Morrin Law Office
Lexington Motorcycle Accident Attorney
If you were hurt in a motorcycle crash due to another driver’s negligence, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries. You may be able to file a claim or lawsuit for your damages against both the driver and their insurance carrier. The Morrin Law Office has a Lexington motorcycle accident attorney with a history of satisfied clients. We can work on your behalf to help you recover money to pay for your medical expenses and other losses.
What Kinds of Damages Can I Recover?
Depending on the details of your Lexington accident, you may be able to seek both economic and non-economic compensation for your damages.
Economic Damages
Motorcycle accident injuries may require significant medical procedures. These can be very expensive, straining you financially. You may even deal with permanent disability for the rest of your life.
If your injuries and medical bills were caused by a negligent driver, you could have the legal right to seek financial compensation. You could recover the costs of past, present, and future medical treatments such as surgeries, physical therapy, medications, hospitalizations, and more.
Economic damages could also cover your lost wages as you recover from your injuries as well as future earnings you may lose if you are unable to return to work.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages refer to those damages that affect your quality of life. The most common economic damages are for pain and suffering.
While some states have placed limits on non-economic damages, Kentucky is not one of them. This means there is no cap on your potential payout for pain and suffering and other intangible damages.
An Attorney Can Help Guide You Through Kentucky’s “No-Fault” Insurance Laws
The state of <a heft=”https://insurance.ky.gov/ppc/newstatic_info.aspx?static_id=24″ target=”_blank”>Kentucky is a “no-fault” state</a>, meaning your insurance carrier is responsible for some of your compensation for medical treatment and emergency medical bills, regardless of who was at fault. This ensures anyone injured in an accident can obtain the medical treatment they need. If you are insuring a car then the insurance company must provide this coverage known as PIP, but if you are purchasing insurance for a motorcycle you must tell the insurance company you want this type of coverage as they are not required to issue it for motorcycles.
If the other driver caused your accident and you have no-fault insurance coverage, you are still be able to file an insurance claim against the negligent driver, however. You may do so if you meet either of the following criteria:
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- Your medical expenses stemming from the accident are greater than $1,000; or
- You suffered permanent disfigurement or are permanently disabled as a result of the
accident.
Drivers in Lexington and the surrounding areas of Kentucky also have the option of rejecting this no-fault insurance and paying higher premiums. We do not encourage drivers to reject the no-fault statute as it is the preferred route for recovery
If you have questions about Kentucky’s no-fault laws and how they apply to your situation, a Lexington motorcycle accident attorney from our office can help. We can help you file a claim or lawsuit with all applicable liable insurance policies. Not everyone knows that the UIM policy from their truck that wasn’t involved in the accident can apply to compensate them after an accident on their motorcycle, or that the UIM policy from the vehicle their spouse or parent drives can be applicable and be used to compensate them even though the vehicle the UIM policy applies to was not involved in the accident.
Seeking Financial Compensation for Your Damages
If you are eligible to do so, you may choose to file a claim against the negligent party responsible for your accident. If your claim is successful, it may be settled via an out-of-court settlement. We focus on resolving the claims of our clients without ever filing a lawsuit. It is better for our client’s health, bank account, and helps us to obtain favorable results in a matter of months instead of years as litigation usually causes. However, the other driver’s insurance company will likely offer you a settlement much lower than your case’s true worth, telling you that you may miss out if you do not accept their offer.
If the two sides cannot come to an agreement, a lawyer from our office may take your case to trial. In a trial, there is no guaranteed outcome. However, you could be able to seek the fair compensation you deserve when our lawyer presents the facts of your case before a jury. Usually our team is able to obtain a favorable result without a jury trial.
The Dangers of Lexington Motorcycle Accidents
Many people drive motorcycles because of the thrill they feel when riding them. Others buy motorcycles because of the fuel economy. However, none of these positives matter when another driver is careless or reckless on the road and causes motorcyclists injury. Because motorcycle riders and passengers have little to no head protection, they are much more likely to have catastrophic injuries during a crash.
Kentucky Motorcycle Accidents in 2020
According to a report released by Kentucky Transportation Center, 2020 saw 1,411 motorcycle accidents in Kentucky, nearly 1% of the total accidents in the state for that year. Of those accidents, 85 were fatal—representing more than 7% of the fatal accident total for Kentucky in 2020.
This shows that motorcyclists are disproportionately more likely to be involved in serious or fatal accidents.
What Causes Lexington Motorcycle Accidents?
According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA), most motorcycle accidents are due to other drivers not seeing the motorcyclist before the crash.
The NHTSA recommends that motorcyclists drive defensively and use reflective materials to increase their visibility. However, vehicle drivers are also responsible for adequately surveilling intersections and their surroundings on the roads.
Dangers of Distracted Driving
More passenger vehicle drivers than ever are distracted on the roads. Their negligence may cause them to ignore or miss seeing a motorcycle. Especially with the widespread use of cell phones, drivers are often talking on the phone or texting while driving which is incredibly dangerous to other drivers on the road.
When drivers take their eyes off the road to read or send a text, they are ignoring the road for up to five seconds. That may not sound like much, but while driving 55 miles per hour, they can travel the length of a football field—during which time their eyes are on the phone, not the road. (NHTSA)
Other Causes of Motorcycle Crashes
There are many other potential causes of these accidents, including:
- Speeding
- Drowsy driving
- Impaired driving
- Unlawful driving maneuvers
- Road rage
- Improper safety in construction zones
Many other forms of driver negligence could have caused your crash. Our attorney can pinpoint your accident’s cause and collect and preserve strong evidence to make your case to protect your rights so you may make a full recovery.
Common Lexington Motorcycle Accident Injuries
If you are a motorcyclist hurt during a crash with a passenger vehicle, you can be injured in several ways. You could be struck by flying debris stemming from the crash. You could be thrown from your motorcycle and become injured from the impact of landing. You may also suffer various injuries, including:
- Bone fractures or breaks
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Contusions
- Spinal cord paralysis
- Shoulder injuries
- Neck injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
- Infections from road-rash scrapes, bruises, or abrasions
- Amputations (hands, feet, legs)
You could be facing other injuries beyond those listed here. No matter how you were harmed, a lawyer from our office can help you demonstrate all the ways you suffered losses and seek fair compensation.
Our Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Lexington Can Help You
The Morrin Law Office can represent you in your legal quest for justice. Our Lexington personal injury attorneys can file the required paperwork for your claim or lawsuit. We can negotiate with the other party’s attorneys and insurance adjusters. We can also represent you in court if your case goes to trial.
We can take the burden of the medical, insurance, and legal processes off your shoulders and allow you to concentrate on your recovery. Call us at 859-358-0300 today for your case evaluation to begin your recovery to your best life.