While nobody wants to be involved in a road accident, if you work as an inner-city motorcycle courier, you could potentially be injured in an accident one day; in which case, you’ll want to know who’s responsible.
So, let’s explore the question in detail.
Who’s responsible?
Knowing who is responsible for a traffic accident that involves a motorcycle courier being injured isn’t an easy question to answer as it depends on multiple variables.
But in short, both the person who caused the accident and the employer of the courier could be responsible.
Regardless of whether you’re delivering packages or pizza, the law is the same.
The legal responsibility depends on factors like what the people involved in the accident were doing at the time of the incident.
Liability is also dependent on the courier’s employment status, the ownership and condition of the motorcycle, and the insurance policies that are in place.
In the majority of cases, the employer will be at least partly responsible.
If the courier was on work time and performing tasks for work purposes, the employer will be liable for the damage that was caused, under workers’ compensation; because the delivery that the courier was engaged in was part of his or her job description. Therefore, an accident on the road is the same in terms of liability as an accident in an office or warehouse.
Depending on various factors, multiple individuals and third parties could be sued for compensation by the motorcycle courier who suffered injuries as a consequence of negligence.
Employers could be responsible not just under workers’ compensation. They could also be liable due to the courier receiving a lack of training or a lack of protective equipment, as well as for not properly maintaining motorcycles.
Other drivers who were involved in the accident could also be held responsible for a courier’s injuries if they were reckless or negligent in their behavior on the road and disregarded motorcycle courier safety.
Furthermore, local authorities could be deemed responsible for a courier’s injuries if the accident involved something like poorly maintained roads.
Pedestrians can potentially be liable for an inner-city motorcycle courier’s accident, too. For instance, a pedestrian who steps out into the road could cause a motorcyclist to swerve and lose control of his or her bike.
So, ultimately, knowing who’s responsible for a motorcycle courier accident in the city depends on various factors.
Also, the negligence and resulting liability for the accident can sometimes be shared between multiple parties.
For instance, the accident could be caused by a combination of a driver acting negligently, a bike not being properly maintained by the employer, and local authorities leaving roads in bad conditions.
How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents?
Motorcycle accidents are more common than you may think.
Sadly, in the U.S. alone, more than 70,000 people are injured in motorcycle accidents every year.
Out of those, between 4,000 and 5,000 fatalities occur each year.
It’s also worth noting that motorcycle collisions are more likely to produce injuries than accidents involving other types of vehicles.
If You’re Injured in an Accident While Working as a Motorcycle Courier, Contact a Lawyer
If you’re injured in a road accident while working as a motorcycle courier, you can pursue compensation.
Though, because determining liability can be complex, make sure you get an experienced lawyer on board who can help you to navigate the legal complexities and assist you in obtaining the compensation that you’re entitled to.
You could receive compensation to cover the cost of medical bills, lost earnings, and the pain and suffering you experience as a result of the accident.
