A negligent or reckless driver in Arizona could cause a motorcycle accident without ever coming in contact with the motorcycle. A no-contact crash describes an accident in which a driver’s dangerous behaviors on the road force a motorcyclist to react and crash without the two vehicles touching. While it is not a collision between two vehicles, a no-contact motorcycle accident still involves two parties: the injured motorcyclist and the at-fault motorist. Obtaining compensation for a no-contact motorcycle accident can be difficult depending on the circumstances.
Common Causes of No-Contact Motorcycle Accidents
Determining the cause of your motorcycle accident is one of the first steps toward recovery in a fault-based state such as Arizona. Motor vehicle drivers can make many negligent mistakes and reckless decisions that cause no-contact collisions. Broken roadway laws and ignored rights-of-way are common examples. Any unsafe or unexpected maneuver by a motor vehicle driver could cause a motorcyclist to react by yanking the handlebars, running off the road or laying the motorcycle down.
- Speeding
- Unsafe lane changes
- Merging without looking
- Weaving or drifting between lanes
- Tailgating or following too closely
- Brake-checking
- Cutting off a motorcyclist
- Running a red light
- Distracted driving
- Reckless driving
These are common mistakes motorists make that can have negative repercussions for motorcyclists. It is a driver’s responsibility to be aware of the motorists with which they are sharing the road. A driver must make lane changes carefully, pay attention to the road, watch for motorcyclists and obey traffic laws. Any breach of these duties could cause a harmful no-contact motorcycle accident in Phoenix.
How to Recover Damages After a No-Contact Motorcycle Crash
If you were injured in a no-fault motorcycle crash in Arizona, seek compensation from the at-fault driver. Stay at the scene and make sure the other driver does the same. Exchange information, including your names and contact numbers. Take photographs of the scene of the accident and your injuries. The law requires you to call the police for most motorcycle accidents; any accident that causes injuries, deaths or at least $1,000 in property damages. See a doctor to treat your injuries. Keep copies of your medical documents. Then, call a lawyer to help you prove the motor vehicle driver’s liability for your damages.
How to Prove Liability in a No-Contact Motorcycle Accident in Arizona
The other driver may have to pay for your medical bills and motorcycle repairs if you can prove his or her liability to the driver’s insurance company. Liability is someone’s legal accountability for another person’s damages. Proving liability takes establishing the driver’s breach of the duty of care. This could refer to any act of negligence or recklessness that ultimately caused your no-contact crash, such as speeding or drunk driving.
Next, you or your motorcycle accident lawyer will have to prove a connection between the driver’s negligence and your crash. This may take accident reconstruction to show how the driver’s actions caused your crash without touching your motorcycle. For example, a diagram could demonstrate how the other driver merged on top of you, which forced you to take evasive action and jerk your handlebars in the opposite direction – causing you to crash your motorcycle. An accident attorney can help you prove liability for a no-contact crash in Arizona.
What Happens If a No-Contact Motorcycle Crash Was Caused by a Hit-and-Run Driver?
Many no-contact motorcycle crashes are also hit-and-run accidents. A driver may unintentionally commit a hit-and-run by failing to realize he or she caused the motorcycle accident. Without a physical collision, the driver might not notice a motorcyclist crashing. The driver may keep driving, leaving the injured motorcyclist without the information to file an insurance claim. Other cases involve a driver knowingly committing a hit-and-run no-contact accident.
Either way, you may still be able to obtain compensation by filing a claim with your own automobile insurer. If you have uninsured or underinsured motorist insurance, this should cover your damages. File a first-party claim for damages to find out if you have the correct type of coverage. Then, contact a motorcycle accident lawyer for assistance with your claim. Whether you have first-party coverage or not, a lawyer can help you pursue fair compensation through all available outlets.