You may be wondering what would happen if you are involved in a motorcycle wreck in New Hampshire or Massachusetts during this unprecedented time. If you are hurt, it may be harder to receive medical care. Fortunately, the following advice from Mazow | McCullough, PC can help you prevent motorcycle accidents.

Tips to Avoid Motorcycle Accidents

What can you do to protect yourself, your loved ones and those you share the road with from the dangers of motorcycle accidents? There are a few safety provisions that you should remember:

• Maintain your motorcycle and make sure that it is always in good working condition. Do regular check-ups to ensure that nothing needs a tune-up. Get professional repair help if needed.
• Avoid riding with passengers if you know that they may distract you on the road, especially during this unusual time.
• Do not ride your bike in inclement weather or when other hazardous conditions are present. Checking weather and traffic conditions before you head out on the road can help you safely prepare for your ride – you can do so online.
• Stay alert when riding your motorcycle. Scan your surroundings for hazards and always stay aware of what your fellow motorists are doing on the road.
• Avoid using a cell phone or any other electronic device while riding, which is now illegal in the state of Massachusetts. GPS devices and other necessities should be set in order before you begin your ride.
• Take a motorcycle safety training course. Education can truly save a life, especially if you are a new rider or have not brushed up on your safety knowledge for a long time.

These tips are important to remember – not only during this challenging time, but forever. Making a note of them now and taking them seriously for the rest of your life can help you make the roads safer for everyone, including yourself.

A Word on Drinking and Biking

It is also important to remember that you must never drink before riding your motorcycle, which is illegal as well as extremely dangerous. Unfortunately, many motorists are involved in alcohol-related crashes each year in the United States.

If you know you will be drinking, plan ahead. Enlist the aid of a trusted friend or family member to transport you or allow you to spend a night at their home as needed.

Motorcycle Accidents in Massachusetts and New Hampshire: Where to Get Help

Knowing how to help protect yourself and others during this challenging period can help you feel greater control over your life and safety. However, if you or a loved one has already faced a motorcycle accident, contact Mazow | McCullough, PC. We are still here to help you find justice for pain and suffering as a result of motorcycle accidents.

In most cases, the insurance coverage for motorcycles is very similar to the coverage you get for cars or trucks. However, there are some differences. To ensure you’re protected from the financial effects of a motorcycle accident, you may want the following types of coverage.

Bodily Injury Liability

Most, if not all states require you to have liability coverage on your motorcycle. This coverage kicks in and pays for the other driver’s bodily injuries if you are at fault for an accident.. That includes medical costs, but it can also include lost wages due to the injuries and psychological suffering.

In Massachusetts, you are required to have at least $20,000 per person and $40,000 per accident in bodily injury liability coverage for your motorcycle. New Hampshire doesn’t require motorcycle owners to have any liability coverage, but to be on the safe side, you should get coverage anyway.

However, if any of the following things happen in New Hampshire, you will need to get coverage and register an SR-22 liability policy with the state:

• Being in an accident
• Getting charged with driving under the influence
• Facing multiple reckless driving charges
• Dealing with any traffic violation that may trigger the DMV to look at your situation

In New Hampshire, your SR-22 must include at least $25,000 liability coverage per person for injuries or death, up to $50,000 liability coverage per accident, and up to $25,000 for property damage.

Property Damage Liability

Like bodily injury liability, property damage liability also covers situations when you are responsible for the accident. This type of coverage applies to damage to the other driver’s vehicle or other property damage.

In Massachusetts, you must have at least $5,000 in property damage liability coverage for your motorcycle. As long as you have this and your bodily injury coverage, that is all you are legally required to have, but you may want to add additional coverage to your motorcycle to protect yourself financially. As indicated above, you only need property damage liability coverage in New Hampshire, if you’ve been ordered to obtain an SR-22 policy.

Collision Coverage

Keep in mind that liability coverage only covers damage sustained by the other driver. If you just have liability coverage and you get into an accident that’s your fault, your insurance won’t cover any of your expenses. To prevent that from happening, you need collision coverage. That helps to pay for your motorcycle repair and replacement costs.

Coverage for Custom Parts

Do you have any custom parts on your motorcycle? If so, those parts may increase the value of your motorcycle beyond the average value for that make and model of bike. To ensure everything is covered, talk with your agent about extra coverage for specific custom parts.

