Motorcycle Accident Closes I-4 for Several Hours

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on March 7, 2011

A horrific motorcycle accident closed the westbound lanes of Interstate 4 for nearly three hours recently near Maitland. Maitland Police say that there was traffic backup from the intersection with State Road 436 in Altamonte Springs to well past the intersection with Lake Mary Boulevard. Details about the crash were still unknown, but Maitland Police say the accident began when the rider collided with a car. The impact threw the rider an undisclosed distance, and he was unresponsive when paramedics arrived at the scene. He was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center where he was listed in critical condition.

Although details of the crash have not yet been released, in the majority of cases where a motorcyclist collides with a car, the driver pulls directly into the rider’s path, giving him or her no time to react and nowhere to go to avoid the collision. Making matters worse, motorcycle accidents in our state are increasing each year, and Florida currently leads the country in the amount of people injured and killed in motorcycle accidents. The number of riders killed in motorcycle accidents has climbed from 158 in 1998 to more than 500 in 2006 and again in 2007, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

At least 537 riders died in Florida motorcycle accidents in 2007, a truly grim statistic that illustrates the risks that riders in our state face every day. In the U.S., riders are 35 times more likely than occupants of passenger cars are to die from injuries suffered in an accident. Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham encourages all riders, regardless of experience, to visit www.flbikers.com for information on Florida motorcycle licensing and rider safety.

Have you been injured in a Florida motorcycle accident? If so, you may be able to seek damages to help pay medical bills and other costs. For information about your rights and legal options, call Orlando personal injury attorney James O. Cunningham today, and schedule a free consultation to discuss your case. He has been helping injured riders and their families get the fair and just compensation they deserve since 1977, and he has a proven record of success. To schedule your consultation, fill out the contact form for a fast reply or call 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000.

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.