New Orleans Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Discusses Bad Police Reports and Biker Prejudice
Motorcycle riders come in all ages and from all walks of life. They are male and female, doctors and construction workers, clean-cut or a little shaggy. They are also some of the safest, most responsible people on the road as well. But too often, bikers who have been injured in a motorcycle accident face prejudice and hurdles to the recovery of compensation for their injuries based on stereotypes and false presumptions. These unfair prejudices can taint jurors, many of whom may be inclined to blame bikers for their injuries notwithstanding evidence to the contrary. It can also color the perception of police officers who prepare police reports about the accident.
A biased police report based on an officer’s preconceived notions about bikers can cause serious problems for bikers in motorcycle accident lawsuits. Police reports are often important pieces of evidence in motorcycle cases, and if they are based even in part on an officer’s biases, this will put the biker at a significant disadvantage.
As an experienced New Orleans motorcycle accident attorney, Bloom Legal founder Seth Bloom is well aware of the biases and other challenges bikers face when trying to hold others accountable for their negligence. He is a biker himself and he knows how to break through anti-biker bias and get judges and jurors to allocate responsibility for injuries based on facts and evidence, not stereotypes and prejudice.
Implicit Bias Against Bikers
“Implicit Bias” is a term used by social scientists to describe the attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions in an unconscious manner. As described in a 2015 report by Ohio State University, implicit biases “cause us to have feelings and attitudes about other people based on characteristics such as race, ethnicity, age, and appearance,” and that “everyone possesses them, even people with avowed commitments to impartiality such as judges.”
In the case of bikers, implicit bias may include stereotypes of bikers as “outlaws” or criminals; irresponsible, living on the edge, and caring nothing about following safety rules or the safety of others.
How Anti-Biker Bias Effects Police Reports
Instead of thinking about the actual facts and circumstances of an accident as they prepare a police report, an officer may be thinking about “biker gangs” or previous negative encounters with bikers, even unconsciously.
These biases can make their way into police reports and negatively impact your personal injury lawsuit in many ways. For example, even if speed was not a factor in your accident, an officer may be inclined to believe the other driver’s inaccurate and unreliable claim that you were speeding. Even if a car driver’s inattentiveness or failure to see a biker was a primary cause of the accident, an officer may be more likely to say that the driver’s failure to see the motorcycle was because of the biker maneuvering recklessly.
Responsible bikers should not suffer because of a police officer’s bias. A good motorcycle accident injury lawyer will be able to identify anti-biker bias in a police report and will know how to expose and overcome it to get their client the compensation and justice they deserve.
Bloom Legal: New Orleans Motorcycle Accident Law Firm
At Bloom Legal, we respect bikers, understand the challenges they face after a serious accident, and know how to overcome unfair prejudices to obtain compensation for their injuries. With fierce advocacy and unwavering commitment to our clients’ well-being, our New Orleans motorcycle accident law firm will fight to get you what you deserve when you have been injured on your bike. Contact us today at 504-599-9997 or through our contact form to arrange for your free consultation to discuss the details of your claim.
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"Working with Bloom Legal has been one of the best decisions that I have ever made. Seth and his team are professional, fast, and dedicated. Seth is a lot more than a lawyer; he is a fighter! Seth took on my case and treated me like a person instead of a client. He made a difficult situation very easy. I am very thankful for Seth and his team!"
Posted By: Tyler Ales