Gilbert Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
Injured in a Motorcycle Accident in Gilbert, Arizona? Get Help Now!
Gilbert’s year-round sunny climate creates the ideal conditions for motorcyclists to enjoy the open road. Unfortunately, an enjoyable cruise down I-10 or even a quick trip across town can result in a serious motorcycle accident if another driver acts recklessly. Motorcyclists are at a greater risk of debilitating or fatal injury in a traffic accident, especially when they collide with larger vehicles like cars or trucks. To make sure you get the compensation you deserve after an accident, contact the Gilbert motorcycle accident lawyers at Lerner and Rowe today.
Due to the typical severity level of Gilbert motorcycle accident injuries, riders are often forced to seek compensation for their medical bills, lost wages, and other damages like loss of quality of life in a personal injury lawsuit.
Lerner and Rowe’s Gilbert injury attorneys will leverage their legal knowledge and years of experience to secure a fair settlement. You can reach out to us at 602-977-1900 to schedule a free consultation or complete a FREE online form today. During your free consultation, one of our motorcycle accident lawyers in Gilbert, AZ, will review your case and discuss the personal injury claims process with you.
Why You Should Choose Lerner and Rowe to Represent Your Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit
The Gilbert motorcycle accident lawyers of Lerner and Rowe are considered one of the leading personal injury law firms in Arizona, which is exactly the kind of team you want negotiating your motorcycle accident lawsuit. We have earned this reputation by treating our clients with respect, displaying a strong work ethic, and consistently recovering the compensation our clients need.
After nearly 20 years as personal injury lawyers, we have developed a high level of expertise in motorcycle accidents that makes us formidable negotiators. Our team has represented injured motorcyclists in all types of claims, like dooring accidents, T-bone accidents, and rear-end accidents.
We are dedicated to pursuing settlements that provide the compensation our clients need to move forward with their lives. Injured Arizonans trust us with their family’s financial future, which is a responsibility that we take incredibly seriously. After a Gilbert motorcycle accident, the personal injury attorneys of Lerner and Rowe are the capable, committed team you need to maximize your compensation.
Understanding Gilbert, Arizona Motorcycle Crashes
The dry heat of Arizona attracts motorcyclists, and Gilbert is no exception. There are 278,464 motorcycles registered in Arizona as of 2021, making Arizona one of the top 15 states for motorcycle ownership in the country. Gilbert serves as a break for motorcyclists traveling through the desert heat on I-8 or a fun ride for local bikers looking to take advantage of flat roads and great weather.
With the number of motorcyclists–both locals and those passing through on their way to or from California–regularly traveling Gilbert roads, the risk of a collision involving a motorcyclist is higher. According to the Arizona Department of Transportation, there were 2,594 motorcycle accidents across the state in 2021.
Common Causes of Gilbert, Arizona Motorcycle Accidents
The design of a motorcycle is not conducive to protecting riders. Motorcycles’ lighter frames and two-axel structure means that they are more easily knocked off balance and less able to withstand the impact of another vehicle. Their smaller stature makes them less visible to fellow motorists. Additionally, motorcycles do not come equipped with safety features that can mitigate the damage caused in a collision, such as airbags and seatbelts.
For some people, a motorcyclist’s willingness to ride this type of vehicle means that they must be a reckless thrill-seeker and they falsely assume that motorcyclists cause most collisions. In fact, the opposite is true. Drivers are more likely to cause motorcycle accidents, usually because they are engaged in risky or careless behaviors. Motorcycle accidents are frequently caused by:
- Distracted driving
- Drunk driving
- Drowsy driving
- Road rage and aggressive driving
- Reckless maneuvering
- Ignoring traffic laws
- Mechanical failures
- Poor road maintenance
Gilbert drivers owe motorcyclists a duty of care, which is a legal obligation to use caution to avoid inflicting foreseeable harm. In terms of driving behavior, that means not driving while impaired, checking blind spots before turning or switching lanes, limiting distractions, observing all traffic laws, and not attempting to provoke motorcyclists by swerving, tailgating, or using other aggressive maneuvers. If a Gilbert driver does not act with reasonable care and causes a motorcycle accident, they could be found liable for the rider’s damages.
Gilbert Motorcyclists May Suffer Severe Injuries in a Collision
Motorcyclists can take precautions to avoid injury, such as wearing a well-fitting helmet and double-checking before they merge, but ultimately they are still at significant risk of being seriously injured if they are involved in a collision with another motorist. Injured motorcyclists may face irreparable damage that limits their range of motion, impacts their memory or personality, leaves them disfigured, or causes chronic pain. Common examples of Gilbert motorcycle accident injuries include:
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Crush injury
- Whiplash injury
- Soft tissue injury
- Fractured bones
- Amputation
- Deep lacerations
- Contusions
- Road rash
- Biker’s arm
- Severe burns
- Dental and facial injuries
Motorcyclists who are involved in a Gilbert traffic accident should prioritize getting medical treatment as soon as they are safely out of danger. The sooner you are diagnosed, the sooner your injuries can be treated to prevent further damage and reduce the risk of long-term complications. It is also essential for your personal injury lawyer to have a medical record of injuries and treatments to refer to when establishing the chain of causation and predicting the value of the damages you are likely to sustain in the future.
