You’re enjoying a nice ride when suddenly, you are blindsided by another vehicle merging into your lane.

For most motorcyclists, this describes a terrifying experience that can cause a significant accident. Merging accidents can leave a rider with serious injuries and damages. If you were hit by another vehicle as it attempted to merge, you may be able to recover compensation for the financial losses you have incurred.

What Is a Merging Accident?

Simply put, a merging accident occurs when a vehicle moves from one lane to another, colliding with another vehicle already in the new lane. They can happen during lane changes and when a driver moves their vehicle into a lane from a stopped or idling position.

Also known as lane-change accidents, these collisions can happen for a number of different reasons, and they can especially impact pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists, who may be seriously crushed or hit by the merging vehicle. Merging accidents can happen anywhere — whether on a freeway ramp, merging into another lane on the freeway, attempting to merge on a back road, or trying to squeeze by when the road becomes narrow or restricted. 

Common Causes of Merging Accidents

Various factors can cause a merging accident, and each may contribute to the ultimate outcome and injuries. For example, the following are some of the most common causes of merging accidents:

• Not leaving sufficient room when passing
• Failing to check your blind spot
• Misjudging the space between vehicles
• Not paying sufficient attention to the road
• Driving distracted, drowsy, or fatigued
• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Entering a new lane too fast or too slowly
• Not using turn signals properly
• Merging too aggressively or recklessly
• Ignoring traffic signals or rules of the road

Common Injuries that Happen in Merging Accidents

Many different injuries can result from a motorcycle merging accident. For example, the following types of injuries are common:

• Head injuries, concussions, and traumatic brain injuries
• Back, neck, and spinal injuries, sometimes including partial or full paralysis
• Broken or fractured bones
• Injuries to internal organs or internal bleeding
• Limb amputations
• Burns, road rash, and other abrasions
• Whiplash and other soft tissue injuries
• Scars or disfigurement
• In the most extreme cases, wrongful death

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How Can You Recover Compensation for Your Injuries in a Merging Accident?

If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle merging accident, you may have incurred significant financial losses, and you may be able to recover various types of compensation for the damages you have incurred as a result. You can recover the costs of your doctor’s visits, hospital stay, medical treatments, medical testing and imaging, prescription medications, and rehabilitative or nursing care.

You might also be able to recover the costs of repair or replacement of your motorcycle or vehicle, as well as any lost wages or income if you cannot work as a result of the accident. You may also be able to recover damages for non-economic losses, such as pain and suffering, mental anguish, scarring or disfigurement, and the general decrease in the quality of your life.

To recover compensation, you will need to prove that the other party — the one whose actions are responsible for your injuries — was negligent. Generally, this requires proof that they breached their duty of reasonable care by merging into your space recklessly, unlawfully, or unreasonably. You will also need to prove that they directly caused your damages and injuries as a result of merging into your space. In some cases, there may be other relevant laws involved.

For example, it may be illegal for the driver to merge improperly, drive recklessly, or fail to yield, which may also be used in your claim in order to establish liability. It is also possible that more than one party may be at fault for your motorcycle merging accident: for example, in situations where the driver who collided with your bike was attempting to swerve in order to avoid being hit by another merging car.

Issues of liability and damages can be quite complex, and they often involve the application of various laws and a thorough investigation of the facts. For that reason, it is important to speak with an experienced and trusted motorcycle accident lawyer. They will discuss your legal rights, options, and potential next steps in your claim, and they will thoroughly investigate and explain the issues involved.

They will also communicate with the other party, their insurance company, witnesses, the authorities, and others involved in your case, negotiating towards a favorable settlement. And, if a settlement is not possible, a capable lawyer can be invaluable in filing a lawsuit on your behalf in the appropriate court and building a strong case to present to a jury.

Why Trust Bretz Injury Law with Your Motorcycle Accident Case?

A motorcycle merging accident can wreak havoc on your life, leaving you with serious injuries and resulting financial damages. Having a knowledgeable, experienced attorney by your side to help with your motorcycle accident case can make all the difference. In fact, according to a study by the Insurance Institute, people who hire an attorney to represent them receive two-and-a-half to three times higher settlements than those who do not seek legal assistance.

Our attorneys have a reputation for seeking a fair and reasonable resolution on behalf of our clients, and we are known for fighting on behalf of our clients in court where a settlement is not possible.

Merging accidents can be tricky and difficult to prove, and it is important to have legal help with your case. After a motorcycle merging accident, you shouldn’t have to deal with the aftermath on your own. When you trust your case to Bretz Injury Law, you get more than a single lawyer on your side; you get an entire team of seasoned legal professionals all working together to secure the best possible outcome on your behalf.

Our Kansas personal injury lawyers can help you understand your rights and fight for the fair compensation you are owed. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.

Contact us today to schedule a free, confidential case evaluation, or simply call our law office toll-free.