Both of the occupants of the motorcycle were seriously injured and were taken to UPMC-Hamot. The motorcycle driver suffered a serious head injury as a result of the bike crash. The passenger is in serious condition with a leg injury.
The driver of the van was apparently attempting a left turn onto the I-90 ramp and failed to see or yield to the motorcycle. The Pennsylvania van/motorcycle wreck caused severe damage to both the van and the motorcycles involved.
In addition to the two occupants of the motorcycle, the driver of the van, his wife and their twin 6-year-old sons were all injured and received treatment for their Pennsylvania accident injuries at UPMC-Hamot.* Early indicators suggest that the people in the van did not suffer life-threatening injuries in the Erie County crash.
First responders at the scene included Pennsylvania State Police; West County Paramedics and the Fairview Volunteer Fire Department.
Our hopes and prayers are with the two injured motorcyclists still at Hamot.
Legal Rights and Responsibilities
It can be difficult, sometimes, to sort out the respective rights and liabilities that attach when there is a motorcycle accident but the early reports in this case strongly suggest that the driver of the van was at fault. If true, then everyone injured in the accident, except perhaps the driver of the van, will have claims to make against both the insurance company who insured the van’s driver and any insurance company who provided uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage to the people injured. However, determining the precise coverage available and how to allocate the available coverage among all those harmed will almost certainly require a detailed legal analysis of both facts of the Erie motorcycle collision and the particular coverage provided by each Pennsylvania motor vehicle insurance policy.
We Want to Help
If you or someone you love has been injured in a Pennsylvania motorcycle accident, we can help. Our experienced Erie injury lawyers understand how an injury can disrupt a family with the stress of recovery, the cost of medical bills and the loss of earning power and potential. In the difficult aftermath of an Erie County motorcycle accident, we understand that the survivors can be overwhelmed by their problems, as well as the fear and uncertainty of the injury process. We want to help. We’ll investigate the case when you can’t and we’ll help you obtain compensation and resources to pay medical costs, replace lost wages and make up for losses for which there are no other remedies.
For a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our Pennsylvania bike accident lawyers, fill out the on-line consult form or call today. Local calls 814-273-2010. Toll free 814-273-2010.
* Purchase, George & Murphey, P.C., P.C. is a Pennsylvania injury law firm headquartered in Erie who are committed to educating the public about accidents and injuries in Erie County, Crawford County, Warren County and Venango County. Beginning August 1, 2011, Purchase, George & Murphey, P.C., P.C. has determined that names of Pennsylvania motorcycle accident victims will not be published out of respect for the victim and their family. Accident victim names may be published here in those circumstances where the victim is a public figure or the victim’s identity is important for reasons of story or message.