With easy access to I-78, I-476, U.S. 22, and PA 309, Allentown is a perfect starting point for any motorcycle ride. Unfortunately, even skilled motorcyclists can be seriously injured by other, less careful drivers. If you or one of your family members was injured in a motorcycle accident in Allentown or the nearby area, you should know that financial compensation could be available to you and your loved ones, including compensation for medical bills, lost earnings, and other losses resulting from the crash. To learn more about filing a personal injury claim in Pennsylvania, call the Allentown motorcycle accident lawyers of the Reiff Law Firm at (215) 709-6940 for a free legal consultation. You can also contact us online.
Types of Motorcycle Injury Claims We Handle
Unfortunately, motorcycle accidents tend to result in serious or fatal injuries to the rider. This is due to several factors, including the lack of seatbelts or windshields on a motorcycle, and the difficulty of larger vehicles in seeing and avoiding motorcyclists. Motorcycles are also more sensitive to debris and defects in the road, which can cause them to crash more easily than heavier vehicles.
The Allentown motorcycle injury lawyers of the Reiff Law Firm have experience handling all types of negligence claims, including crashes involving head-on collisions, side-impact collisions, intersection accidents, highway accidents, accidents with commercial vehicles, accidents caused by motorcycle defects, and drunk driving accidents. We can aggressively pursue financial compensation for injuries including but not limited to:
- Amputation injuries
- Back and spinal cord injuries
- Bone fractures (broken bones)
- Burn injuries
- Cuts, bleeding, and bruises
- Facial injuries and disfigurement
- Head and brain injuries
- Hip, knee, and shoulder injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Leg, foot, and ankle injuries
- Scars and friction injuries caused by “road rash”
- Soft tissue injuries
- Whiplash and other neck injuries
Pennsylvania Motorcycle Crash Statistics
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) releases an annual report containing statistics about motorcycle accidents, injuries, and fatalities across the state. The following motorcycle accident statistics were reported in PennDOT’s 2017 “Pennsylvania Crash Facts and Statistics” report, the most recent version currently available:
- In 2017, there were a total of 3,194 motorcycle crashes in Pennsylvania.
- 180 crashes were fatal, resulting in 185 deaths.
- 2,791 crashes injured one or more people, causing more than 3,050 motorcycling injuries.
- More than 460 crashes involved a collision between a motorcycle and a passenger car, followed by nearly 390 crashes involving a collision between a motorcycle and a van, SUV, or passenger truck. Smaller numbers of crashes involved collisions between motorcycles and semi-trailer trucks (30) or other motorcycles (42).
- Lehigh County, where Allentown is located, ranked among the top 10 Pennsylvania counties with the highest number of auto accidents overall.
What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident in Allentown
If you have been in a motorcycle accident, the first action you should take is getting to safety and seeking medical help by calling 9-1-1. You may be suffering from serious injuries that are temporarily masked by the rush of adrenaline from the crash. Following this, your next priority should be alerting the authorities to the accident. Police officers will create an accident report describing the conditions surrounding the crash.
If possible to do so safely, you should attempt to record video footage and/or take photographs of the accident scene, which could provide invaluable evidence later in the claims process. Of course, you should never endanger your personal safety or that of other bystanders in order to obtain footage. If possible, it can also be helpful to get the contact information of people who witnessed the crash occur, whose statements could potentially support your claim.
Do not worry about dealing with insurance paperwork or negotiations with claims adjusters while you are coping with a serious injury. It is not necessary – or recommended – for you to handle complex insurance-related issues on your own if you have suffered catastrophic injuries. It is in your best interests to let an experienced attorney deal with these matters for you, so that you do not fall prey to lowball settlement offers or other insurance tactics.
Our Allentown Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Can Help
A motorcycle accident can leave you physically, emotionally, and financially drained, coping with serious injuries while struggling to balance the effects of your hospitalization and time off of work. Let the experienced Allentown motorcycle crash lawyers at the Reiff Law Firm fight for injury compensation, so that you can focus on resting and recovering. We will work tirelessly toward a result that helps you and your family start again. Contact us online right away to set up a free consultation, or call the Reiff Law Firm at (215) 709-6940 to speak with an attorney regarding your motorcycle accident claim.