Medical records also offer insurance companies proof that you made an effort to mitigate your damages by seeking treatment as soon as you reasonably could. Without this documentation, an insurance company may argue that it has grounds to deny or reduce the value of your claim because you deliberately waited for your injuries to get worse before seeking care to manipulate them for a larger settlement.
What Damages Are Available in a Gilbert Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit
The intensity and length of medical treatment severe motorcycle accident injuries often require can quickly become a financial burden for your family in the form of medical bills and transportation costs. While you recover from your injuries, you may be unable to cook, clean, drive, or dress unaided, let alone return to work. This loss of independence can be both distressing and expensive.
Motorcycle accident claims allow plaintiffs to seek reimbursement for the monetary value of their losses in the form of compensatory damages. Economic damages, or financial costs related to your injuries, often abound in motorcycle accident lawsuits due to the level of care required and the high risk of permanent impairment. You can also seek compensation for your intangible or emotional losses in the form of non-economic damages for things like being unable to participate in a hobby due to an injury or experiencing pain after surgery.
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Replacing or repairing the motorcycle
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of quality of life
- Wrongful death
Why You Need a Gilbert Motorcycle Accident Attorney to Negotiate Your Claim
As the plaintiff, not only do injured motorcyclists have the burden of proof to demonstrate that the defendant was negligent, but they are also often working against preconceived notions about motorcyclists. This can complicate your effort to secure the compensation you need to cover your medical bills, reduced earning capacity, and for damages like pain and suffering.
Personal injury lawyers who specialize in motorcycle accidents will be prepared for these obstacles and know how to leverage evidence to combat these issues. They have access to resources like expert witnesses and accident reconstructionists who can provide valuable insight to support the case for the defendant’s negligence.
Additionally, they will be familiar with how to protect your rights when you provide a statement, deposition, or other testimony. If a motorcycle accident attorney is representing you, the insurance company is considerably less likely to be able to pressure you into a settlement that is lower than the true value of your claim.
Frequently Asked Questions About Gilbert, Arizona Motorcycle Accident Claims
How long do I have to file a Gilbert motorcycle accident lawsuit?
Motorcycle accident claims are a type of personal injury claim, which means that the Arizona statute of limitations on filing claims is applicable. In Arizona, an injured party seeking to file a claim based on another party’s negligence has two years from the date of the accident which caused the injury to do so. There are a few circumstances where a plaintiff may be given additional time, such as in a situation where they did not know they were injured until sometime after the accident, but this usually requires the permission of a judge.
Is lane splitting or lane filtering legal in Arizona?
The state of Arizona recently passed a law allowing motorcyclists to lane filter, which is when a motorcyclist straddles a lane line to bypass other vehicles that are stopped. Lane splitting is a similar concept, but it refers to riding in between lanes while traffic is actively moving. The practice of lane splitting is generally considered to be quite dangerous, and it is not legal in Arizona. There are some restrictions on the practice of lane filtering, such as:
- The speed limit is under 45 miles per hour
- The motorcyclist can only travel up to 15 miles per hour when lane filtering
- The other vehicles must be stopped
- The road has at least two adjacent lanes in the same direction of travel
This is mostly meant to allow motorcyclists to ease past stopped traffic at an intersection or in congestion to get to the front of the line. Motorcyclists are then able to smoothly take off when the light turns green or traffic starts moving with a lower risk of being rear-ended because the driver following them was watching the car in front of the motorcyclist and misjudged how long it would take for the biker to begin moving.
Do I have to pay my Gilbert motorcycle accident lawyer upfront?
Personal injury attorneys do not charge clients upfront, and if you encounter one who does, you should proceed with caution as this is not the industry standard. Instead, they use a contingency fee agreement to ensure that the client has access to the help they need and the legal team is properly compensated for their work.
The way it works is the motorcycle accident attorney agrees to take on the plaintiff’s claim and they negotiate a settlement. Then, the attorney recovers about a third of the settlement’s value as their contingency fee. This agreement ensures that plaintiffs don’t have to pay for the services of a personal injury attorney out of their own pocket, and they are protected from having to pay their lawyer anything in the event that their claim is not settled.
Contact the Gilbert Motorcycle Accident Attorneys of Lerner and Rowe
Whether you are a lifelong Gilbert resident or just passing through, the motorcycle accident attorneys of Lerner and Rowe are available to guide you through the process of filing a personal injury lawsuit after you have been injured by another motorist’s negligence actions.
Our team is highly motivated and entirely dedicated to our clients’ satisfaction. For us, that means going above and beyond to be detail-oriented, communicate clearly, and be relentless in our pursuit of maximum compensation. We recognize the trust that you place in our team when you hire one of our Gilbert motorcycle accident lawyers, and we don’t take that for granted.
Gilbert motorcyclists who have been injured by another person’s negligence should not delay contacting our team. Reach out to us at 602-977-1900 to schedule a free consultation or complete a FREE online form today. At Lerner and Rowe, we can offer you the peace of mind you need by managing your motorcycle accident claim so you can focus on your recovery.