In Flagler County and surrounding areas, there are plenty of scenic roads and beach views for bikers. This is especially true on the stretch of A1A in Flagler Beach. There are very few buildings and homes on the beach. As such, bikers whether they are residents or welcomed visitors can enjoy a nice leisurely ride with the beach and the breeze right nearby. While it is or should be well know that bikers frequent the roads and highways of Flagler County, drivers still operate their vehicles in a careless and reckless manner which, in turn, leads to serious consequences and injuries to law abiding bikers and their families.
In the aftermath of a motorcycle accident, a biker / injury victim has the legal right to seek out compensation from the at-fault driver, the owner of the at-fault driver, the biker's insurance carrier, and other insurance carriers. It is important to distinguish the concept of legal rights from the concept of collectible insurance / assets. In most cases, the focus of an experienced motorcycle personal injury attorney will be the available insurance coverage. In the State of Florida, the owner of a motor vehicle has a relatively minimal insurance requirement to be able to register and legally operate a motor vehicle in Florida. As such, if a biker is hit by a driver with minimal insurance, there could be a serious problem or hurdle in collecting the compensation that the injured biker is entitled to under the laws of the State of Florida. It should also be noted that many bikers do not carry any insurance on the motorcycle. The laws for required insurance for a motorcycle are even less stringent than those for motor vehicles in the Florida Statutes.
Here are insurance coverages that may be available in the State of Florida for an injured biker.
Let's start with the insurance policy for the motorcycle if there is one in place:
Collision Insurance. If this coverage is in place, there could be coverage for $10,000 or more for property damage to the motorcycle.
PIP (Personal Injury Protection) / Medical Payment Insurance. If this coverage is in place for the motorcycle, there could be coverage ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 or more for medical bills and possibly lost wages.
Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist Insurance. If this coverage is in place for the motorcycle, there could be coverage ranging from 10,000 to $1,000,000 or more for medical bills, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, pain, suffering, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life. UM / UIM coverage would apply if the at-driver driver and at-fault owner does not have any Bodily Injury Coverage or does not have enough Bodily Injury Coverage for fully compensate the injured biker.
Now let's look at the insurance coverage that may be in place for the at-fault driver and / or at fault owner.
Property Damage Insurance. If this coverage is in place, there could be coverage for $10,000 or more for property damage to the motorcycle
Bodily Injury Insurance. If this coverage is in place, there could be coverage ranging from $10,000 to $1,000,000 or more for medical bills, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, pain, suffering, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life.
In addition to the above references coverage, there may also be Umbrella Insurance in place over and above the Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist Insurance and / or the Bodily Injury Insurance.
As you can see, there are many factors to consider when evaluating and pursuing a personal injury case on behalf of an injured biker. It is important to retain an experienced personal injury attorney to protect and enforce the legal rights of the injured biker.
David Wolf has been representing injury victim and their families for over 32 years. He is a lifelong Floridian and a Double Gator graduate of the University of Florida. During his entire legal career, David Wolf has always represented individuals versus big businesses and insurance companies. He firmly believes in Giving a Voice to Injury Victim and Their Families.
Attorney David Wolf is the author of over 4,000 articles that focus on personal injury topics. He is also the author of 12 books including the book titled - Watching Out For Motorcyclists - Freedom, Liberty and Justice - Legal Rights of Injured Bikers. You can get a free copy of this book at Free Motorcycle Book.
David Alan Wolf - Personal Injury Attorney is a proud small business and local resident of Flagler Beach. He knows the local area and takes pride in representing residents and visitors alike in Flagler County.
Contact David Wolf for a Free Consultation to discuss your legal rights or the legal rights of a family member. Call today and you will get to speak to David Wolf today to get real advice from a real attorney. Call David Wolf at 386-348-HOWL or (386) 348-34695. You can also e-mail him at dwolf@davidalanwolf.com