Scottsdale Motorcycle Accident Attorneys
Motorcycle accident injuries typically entail considerable medical bills, lost wages from missing work, pain and suffering, and even permanent consequences like disfigurement. For the injured motorcyclist and their family, these can seem like insurmountable obstacles. However, in Scottsdale, Arizona, motorcycle accidents are more often caused by negligent drivers, which means that injured motorcyclists can potentially recover financial compensation for these losses in a personal injury lawsuit.
At Lerner and Rowe, we have successfully handled numerous motorcycle accident lawsuits as Scottsdale has grown. We believe that your financial, physical, and emotional losses deserve to be acknowledged and fairly compensated. You can reach out to us at 602-977-1900 to schedule a free consultation or complete a free online case review today. Our team of Scottsdale motorcycle accident attorneys will protect your right to pursue compensation for your damages by building a convincing case for the defendant’s liability.
Why Choose Lerner and Rowe for Your Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit
At Lerner and Rowe, we have an unwavering commitment to client satisfaction, and you can count on this dedication as we represent you in your motorcycle accident lawsuit. Our team has recovered over a billion dollars in results for injured Arizonans. For nearly two decades, we have taken the approach that clients should be at the center of our work, rather than merely a feature of it. This perspective has benefitted countless clients by letting them focus on recovering from their injuries instead of having to beg their attorney for an update or seeing their needs disregarded.
The personal injury attorneys of Lerner and Rowe regularly negotiate Arizona motorcycle accident claims, which is valuable experience to have when taking on a powerful insurance company. With the extent of our resources and legal insight, you can rest assured that your right to seek compensation for damages resulting from negligence will be vocally protected.
We understand the financial and emotional toll that motorcycle accident injuries can take, whether you were side-swiped into the guardrail on Loop 101, hit in a dooring accident after having dinner at a restaurant on Camelback, or T-boned while making a turn at the intersection of Hayden and Thomas. It is our privilege to serve injured Arizonans and ensure they receive fair compensation for their damages.
Understanding Scottsdale, Arizona Motorcycle Crashes
Scottsdale’s arid climate appeals to many tourists looking to take advantage of the city’s golf courses, shopping, art galleries, casinos, and other attractions. This also creates ideal conditions for motorcyclists to cruise down Loop 101, explore Old Town Scottsdale, or simply pass through on their way east out of Maricopa County. With over 275,000 registered motorcycles in Arizona, the likelihood of encountering a motorcycle on the road is relatively high.
In Arizona, there were 1,906 motorcycle crashes in Maricopa County in 2022, with 2,911 reported statewide that year. Although motorcycles only account for 1% of registered vehicles in Arizona, they account for over 9% of fatal crashes, according to data from the Arizona Department of Transportation. Locals and visitors alike should be aware of the behaviors, circumstances, and locations where a motorcycle accident is most likely to occur.
Most Dangerous Roads for Scottsdale Motorcycle Accidents
In Scottsdale, motorcycle accidents caused by negligent drivers, distraction and impairment were top contributors to reckless driving.
Most Arizona motorcycle accidents happen in urban areas like Scottsdale, during the day, on dry roads on a Friday or Saturday. Additionally, Arizona DOT identified Scottsdale’s most dangerous areas as:
- Frank Lloyd Wright from Greenway/Hayden to Hayden
- Shea from Scottsdale to Hayden
- Scottsdale from Osborn to Indian School
- Scottsdale from Indian School to Camelback
- Camelback from Scottsdale to Miller
Common Causes of Scottsdale, Arizona Motorcycle Accidents
Scottsdale drivers owe their fellow road users a duty of care, which is an obligation to avoid reckless behavior that could cause foreseeable harm. Sharing the road with a motorcyclist requires drivers to display additional caution. This is due to the fact that motorcycles are less stable and much lighter than cars, so they are more easily crushed, jostled, or knocked over. Additionally, in the event of a collision, riders do not benefit from safety features like seat belts, leaving them more prone to injury.
In order to devote the attention required to the road, Scottsdale drivers must refrain from using any substances that can alter their perception, slow their reaction times, or impede their judgment. Reducing distractions within the car is also critical to keeping motorcyclists safe, as drivers who check their phones or daydream may begin speeding, swerving, or otherwise endangering a rider.
In the case of motorcycle accidents specifically, it is also not unheard of for drivers to get frustrated with motorcyclists and speed past or cut them off in traffic, which increases the risk of a crash. Drivers who cause a collision that results in injury may be considered negligent in a Scottsdale, Arizona motorcycle accident lawsuit. Motorcycle accidents can be caused by:
- Reckless maneuvering
- Ignoring traffic laws
- Mechanical failures
- Poor road maintenance
Scottsdale Motorcyclists Can Sustain Catastrophic Injuries in a Collision
Motorcycle accident injuries may involve having a cast for several weeks and working desk duty at your job while you heal. On the other end of the spectrum, a motorcycle accident injury may require several surgeries, speech therapy, using a prosthetic or wheelchair, or multiple medications, and you may never completely heal.
