Clearwater Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Were you or a family member injured in a motorcycle accident in Clearwater, Florida? Motorcycle riders usually suffer the brunt of the damage in these accidents. If someone else was at fault, you deserve compensation for your medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering. Our Clearwater motorcycle accident lawyers can help get the money you deserve.

Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers has been serving injury victims in Clearwater, FL, for over 65 years. We’re Tampa Bay’s oldest personal injury firm. So, we know a thing or two about helping individuals and families get the money they need after an accident—we’ve recovered hundreds of millions of dollars to date.

Let us put our skills and experience to work for you. Contact our Clearwater law office today at (727) 796-8282 schedule a free consultation with one of our skilled personal injury attorneys. We also handle taxi accidents, Clearwater truck accidents, wrongful deaths, Clearwater pedestrian accidents, and more.

How Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After an Motorcycle Accident in Clearwater, FL

How Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Can Help After an Motorcycle Accident in Clearwater, FL

Motorcycle wrecks can be devastating—usually for the motorcyclist. They can cause life-threatening and disfiguring injuries and result in extensive medical costs and missed work. Your life may never be the same after your accident. Our Clearwater personal injury lawyers can help you hold the at-fault party responsible for your injuries.

Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers has over six decades of experience helping motorcycle accident victims. Our storied history has earned us numerous professional awards, including recognition as “Super Lawyers,” “Rising Stars,” and “Top Lawyers.” They are also listed in top legal directories such as Avvo, Justia, Findlaw, and more. This is the caliber of representation you want when you battle the at-fault party or their insurer for fair compensation.

When you hire us, you can expect your legal team to:

  • Provide award-winning legal advice at every stage of your case
  • Investigate your accident to gather evidence
  • Identify all liable parties and insurance policies
  • Calculate your damages down to the last penny
  • Bring in Tampa Bay’s top experts to strengthen your case
  • Negotiating with insurers and at-fault parties for a fair settlement
  • Go to court if the insurance company won’t play ball

Insurance companies and defense companies know you mean business when you hire our experienced Clearwater personal injury attorneys. Contact us today in Clearwater, Florida, to schedule a free case evaluation and learn about our practice areas.

How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents in Clearwater, FL?

Unfortunately, motorcycle accidents are fairly common in the Clearwater area. More motorcyclists lose their lives in Florida than in any other state in the country. Among Florida’s 67 counties, Pinellas County has the fifth-highest rate of motorcycle accidents.

According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, there were a total of 440 motorcycle accidents in Clearwater and surrounding towns in Pinellas County in 2020. Those resulted in no fewer than 374 injuries and 18 deaths.

Interestingly enough, that represented an increase from the year before, when there were 428 crashes involving motorcyclists. However, fatal motorcycle accidents did drop between 2019 and 2020, perhaps because the number of other motorists on the road declined thanks to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Several factors likely contribute to the high rate of motorcycle crashes in and around Clearwater. Population density is one. Pinellas County has one of the largest populations in the state. When more people are on the road, accidents are more likely to occur. Also, several major multilane highways run through Pinellas County. 

When you combine normal Clearwater traffic with congestion from tourists and beachgoers, the result can be deadly for motorcyclists.

What is My Motorcycle Accident Case Worth?

Many factors influence how much your claim may be worth after a motorcycle accident in Clearwater. Estimating the value of your motorcycle accident claim before an investigation would be guesswork.

Your claim’s worth will depend on:

  • The severity of your injuries
  • The length of time you’re forced to miss work
  • Whether you suffered permanent disabilities or impairment
  • Whether you contributed to your crash or injuries 
  • And more.

The best way to determine your case’s value is by scheduling a free consultation with one of our Clearwater motorcycle accident attorneys. We will account for all your relevant losses when negotiating on your behalf.

What Kind of Damages Are Available to Motorcycle Accident Victims?

You may be able to recover compensation for various types of losses in the aftermath of a Clearwater motorcycle accident. Generally, accident victims are entitled to economic damages and non-economic damages.

Economic damages compensate for your financial expenses after an accident, including:

In Florida, economic awards can compensate for both current and future losses – as long as they can be verified. You will verify these losses with medical bills, receipts, pay stubs, and other documentation.

It’s also possible to seek damages for non-economic losses. The law recognizes that not all your losses after an injury will be financial.

