And Can I Still Seek Compensation? What Is a ‘No-Contact’ Motorcycle Accident?
3 OLDEST ROOKIES IN SPORTS HISTORY The Rookie
Have you ever felt that fate meant for you to take a different path than the one you took? In some fields, making that change is possible, or even common — as any law student can tell you, where the “average” age of students is in their 30s. But other worlds, like the world of professional sports, are less welcoming to those over 25.
Which only makes for a better story when it does happen, of course.
That’s what Jim Morris discovered when he signed with a Major League Baseball team in 1999 after his 35th birthday. Morris’ life became the subject of the 2002 Dennis Quaid movie “The Rookie,” filmed just after Morris’ major league career had ended. You might think that two years is a short time in the majors, but hey, you try throwing 98-mph fastballs for hours a week, 104 weeks in a row! Besides, the careers of pro athletes aren’t nearly as long as icons like Tom Brady or Peyton Manning would have you believe. The average MLB career may be a few years longer than Morris stuck it out, but in the NFL? Most players make it less than three years and quit, depending on the position. While you’re meditating on the ethics of chewing up football players for three years and spitting them out, all in the name of entertainment, consider the case of another similar story that was turned into a movie, that of Vince Papale — played by Mark Wahlberg in “Invincible.” Of course, Papale — whose flag football prowess in his late 20s overrode his lack of college ball experience — signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1970s. Modern football has come a long way, critics will argue. But there’s no denying the old-school toughness and tenacity Papale showed in making it to the NFL. NBA player Pablo Prigioni’s career was twice as long as either Morris’ or Papale’s was, with four years in the big leagues starting in 2012 at age 35. But basketball is arguably less demanding on the body than football and even baseball if we look at the potential damage major league pitchers can do to their throwing arm. Their careers may not have been the stuff of dreams, but these three men showed something we all like to see: tough players hanging on long past their “prime.” And they lived the dream — if only for a while. We all love that!
Careening down the road on a motorcycle might make you feel free and alive. Sharing the road with cars and trucks? Not so much. Sometimes, a car or truck behaves erratically in such a way that, without ever making contact, causes a motorcycle to swerve and crash. This is what’s known as a “no-contact crash,” and they’re all too common. If you’re a motorcyclist and you get into a no-contact crash, you might think your options for seeking compensation are limited, if any exist at all. After all, the at-fault driver didn’t leave any evidence that they caused the crash. If the driver doesn’t notice they caused an accident and they keep driving, you think you’ll never be able to seek compensation from them and their insurance provider and, therefore, get no compensation at all. Luckily, this isn’t true. After you find yourself in a no-contact crash, if you’re physically able to do so, the first thing you need to do is call the police. When they arrive, describe in detail exactly what happened and anything you remember about the vehicle that caused you to crash. Then, again, if you’re physically able, find anyone who saw the crash and ask if they would be willing to stick around and give a statement to the police. Independent witnesses who can corroborate your story will go a long way in building your case. If from the details you remembered about the vehicle, plus any details witnesses were able to confirm, you’re able to identify who caused the accident, that’s great. It means you’ll be able to file a suit against them and their insurance company for damages. However, even if you’re not able to identify the driver, you can still file a claim for compensation from your own insurance provider through your uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. This is a little trickier, but it is still possible — especially with the right help. If you have any questions, or you know someone seeking compensation following a no-contact motorcycle accident, call Shuttlesworth Law Firm today at (205) 322-1411 to get the experts on your side.
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