Motorcycle accidents can result in life-altering injuries and overwhelming stress.
After a motorcycle accident caused by another party’s negligence, never handle an accident claim alone. Instead, turn to a trusted and experienced New York city motorcycle accident lawyer who can manage every aspect of your case, protecting your rights and recovering the compensation you deserve.
The Rothenberg Law Firm has been helping accident victims for over 50 years, securing billions in compensation for clients across New York City, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Cherry Hill, Lakewood, Monsey, Hackensack, and beyond. Our attorneys are here to take the burden off your shoulders while you focus on recovery.
Contact an attorney as soon as possible, and never try to handle a claim on your own. A skilled motorcycle accident attorney can evaluate your claim and advise you on your rights as you pursue the maximum compensation you need to help with your injuries and losses.
New York City Motorcycle Accident Guide
- Catastrophic Injuries in Motorcycle Accidents
- Don’t Face the Insurance Companies Alone
- Motorist Responsibility Around Motorcyclists
- Statute of Limitations: Don’t Wait to Act
- How a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Can Help You
- Dealing with Multiple Defendants in Motorcycle Accident Cases
- Contact the Rothenberg Law Firm Today
Catastrophic Injuries in Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcyclists face unique risks on the road, and one of the primary reasons for this is the lack of protection compared to drivers in cars and trucks. Even the most experienced motorcyclist is vulnerable to serious injuries in a crash.
Unlike car occupants, who are shielded by the vehicle’s frame, motorcyclists do not have the luxury of airbags or seatbelts.
As a result, accidents involving motorcycles often lead to severe, life-altering injuries such as:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
- Spinal cord injuries
- Severe road rash and burns
- Broken bones and fractures
- Internal organ damage
These devastating injuries can lead to long-term medical care, loss of income, and significant emotional trauma.
A skilled motorcycle accident lawyer will understand the full scope of your injuries and fight to ensure you receive full and fair compensation for your suffering, medical bills, and any future expenses you may incur.
Don’t Face the Insurance Companies Alone
A particularly critical reason to hire a motorcycle accident lawyer is the complexity of dealing with insurance companies. Insurance adjusters are trained to minimize payouts, often offering settlements far below what victims truly deserve.
Without legal representation, you may accept a settlement that doesn’t cover all your medical expenses or fails to account for future care and lost wages.
After consulting an attorney, you may report the accident to the insurance company. However, handling this process alone can lead to missed compensation opportunities or even jeopardize your claim.
A motorcycle accident lawyer will:
- Handle all communications with the insurance company on your behalf.
- Ensure that the insurance company follows all legal requirements and timelines.
- Negotiate aggressively to secure the maximum settlement possible.
- If necessary, prepare your case for trial and fight for your rights in court.
Your attorney will handle every step of the insurance process, ensuring you are not taken advantage of during an already difficult time. You can focus on your recovery while your lawyer fights for the compensation you deserve.
Motorist Responsibility Around Motorcyclists
A large percentage of motorcycle accidents occur because other drivers on the road fail to exercise proper care around motorcyclists. Unfortunately, motorcyclists often face unfair biases, with other drivers assuming they are reckless or overly aggressive.
Motorists who fail to check their blind spots, follow too closely, or otherwise drive carelessly cause most motorcycle accidents.
Common motorist behaviors that lead to motorcycle accidents include:
- Failure to yield: Many accidents happen when a car turns left in front of an oncoming motorcycle or when a driver does not yield at an intersection.
- Blind spot collisions: Motorcycles are smaller than cars, making them harder to see. Drivers who fail to properly check their blind spots before changing lanes can cause devastating accidents.
- Tailgating: Following too closely behind a motorcyclist significantly increases the risk of rear-end collisions, which can eject the rider from the motorcycle.
- Unsafe lane changes: Failing to signal or quickly changing lanes without looking for motorcyclists can lead to collisions.
Drivers must share the road and exercise caution around motorcyclists. When they fail to do so, and an accident occurs, a personal injury lawyer with experience handling motorcycle accident claims will build a case that highlights this negligence.
The Rothenberg Law Firm is committed to holding negligent drivers accountable for their actions and securing justice for motorcycle accident victims.
Statute of Limitations: Don’t Wait to Act
After a motorcycle accident, act quickly. Each state imposes a statute of limitations, the legal deadline by which you must file a personal injury claim.
In New York, for example, the statute of limitations for personal injury cases, including motorcycle accidents, is generally three years from the accident date. However, this timeline can vary depending on the specifics of your case, and waiting too long to file could mean losing your right to compensation.
Your personal injury attorney will ensure all necessary paperwork is filed on time and your case moves forward within the appropriate legal timeframe. Don’t risk missing the window to pursue justice; contact an attorney as soon as possible to discuss your legal options.
How a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Can Help You
The time after a motorcycle accident is incredibly challenging, but a dedicated motorcycle accident attorney can guide you through the legal process and fight for the compensation you need to rebuild your life.