Medical Payments

Unfortunately, collision coverage usually only extends to costs related directly to the motorcycle. If you’re injured in the accident, you have to use your health insurance to cover your bodily injuries or you have to pay out of pocket. Alternatively, medical payments coverage can step in to help with these bills. Note that if you tend to ride with a passenger on your bike, you should get medical payments coverage for at least two people. This coverage is usually calculated on a per-person basis.

Towing Coverage

Towing coverage is very specific, and it tends to be quite affordable. If you get in an accident, this covers the cost of towing your motorcycle to the repair shop.

Rental Car Coverage

People often forget to even consider rental car coverage on their motorcycle policies, and if your motorcycle is just for weekend drives, you probably don’t need this type of coverage. However, if your motorcycle is your main vehicle, you should consider adding this coverage to your policy. If you’re in a motorcycle accident and you can’t drive your motorcycle, this covers the cost of renting a vehicle to get around.

Uninsured/Underinsured Coverage

Unfortunately, not all drivers are responsible enough to insure themselves adequately, and still others don’t have insurance at all. Usually, when another driver causes an accident, their insurance covers the damage, but if they have too little coverage or no insurance at all, their policy won’t cover your damages. In this situation, you need under or uninsured motorist coverage. Generally, there are two types of coverage to protect yourself from un and underinsured motorists in a motorcycle accident: bodily injury and property damage coverage.

Uninsured/Underinsured Bodily Injury Coverage

Uninsured/underinsured bodily injury coverage covers your medical bills, physical therapy, and similar costs related to your accident in situations where the other driver doesn’t have enough insurance. If you don’t have comprehensive health insurance, you may want to get this type of coverage to be on the safe side.

Uninsured/Underinsured Property Damage Coverage

This coverage helps with any property damage that occurs as the result of an accident with an un or underinsured driver. For instance, if an uninsured driver runs over your motorcycle and completely destroys it, this type of coverage kicks in. Arguably, if you already have health insurance, this type of coverage is even more essential than bodily injury coverage.

If you have been in a motorcycle accident caused by another driver, you can’t always rely on motorcycle insurance to cover the damages, and that’s where we come in. At Mazow | McCullough, P.C., we can help you get the compensation you deserve after a motorcycle accident. For a free case evaluation, contact us today at (978) 744-8000.

After experiencing trauma, people may develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD involves intense psychological and emotional distress, physical pain, depression, and anxiety. And after a motorcycle accident, PTSD can be a very real and serious issue.

Who Gets PTSD After A Motorcycle Wreck?

About 25% of people or more involved in motorcycle accidents develop PTSD. No one is immune. You can develop the condition regardless of your age, education, or marital status. PTSD can occur after both severe or minor injuries, and it can also occur in cases where someone died as well as in accidents where everyone survived.

Your risk of PTSD increases in the following situations:

• You had a violent injury in the past
• You feel some guilt regarding the accident
• A person died in the crash
• You are female
• You have a history of depression

Even if you weren’t directly involved in the motorcycle accident, you may develop PTSD if you were:

• A passenger on the motorcycle that crashed, even if you had no physical injuries
• The occupant of a vehicle involved in the wreck
• A witness to the accident
• A person who saw severely or fatally injured people
• A bystander who gave assistance to people hurt or killed
• A loved one dealing with the aftermath of a family member’s motorcycle crash

How PTSD Affects Your Life

The American Psychiatric Association states that the disturbing feelings and thoughts associated with PTSD can linger for a long time, potentially for the rest of your life. This can contribute to the possibility of depression, job loss, divorce, substance abuse, and a whole host of other mental health challenges.

After an accident, the PTSD symptoms that survivors are most likely to experience include the following:

• Loss of self-esteem
• Nightmares
• A feeling of numbness
• Avoidance of places, people, and/or situations that remind you of the accident
• Panic attacks
• Depression
• Anxiety over and fear of riding a motorcycle
• Questioning your ability to make effective decisions

Occasionally, you may have several PTSD symptoms after an accident, but your symptoms may not be severe enough to get a PTSD diagnosis. In these cases, you may still benefit from psychological treatment or medical help. If you have been in an accident, you should visit with a mental health professional to determine if you might have PTSD or even just a few symptoms.

PTSD Can Affect Your Legal Settlement

Medical experts agree that PTSD is a real issue that can completely change a person’s life, and not for the better. PTSD damages can be a mix of economic and non-economic losses. Economic damages can include the cost of PTSD treatment, lost wages, and a drop in earning potential. Non-economic damages may include mental anguish and emotional distress. In fact, if PTSD prevents you from riding a motorcycle again, you may even be able to collect damages for your loss of enjoyment of life.

