Motorcycle Accidents

November 14, 2016

Motorcyclist Killed In Polk County Crash With Motor Home

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A motorcyclist was killed Saturday afternoon in a Polk County crash, according to deputies.

A 1988 motor home driven by a 67-year-old Illinois man was traveling northbound on County Road 557, according to reports. The motor home turned left onto the on-ramp for Interstate 4 westbound. A portion of the trailer that was attached to the motor home was still on CR 557 when a black motorcycle hit it.

The trailer detached from the motor home.

A 22-year-old Haines City woman was ejected from the motorcycle.

The woman, who was wearing a helmet, died at the scene.

The driver of the motor home was not injured.

Motorhome or recreational vehicle (RV) accidents are similar to other car accidents as they may occur on city streets, on highways or even in parking lots. Collisions can occur with other vehicles, pedestrians, motorcycles or stationary objects. In addition to property damage, these accidents can cause injury or death. For a family that has unexpectedly lost someone in a motorcycle accident or car accident with an RV, getting medical bills paid and working with insurers can be overwhelming.

If you were injured or if a family member was killed in a motorcycle accident with an RV anywhere in Florida, our Florida Motorcycle Accident Lawyers with Whittel & Melton can help. We will protect your interests and make sure your rights are protected so that you can recover just financial compensation. We know that no amount of money can bring back your loved one, but it can take away some of the financial strains that can endure after losing someone close to you.

October 26, 2016

Motorcyclist Killed in Crash In Hillsborough County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A motorcyclist was killed Tuesday evening in a crash, and according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, charges could be filed against the driver who slammed into the biker.

The incident occurred just before 7 p.m.

HCSO believes the biker was operating a motorcycle on Boyette Road when he drove in between two vehicles as he was approaching the intersection of Balm Riverview Road.

At the same time, a female driver was heading westbound on Boyette Road, attempting to turn left and travel south. She pulled into the path of the motorcycle and struck the biker with the passenger side of her car.

The biker was apparently not wearing a helmet and died at the scene after he was ejected from the motorcycle, according to reports. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to police, the female driver had an “odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from her mouth and admitted to having consumed alcohol.”

The woman agreed to a blood draw and could be charged based on the result, investigators said.

Motorcycle accidents usually involve serious injuries, and in the worst cases, death. A motorcycle offers riders very little protection in the event of a collision, leaving bikers vulnerable to catastrophic injuries such as spinal cord trauma, traumatic brain injuries, loss of limbs, neck and back injuries, knee and shoulder injuries and broken bones.

Our Tampa Bay DUI Motorcycle Accident Injury Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can protect your rights after a motorcycle accident, and help you and your loved ones pursue compensation for losses. As former DUI prosecutors, we know how to hold drunk drivers accountable for the pain and suffering they cause to motorcycle accident victims and their families.

October 13, 2016

Biketoberfest Is Here: Look Twice For Motorcycles in Daytona Beach

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Biketoberfest has been bringing bikers together from all over the world in Daytona Beach since 1992.

Biketoberfest is a celebration of Florida’s bike culture that involves trade shows, concerts and other special events. It also involves three days of rides throughout Volusia County. While this will surely be a fun event for everyone, our Florida Motorcycle Injury Lawyers know that there are safety risks anytime a group of motorcycles share the roadways with other motor vehicles.

We urge drivers to be aware that there will be lots of bikers out during Biketoberfest and motorists should be respectful of their right to share the road.

Biketoberfest will occur between October 13 and 16 this year, and drivers should be extra cautious during this time and in the days before and after the special event.

In 2015, more than 100,000 people were expected to turn out to the festival. Researchers last year said the event brings in over $40 million to the local economy.

Our Florida Motorcycle Accident Injury Lawyers at Whittel & Melton urge you to “look left, look right, look twice, save a life.”

Biketoberfest Safety Tips

Allow for more following distance in between a car and a motorcycle. Motorcycles frequently slow down by downshifting or rolling off the throttle, so drivers should not count on a brake light to let them know when a bike will be stopping.
Leave motorcycle riders their own lane. Don’t try to crowd in or share the lane.
Don’t rely on turn signals. Motorcycle turn signals do not turn off automatically and sometimes riders forget to turn them off. Make sure you see what a rider is doing before you make any moves.

June 23, 2016

Biker Killed in Marion County Crash

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A man was killed earlier this month after he lost control of his motorcycle and tumbled more than 100 feet in Marion County, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

At around 10:10 p.m., the Umatilla man was driving his 2016 Kawasaki Ninja on the southbound lane of County Road 25 at a “high rate of speed” as he approached a right hand curve, FHP stated in a report.

