Unexpected road hazards can quickly turn a routine ride into a dangerous motorcycle crash. The injuries that follow can be severe—even life-changing. If a hazardous road condition played a role in your wreck, it’s important to understand who may be accountable. Speaking with a Knoxville motorcycle accident lawyer is a good first step in determining your options, including whether or not you can pursue compensation for your injuries.

What types of road hazards can cause motorcycle wrecks?

A variety of different road hazards can cause motorcycle wrecks, including:

• Potholes that have yet to be properly filled or were improperly filled
• A road that is slick with oil, or some other type of fluid
• Train tracks or railroad crossings that are hard for a motorcycle’s wheels to navigate
• Loose bits of gravel, sand, and dirt
• Cracks in the gravel or road that are hard to notice
• Random bits of debris, such as rocks, old tires, and tree limbs in the road
• Recently painted surfaces, which are slippery due to the wet paint
• Bumps in the road that are hard to notice or prepare for
• Expansion joints between a road and a bridge, or some other platform

Every single one of the above can lead to a serious motorcycle wreck.

What injuries can result from a motorcycle accident caused by a road hazard?

Road hazards can cause a variety of different injuries to motorcycle riders, depending on the specifics of the accident. Examples include:

• A traumatic brain injury (TBI) could lead to long-term brain damage, along with many other symptoms.
• Severe abrasions to your skin (road rash) can happen if you fall off your motorcycle and slide across the pavement.
• Damage to your spinal cord could lead to paralysis, difficulty moving, and the inability to feel certain parts of your body, along with a number of other problems.
• Internal organ damage and/or internal bleeding can lead to long-term organ damage, emergency surgery, or even death.
• Fractures in your arms, legs, pelvis, and ribs can be very painful and prevent you from doing the things you normally do.

The injuries listed above are only examples. Depending on the facts of the accident, a motorcycle wreck caused by a road hazard could also lead to long-term effects, including:

• Permanent disability, such as no longer being able to use your legs, among many other possibilities.
• Surgery with long-term complications.
• Loss of work, leading to loss of earnings and possible financial complications.
• Long-term pain and depression, both of which can make it difficult for you to enjoy life.
• Necessary long-term care, including hiring a long-term caregiver.

Every single one of the above can prevent you from living the life you have built for yourself.

Who is responsible for a motorcycle wreck injury caused by a road hazard?

Many different parties could be responsible for a motorcycle wreck injury caused by a road hazard. This includes:

• A government entity can be held liable for a defective or dangerous condition on a street or highway they own and control, but only if they had actual or constructive notice.
• A driver who caused the road hazard, such as a truck driver whose debris fell onto the road.
• A construction company that left debris on the roadway they were working on.

A good example for each of the above is as follows:

• If a dangerous condition on a state-maintained highway caused your crash and you sustained a TBI, the Tennessee Department of Transportation could be held liable for your injury.
• If you hit a wooden pallet that fell off the back of a truck, the owner of this truck could face liability.
• If you hit a concrete block that was left on the road in front of a construction site, the construction company working on this site may be at fault.

The facts of every personal injury case are different, so the parties listed above may not be responsible in your situation. These examples simply illustrate how liability can vary depending on the circumstances of your injury.

How can you obtain compensation for a motorcycle injury caused by a road hazard?

To obtain compensation for a motorcycle injury caused by a road hazard, you must prove the following:

• A specific party owed you a duty of care.
• This party breached its duty of care.
• This breach led to you being in a motorcycle accident and sustaining an injury.
• You suffered damages as a result of this accident and injury.
• Your percentage of fault for this accident is less than 50%.

The above constitutes negligence. You can make it easier for yourself to prove the above by:

• Contacting a motorcycle accident lawyer familiar with these types of cases.
• Taking photos/videos of the road hazard that led to your motorcycle accident.
• Keeping all of your medical records/medical documentation.
• Gathering further evidence for the road hazard, motorcycle accident, and injuries you sustained.
• Developing a symptoms journal that goes over your daily symptoms.

Contact a Knoxville motorcycle accident lawyer today

If you were injured in a motorcycle wreck that was caused by a road hazard, you may be able to pursue compensation. Banks & Jones is here to help. Contact us today.