Columbia Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

Columbia attorneys advocating for Maryland motorcycle riders since 1985

When serious accidents happen, or an accident tragically takes the life of a loved one, you need the experienced Columbia motorcycle accident lawyers at Plaxen Adler Muncy on your side. For more than 35 years, our personal injury lawyers have advocated for clients against insurance companies and defense lawyers. We’ve helped thousands of clients obtain just settlements and verdicts that protect their future while holding negligent drivers and others accountable for the harm they cause.

How can we help?

How dangerous are motorcycle accidents in Columbia?

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that in 2020, more than 5,500 motorcycle riders died in road crashes and more than 180,000 riders required treatment at an emergency department. The Maryland Department of Transportation states that, on average, 73 motorcycle riders (drivers and passengers) are killed each year and more than 1,000 are injured.

It’s clear why motorcycle crashes in Columbia cause so many injuries and fatalities. A motorcycle does not have any of the protection that even the smallest passenger car provides – a hood, roof, trunk, and doors. Often, when a motorcycle collides with a car, the riders suffer two impacts: one with the car and then another with the hard asphalt.

Riding on any of the highways that connect Columbia to Washington DC or Baltimore, the Patuxent Freeway, Rouse Parkway, or other local roads can be treacherous if the weather is bad, there’s construction work, or traffic is congested.

Who is liable for a motorcycle accident in Maryland?

At Plaxen Adler Muncy, we file personal injury claims, product liability claims, and wrongful death claims against everyone responsible for your Columbia motorcycle accident. The defendants may include:

  • Another driver
  • An employer of the driver
  • The owner of the car if different than the driver
  • A manufacturer, distributor, or seller of a defective motorcycle part
  • The Maryland Department of Transportation (or other state agencies/entities) if poor road design or maintenance caused an accident

Other motorcycle operators may be responsible for any injuries you and/or your passengers sustain in a crash if they:

  • Don’t obtain the proper training and experience to ride a motorcycle
  • Don’t operate their motorcycle safely in inclement weather
  • Fail to understand how to share the road with other motorcycle riders
  • Ride while drunk or impaired
  • Disobey traffic laws

Other defendants may also be liable depending on how the accident happened, such as trucking companies and repair companies.

What types of injuries do Columbia motorcycle riders suffer?

Some of the many types of injuries that our Columbia motorcycle accident lawyers are skilled at handling include:

  • Traumatic brain injuries and head trauma
  • Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
  • Traumatic amputation/loss of limb
  • Complex, compound, simple, and multiple fractures
  • Lung, kidney, and other types of internal organ damage
  • Broken ribs
  • Burn injuries
  • Nerve, muscle, ligament, tissue, and tendon damage
  • Shoulder, neck, and back pain
  • Road rash which can cause scarring
  • Facial disfigurement

We work with your doctors and our network of doctors to explain what injuries you have, the treatments you’ll need, the complications that may arise, the cost of your medical care, and all the ways your injuries are making your life unbearable.

Tragically, as the data confirms, many motorcycle accidents are deadly. We represent the close relatives of the victim including parents, children, and spouses.

What are the causes of motorcycle crashes in Columbia?

Most motorcycle accidents are caused by the negligence of drivers. Motorcycle riders can be seriously injured when car or truck drivers:

  • Fail to respect the rights of the motorcycle operator
  • Drive while distracted by texting, talking on a smartphone, GPS usage, eating, or anything that takes a driver’s focus off of traffic
  • Drive while intoxicated or while impaired by drugs
  • Speed, fail to yield the right of way, and commit other traffic violations
  • Drive too fast for traffic conditions or weather conditions
  • Turn left in front of the path of a motorcycle rider

Manufacturers may also cause motorcycle accidents if the motorcycle parts are defective due to poor design, workmanship, instructions, or failure to warn about known dangers. Defective parts may include brakes, tires, handlebars, clutches, fuel lines, and electrical systems.

What laws regulate riding a motorcycle in Maryland?

According to Zero Deaths Maryland, motorcycle owners and riders need to comply with the following laws:

  • Operators need to have a Class M license.
  • Riders must wear a motorcycle helmet that is US Department of Transportation (US DOT) compliant.
  • Riders must protect their eyes by using windscreens, goggles, face shields, or other FDA-approved eye protection.
  • Obey all Maryland traffic laws.
  • Passengers can only ride on motorcycles with separate passenger seats.
  • Operators must keep both hands on the motorcycle.
  • Motorcycle riders are entitled to the full width of their road lane.
  • Two (but no more than two) riders can share a simple lane.
  • Riders can only pass in separate lanes.

All motorcycle operators should obtain training based on their current skill levels.

Do you have a motorcycle accident lawyer near me?

Plaxen Adler Muncy lawyers meet with motorcycle accident victims and families at our Columbia office located at 10211 Wincopin Cir, Suite 620 – just steps away from both The Mall in Columbia and Merriweather Post Pavilion. Our Columbia motorcycle accident lawyers will meet clients at a hospital or home if they are not healthy enough to come to our office. We also conduct consultations by phone and via video conference.

Our lawyers will answer all your questions and guide you through each step of the claims process.

Speak with an experienced Columbia motorcycle accident lawyer

Living with motorcycle injuries can be extremely challenging. You’re in constant pain. You worry about how you’ll pay your bills, if you’ll be able to work, and your quality of life. At Plaxen Adler Muncy, P.A., we fight to restore your life. We demand full compensation for your pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost income, property damage, scarring and disfigurement, loss of bodily function, and all your losses. To assert your rights after a Columbia motorcycle accident, please call us or fill out our contact form to schedule a free initial consultation. We also meet clients in Baltimore, Towson, and throughout the state.