Lakeland motorcycle accident lawyers to arrange a free consultation today.
Motorcycle Accident Infographic
