How Our North Myrtle Beach Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Can Help
An insurance claim involves more than submitting hospital bills. Fault, coverage, future treatment, and the effects on your working life can all become disputed.
Our work can include:
Gathering collision records, photographs, and witness accounts.
Seeking available surveillance or dashcam footage.
Reviewing liability and applicable insurance policies.
Documenting medical expenses and income losses.
Evaluating settlement offers and preparing for litigation when appropriate.
Working with a North Myrtle Beach motorcycle accident lawyer gives you someone to address these issues while you focus on your recovery.
Meet Robert Sansbury
Attorney Robert Sansbury is a Myrtle Beach native with experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants. His background includes insurance defense work and service as a judicial law clerk to Judge Roger M. Young.
His credentials include:
- A Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law, earned in 2008.
- A Clemson University bachelor's degree, earned cum laude in 2005.
- Admission to South Carolina state and federal courts and the Fourth Circuit.
- Past service as president of the Horry County Bar.
- Work as co-editor of the South Carolina Deposition Practice Handbook.
That background helps inform how he evaluates disputed liability, insurance arguments, and evidence. Choosing a North Myrtle Beach motorcycle accident lawyer also means choosing someone you feel comfortable asking questions.
Common Motorcycle Accident Causes in North Myrtle Beach
Traffic along Highway 17 and streets connecting Cherry Grove, Ocean Drive, Crescent Beach, and Windy Hill can involve frequent turns and changing traffic conditions. A collision investigation should establish what actually happened rather than assume either driver was responsible.
Left Turns and Failure to Yield
A driver may turn across a motorcycle's path while entering a business or crossing an intersection. Witness accounts, sightlines, and video can help establish whether the rider had the right of way.
Research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety identifies another vehicle turning left across an oncoming motorcycle as a significant fatal crash pattern nationwide.
Unsafe Lane Changes and Distracted Driving
Drivers who fail to check mirrors or blind spots can move directly into a rider's lane. Phone use and other distractions may also prevent drivers from noticing stopped traffic.
Speeding, Impairment, and Road Hazards
Excessive speed, alcohol impairment, loose debris, and damaged pavement can contribute to crashes. Some cases involve several contributing factors. A North Myrtle Beach motorcycle accident lawyer can assess whether the evidence supports a claim against a driver or another responsible party.
Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries
Motorcycle injuries can affect your ability to work, care for family, or manage ordinary routines. Depending on the collision, injuries may include:
Medical records help connect injuries to the crash and explain treatment needs. When recovery is ongoing, a North Myrtle Beach motorcycle accident lawyer can help gather documentation of anticipated care rather than evaluate the claim using current bills alone.
What Compensation Can You Recover After a Motorcycle Accident?
You may be able to recover compensation for financial losses and the personal effects of your injuries when another party is legally responsible.
Medical Bills and Future Care
Recoverable damages may include ambulance transportation, hospital treatment, surgery, medication, rehabilitation, and reasonably supported future care. Serious injuries may also require mobility equipment or home modifications.
Lost Income and Reduced Earning Capacity
Time away from work can mean lost wages, missed overtime, or interrupted self-employment income. Lasting restrictions may affect your future earning capacity. Employment records, tax documents, and medical opinions can help establish these losses.
Pain, Suffering, and Changes to Daily Life
Physical pain, emotional distress, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life may also be compensable. These losses require evidence even though they do not arrive as invoices.
Property Damage
Damage to your motorcycle, helmet, and riding equipment may be part of the available recovery.
A North Myrtle Beach motorcycle accident lawyer can explain which damages fit your circumstances. Recovery depends on evidence, liability, coverage, and other case-specific factors.
How Do You Prove a Motorcycle Accident Claim?
A negligence claim generally requires proof that someone owed you a duty of care, breached that duty, and caused injuries and resulting losses.
Useful evidence can include:
- 1Photographs of vehicle damage and the collision scene.
- 2Witness names and contact information.
- 3Video showing vehicle movements.
- 4Medical records connecting treatment to the crash.
- 5Wage records and documentation of daily limitations.
A police investigation can provide useful leads, but an officer's initial assessment does not resolve every civil liability question. Your North Myrtle Beach motorcycle accident lawyer can investigate disputed details and evaluate the evidence available for your claim.
Examples of Motorcycle Accident Claims
A Published Sansbury Law Firm Result
Our published case results include a $2.1 million result involving a motorcycle accident with serious injuries and death.
That listing does not provide enough detail to describe the collision, allocation of fault, or individual recoveries. A result obtained for one client does not indicate that a similar result can be obtained for another.
A Hypothetical Left-Turn Collision
Suppose a driver turns across a rider's path on Highway 17. The rider suffers a leg fracture and misses several months of work. Video, witness accounts, medical records, and employment documentation could help establish liability and damages.
This is an illustration, not a Sansbury Law Firm case. A North Myrtle Beach motorcycle accident lawyer would evaluate the actual evidence before advising the rider about recovery.
What Should You Do After a Motorcycle Crash?
Your immediate safety comes first. When possible:
1
Call 911. Request police and emergency assistance.
2
Obtain medical evaluation. Describe your symptoms accurately.
3
Preserve evidence safely. Photograph damage and collect witness details if your condition allows.
4
Keep damaged equipment. Preserve your helmet, clothing, and motorcycle before repairs or disposal.
5
Notify your insurer promptly. Follow policy requirements and provide accurate information.
6
Review documents before signing. A settlement release may end your ability to seek additional compensation.
Speak with a North Myrtle Beach motorcycle accident lawyer before accepting an offer that may overlook future treatment or income losses.
Frequently Asked Questions About Motorcycle Accident Claims
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit?
South Carolina generally allows three years for personal injury lawsuits under Section 15-3-530. Different rules or shorter deadlines can apply, including in government-related claims. Insurance notice requirements are separate.
Contact a North Myrtle Beach motorcycle accident lawyer promptly so the applicable deadlines can be checked.
Can I Recover Compensation If I Was Partly at Fault?
Possibly. South Carolina generally allows recovery when your negligence does not exceed the negligence legally compared against yours. Your damages are reduced by your share of fault. In an ordinary two-party negligence case, being more than 50 percent responsible generally bars recovery.
Disputed percentages and cases involving multiple parties require careful legal analysis.
What If the Driver Has Insufficient Insurance?
Your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage may provide a recovery option, depending on your policy and the circumstances. A North Myrtle Beach motorcycle accident lawyer can review potential coverage sources and applicable requirements.
Will My North Myrtle Beach Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Take My Case to Trial?
Some claims settle through negotiation. Others require a lawsuit and may proceed to trial. The appropriate approach depends on disputed facts, available evidence, and whether a reasonable resolution is possible.
What If I Live Outside South Carolina?
You can still seek advice about a collision that happened in North Myrtle Beach. Preserve your records and discuss how ongoing treatment near home may affect documentation and case preparation.
Talk With Sansbury Law Firm About Your Recovery
You do not have to understand every insurance provision before asking for help. Bring your collision information, medical records, and insurance correspondence, even if your paperwork is incomplete.
If you need a personal injury lawyer in North Myrtle Beach, our Myrtle Beach office serves injured people across the Grand Strand. We can discuss your circumstances and explain potential next steps.
Contact a North Myrtle Beach motorcycle accident lawyer at Sansbury Law Firm.
Past results do not indicate future outcomes. Contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship. For contingency matters, clients remain responsible for expenses in addition to attorney fees; the percentage is calculated before expenses are deducted.