If you’ve ever ridden your motorcycle through a residential area or town, you may have encountered grass clippings on the side of the road. While cut grass might not seem like a dangerous obstacle, clippings can actually cause cyclists and motorcycle riders to lose control, fall from their bikes, and suffer serious injuries.
Though there is no data on how many motorcycle accidents are caused by grass clippings, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that these incidents occur all too often. If you’ve been hurt in such a situation, you might not know that you can seek compensation for your injuries and that an Indiana motorcycle accident lawyer from Vaughan & Vaughan can help you do so.
Why Grass Clippings Cause Motorcycle Accidents
Since motorcycles only have two wheels, riders need good traction so they can lean into turns and avoid tipping over. When there are obstacles on the road surface, like grass, gravel, and other small debris, riders lose traction, causing the wheels of their vehicles to slip.
Loss of traction can cause motorcycle riders to fall from their bikes, collide with other motorists, and crash into obstacles like walls, signs, and other roadside features. These types of accidents can result in serious injuries, as motorcyclists lack the barriers of protection that cars and other four-wheel vehicles provide.
Although an attorney can’t tell you exactly how many motorcycle accidents are caused by grass clippings, they can help you get access to life-changing financial remedies after such an accident. An experienced lawyer can assess your economic and non-economic losses and fight for the compensation you need to pay your bills and move forward with your life.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Motorcycle Accident Caused by Grass Clippings
There are several parties who may be held responsible for the injuries, financial losses, and emotional suffering you’ve had to deal with due to your bike crash. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the collision, one of the following parties may be held liable:
A Homeowner
If you were injured in an incident caused by grass clippings that were left on the shoulder of the road near the perimeter of a homeowner’s property, the homeowner may be held accountable for the accident.
Property owners are required to maintain their premises in a way that protects others from foreseeable harm. When a homeowner fails to keep their premises safe or allows debris from their property, like grass clippings, to spill into the road, they can be held responsible for any injury and financial loss caused by their negligence.
An HOA or Community Organization
Some residential communities rely on an HOA or other organization to handle lawn care. If a personal injury attorney from Indiana finds that your motorcycle accident was caused by grass clippings left on the road by an HOA or other entity, they’ll work hard to hold the at-fault party liable for your injuries, pain, and other losses.
A Landscaping or Lawn Care Company
When a lawn maintenance company cuts a customer’s grass, it’s their responsibility to responsibly dispose of clippings and other pieces of debris. If a landscaping or lawn care company caused your incident by failing to dispose of clippings in a safe area, it may be held responsible for your accident-related losses.
Holding the At-Fault Party Liable for a Motorcycle Accident Cause by Grass Clippings
Whether a homeowner, HOA, or law maintenance company caused your motorcycle accident, you’ll need to hire an attorney to get the compensation you’re owed. A skilled lawyer can draw on their experience to prove that the at-fault party left the grass clippings in the road and that the clippings directly caused your accent, injuries, and losses.
Here’s what a lawyer can do to prove liability and make your case as successful as possible:
- Investigate the incident in which you were injured
- Collect evidence like photos of the accident scene, witness testimony, crash reports, and other records to strengthen your insurance claim
- Use evidence to establish that your motorcycle accident was caused by grass clippings
- Use evidence to prove liability
- File a claim with the at-fault party’s insurance provider
- Negotiate a fair settlement with the insurer
- Take your case to court if it isn’t settled during insurance negotiations
- Meet Indiana’s filing deadlines and requirements
Compensation You Could Receive With the Help of an Indiana Attorney
It’s important to know what you can expect when first meeting with a motorcycle accident attorney. When you meet with a lawyer for a consultation, they’ll calculate the economic and non-economic losses you’ve incurred due to your incident and injuries.
Doing so will help them determine what forms of compensation you’re eligible to receive and how much you should get from a personal injury claim.
Once your lawyer knows which damages they must pursue on your behalf, they’ll demand that the insurance provider or at-fault party provide the financial remedies you need to replace your losses and cope with the pain and suffering you’ve been put through due to the incident. If your case is successful, you could receive several or more of the following damages:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Other medical costs, including ambulance fees, hospital bills, prescription medication costs, physical therapy expenses, and more
- Motorcycle repair costs
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Meet With a Trusted Indiana Motorcycle Accident Attorney for Free
If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident caused by grass clippings, you might not think you have any legal options to seek compensation. In fact, there are several actions you can take to recover life-changing damages after such an incident, but you’ll need an attorney to complete them successfully.
At Vaughan & Vaughan, our team has been helping wrongfully injured individuals get the financial support they deserve for over 100 years. Contact our Indiana motorcycle accident lawyers to schedule a free consultation and find out if you qualify for a claim or civil suit. If you do, you could get the remedies you need to pay your bills and get back on your feet.
