Anyone who has been on a motorcycle knows that a split-second decision can be the difference between getting to your destination and getting into serious trouble. A pothole, a patch of loose gravel or a car’s bumper can spell disaster for a biker because the slightest problem can lead to serious damage or personal trauma.
This is especially true when others make mistakes on the road around us. A motorcyclist was killed in Durham when a car cut him off by turning left into his path. Cars and trucks making turns are a common factor in serious motorcycle crashes.
Matters became worse when the driver of the car fled the scene. He was later apprehended and charged with felony hit-and-run resulting in death. Although this crime is one of the lower classes of felony under North Carolina law, an offender may receive up to three years’ jail time along with heavy fines and a driver’s license suspension.
Criminal charges against the culpable party may prove little comfort, however, to the survivors of people killed in motorcycle crashes because they do not benefit from these matters. Civil law is often there to help people claim financial damages and get their lives back on track after a disaster through a wrongful death claim. These claims may also seem like nothing compared to the loss of a life, but they do help survivors financially and obtain a measure of justice for their loved ones.
An attorney can help consider these matters if a motorcycle accident has caused serious injuries or death. Legal representation can make life a little easier when it feels like it will never be the same.