Linking PTSD to Your Accident Can Be Difficult

Usually, the symptoms of PTSD become evident within three to six months after the accident. But in some cases, PTSD symptoms can take longer to develop, and that can make it hard to prove that the PTSD was linked to the accident. However, a motorcycle accident attorney can work with your treatment team, and together, they can find the most effective records and expert testimony to establish your case.

A motorcycle accident attorney can also help to assess the value of your injury based on direct economic costs as well as indirect costs. If you believe that you may be suffering from PTSD due to a motorcycle accident, we can help. To learn more, contact us for a free case evaluation. At Mazow | McCullough, PC, we have helped many motorcycle accident victims get the justice they deserve, and we can help you too.

When you’re in a motorcycle accident, injuries are fairly inevitable. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, less than 5% of motorcyclists walk away unscathed after an accident. About 75% suffer minor or moderate injuries, while 20% face serious, severe, or critical injuries. Here’s a look at the most common injuries after an accident.

Injuries to Extremities

When the NHTSA examined the medical records of 43,423 motorcyclists, they found that the most common injuries were in the upper and lower extremities. Injuries in this category included everything from bruises and scrapes to broken bones and amputated limbs.

Road Rash

External injuries, such as road rash, happen in about 25% of accidents. Road rash occurs when your skin rubs against the road during a motorcycle accident. This causes large scrapes, abrasions, and the loss of skin. Although there may not be excessive bleeding with road rash, the injuries can look very severe, and if not treated properly, there can be a risk of infection.

Road rash treatment typically involves applying antiseptic creams and bandaging the wounds. As the skin starts to heal, you need to apply moisturizers, and if no complications arise, these motorcycle accident injuries can heal within two weeks. However, you need to watch the wounds for signs of infection, such as swelling, pus, or flu-like symptoms.

Burns

Burns can happen if you contact a hot part of your bike or if you are exposed to chemicals during the accident. In some cases, severe road rash can even lead to third degree burns. In one situation, a motorcyclist suffered burns due to a driver flicking a cigarette out of their car.

With burns, the treatment process is roughly the same as you receive for road rash, but in severe cases, you may need skin grafts. The healing also takes a lot longer.

Facial Injuries and Fractures

Facial injuries can also be common after a motorcycle accident. Approximately 20% of riders received minor or moderate facial injuries after their motorcycle accidents. Another 6.4% of motorcyclists faced serious, severe, or critical injuries in this area. This includes bruises, scrapes, fractures, and even facial disfigurement. The treatment process and the healing time varies based on the type of injury.

Traumatic Brain Injuries

In the majority of cases, traumatic brain injuries are not diagnosed, but 4.1% of victims suffer potential or mild TBI. Another 7.4% of riders experience moderate TBI, and 5.8% have severe brain injuries. With riders don’t wear a helmet, the risks of TBI are much higher. Overall, 15.3% of riders without helmets suffered from mild to severe TBI, while only 11.7% of helmeted riders faced those issues.

Immediately after the accident, you may feel confused or disoriented if you have a brain injury. However, even if there are no symptoms, you should still seek medical treatment. They can help you rule out any issues. If you have a brain injury and you go home without treatment, the results can be disastrous. If you fall asleep, you may never wake up.

With severe TBI, motorcyclists experience cognitive and behavioral impairments, and they often go into comas. Depending on the extent of the injury, the victim may experience loss of basic functions, seizures, and mental health issues. A TBI may require surgery to reduce pressure and make sure the brain is receiving oxygen. Then, you may need monitoring and testing to keep tabs on the condition. As you recover, you may need physical and/or occupational therapy.

Spinal Cord Injuries

These injuries occur in about 11.2% of motorcycle accidents. When your spinal cord is injured, you may lose feeling in your limbs or be completely paralyzed. In this situation, it can be essential to bring a case against the at-fault driver because your long-term care and inability to work can be extremely expensive.

Death

Approximately 4% of motorcyclists die after a crash. About 56% of these deaths involve a motorcycle and another vehicle, and often, the other driver is at fault. The majority of the time (78%), the driver hits the motorcycle from behind; rear-end accidents only account for about 5% of these accidents. If a loved one has died in a motor cycle accident, and the other driver was at fault, you may be entitled to compensation through a wrongful death suit.