Depending on factors like the speed of the vehicles involved in the collision, the surrounding landscape, whether or not the motorcyclist was wearing a helmet, and how quickly medical aid was administered, a Scottsdale motorcyclist may sustain injuries, including:
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Crush injury
- Whiplash injury
- Soft tissue injury
- Fractured or broken bones
- Amputation
- Deep lacerations
- Contusions
- Road rash
- Biker’s arm
- Severe burns
- Dental and facial injuries
Seek Medical Assistance Immediately After a Scottsdale Motorcycle Accident Injury
After a Scottsdale motorcycle accident, the immediate focus is on treating the rider’s physical wounds, as it should be. Prompt medical evaluation helps ensure that all injuries are accounted for and treated, which also provides the insurance company with proof that you tried to reduce your damages and that your injuries were serious enough to warrant compensation.
In the long term, many motorcycle accident survivors also experience emotional injuries, which can be just as damaging.
Severe injuries can often entail intense, painful, and long-term recoveries, during which time many people experience financial stress, feelings of depression, and a loss of quality of life as their body heals. Mental health issues can also develop as a survivor comes to terms with a permanent impairment, like paralysis resulting from a spinal cord injury.
What Damages Are Available in a Scottsdale Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit
Severe motorcycle accident injuries can demand a lot from a plaintiff in terms of their finances, physical soundness, and mental health. These costs are considered compensatory damages in a personal injury lawsuit. Damages can be further categorized by whether or not they have a set price tag. Special damages are costs sustained by the plaintiff that have a verifiable market value, such as the price of replacing a totaled motorcycle. General damages typically refer to losses with no established monetary value, often because they are non-economic or intangible in nature. Common motorcycle accident damages include:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Replacing or repairing the motorcycle
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of quality of life
- Wrongful death
In the event of a fatal motorcycle accident, a personal injury lawsuit can compensate the deceased’s family for costs such as funeral arrangements, last medical bills, and loss of companionship. Arizona does not have a limit for the value of damages in a wrongful death lawsuit, so family members who are pursuing a claim on behalf of a deceased loved one should hire a personal injury lawyer without delay because insurance companies looking to protect their profits will typically resist settling significant settlements.
Why You Need a Scottsdale Motorcycle Accident Attorney to Negotiate Your Claim
In a motorcycle accident, the plaintiff starts out at a disadvantage. First, the plaintiff has the burden of proof to demonstrate that the defendant was negligent in their duty of care, that their actions caused the plaintiff’s injuries, which led to their damages. Additionally, fact-finders may be more likely to put themselves in the position of the driver when considering whether they behaved recklessly with regard to the motorcyclist, especially given the risk-taking reputation motorcyclists have.
Having a personal injury attorney to represent you is essential in a situation like this. You can’t afford to miss deadlines, accept more liability than you should, forget to include all of the damages you are eligible for, or fail to provide sufficient evidence to support your claim. Personal injury lawyers who specialize in motorcycle accidents will have the skill set needed to establish negligence and maximize your compensation.
Motorcycle accident attorneys offer a number of valuable resources, such as access to expert witnesses who can offer crucial support for your claim and relieve some of the stress of the process. The best way to give your claim the greatest chance of success is to take advantage of these resources by securing an accomplished negotiator to represent you in a Scottsdale motorcycle accident lawsuit.
Frequently Asked Questions About Scottsdale, Arizona Motorcycle Accident Claims
A common question we encounter during free consultations with new clients is how much we charge for our services. The simple answer is nothing upfront, and nothing out of pocket. Instead, we work for you without payment until your motorcycle accident claim is settled and take on those expenses ourselves. Once we have successfully negotiated a settlement for you, we recover a contingency fee. It is called that because our ability to recover compensation for our services is contingent on our performance. The fee usually amounts to 33% of the settlement’s value.
If you are under 18, you must wear a motorcycle helmet. All riders must wear protective eye gear, such as goggles or glasses. The lack of a universal motorcycle helmet law likely contributes to the rate of motorcycle accident fatalities in Arizona. Riders who want to operate their motorcycles in Arizona must also have a specific motorcycle license, ensure their bike is equipped with a rear-view mirror, and use headlamps.
Arizona motorcyclists are not permitted to lane split, or travel in between two adjacent lanes of traffic going in the same direction. However, they are allowed to lane filter, which is the same thing as lane splitting, except the other cars must be stopped and the motorcyclist can only travel up to a certain speed when passing cars. Additionally, motorcyclists are entitled to the use of a full lane in Arizona, and they may ride up to two abreast with another motorcyclist in the same lane.
Contact the Scottsdale Motorcycle Accident Attorneys of Lerner and Rowe
As Scottsdale personal injury lawyers, our team at Lerner and Rowe has seen the devastating impact a motorcycle accident can produce. In many cases, the driver of the car can walk away from the scene with relatively minor injuries, but the motorcyclist is still healing months or even years later. This makes it even more critical for us as motorcycle accident attorneys to take a long view of your damages so that your losses are properly compensated.
At Lerner and Rowe, we do not take for granted the trust that our clients place in our motorcycle accident attorneys. We will work tirelessly to prove ourselves worthy of that trust by being accessible, dedicated, and effective in negotiating your Scottsdale personal injury claim.
If an Arizona driver’s negligence caused you to be seriously injured in a Scottsdale motorcycle accident, the personal injury attorneys of Lerner and Rowe can help you figure out what your next steps should be. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us at 602-977-1900 to schedule a free consultation or complete a free online case review today. We will champion your Scottsdale motorcycle accident lawsuit until we are satisfied that you have been fairly compensated for your damages.