By current estimates there are over four million motorcycles registered in the United States. In decades past, bikers were considered the rebels of society and were to be feared and even avoided. Now, bikers come in all shapes and sizes and from all walks of life. Motorcycle enthusiasts are women and men, teenagers and retirees. Some choose to ride for economical reasons – you can purchase a basic motorcycle relatively cheap and the gas mileage is incredible – while others can spend as much on a bike as on a luxury car. Some people enjoy the freedom of riding alone while others prefer to ride in groups. Motorcycle groups or clubs are hardly the "gangs" of the 70's anymore. Many motorcycle clubs boast doctors, lawyers and a variety of other professionals that simply love the freedom of the road and the camaraderie that comes with riding together. Despite all these changes, riding a motorcycle is still more dangerous than operating a passenger vehicle.

Over the past few decades, both the government and private motorcycle enthusiast groups have launched massive campaigns to educate people about the presence of bikers on the road and the need to be aware of their presence. Most of us have seen the famous "Be aware, motorcycles are everywhere" bumper sticker. Groups like ABATE (American Bikers Aimed Toward Education) have been at the forefront of the attempt to educate both riders and the public of motorcycle safety. All 50 states and the District of Columbia now require riders to obtain a motorcycle endorsement on their driver license before they can legally ride. Obtaining your endorsement generally requires a motorcycle safety class and test. All of these efforts have arguably made bikers better riders, but they are still involved in a disproportionate number of accidents. For the year 2008, there were almost 5.000 people killed in motorcycle accidents and thousands more injured – some seriously. Statistics tell us that when a motorcycle is involved in an accident with another vehicle, the other vehicle is at fault, or negligent, almost two-thirds of the time. It is clear that the general public has yet to learn to watch for motorcycles on the road.

If you have been involved in a motorcycle accident you may be entitled to file a personal injury lawsuit against the other driver that was involved. If you feel that the other driver was the cause, or the primary cause of the accident, then they may have been negligent and you may be entitled to compensation for any injuries or damages that you suffered. Likewise, if you have lost a loved one due to a motorcycle accident and you believe that another driver was responsible, you may be entitled to file as a claimant in a wrongful death claim. In a wrongful death claim, you may receive compensation for the loss of support that you would have received from the decedent.

The attorneys at The Law Offices of Ledger and Associates has been fighting for the rights of motorcyclists successfully for many years. If you would like a free and confidential consultation, please contact him at his office 1-800-300-0001 or online at .