At some point most motorists will likely encounter a motorcyclist on the road. All drivers and motorcyclists have a duty to exercise reasonable care on the roads and be cognizant of the traffic and surroundings around them. Despite the public messages to start seeing motorcycles, and precautions a driver and motorcyclists may exercise, motorcycle accidents still happen.
According to a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control, between 2001 to 2008 an estimated 34,000 motorcyclists were killed and a little over 1.2 million were treated at an emergency department for motorcycle related injuries. Further, according to the study, in that timeframe both motorcyclist deaths and injuries increased.
According to reports a Freeland motorcyclist was critically injured recently when his motorcycle collided with a car. The Washington State Patrol indicated that the Freeland man was approaching an intersection on his Suzuki motorcycle when a car turned in front of him. The motorcyclist crashed into the car’s driver side and hit the windshield. According to authorities at the scene, the Freeland man was attentive, but indicated having pain in one leg and his abdomen. He was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle where his health status was later elevated to critical, and he was reportedly in the intensive care unit.
The driver of the car did not suffer any injuries and refused medical attention. However, the driver was issued a traffic citation for failing to yield.
It is unclear from the most recent reports if the Freeland motorcyclist will fully recover from the injuries he sustained in this accident. The driver of the car in this case may be accountable for the motorcyclist’s injuries. The motorcyclist may be entitled to damages ranging from medical expenses directly stemming from the accident, future medical costs, if any, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, pain and suffering and more. A driver cannot simply state that they failed to see the motorcycle.
Source: South Whidbey Record, “Freeland man in critical condition after motorcycle crash: UPDATE,” Ben Watanabe, Aug. 13, 2013