Motorcyclists on our Kent, Washington, roads are at a greater risk of facing serious injuries if they are involved in an accident compared to other motorists. Helmets, leather jackets, gloves and other gear can only protect a motorcyclist's body from so much harm.

Although victims of motorcycle accidents may assume that insurance companies will offer reasonable compensation for damages after a crash, the reality is that insurance companies oftentimes try to shift blame onto the victim by arguing that the motorcyclist must have been reckless, therefore contributing to the accident. When this happens, victims of motorcycle accidents may want to consider seeking legal guidance from an attorney in order to pursue and receive the compensation they deserve for their life-altering injuries.

After one victim of a motorcycle accident has been fighting for compensation ever since an accident in August 2007, the man has finally been awarded damages by a Superior Court jury. The jury concluded that due to the circumstances of the accident and the types of injuries the man sustained in the crash, the victim should be awarded $7.5 million in damages.

The lawsuit filed by the victim after the Aug. 30, 2007, accident stated that he was struck while riding his motorcycle by a shuttle van for an auto dealer in California. The lawsuit claims that the driver of the shuttle van failed to look for oncoming traffic before making a left-hand turn and had cut off the motorcyclist who had the right of way. Unable to stop, the motorcyclist hit the van and was thrown forward on his bike. The motorcyclist's pubic ramus bone was fractured and he suffered nerve and artery damage to his penis.

Since the accident, the man has undergone reconstructive surgery. However, in order for the surgery to be successful, doctors had to remove more than 1.5 inches of the man's penis. His lawyers argued that his injuries will affect his future relationships with women, his self-esteem and possibly even the man's ability to have a child with a woman.

Attorneys for the motorcyclist argued that the accident could have been prevented had the auto company hired an individual who was properly licensed and trained to operate a shuttle van. According to the lawsuit, the driver of the van that hit the motorcyclist had an expired driver's license and had never been trained to drive a large shuttle van.

Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune, "Jury awards man with penis injury $7.5 million," Greg Moran, Jan. 13, 2012