Intersection Accidents

In 1976, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) hired the USC Traffic Safety Center to conduct a motorcycle safety study, which was later titled the Hurt Report because of the name of the professor who authorized it. Professor Hurt studied 900 motorcycle accidents and discovered that the most common motorcycle accidents occurred at intersections, and that in 2/3 of those cases, the other driver had violated the motorcyclist’s right of way. If you are a motorcyclist, it is crucial that you pay close attention at intersections and be prepared to brake or evade a car that isn't paying attention to you. The experienced Maine motorcycle accident attorneys of Peter Thompson & Associates can build a strong case on your behalf in the event that you sustain personal injuries in an intersection accident.

If you are a motorcyclist who has been injured in an intersection accident in Maine, you are particularly at risk of serious physical injuries and your life may never be the same. Common injuries for motorcyclists who survive intersection accidents are quadriplegia, paraplegia, paralysis, broken bones, and traumatic brain injuries. In a lawsuit against the parties who are at fault for the accident, a plaintiff can request compensatory damages including amounts for medical expenses, lost wages, vocational rehabilitation, property damages, and pain and suffering. A plaintiff may also be able to recover the cost of household help and loss of future earning ability.

Intersection accidents are sometimes the fault of multiple parties. Maine follows the doctrine of joint and several liability. This means that any one defendant that is found to be partially at fault may be responsible for paying the full amount of a plaintiff's damages, not just the proportion of the damages for which he is responsible.

One or more defendants may allege that the plaintiff is fully or partly responsible for an intersection accident, too. That is why it is so crucial to retain a personal injury attorney right away after an accident. At our firm, we work with an excellent and very experienced former law enforcement detective to figure out what happened to cause an accident based on evidence at the scene, including skid marks, eyewitness testimony, and damage to the vehicles. This evidence can be used at trial to discredit the defendants' claims.

If a defendant has evidence that a plaintiff is partly at fault for a multi-vehicle intersection accident, a jury may be asked to apportion fault between the plaintiff and several defendants. A plaintiff's recovery will be reduced by the amount to which he or she is at fault.

For example, if you are a plaintiff who is found to be 20% at fault for an intersection accident, the jury may reduce your recovery by about 20% after balancing the equities of the situation. If you are less than 50% responsible for an accident, you can still recover damages from the other responsible parties. However, if you are found to be 50% or more responsible for your own injuries, you will barred from recovery altogether.

If you have been injured in an intersection collision while riding a motorcycle, you should retain the trustworthy Maine motorcycle accident lawyers at Peter Thompson & Associates to help you recover the compensation you deserve. We will strive to determine what caused the accident, and seek to join all responsible parties to your lawsuit. Contact us at 800.804.2004 or via our online form for your consultation today.