Motorcycle Accident Injury Attorneys

McGowan, Hood & Felder, LLC has represented numerous clients in regard to personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits against people causing injury to a person on a motorcycle. These situations have led to catastrophic injuries for persons who were riding on the motor cycle, including drivers and passengers.

Every year, the number of bikers seriously injured or killed in motorcycle accidents increases. This tragic fact is due in large part to the inattention of other motorists to motorcycles on the roadway and the disregard of the rights and safety of bikers. As the saying goes, "Look twice and save a life." Our firm has handled and successfully resolved cases involving motorcycle accidents.

Because motorcycles are not enclosed like cars or trucks, most accidents result in the driver being thrown from the cycle. Common motorcycle injuries include spinal cord injuries, broken bones, brain damage, paralysis and even death. Individuals injured in motorcycle, scooter or moped accidents need serious legal representation. Our law firm is committed to providing clients with sound and aggressive legal representation.

The attorneys at McGowan, Hood & Felder, LLC frequently consult medical, engineering and liability experts to build our cases. The types of experts frequently used in a motorcycle accident case include an accident reconstruction expert, human factors expert and bio-mechanical expert. These cases can be expensive to prosecute and our firm is dedicated to ensuring that each motorcycle accident case at our firm receives the proper experts and legal representation.

Helmet Use And Effectiveness

South Carolina as a state does not require the use of a helmet when riding a motor cycle. The use of the helmet is a safety mechanism but many riders enjoy the freedom of riding without a helmet. Whether the rider is using a helmet or nor may foretell of the type of injuries that the driver or passenger on a motorcycle may incur.

The National Highway Traffic and safety Administration (“NHTSA”) estimates that helmets saved the lives of 1,316 motorcyclists in 2004. If all motorcyclists had worn helmets, an additional 671 lives could have been saved. Helmets are estimated to be 37 percent effective in preventing fatal injuries to motorcyclists. This means for every 100 motorcyclists killed in crashes while not wearing a helmet, 37 of them could have been saved had all 100 worn a helmet.

All motorcycle helmets sold in the United States are required to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 218, the performance standard which establishes the minimum level of protection helmets must afford each user. In 2004, 20 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico required helmet use by all motorcycle operators and passengers. In another 27 States, only persons under a specific age, usually 18 were required to wear helmets. Three States had no laws requiring helmet use.

Types of injuries

* Head injury - affects the face, skull, and/or brain. These injuries are much more likely to result from motorcycle crashes than car accidents. Head injury often occurs when the motorcyclist is thrown from the bike, and their head collides with a solid object (e.g., pavement). It is especially prevalent when the rider is not wearing a helmet. A Traumatic Brain Injury has the potential to permanently hinder your motor skill functions.

* Broken bones and internal injury - usually affects arms and legs, but essentially no bone is safe in a crash. Groin injuries caused by the sudden stoppage of the motorcycle colliding with a car or another stationary object. Fractures may need months to heal and could even result in permanent disability if the victim is young enough that their growth plates have yet to fuse together. Internal injuries or organ damage may not be evident until a physician conducts a thorough examination. These can be fatal if they are ignored.

* Spinal cord injury and paralysis - damage to the vertebrae and connecting tissue that limits or completely restricts mobility depending on the location and extent of the damage. Paraplegia means the victim has loss of movement below the waist, while quadriplegia is from the neck down.

The attorneys at our firm work closely with referring attorneys to bring a case to successful resolution. The attorneys in our firm who practice in the motorcycle injury arena are constantly updating their education and ability to litigate these types of cases. S. Randall Hood of McGowan, Hood & Felder has helped litigate many catastrophic injury cases. S. Randall Hood is available for consultation by email at rhood@mcgowanhood.com or telephone (Toll free 1-877-327-3800).

Please visit our website at mcgowanhood.com for comprehensive information on motorcycle accidents.

Very truly yours,

McGowan, Hood & Felder, LLC
S. Randall Hood, 1539 Healthcare Drive, Rock Hill, SC 29732