Motorcycle Accident Lawyers in Portland, ME

The region around Portland, Maine, is a rider’s paradise. Locals and visitors take advantage of the curving highways and stunning scenery of White Mountain National Forest or to discover the beauty of Sebago Lake or one of the other beautiful regions in the state. Many people living in Portland choose to use a motorcycle when the weather is good, for recreation or transportation to work or school. The joys of motorcycling in the Portland area are worth experiencing, but the risks riders face every day are extreme. Even the most law-abiding, safe motorcycle riders can become a victim of a negligent driver and suffer serious or fatal injuries.

Common Types of Motorcycle Accidents

A large percentage of serious or fatal motorcycle accidents in the Portland, Maine area occur as a result of the negligent driving conduct of another driver. A driver often fails to notice the motorcyclist sharing the road, or engages in unsafe or reckless driving conduct, leading to a disaster for the rider. Some of the most common driving behavior that results in a motorcycle accident include:

• Speeding
• Drunk driving
• Drug-impaired driving
• Unsafe lane changes
• Exceeding speed limits
• Failing to observe a rider when turning left at an intersection
• Unsafe merging
• Aggressive driving
• Distracted driving

Common motorcycle accident injuries

A motorcyclist that is hit by a vehicle will be thrown onto the roadway, with a powerful impact. The types of injuries sustained are typically very serious, often fatal. The types of injuries include:

• Brain injuries: A helmet provides some protection, but the impact with the roadway is typically so severe that the brain can suffer injuries, leading to cognitive and physical impairments, whether temporary or permanently disabling.
• Spinal cord injuries: When the spinal cord is damaged, the nerves can no longer send signals from the brain, which may lead to permanent disabilities, such as paraplegia, quadriplegia, or limited motion.
• Broken bones: Shattered arms, femurs, spinal fractures, skull fractures, shin, hand, foot and other broken bones may require several surgeries and a long recovery period, with permanent damage.
• Severe lacerations: The blunt force trauma of impact or tissue damage from the force of the body moving on the pavement can cause serious lacerations affecting the skin, tissue, ligaments, and muscles. These injuries are prone to infection and may lead to permanent disfigurement.
• Joint damage: The hips, knees, elbows, wrists, ankles and shoulders can be shattered as the body hits the roadway, requiring surgical repair and a long recovery, and may be impossible to surgically repair to the point of achieving full range of motion.
• Internal injuries: The impact with the road can lead to serious internal injuries to various organs, internal bleeding, and other life-threatening or fatal consequences.
• Back injuries: Various regions of the back can be seriously damaged in the impact with the road, with broken or seriously damaged vertebrae in the upper, mid, or lower back.
• Amputations: A seriously damaged limb may be so thoroughly injured that the only option is to amputate the limb.
• Fatal injuries: The rider may be so seriously injured that there is no hope of surviving the accident and dies at the scene or later in the hospital.

Why Choose Us?

At Horn Wright, LLP, we offer legal counsel to injured riders, and to families who have lost a loved one in a motorcycle accident. Our approach is client-focused, personalized, and professional. We have an extensive record of successful case outcomes and take on cases of serious injury or loss of life. Our legal team is known for legal excellence, and for being driven to achieve favorable results in a range of personal injury cases, including serious or fatal motorcycle accidents.

Call the team at Horn Wright, LLP at (207) 994-2001 to discuss a motorcycle accident injury or death case.