The 25-year-old driver failed to handle the curve and drove across the centerline and into the northbound lane and onto the east grass shoulder, the FHP stated.

The man lost control of his motorcycle and fell off of it as it began to overturn. Both he and the motorcycle “tumbled over 100 feet before coming to rest on the shoulder” of the road, the FHP reported.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

The FHP has not yet determined if alcohol was a factor in the accident.

The investigation is ongoing.

Riding a motorcycle can be liberating. And while the freedom of the open road is nice, riding a motorcycle can also be dangerous as a result of reckless motorists, minimal protection, hazardous conditions and many other factors.

A motorcycle accident can occur as a result of a rider’s negligence, but a motorcycle accident is not always the fault of the operator. In many cases, these types of accident are caused by:

DUI
Inattention of other drivers
Speeding
Failing to obey traffic signals
Texting and driving

Bad weather conditions
Fatigued driving
Bad roads
Failure to yield

May 4, 2016

19-Year-Old Motorcyclist Killed in Hillsborough County Crash

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A 19-year-old Tampa man was killed in a motorcycle accident late Saturday night.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a 2005 BMW was traveling northbound on Reflections Club Drive approaching SR-580 (Hillsborough Ave).

The 19-year-old was traveling eastbound on SR-580 in the outside lane approaching Reflections Club Drive on a 2004 Yamaha motorcycle.

Troopers believe the driver of the BMW failed to yield right-of-way for the motorcycle and attempted to make a left turn onto westbound SR-580.

According to reports, the biker tried to break but ended up colliding with BMW. He was ejected from the motorcycle and died at the scene.

Charges are pending. There were no other injuries reported.

Motorcyclists must adhere to the same right-of-way rules as drivers of passenger vehicles. However, the sad truth is that many drivers fail to follow these rules and violate a biker’s right of way.

If you were injured or lost a loved one in a motorcycle accident caused by another driver’s failure to yield, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries and losses. Motorcycle collisions involving a bike and another automobile are too common and are often caused by the other driver’s failure to yield. Failure-to-yield motorcycle accidents occur when:

A driver turns in front of a motorcyclist without using proper turn signals
A driver fails to check their blind spot and sideswipes a motorcycle
A driver runs a biker off the road or into oncoming traffic

March 10, 2016

Florida Roads Alluring & Deadly for Motorcycle Riders

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

The state of Florida leads the nation in the number of motorcycle fatalities, according to a recent report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Florida had 467 riders killed in 2013, the most recent year for such statistics. That’s 10 more than Texas, the state with the second highest number.

A Look At The Numbers

There were 8.4 million motorcycles on U.S. roads in 2013, an increase from 8 million in 2009.
56 out of every 100,000 registered motorcycles was involved in a fatal crash in 2013, compared to 9 out of every 100,000 passenger cars.
From 2004 to 2013, fatalities among the 40-and-older age group increased 39 percent, compared to 16 percent for all ages.

Two weekend crashes adds to these numbers.

A 56-year-old woman from Tampa died Friday afternoon after the motorcycle she was a passenger on collided with a car on State Road 20 near Hawthorne. The man driving the motorcycle was taken to UF Health Shands Hospital in critical condition. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, neither person on the motorcycle was wearing a helmet.

On Sunday, a 44-year-old man from Loxahatchee died in Marion County when his 2006 Harley Davidson hit a dip in Southeast 182nd Avenue and overturned. The man, who was not wearing a helmet, was airlifted to Ocala Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Nearly 50 percent of the bikers who died in an accident in 2013 were not wearing helmets, according to the NHTSA report. Helmets are not required by law in Florida.

Motorcycle accidents can happen so quickly. In a matter of seconds you can go from enjoying your regular motorcycle ride to lying on the road or in a hospital bed. Now you are facing physical pain and disability, significant medical bills, lost wages, and other life-impacting damages.

Like most motorcycle accident victims, you will have lots of questions that you need answered, like how to pursue financial compensation for damages, how to hold responsible parties liable, and how much will legal help cost you.

At Whittel & Melton, our Florida Motorcycle Accident Lawyers are effective negotiators and aggressive trial lawyers who refuse to settle for anything less than what you deserve. We will explore every possible option in order to obtain the best outcome for you. We operate on a contingency fee basis, meaning you don’t pay us unless or until we recover money on your behalf.

