Not all motorcycle accidents involve other vehicles. Single-vehicle crashes - where only the motorcycle is involved - account for a significant percentage of motorcycle fatalities. While these accidents may seem to preclude legal claims, compensation may still be available from various sources.
Common Causes of Single-Vehicle Crashes
Road hazards cause many single-vehicle motorcycle crashes. Potholes, debris, uneven pavement, loose gravel, and oil slicks that cars easily handle can cause motorcycles to lose control.
Defective motorcycle components including tires, brakes, steering, and suspension can fail unexpectedly, causing crashes without other vehicles involved. Manufacturing or design defects create product liability claims.
Animals crossing roads force sudden maneuvers or direct impacts. Wildlife collisions occur frequently on rural roads, and even urban areas have animal-related accidents.
Weather conditions - rain, ice, leaves, or sand - reduce traction. While riders bear some responsibility for adjusting to conditions, sudden changes can cause unavoidable accidents.
Third-Party Liability in Single-Vehicle Crashes
When road hazards cause crashes, government entities responsible for road maintenance may be liable. States, counties, and municipalities have duties to maintain reasonably safe roads and warn of known hazards.
Property owners whose negligence creates road hazards - spreading gravel from driveways, allowing irrigation to create ice, or debris from construction - may be liable.
Construction companies creating hazards through improper traffic control, unmarked lane changes, loose materials, or unprotected work zones face liability for resulting accidents.
Product Liability Claims
When motorcycle defects cause crashes, manufacturers bear strict liability. You don't need to prove negligence - only that a defect existed and caused your injuries.
Common defective components include tires (tread separation, blowouts), brakes (failures, grabbing), steering components (wobble, sudden loss of control), and fuel systems (fires, leaks).
Preserve the motorcycle as evidence. Don't allow repairs or destruction before expert examination. Your attorney can arrange proper evidence preservation and expert analysis.
Pursuing Road Hazard Claims
Claims against government entities require following strict procedural requirements. Notice of claim must typically be filed within 30-180 days of the accident, depending on jurisdiction.
You must prove the government knew or should have known about the hazard. Prior complaints, work orders, and inspection records establish notice. Long-existing, obvious defects create constructive notice.
Document and photograph the hazard immediately. Governments often repair dangerous conditions after accidents - returning quickly preserves evidence.
Insurance Coverage Options
Your own motorcycle insurance may cover single-vehicle accidents. Collision coverage pays for motorcycle damage regardless of fault, minus your deductible.
Medical payments coverage (MedPay) covers your medical expenses regardless of fault. This coverage provides immediate benefits while investigating liability claims.
If a third party is identified as liable, their insurance provides additional recovery beyond your own policy benefits.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage
Some single-vehicle crashes actually involve phantom vehicles - drivers who caused the accident but didn't stop or make contact. If another vehicle ran you off the road, UM coverage may apply.
UM claims for phantom vehicles require evidence the other vehicle existed. Witness testimony, physical evidence like paint transfer, or debris from the other vehicle supports these claims.
Coverage requirements vary by state - some require physical contact while others cover no-contact accidents with sufficient proof.
When No Third Party Is Liable
Sometimes single-vehicle crashes result purely from rider error - misjudging a curve, excessive speed, or loss of attention. In these cases, third-party liability claims aren't available.
Your own insurance remains the primary recovery source. Collision coverage repairs or replaces your motorcycle. MedPay and health insurance cover medical expenses.
If you have disability insurance, it provides income replacement during recovery from injuries regardless of fault.
Investigating Single-Vehicle Crashes
Thorough investigation often reveals third-party liability not initially apparent. Road hazards, defective components, and contributing factors by others require investigation to identify.
Accident reconstruction experts analyze physical evidence to determine what caused the crash. Their findings may identify liable parties you didn't initially suspect.
Don't assume no recovery is possible without investigation. Consult an attorney who can evaluate potential claims before accepting that you have no case.
Steps After a Single-Vehicle Crash
Seek medical attention immediately. Document your injuries from the accident date to establish causation.
Report the accident to police. The report documents road conditions, weather, and other factors that may support liability claims against third parties.
Photograph the accident scene, road conditions, and your motorcycle before repairs. Preserve all evidence that might identify third-party liability.
File claims with your own insurance promptly. Consult a motorcycle accident attorney to investigate whether third-party claims exist before accepting that your insurance is the only recovery source.