A Philadelphia Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Discusses Motorcycle Accidents and helmet laws in Pennsylvania: What you need to know.

Wearing a helmet is critical to protecting yourself from serious injuries while riding a motorcycle. Travelling at high speeds with nothing to protect yourself from crashing means that any safety precautions that can be taken should be considered. Anthony C. Gagliano, III, Esquire, P.C., is a Philadelphia motorcycle accident lawyer who has served clients from all backgrounds who have been injured in motorcycle accidents. 

Without a doubt, wearing a helmet can save your life if you are involved in a motorcycle accident. However, did you know that motorcycle helmet laws vary significantly from state to state? Where does the state of Pennsylvania fall within that spectrum? Join us today as our team of experienced legal professionals walks you through the important attributes of Pennsylvania motorcycle helmet laws. 

What To Do If You Have Been Injured

In the meantime, if you have been injured as a result of a motorcycle accident, now is the time to act. Contact Anthony C. Gagliano, III, Esquire, P.C., today for a free consultation. The decisions you make today determine how well you can recover from your injuries. Additionally, the sooner you act towards holding the at-fault driver accountable for their actions, the more likely you are to receive maximum compensation for your injuries, lost wages, and pain and suffering. 

Is Wearing A Motorcycle Helmet Mandatory In Pennsylvania?

The law in Pennsylvania requires that all riders under the age of twenty-one who have not attained at least two years of motorcycle-riding experience wear a helmet while riding. Taking and passing a motorcycle safety course allows a rider to ride without a helmet, even if they don’t have at least two years of experience behind the wheel. These motorcycle safety courses are designed to help you learn how to remain safe while operating a motorcycle on the streets, highways, and interstates of Pennsylvania. 

Even though the state of Pennsylvania does not require motorcycle riders to always wear a helmet, it does not mean that you should forego wearing one. Severe injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries, can be prevented in many cases when wearing a helmet. 

What Are The Benefits Of Wearing A Helmet While Riding A Motorcycle?

Experienced motorcyclists understand the importance of wearing a helmet while riding. Other types of protective equipment are important, but a helmet stands out when it comes to essential gear for motorcyclists, no matter their level of skill or experience. Safety is at a premium for motorcyclists. 

How Helmets Help Protect Riders

Wearing a helmet is one way to tip the scales slightly back in your favor despite the risks of riding a motorcycle. If another vehicle strikes your motorcycle, there is little you can do in the moment to protect yourself from serious injury. Wearing a helmet is a step you can take in advance to reduce the risk of a severe, life-threatening injury. 

Helmets and Traumatic Brain Injuries

Traumatic brain injuries are one type of significant injury that wearing a helmet may help prevent. The long-term health impacts of a traumatic brain injury are staggering. Memory and cognition are harmed severely by injuries to the brain. Those people injured via traumatic brain injuries typically note that their short-term and long-term memory is significantly harmed. Imagine a situation where you were unable to remember a co-worker’s name or even the city where you were born. Unfortunately, this is a reality for many people who have suffered traumatic brain injuries. 

Emotional Impact of Traumatic Brain Injuries

Traumatic brain injuries also have the potential to impact a person’s emotional temperament. Regulating your emotions can be challenging enough without a traumatic brain injury. However, consider the difficulties that can arise when the part of your brain that regulates emotions becomes injured. Interacting with your family may never be the same after a traumatic brain injury. Wearing a helmet is a small precaution that can help reduce the likelihood of this type of injury occurring to you. 

How Must Helmets Be Labeled In Pennsylvania?

Compliance with Pennsylvania state laws regarding helmets requires motorcyclists to wear helmets that are certified by the Department of Transportation. The manufacturer, model, and location where the helmet was manufactured must be included on the helmet. Referring back to this information may become necessary in the event of an accident. Verifying that your helmet was DOT certified can help you identify potential sources of liability for your injuries. A helmet that is defective or otherwise ineffective may result in the manufacturer becoming liable for your injuries. 

Does Wearing A Helmet Have The Potential To Impact Your Motorcycle Accident Claim?

We have already discussed how the state of Pennsylvania does not require motorcyclists to wear helmets. An insurance company would not be able to use your failure to use a motorcycle helmet as a potential defense against your claim. However, your recovery may be complicated if you suffer significant injuries. A more complex recovery means having a harder time handling your insurance claim. In other words, your financial and physical recovery are more connected than you may have previously thought. 

Understanding Recovery After A Motorcycle Crash

An experienced Philadelphia motorcycle accident lawyer, Anthony C. Gagliano, III, Esquire, P.C., understands what it is like recovering from injuries sustained in a motorcycle crash. One minute, you are riding down a familiar stretch of road. Then, a vehicle swerves into your lane, knocking you skidding across the pavement. Your motorcycle goes one way, and you go the other. Barely aware of what has happened, you begin to feel intense pain in your left leg. Obviously, something is very wrong, but you cannot be sure just how bad your injuries are. 

Why You Should Contact A Philadelphia Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Quickly

Don’t allow this circumstance to play out in your actual life. Instead, consider contacting our team of legal professionals for a free consultation. We serve clients regardless of whether they were wearing a helmet or not at the time of their accident. Insurance companies are not there to be your friend or to have sympathy for you. This is true no matter how badly you were hurt. Instead, an insurance company for the at-fault driver is more likely to try to make this process as difficult for you as possible. 

It does not have to be that way during your claim, however. Instead of putting yourself at the mercy of an insurance company, be sure to seek out as many options as possible when it comes to obtaining a just result in your case. There is no group of people more dedicated to serving those injured in motorcycle accidents in Philadelphia than Anthony C. Gagliano, III, Esquire, P.C. Navigating the steps of a motorcycle injury case can be complex. However, we offer a tried and true path towards obtaining maximum compensation in the shortest amount of time possible. 

What Advantages Are There In Contacting A Philadelphia Motorcycle Accident Lawyer As Soon As Possible?

Waiting to reach out to our office to speak with Anthony C. Gagliano, III, Esquire, P.C., after your motorcycle accident can severely hurt your case. Keep in mind that even relatively minor injuries like broken bones can cost thousands of dollars in medical bills. On top of that, these medical issues can prevent you from working for an extended period of time. Lost wages piling up on top of medical bills? Sounds like a situation that can go from bad to worse. 

Standing between you and financial justice is an insurance company that shows no compassion for injured people like yourself. A Philadelphia motorcycle accident lawyer who specializes in helping injured people and who fights insurance companies using their experience and the law can be an invaluable tool for you to use. Anthony C. Gagliano, III, Esquire, P.C., will gather evidence that can enhance the value of your claim. Whatever factors exist that led to your accident, our office will collect them in hopes of making your claim as strong as possible. 

This can mean reaching out to witnesses to obtain their statements as to what actually happened in your accident. What did the witness observe? How do the witnesses’ statements differ from those of the at-fault driver? In some circumstances, you may need these witness statements to counter a false story being told by an at-fault driver. Our office knows how to track down witnesses and collect their information to strengthen your case further. 

Contact A Philadelphia Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Who Cares

Anthony C. Gagliano, III, Esquire, P.C., knows what you are going through. A Philadelphia motorcycle accident lawyer from our office has had the honor to serve many motorcyclists who have been seriously injured as a result of a driver who was not following the rules of the road. If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, please consider reaching out to our office today. A free consultation can be scheduled to help you better approach your case and achieve a fair result. When you need diligent, intentional, and focused legal help, contact Anthony C. Gagliano, III, Esquire, P.C., today for a free consultation.