Spokane motorcyclists hurt by potholes and sent into collisions due to damaged roadways can file injury claims and seek help with their medical bills and their lost income while they can’t work. Those in charge of maintaining streets and interstates can be held liable. That might mean a lawsuit filed against the City of Spokane or the State of Washington. But be warned that any litigation against a government entity can be complex.
CCD Law offers a free case consultation to any injured riders in the Spokane area. We want victims to get the support they need to recover and get back on their motorcycles. Let’s talk over what happened and investigate the best way to get victims the maximum compensation possible.
Pothole Accident Dangers for Spokane Motorcyclists
Spokane County and the surrounding area provide many wide-open spaces and scenic routes for riders. But the road surfaces themselves can be a problem.
Spokane experiences a real winter each year, and these and other conditions only serve to open up more holes in front of motorcyclists.
- Freezing and rethawing leading to cracked pavement
- Snowplows damaging asphalt
- Brine sprayed on roads helping fuel erosion
- Salt and sand spread on streets, speeding up erosion
- Heavy traffic quickly widens potholes
A car can usually absorb a pothole strike. But riders can be rocked and knocked off course. They have to worry about their bikes, hanging on, and their control of the motorcycle.
Any veer off course after a front wheel lands in a pothole can send motorcyclists out of their lanes and into the path of SUVs and trucks. Riders can be thrown from their seats and take an impact with the road surface, and be left lying in front of oncoming cars.
Major damage to the bike, hitting a pothole, can also send riders on a collision course. This includes bent rims and tire blowouts. Forks can be bent, and frame damage can make the motorcycle suddenly uncontrollable.
Potholes can lead to major damage and injuries for any rider. And those in charge of monitoring for damage and fixing it before someone gets hurt can be liable if an accident is caused. A skilled Spokane Motorcycle Accident Lawyer can help hold those at-fault financially liable and get riders major assistance in paying medical bills and supporting themselves while they can’t work.
Who Is Liable If I’m Hurt By a Pothole While Riding a Motorcycle?
Pothole prevention and repair are usually the duty of the owners and operators of the roadway. In the Spokane city limits, that might be the maintenance department for the City of Spokane for damage on a road like Sprague Avenue. The Washington State DOT would usually be responsible for crumbling lanes on I-90.
These government entities are required to monitor for road damage and get it fixed in a reasonable amount of time. They must also be held accountable for putting out warning signs for known hazards and signs to prevent accidents just after a repair.
It’s not uncommon for an improper repair to cause other hazards or simply erode quickly to create further danger. Government officials can be held liable for these mistakes, too, when they send a rider out of control.
These are just a few of the entities that might face a lawsuit after a Spokane motorcycle accident caused by a pothole:
- The City of Spokane
- Spokane County Traffic Department
- Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT)
- Road construction companies
A skilled CCD Law attorney would be investigating the cause of damage that led to a serious accident for you or a loved one. Evidence would be collected, and then a claim would be filed with the insurance company for the at-fault party.
In many cases, our skilled lawyers can earn much more for riders than they could earn for themselves. Especially when having to go up against a government agency to secure support.
What to Watch Out for When Filing a Motorcycle Accident Claim Against the City of Spokane
Road construction firms and government agencies could be liable for any accident caused by unsafe road conditions.
In a normal accident caused by a careless driver, motorcyclists would have up to three years to file an injury claim and collect support. However, when a government agency is at fault, the timeline changes. City, County, and State agencies can hide behind the extra legal protections they have against lawsuits.
That includes shorter deadlines for filing a claim. If you must file against the State of Washington, you’ll likely have just a few months to notify the department and file a claim. Miss the statute of limitations, and your chance to get recovery help is likely gone.
The government protections can also mean you’d have to seek permission simply to be allowed to file an injury claim after a motorcycle wipeout. These cases can be very complex and may even put you in direct confrontation with government lawyers.
It’s important to have a skilled legal representative helping you meet all the sneaky deadlines and filing the extensive paperwork on your behalf. It’s the best way to hold a municipal department fully liable for your injury hardships.
The Support We Win for Spokane Motorcycle Accident Victims
CCD Law starts immediately collecting evidence from your accident to build a strong case. With potholes, that means getting photos of the pothole that caused your crash and documenting the city’s response to it in the past. This evidence must be collected before city maintenance has a chance to rush out and patch a bad hole or crack after it’s too late.
If you are able to get photos of the road conditions at the scene of your accident, do so. Show the damage to your motorcycle and the pothole. Show any warning signs, or the lack of signs, around. But only collect evidence after your accident if you are left strong enough and the scene is secure. See to your safety and any injuries first.
Your evidence, combined with your lawyer’s documentation, helps put liability insurers for government agencies in a spot where they can’t deny blame. It also lets your lawyer negotiate from a position of power to demand everything you need in a motorcycle pothole accident settlement.
These and other hardships you endure must be included in any settlement:
- Past medical bills and medical bills reasonably expected to be incurred in the future
- Life-long support for a physical disability
- Support for the pain experienced and that may continue for years to come
- Support for the emotional trauma caused by a frightening accident
- Support for the anxiety and depression that may occur due to a difficult recovery and being kept off your motorcycle for an extended time
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of intimacy with a spouse or partner
- Past lost earnings and earnings reasonably expected to be lost in the future
- Wrongful death benefits provided by the city, county, or state for families who lose a loved one in a motorcycle accident caused by poor road conditions
Contact a Skilled Spokane Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
If your accident results in only motorcycle damage or just a few minor scrapes, you can probably handle your claim yourself. But if your injuries are more serious, like a broken bone or a head injury, and a pothole is to blame, you may be in line to secure much more with a lawyer’s help.
Having a lawyer handle the frustrating claims process also allows you to focus on getting better and getting back to the rides you love.
If you are unsure if you need a lawyer, there’s a no-risk way to determine your best options. Contact us and set up a free, no-obligation consultation. We can help you find the best and fastest path to getting support. We can also help you support your case with the strongest evidence to make sure government agencies can’t escape justice.
And if you need our help, you don’t need any money to hire CCD Law. We don’t get paid unless we win your case. If your case is unsuccessful, we don’t earn anything. If we win, our attorney’s fee comes out of the settlement that an insurance company is forced to pay you.