Hempstead Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

How Our Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Handle Your Case

Selecting our legal services will take the weight of a legal case off your shoulders. We do more than strive for the best outcome for you and provide top-notch client care. We return all calls and emails within 24 hours, and you’ll receive attorney Richard Jaffe’s phone number for 24/7 accessibility. If you cannot come to our office to speak with us, we will make other arrangements to meet you.

When our law firm takes on your case, we will:

• Collect all evidence
• Identify the cause of the accident as well as the liable party
• Speak to insurance companies and attorneys on your behalf
• Meet the statute of limitations under CVP § 214 or EPT § 5-4.1
• Manage settlement negotiations
• Bring your case to trial

We can assist you with issues that may arise during your recovery, including helping you to find doctors or other medical providers. We can also arrange to have your vehicle repaired so that you can focus your time and energy on your recovery.

Forms of Financial Recovery You May Be Entitled to Collect

Although each case is different, we’ve seen that many motorcycle accident victims are eligible to recover damages for:

• Past and upcoming medical expenses
• Pain and suffering
• Lost income
• Future loss of earning capacity
• Disfigurement

Sadly, Hempstead sees motorcyclists lose their lives to accidents. In August 2021, News 12 reported that a 28-year-old motorcyclist passed away after getting into a crash on Village Avenue and Grand Avenue.

If your loved one succumbed to their motorcycle accident injuries, you may be entitled to recoup wrongful death damages. These awards usually include end-of-life medical expenses, lost financial support, and funeral bills, as well as your loss of service or consortium.

Our New York Law Firm Takes All Accident Cases for a Contingency Fee

We understand that a lot of financial stress comes with the aftermath of a motorcycle accident. The Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP doesn’t want to add to this strain, so we will finance your case and represent you on contingency. This fee structure involves:

• Free initial consultations
• No upfront costs, hourly rates, or retainers
• Your lawyer taking their payment from your final damages

If we cannot secure compensation for you, we will not charge you. That way, your financial risk is significantly reduced.

Actions to Take After a Hempstead Motorcycle Collision

After a motorcycle accident in Hempstead or elsewhere on Long Island, you should take certain steps in the hours, days, and weeks after your accident to protect your legal rights.

Report the Accident

Call 911 to report the motorcycle accident. If you and/or somebody else has injuries, 911 should dispatch emergency medical services to the scene of the accident.

Even if no one is hurt, you should still call the police to have an officer come to the scene and prepare a police report. This report documents what occurred and can be crucial evidence in a motorcycle accident claim.

Avoid Apologizing or Admitting Fault

Although we may reflexively apologize after a motor vehicle accident, you should avoid apologizing or making any statements that could be construed as admitting fault for the accident. You also should avoid trying to minimize your injuries.

These statements might be used against you later to defeat your motorcycle accident claim.

Document the Accident

You should be sure to get the contact information and insurance information from the other motorists involved in the accident. If possible, you should also try to photograph or video the accident scene, including damage to the vehicles involved, skid marks on the road, and traffic signs and controls.

You should also note the weather, lighting, road, and traffic conditions at the time of the accident.

Seek Medical Attention

Even if you refuse medical attention at the accident scene, you should follow up with your doctor and receive a medical evaluation. The shock of the accident can mask pain and other symptoms of injuries you suffered in the accident. A medical professional may be able to diagnose these injuries in an examination and treat them.

Follow Your Doctor’s Advice

You should follow your medical provider’s treatment advice. Loosely adhering to your treatment plan may allow the other driver to argue that you were not as seriously injured in the accident as you claim.

Avoid Social Media

You should avoid posting comments about your accident or injuries on social media. You should also avoid uploading photos or videos of yourself being active or going on vacation in the months after the accident. Your social media posts might be used to undermine your claims in your motorcycle accident lawsuit.

Causes of Hempstead Motorcycle Accidents

When you are hurt in a motorcycle accident, one of these factors or a combination could be the cause:

Distracted Drivers

Texting while driving is one of the most common kinds of distracted driving.

Motorists are subjected to all kinds of other distractions, including the radio, a GPS device, food or drink, or other passengers or pets in the vehicle. When a driver is distracted behind the wheel, he or she can overlook a motorcycle and cause a collision.

Failure to Yield

A common accident scenario is when a driver is making a left turn and misjudges the speed of an oncoming motorcycle and turns in front, causing the motorcycle to hit the car.

Drivers tend to look out for larger passenger vehicles and trucks and may overlook a smaller motorcycle and cause a crash.

Unsafe Lane Changes

Drivers on the highway can clip motorcycles when they fail to signal a lane change or fail to check their sideview mirrors or blind spots. They may make an improper lane change into a lane occupied by a motorcycle. A motorcycle can be invisible in a larger vehicle’s blind spot unless the driver looks to the side to check.

Speeding

Excessive speed is a contributing factor in a significant number of motorcycle accidents. Automobile drivers may not realize that motorcycles can stop at a much shorter distance than other vehicles.

A driver who is speeding and following too closely may be unable to stop in time to avoid hitting a motorcycle from behind.

Common Injuries in Hempstead Motorcycle Crashes

Because motorcycles lack the protection of an enclosed passenger compartment or safety features such as seat belts and airbags, motorcycle riders are at risk of a wide variety of injuries in a collision.

Some of the most common motorcycle accident injuries include:

• Severe road rash caused by hitting the pavement after being thrown off a motorcycle
• Broken bones
• Soft-tissue injuries, including torn muscles, tendons, and ligaments, often caused by hyperextended or dislocated joints
• Organ damage and internal bleeding
• Spinal cord injury, which can result in temporary or permanent paralysis
• Traumatic brain injury, including concussions, memory/behavioral/cognitive problems, or coma.

Serious injuries from a motorcycle accident can leave a rider with long-lasting or permanent effects and require a lengthy recovery and rehabilitation. If a rider’s injuries are severe enough, they can even be fatal.

Contact the Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP After Your Hempstead Motorcycle Crash

When you work with the Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP we want you to put your health first. We will work on achieving the financial recovery you need while providing you with the best legal care. You will also work directly with our partners Richard Jaffe and Stephen Cohen.

Contact our firm now for a free consultation today to learn more about your legal options. You will also find out how our attorneys can help you pursue the best possible outcome in your Nassau County motorcycle accident case. You may reach us at (866) 878-6774.