Motorcyclists know the hazards that other drivers bring to the road. A ride in Philadelphia during rush hour can add that much more risk when a biker is just trying to navigate across a busy city.
The dangers are logged by law enforcement every year. Pennsylvania DOT reported there were almost 2800 motorcycle involved accidents across the state in 2018. The same year saw 164 motorcyclists killed in accidents. With those tragic numbers, it’s amazing 2018 was considered a “good” year when compared to 2017. PennDOT found that the number of accidents had dropped 15% from year to year.
No matter the cause of the accident, a motorcyclist is almost always going to receive the worst of the injuries in a collision with any car, truck, or SUV. The sad fact should force drivers to pay more attention to Motorcyclists on the road, but inattention remains a common problem.
Fatal Motorcycle Accident on Tacony Street
A vehicle and motorcycle collision in Philadelphia took a rider’s life on Tuesday Night.
WPVI-TV reported the accident happened around 5:20 pm at the intersection of Tacony Street and Van Kirk Street. Police on the scene in Philadelphia’s Wissinoming section found that a 50-year-old man on a Suzuki motorcycle went around stopped traffic and ran a red light. He then struck a vehicle in the intersection.
The 50-year-old man died on the scene. No other injuries were reported.
Wrongful Death Claims and Comparative Negligence
A tragic motorcycle accident will leave the family of the victim devastated. The family will still be grieving when hospital bills and potential funeral costs start to add up.
During this difficult period, loved ones will need to consider who caused this terrible accident and who can be held liable for the consequences.
A family should be aware that in the event of a loved one’s death in an accident, certain close family members are allowed to file a wrongful death claim for the deceased. A husband or wife, children, or even parents may be able to sue for damages in these cases.
Family members should also consider that even if the deceased was partially at fault for the accident a claim may still be possible. Philadelphia is a modified comparative fault state. This means that a percentage of the blame can be assigned to everyone involved in an accident. If a victim is ruled to be less than 51% at-fault in the accident the family can still file a claim to get compensation for the amount of the other driver’s responsibility in the accident.
Contact a Philadelphia Auto Accident Lawyer
If your loved one was injured or killed in a motorcycle accident please feel free to contact a Philadelphia Motorcycle Accident Lawyer such as Edith Pearce. Unlike the huge firms with dozens of attorneys and many different attorneys handling different aspects of your case, Edith Pearce is personally involved in every case that we handle. She genuinely cares about her clients and you will not be treated like just another case or file.