Here are several ways a lawyer can assist you:
- Investigating the Accident: Your attorney will thoroughly investigate the accident. This includes gathering evidence such as police reports, witness statements, and available surveillance footage to build a strong case.
- Proving Negligence: Your lawyer will work to demonstrate that the other driver’s negligence directly caused your injuries. They will collect and present evidence supporting your claim, ensuring the focus remains on the responsible party’s actions.
- Assessing Damages: A lawyer will calculate the full extent of your damages, including medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and any ongoing care or rehabilitation costs. They will fight for compensation that reflects the true impact the accident has had on your life.
- Negotiating a Settlement or Going to Court: Most motorcycle accident cases are settled out of court. However, your attorney will ensure that any settlement offer is fair and in line with the compensation you deserve. If the insurance company refuses to offer a reasonable amount, your lawyer can take the case to trial.
- Providing Peace of Mind: Perhaps most importantly, a motorcycle accident lawyer takes the burden of legal and insurance complexities off your shoulders, allowing you to focus on your recovery. Knowing that a skilled attorney is handling your case can bring you peace of mind during a difficult and stressful time.
Dealing with Multiple Defendants in Motorcycle Accident Cases
Motorcycle accidents can often involve more than just two parties. In cases where a motorcyclist is in an accident with a commercial truck, rideshare vehicle, or multiple other vehicles, the legal and financial stakes increase, and determining liability grows more challenging.
When an accident involves several vehicles or parties, several drivers may share liability for motorcycle accidents, including:
Commercial Truck Drivers and Trucking Companies
Due to their size and weight, commercial trucks pose a significant danger to motorcyclists. In such cases, both the truck driver and the trucking company may be held liable.
For instance, if a truck driver broke the speed limit or failed to check their blind spot before changing lanes, they could be found negligent. You can hold the trucking company accountable if it fails to properly maintain the vehicle or violates safety regulations.
An experienced truck accident lawyer understands the state and federal regulations that govern the trucking industry. Our team can manage these complicated claims to determine liability and protect your rights.
Due to the rise of services like Uber and Lyft, rideshare drivers are increasingly involved in accidents. In a motorcycle accident involving a ride-sharing vehicle, liability can extend beyond the individual driver to the ridesharing company. These companies often carry insurance policies specifically for accidents that occur while a driver is on duty, which can provide additional avenues for compensation.
Other Drivers on the Road
In multi-vehicle accidents, more than one driver may have contributed to the collision. For example, one vehicle might have cut off the motorcyclist while another rear-ended them.
A lawyer must carefully examine each driver’s actions to determine their degree of responsibility. In these situations, a thorough investigation must identify every party liable for the accident.
After a multi-party motorcycle accident, we will work tirelessly to hold all responsible parties accountable and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Challenges of Multi-Defendant Motorcycle Accident Cases
Cases involving multiple defendants present unique challenges, as each defendant will likely have their own insurance company and legal representation. This can lead to conflicting accounts of the accident, with each defendant attempting to shift blame onto the other parties or even onto the motorcyclist.
Some of the key challenges that arise in multi-defendant motorcycle accident cases include:
- Determining the proportion of liability: In a multi-party accident, each defendant may bear responsility for a different percentage of the total damages. Determining each defendant’s share of the blame requires a detailed examination of the facts and often involves expert testimony from accident reconstruction specialists.
- Handling complex insurance policies: When multiple defendants are involved, each one may have a separate insurance policy. In the case of commercial truck accidents, for instance, there may be several different policies covering the driver, the trucking company, and even third-party contractors responsible for vehicle maintenance. Rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft also carry unique insurance policies that apply only during certain times when the driver is on the app.
- Dealing with conflicting defense strategies: Each defendant and their insurance company will have their own defense strategy, and these strategies often conflict with one another. One defendant may try to claim that another party bears most the responsibility, leading to a drawn-out legal battle. Having a strong legal team on your side to counter these strategies and present a unified, compelling case is crucial.
- Proving negligence across multiple defendants: Your legal team needs to be prepared to handle the intricacies of each defendant’s role in the accident.
Multiple defendants mean multiple sources of potential compensation, but it also means that the case requires a higher level of investigation, strategy, and legal skill.
At The Rothenberg Law Firm, we have represented victims of serious motorcycle accidents for over 50 years. Our team has the resources and expertise to handle cases involving multiple defendants, ensuring that no potential source of recovery is overlooked.
Contact the Rothenberg Law Firm Today
If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident caused by a negligent driver, contact our skilled team of motorcycle accident attorneys today. The Rothenberg Law Firm has secured billions in compensation for our clients. We are dedicated to providing compassionate legal representation and fighting tirelessly for the justice you deserve.
Remember, you have limited time to file a claim, so contact an experienced attorney as soon as possible. Our New York City personal injury attorneys will handle every aspect of your case, from investigating the accident to negotiating with insurance companies and, if necessary, representing you in court.
Contact the Rothenberg Law Firm today to schedule a free consultation. Let us fight for your rights and secure the compensation you need to move forward with your life. Call our office at 800-624-8888 or contact us online right now.
