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In North Carolina, according to law everyone who rides a motorcycle, whether operator or passenger, has to be wearing a helmet that meets safety standards. Going without a helmet could open you up to a $25.00 fine for this infraction, or it could even cause you to lose out on thousands of dollars in compensation if you are injured in a motorcycle accident.

Of course, it is also possible that helmet laws might have nothing to do with your accident claim at all. Read on to learn how helmet laws can affect your claim, before calling a scheduling a consultation with a Raleigh motorcycle injury lawyer.

How a Helmet Can Impact Your Case

If you are in an injurious motorcycle accident, but you did not sustain head or neck injuries, then it might not really matter whether or not you were wearing a helmet at the time. However, if you were wearing a helmet, you should write that fact down on your claim. This would help show you to be a responsible rider, bolstering your claim.

If you did sustain neck or head injuries, and were wearing a helmet, then this would be a crucial fact in your claim. It would show just how negligent the other motorist was, as well as how serious the accident was, that despite your responsible actions you were seriously injured.

What If You Were Not Wearing a Helmet?

Then you might lose out on compensation—all of it. While in other states, you might still be able to collect compensation for other damages, such as for other injuries, in North Carolina, there is contributory negligence. That means if you can be considered negligent in the accident or responsible for your injuries at all, you can be disqualified from collecting one cent of compensation.

Helmet Laws in North Carolina

Now following helmet laws could not only preserve your rights to full compensation, but it can also keep you safer. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has said that for every 100 motorcyclists not wearing a helmet who were killed in an accident, about 37 lives would have been saved by a helmet. Then there are numerous studies establishing how helmets can reduce injuries as well. The upshot of taking safety precautions is that you can also preserve your right to be covered for medical bills, lost wages, and more should you ever find yourself in a motorcycle accident.

If you have sustained injuries in a motorcycle accident, learn about your rights to compensation when you contact the Whitley Law Firm. You can also find out how an experienced Raleigh personal injury lawyer can help you uphold those rights. Our legal team has decades of experience helping the injured to collect the full compensation that they truly deserve. You can get started on your case when you fill out a free case evaluation today!