Motorcycle Accidents And The Need For Uninsured Motorist Coverage

In those situations where motorcyclists are involved in automobile collisions, as might be imagined, the injuries sustained can be rather serious. There is no protection other than the helmet for the motorcycle rider. If a motorist fails to yield right-of-way to an oncoming motorcyclist and fails to yield, the results tragically can be either death or very serious injury. What compounds the tragedy is the case where the at fault motorist has either minimum limits of insurance or no insurance at all. In such circumstances, unless the motorcyclist has excellent uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, the tragedy can be compounded simply because there is no available insurance to pay all medical bills, lost wages, and reimbursement for pain and suffering.
We recommend to virtually all of our clients that they carefully review their own insurance policies to make sure that they have adequate personal protection under their uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. This coverage provides coverage for the injured insured as opposed to the other party whom the insured may be responsible for injuring. Unless the motorcyclist causes the accident, the liability coverage of motorcyclist will not be in play. However, if the motorcyclist is injured by the uninsured or underinsured driver, then it becomes all important.
A hypothetical will best prove our point in this context. A motorcyclist rides down the road and an uninsured driver runs a stop sign, striking and seriously injuring him/her. If the driver is either uninsured (no insurance at all), which is approximately 13 to 15% of all Georgia drivers because of today’s economic times, or underinsured (namely minimum limits of $25,000.00) and the injuries are serious, then the only way that the injured motorcyclist can expect to obtain recovery for the injuries and damages sustained is if he/she has available uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage under their own policy. The more coverage available under their own policy, the more likely they can obtain adequate compensation for their medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering.
In cases where a trucking company is involved or an employee is on the job, typically, there is available sufficient liability insurance coverage to compensate a innocent injured motorcyclist in a collision caused by such individuals. In those cases where the motorcyclist is injured by the acts of an uninsured driver or one who is underinsured (with minimum limits) and the injuries are serious or death results, as might be imagined, it is very difficult to obtain justice for such a client under such circumstances. Accordingly, we strongly recommend that all motorcyclists carefully review their own insurance policies to make sure that they carry significant amounts of uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage commensurate with their budget and ability to provide such coverage for themselves. More than the average driver because of the lack of protection should they be in a collision, motorcyclists need such uninsured/underinsured insurance coverage for their own protection.