If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident or if you have lost a loved one in an accident, we may be able to help. To learn more, contact us at (855) 693-9084 today. At Mazow | McCullough, PC, we have extensive experience helping people who’ve been in motorcycle accidents or faced other personal injury issues.

Losing a loved one unexpectedly takes its toll. Grief is a mixture of shock, anger, and a host of other complex emotions that seem to occur all at once. These feelings often intensify if the death occurred due to the negligence of another.

If you lost a spouse, child, friend or family member in a motorcycle accident, it is essential that you take care of yourself and allow yourself to process the grief. Many times, this is not a journey to take on your own and you need support. Here are national and local resources that can help you cope with this tremendous loss.

The Compassionate Friends Program

If you lost a child in a motorcycle accident, Compassionate Friends is there for you. This support group exists for parents who lost a child. It does not matter if your child was a minor or adult, the resources will help you all the same.

You can visit their website to order a bereavement packet and check for a chapter near you so you can spend time with others who are similarly situated. Sometimes just knowing you are not alone is enough.

The Good Grief Program

If you lost a spouse in a motorcycle accident and you have children, you may find yourself in the unenviable position of managing your own grief as well as that of your children.

This is a case where help and guidance can be highly beneficial. The Good Grief Program through Boston Medical Center offers resources to help children, and the adults in their lives, deal with grief. You can also find counseling services and additional support.

While not directly affiliated with the Good Grief Program, there are also bereavement camps available for children. That gives them the chance to meet other children in the same situation and feel less alone.

Local Support Groups

Grief can be overwhelming and it is often a good idea to hire a counselor–especially if you decide to file a wrongful death case. Sometimes, in addition to a one-on-one relationship with a mental health professional, people also like support groups.

Often, local support programs are run by clinics and not managed by national groups. Some of them are general and accept people from many types of situations, including losing a loved one due to wrongful death.

Mazow | McCullough P.C. represents those who lost loved ones in motorcycle accidents. While money in no way replaces the loved one you are missing, it can help you cover unexpected current and future expenses, as well as ensure that justice is served to the person(s) responsible for the collision. Contact us today for a free case evaluation by calling toll free at (855) 693-9084.

Motorcycle accidents often result in critical injury or death, both in single-motorcycle accidents and motorcycle-vehicle accidents. While some car accidents can be equally devastating, motorcycle accidents are generally more serious than car accidents. Here’s why.

Motorcycle Riders Are Less Protected

Wearing a helmet is crucial to protecting yourself against traumatic brain injury when involved in a motorcycle accident. However, even with a helmet, a motorcycle rider is much more exposed to the force of a crash than a person driving or riding in a passenger vehicle. A motorcycle rider’s body is directly subjected to a crash, while a vehicle absorbs some or even all of the impact of a collision before reaching the driver. This means that apart from TBI’s, motorcycle accidents result in more bodily injury, including broken bones, loss of limb, and soft tissue injuries.

Speeding

Speeding is a significant factor in both passenger vehicle crashes and motorcycle collisions. However, speeding tends to be more of an issue for motorcyclists, either because they are speeding around vehicles, or vehicles are speeding around them. Drivers of passenger cars often refuse to acknowledge the rights to the road that a motorcyclist has and treats them as a nuisance versus treating them like drivers who have equal share of the road. Unfortunately, speeding is known to result in more serious injuries than collisions where speeding isn’t a factor.

Drunk Driving

Drunk driving is a concern for anyone who gets behind the wheel of a motorized vehicle, be it a motorcycle or a traditional passenger car, or even a truck. However, alcohol is a factor in more deadly motorcycle accidents than car accidents. Nearly half of all fatal motorcycle accidents involve alcohol, while in 2015, only a third of deadly car crashes could be attributed to alcohol. These statistics include accidents where the motorcycle rider was found to have been driving while intoxicated, so it’s absolutely critical that motorcycle riders avoid drinking before getting on their bike.

Injured in a Motorcycle Accident? Contact Mazow | McCullough, PC Today

If you or a loved one were hurt in a motorcycle accident, or you’ve unfortunately lost a loved one to a motorcycle crash, it’s important that you obtain legal representation. There’s a strong chance that negligence of some form attributed to the collision that injured you or killed your loved one, and you may be able to obtain justice and fair compensation for the damages you and your family have incurred.

Contact us today for a consultation to discuss the specifics of your case at (855) 693-9084.