March 1, 2016

Biker Killed in Crash on I-75 in Hillsborough County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A motorcyclist was killed early Tuesday morning after he crashed into the back of a car on I-75, according to reports.

The crash happened at 3:05 a.m. in the southbound lanes of I-75, near mile marker 250, in Hillsborough County.

Troopers believe the 27-year-old Ruskin man was riding a 2013 Suzuki motorcycle on the inside lane. At the same time, a 1999 Ford four-door was driving ahead of him, approaching Gibsonton Drive.

The man allegedly failed to slow or stop and crashed into the back of the Ford, according to troopers. He was thrown from the motorcycle and died at the scene of the crash.

Investigators say no charges will be filed at this time.

There are many lawyers who are unwilling to represent those who have been involved in motorcycle accidents because of the common stereotypical belief that motorcyclists are reckless or dangerous drivers. However, our Florida Motorcycle Injury Lawyers at Whittel & Melton know that many accidents are not the fault of the biker. We know that motorcycle accidents can happen to even the safest of motorcycle drivers and are dedicated to providing the best legal representation to those involved in these tragic events.

February 8, 2016

Dense Fog Leads to Deadly Motorcycle Crash in Lakeland

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Lakeland police are currently investigating a fatal crash involving a motorcycle that occurred early Tuesday morning.

According to reports, a 24-year-old Lakeland man was traveling westbound on West Memorial Boulevard when a vehicle turning left from Swindell Road onto eastbound Memorial pulled in front of his motorcycle.

The man was thrown from the motorcycle on impact and critically injured.

December 15, 2015

Motorcyclist Killed in Volusia County Crash on SR-415

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A 63-year-old motorcyclist was killed in Volusia County on Monday afternoon after a pickup truck pulled in front of him, ejecting him from his bike.

According to troopers, the Georgia man was traveling north on State Road 415 at about 1:20 p.m. when a 2005 Ford pickup pulled out from Lemon Bluff Road and into his path.

He was taken to Central Florida Regional Hospital in Sanford, but passed away a short time later.

The driver of the pickup was not injured.

Charges are pending, according to reports.

Everyone on Florida roadways are required by law to operate safely and share the road with all vehicles – this includes motorcycles. When carelessness, recklessness or negligence results in an accident, you have the legal right to seek compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and even wrongful death.

Most motorcycle accidents result in serious injuries, including the following:

Broken bones and fractures
Soft tissue damage
Whiplash injuries
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Spinal cord damage
Nerve damage
Road rash and burns
Scarring
Amputation
Lacerations
Joint damage and loss of movement

December 2, 2015

December is National Drunk & Drugged Driving Prevention Month

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

December is a month filled with holiday cheer, time with family and all kinds of celebrations. The unfortunate truth is that many people celebrate to excess, and choose to get behind the wheel of a car when drunk or impaired by drugs. To raise awareness of the dangers of driving while impaired, December is recognized as National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month.

Drunk Driving Is Dangerous

According to a 2012 study conducted over a 20-month period by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

Drivers with an alcohol level of 0.08 were four times as likely to be in an accident as a sober driver.
Drivers with an alcohol level of 0.15 percent were 12 times as likely to be in an accident as a sober driver.

Other drunk driving statistics from the NHTSA show the following trends:

More than 10,000 people lost their lives in drunk driving crashes in 2013. This equates to approximately one life lost every 52 minutes that year.
Drunk drivers caused 31 percent of fatal car crashes in 2013.

Even after just one drink, alcohol begins to suppress a driver’s reaction time and ability to control their actions and thoughts. As the amount of alcohol in the bloodstream increases, a driver’s ability to concentrate decreases and motor skills become more impaired.

Drugged Driving Is Just As Dangerous As Drunk Driving

Drugged driving is driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of an illegal substance, prescription drug, or over-the-counter medication.

Many prescription and OTC medications come with warnings about driving while taking the medication because they can often cause drowsiness or impairment. Drivers must pay attention to these warnings.

On the other hand, illegal substances like marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and ecstasy can cause severe impairment. Some drugs can cause extreme highs and erratic behavior, which can increase the risk of speeding, swerving in traffic, and ultimately result in reckless driving. Some drugs may cause euphoria and dulled senses, which can result in slower reaction times, an impaired sense of reality, and the complete inability to control a vehicle.

Drive Sober This Holiday Season

Our Florida Injury Lawyers at Whittel & Melton would like to remind everyone to please drink responsibly and be aware of your medications’ warnings when driving. Even responsible, sober drivers are affected when other motorists choose to drink or use drugs and drive.