Virginia Beach Motorcycle and Bicycle Accident Attorneys

If you have been injured in a motorcycle or bike accident in Virginia Beach, the legal team at Invictus Law can help you demand the justice you deserve. As former Army and Marine Corps JAG attorneys, we’re ready for every fight – whether that’s with liable motorists, tight-fisted insurance companies, defective vehicle manufacturers, or even government entities. And what’s more, we have the tenacity, resources, and manpower to win.

You should not be left to pay the price of someone else’s mistake. Let our Virginia Beach motorcycle and bicycle accident attorneys stand up for your rights to compensation. Contact us today for a free consultation about your case.

Common Injuries Suffered in a Bicycle or Motorcycle Accident

Even with protective gear, like leathers, gloves, goggles, and a helmet, cyclists and motorcycle riders have scant protection when hit by a car. The force of the impact is transferred directly to their body, without a protective “crumple zone” or airbags. Furthermore, because they are not protected by a vehicle frame or secured by a seatbelt, they are at a higher risk of being thrown from their vehicle and onto the roadway. And while a helmet can significantly reduce the chance of a traumatic head injury, it cannot prevent a collision.

Other injuries you may suffer include:

• Broken bones and fractures
• Spinal damage or herniated discs
• “Road Rash,” removal of the upper layers of skin, with a high risk of infection
• Vision or hearing loss
• Crushing injuries
• Internal organ damage and internal bleeding

Unfortunately, many motorcycle and bike accident victims suffer severe injuries. You could be facing a lengthy hospital stay and weeks or months-long recovery, with no guarantee that you’ll fully recover. When you’re out of work and medical bills are mounting, you need someone to help, someone on your side to offer legal guidance.

Who’s to Blame For My Accident?

Determining who’s at fault for the accident and your injuries starts with establishing how the accident happened. The likeliest at-fault party is the driver who hit you. However, there could be other parties that share some of the blame for the accident and your injuries:

• A commercial trucking carrier. If you were hit by a commercial vehicle, the driver’s employer may share responsibility. Businesses are responsible for accidents caused by on-the-job employees. They can also be at fault for negligence in hiring or training practices or for permitting an unqualified driver behind the wheel.
• A municipality responsible for maintaining the road. State and local governments put cyclists and bikers at risk when they fail to repair potholes and other road hazards. Furthermore, bikes and motorcycles are more likely to crash when the roads are poorly maintained than a car, which has more stability because of its four wheels.
• A restaurant or bar. If you were hit by a drunk driver who was overserved in a restaurant or bar, then that establishment could shoulder some responsibility for irresponsible alcohol service.

Compensation You May Be Eligible For

The person to blame for hurting you could also owe you compensation for your:

• Medical care, hospital stays, surgery, and medications
• Rehabilitation, like occupational or physical therapy
• Home or vehicle modifications, if you are permanently or temporarily disabled
• Lost wages from time missed at work, including any sick leave or PTO you used
• Diminished earning capacity, if you can no longer do the job you had before the accident

You could also be entitled to compensation for the pain, suffering, and emotional trauma you suffered from the wreck. A skilled Virginia Beach motorcycle accident lawyer may help you receive the maximum settlement.

Virginia Beach Motorcycle Laws

The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) requires all motorcycle operators to hold a special motorcycle license. You must also have motorcycle insurance, which is separate from a car insurance policy you may have. Virginia has a mandatory helmet law for all riders, both operators and passengers.

Motorcycles are permitted to use a full lane of traffic when traveling, in addition to other special driving privileges as listed in the Virginia Code:

• If a motorcycle isn’t heavy enough to set off a sensor at a traffic light-guided intersection, then a motorcyclist may pass through the light as long as they come to a full stop, wait two minutes, and check for oncoming traffic.
• Lane splitting, or traveling between slowed or stopped lanes of traffic (like on the dotted lines), is illegal in Virginia.
• Motorcyclists are permitted to lane share, which is riding two abreast in the same traffic lane. No more than two vehicles are permitted to travel side by side.
• Motorcyclists are permitted to use HOV lanes where available.

Even a motorcyclist who isn’t following traffic laws when they’re hit could be entitled to compensation, provided someone else is ultimately to blame for the accident.

Virginia Beach Bicycle Regulations

According to the Virginia Department of Transportation, any bicyclist using Virginia roadways must comply with the traffic laws and regulations outlined in the Virginia Code. This means following all guided intersections, yielding the right of way when applicable, and signaling their intentions when stopping or turning.

Cyclists may pass other vehicles when safe to do so and use a full traffic lane if there is more than one lane. Riders of Class 3 electric bicycles must wear helmets.

Bicyclists cannot carry items that prevent them from maintaining control of their handlebars with at least one hand. Nor can they carry more passengers than the bicycle is designed to permit. They cannot grab onto other vehicles, and they cannot wear earphones in both ears while riding.

As with motorcycle operators, a cyclist who isn’t following traffic laws when they are hit is not necessarily precluded from seeking full and fair compensation from a negligent driver.

How We Can Help – Contact Invictus Law Today!

Were you hit in Virginia Beach while riding your motorcycle or bicycle? Would you like to know if you have grounds to file a claim for compensation? Then contact Invictus Law today for a free consultation with a skilled Virginia Beach motorcycle and bike accident lawyer. We’ll review your case and explain your rights to you at no cost or obligation.