Failure-to-Yield Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcycle accidents are a scary thought. With nothing to protect the rider except a helmet, a serious or fatal injury is often the result of an accident. While there are certainly many causes of serious or fatal motorcycle accidents, one of the most common causes is another motorist’s failure to see or failure to yield the right-of-way to a motorcyclist. In fact, by some estimates, these two causes combined account for almost half of all motorcycle accidents.

The general rule is that vehicles are required to yield to those vehicles with the right-of-way. While the situations giving rise to a potential failure-to-yield accident are countless, a few of the more common scenarios are:

  • Intersections with one or more stop signs;
  • Situations that require one vehicle to merge into another lane, such as a highway on-ramp or off-ramp;
  • Parking lots;
  • Pulling out of a driveway or shopping center exit;
  • Any time a vehicle makes a left turn in front of a motorcycle; and
  • Whenever there is a posted “Yield” sign.

As noted above, there may be countless other situations in which one vehicle is legally required to yield the right-of-way to another vehicle. When an accident is caused due to one driver’s failure to yield, the injured accident victim may be entitled to monetary compensation from the negligent driver and their insurance company.

Motorcyclist Dies in Failure-to-Yield Accident

Earlier this month in Oklahoma, a 73-year-old man was killed in a motorcycle accident when a pick-up truck failed to yield to the rider. According to one local news source, the accident took place in broad daylight at around three in the afternoon. Evidently, the motorcyclist approached an intersection traveling westbound when a southbound pick-up truck driver failed to yield and collided with the rider. The fatal accident took place at a four-way stop intersection.

The motorcyclist was taken to the hospital, where he was treated for internal injuries and broken limbs. A short time later, he tragically died from his injuries. The driver of the pick-up truck was not injured in the accident. A police investigation is still ongoing, and any charges that the pick-up truck’s driver may face have not yet been filed.

Have You Been Injured in a Maryland Motorcycle Accident?

If you or a loved one has recently been involved in any kind of serious Maryland motorcycle accident, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. Depending on the severity of your injuries and the conduct of the other driver, you may be eligible for compensation for all past medical expenses as well as any future medical costs that may arise in the future due to your injuries. Compensation for lost wages, decrease in earning capacity, and pain and suffering are also a possibility. To learn more about Maryland motorcycle accidents and to speak with a dedicated attorney about your case, call 410-654-3600 to set up a free consultation with a dedicated personal injury advocate.

More Blog Posts:

A Motorcyclist’s Liability to His Passenger, Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog, published December 11, 2015.

Motorcyclist Settles Case against Motorist for $1.3 Million, Claim against Helmet Manufacturer Remains, Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog, published December 18, 2015.

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