Non-economic damages compensate for the personal costs of your injury, including:

  • Pain and suffering 
  • Emotional distress
  • Scarring or disfigurement
  • Embarrassment or inconvenience 
  • Loss of quality or enjoyment of life

When they’re available, these damages can make up a substantial portion of your award. Our legal team will apply specialized methods to calculate the full extent of your damages, bringing in top experts when necessary.  

Can I Recover Compensation if I’m Being Blamed for a Motorcycle Accident in Clearwater, Florida?

An insurance company or at-fault party may try to deny your claim by suggesting you’re responsible for causing your accident. However, Florida’s modified comparative fault rule allows you to recover compensation even if you’re partially at fault for an accident. Your damages will merely be reduced to account for your share of the blame. That said, there is a 51% bar to recovery, so you cannot receive damages if you share most of the blame.

For example, say you have $150,000 in damages but are 20% responsible for the accident. In this case, you can only recover $120,000 (80%). 

Insurance companies diminish their liability for every bit of blame they can shift to you. Our Clearwater motorcycle accident lawyers will challenge any allegation that you caused your injuries to ensure they pay the full damages they owe you. 

We’ll Recover Compensation for All Your Motorcycle Accident Injuries

Motorcyclists are more vulnerable than other motorists on the road. The metal frame of a car or truck at least offers a degree of protection when accidents occur. A motorcycle does not.

Clearwater motorcycle accident victims may be more likely than others to sustain serious injuries—even when wearing a helmet. 

Accident victims may sustain:

Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers has been in business for over 65 years. We’ve seen it all—every kind of injury, every kind of accident. Rest assured, our Clearwater personal injury lawyers will fight to recover compensation for all of your injuries. 

What Causes Most Motorcycle Accidents in Clearwater, Florida?

The causes of Clearwater motorcycle accidents are mostly the same as those of motor vehicle accidents. 

They include:

  • Intoxicated driving
  • Drowsy driving
  • Speeding
  • Failing to obey traffic signals or signs
  • Aggressive driving
  • Failing to check blind spots when changing lanes or merging
  • Distracted driving
  • Vehicle defects

However, some hazards pose a greater risk to those who ride a motorcycle than motor vehicle drivers. Motorcycle accidents also occur when drivers fail to see motorcyclists when they change lanes or turn. Motorcycles are relatively easy to miss because of their small size.

How Do I Prove Negligence After a Motorcycle Accident in Florida?

Proving negligence in a Florida motorcycle case can be challenging. 

You’ll have to prove each of the four following elements:

  • The at-fault driver owed you a duty of care
  • The driver breached their duty
  • The driver caused your injuries
  • You suffered damages

Motor vehicle drivers have a duty to drive responsibly and obey traffic law. They violate this duty by speeding, texting and driving, driving while intoxicated, and through other dangerous driving behaviors.

Our law firm will prove negligence by conducting our own investigation and gathering evidence such as:

  • Dash cam or traffic cam footage
  • Police reports and citations
  • Cell phone records for the at-fault driver
  • Eyewitness testimony
  • Expert testimony from accident reconstructionists, medical experts, or financial specialists
  • And more

Over 65 years, we’ve developed battle-tested legal strategies for proving negligence. We know the area’s top experts. And we know where to look to find proof of fault. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help.

How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Motorcycle Accident in Florida?

You have a limited amount of time to file a personal injury claim after your accident. The Florida statute of limitations was recently changed for most personal injury lawsuits. A two-year deadline applies to accidents occurring on or after 3/24/2023, and a four-year deadline applies to those occurring before that date. If the accident resulted in wrongful death, you also only have two years to initiate your claim.

This sounds like a long time, but you should not delay your claim. There are also exceptions to these deadlines in some cases. Your injury lawyer needs time to investigate your claim and gather the evidence before it’s lost. Contact us today to get started.

Contact Our Clearwater Motorcycle Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation

At Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers, you’ll find a team of Clearwater motorcycle accident lawyers with a consistent success rate in personal injury cases. If you were involved in a motorcycle accident, we’re the team you want on your side of the personal injury process. Let us help you recover the compensation you deserve.

Contact our Florida office today to schedule a free case review with one of our seasoned personal injury lawyers.

Our Clearwater, FL personal injury law firm also provides: