Archive for the ‘Motorcycle Accident’ Category

Utah Drunk Driver Hits and Kills Motorcyclist

Tuesday, August 11th, 2009

A suspected drunk driver hit and killed a California man after hitting his motorcycle on Saturday, August 8th, 2009. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that 53 year-old, Leland Lloyd, was riding south on Greensprings Drive in Washington City, Utah. At around 9:15 a.m., a green Ford Explorer that was traveling northbound made a left-hand turn in front of Lloyd. Lloyd’s motorcycle and the Explorer collided head-on. Lloyd was killed instantly in this Utah motorcycle accident, when his forehead hit the Explorer. Police say he was wearing a helmet but his head made contact on a portion that was not protected.

Police have since arrested the 54-year-old driver of the Explorer, John Hanson of St. George, Utah. He was booked on suspicion of automobile homicide, driving under the influence of alcohol, driving with an open container and making an improper left turn.

This is a tragic Utah motorcycle crash. There is absolutely no excuse for drunk driving. My thoughts and prayers are with Leland Lloyd’s family as they cope with their loss.

For years I have held drunk drivers responsible for their irresponsible actions. If they make the choice to drive on our roads they should be prepared for the consequences. I advise the Lloyd family to contact an experienced personal injury attorney who can file a wrongful death claim against John Hanson’s insurance as well as make sure Hanson is held responsible for his actions.

Posted in Drunk Driving, Motorcycle Accident, Wrongful Death | No Comments »

Salt Lake City Motorcycle Accident Causes Severe Brain Injuries

Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009

Two motorcycle riders are left with severe brain injuries following a car-motorcycle accident this afternoon, February 3, 2009, in Salt Lake City, Utah. According to KSL News, a motorcycle with two riders was heading west on 1300 South in Salt Lake when the driver of a van ran a stop sign at 800 East and into the intersection. The driver of the motorcycle then crashed into the side of this van. Unfortunately, neither the male or female on the motorcycle were wearing helmets. The van driver was cited for running a stop sign.

It is sad that the motorcyclists were not wearing helmets – their injuries likely would be less severe if they had been wearing one. It’s even more sad, however, that the driver of this van failed to follow basic rules of the road and ran the stop sign. It makes you wonder what exactly it was that distracted the driver to the point that he ran the red light. Was the driver on a cell phone or text messaging? We see the red light violation, but see no violation for driving while distracted. While the motorcycle riders certainly have a claim against the driver of the van, they may also have a claim against the employer of the van driver – if the van driver was “on the clock” at the time of this Utah motorcycle accident.

Finally, brain injuries can be devastating to those who receive them, as well as to their family and friends. Unfortunately, medical science has not discovered a way to repair the brain once it has been injured. Brain injury victims will usually recover up to a year, year and a half following their injury and will level off after this, at which point, the residual effects are said to usually be permanent. The Utah Brain Injury Association will be a good resource to these victims and their families as they seek to deal with the effects of this crash. I wish them the very best.

Published by: Ron Kramer

Posted in Brain Injury, Motorcycle Accident, Personal Injury | No Comments »

Man Dead Following a South Jordan Motorcycle Accident

Monday, December 1st, 2008

According to a story in KSL.com, a man is dead in South Jordan, Utah, after his motorcycle collided with a car near the intersection of 11800 South and 4000 West. The motorcycle accident happened around 11:30 in the morning on December 1, 2008, when a car traveling in the opposite direction turned left onto 4000 West and struck the motorcycle. Emergency crews tried to revive the man with CPR but were unsuccessful. Police say the crash is under investigation.

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

I’m not sure how much investigation they need to conduct. If the facts of this story are true, it sounds like the other driver failed to yield the right away and struck the other vehicle. Under Utah law, the driver of a vehicle making a left hand turn has the duty to make sure the coast is clear before they start their left-hand turn. Motorcycles are designed to travel with their headlight on. From this story, it sounds like the motorcycle was there to be seen and the other driver was negligent in not seeing him.

As I see it, the family of the motorcycle accident victim has a “wrongful death” claim against the person who made the left-hand turn. If that person had insurance, then they can possibly resolve the claim against that insurance company and then make a claim against the motorcyclist’s own “under-insured” auto policy. It is likely that there will insufficient insurance money to cover this preventable and tragic loss. This being the case, the family may be able to resolve the claim without getting an attorney involved.

Ron Kramer is a Utah personal injury attorney practicing in Salt Lake County, specializing in auto/motorcycle accident cases.

Published by: Ron Kramer

Posted in Motorcycle Accident, Vehicle Injury, Wrongful Death | No Comments »