
When you need legal assistance with your Elko motorcycle accident claim, look no further than Kidwell Gallagher Injury Lawyers. We have achieved successful results for past clients injuries, including:
Our legal team is dedicated to getting fair results for every client we represent, and we never back down from insurance companies. When you work with our firm, you can expect the highest quality of representation, personalized and effective service, and stress-free handling of your motorcycle accident injury claim.
After a motorcycle accident, victims must discuss legal remedies with an Elko motorcycle accident lawyer. Motorcycle accident victims need to get the upper hand against insurance companies and other drivers, and the first step is to hire a lawyer with experience in these matters. The sooner victims contact a lawyer, the better for their case because they have more time to review the facts and recover evidence. Injuries and losses are extensive, and your memory will fade the longer you wait. Contact Kidwell & Galagher | Personal Injury Lawyer Elko NV today.
Before driving any vehicle, you must pass all relevant driving tests and pay applicable fees. All drivers understand they must safely share the road with others, including motorcyclists. Irresponsible drivers, however, choose to drive recklessly, which endangers all motorists. Motorcyclists are not responsible for the actions of other drivers, and regardless of the steps they take to stay safe, some accidents are unavoidable.
Sending text messages, answering the phone, and other distractions are notorious for leading to motorcycle accidents. Driving requires a person’s full attention. Even two seconds of paying attention to something else can cause a tragedy.
Intoxication impairs a driver’s ability to reason, see and steer, often leading to divers not seeing motorcycles. Some intoxicated drivers see motorcycles and think it is something else that they can run over or ignore. A motorcycle has a person driving, and drunk drivers must have their full attention on the road.
Lane changes are a death sentence when drivers are not paying attention. While some vehicles have blind spot monitoring and detection, drivers who ignore these signs will strike other vehicles, especially motorcycles. It is essential to check blind spots when switching lanes directly, so they do not hit other cars.
Driving too closely behind other vehicles can lead to a rear-end accident. When it happens between two passenger vehicles, injuries, and property damage might be minor. However, injuries and property damage are exponentially worse when the lead vehicle is a motorcycle and the tailing vehicle is a car.
When vehicles get to an intersection, they look both ways before making turns and wait for the light to change before proceeding. What some motorists fail to account for is a motorcycle at an interaction. Since these vehicles are smaller, it is essential that drivers look for them.
Unfortunately, many motorcycle accidents result in death. The families are left without their loved ones, and many believe there are limited options. Kidwell & Gallagher Injury Lawyers empathizes with families and will help you seek compensation from the negligent party. Families and dependents can seek payment for accident-related medical bills, funeral and burial costs, and income the deceased would have made before they died. The Insurance Information Institute found over 5,000 motorcycle deaths in 2018 and 2019 nationwide.
Motorcycle accidents result in serious injuries, and one of the most harrowing is dismembered—those injuries result in the loss of a limb. Victims will no longer have use of their arms or legs because medical professionals had to make the difficult decision to amputate a limb. Traumatic amputation can happen at the acne or later at the hospital. When an amputation occurs at the scene, it is necessary to save the person’s life.
Dismemberment leads to lifelong changes because the person will undergo surgeries, get prosthetics and go to therapy. When someone has a prosthetic, it will need to be retrofitted periodically, which is another lifelong expense. Victims will also have to learn new ways to eat, bathe and complete other tasks.
Death and dismemberment are prevalent after motorcycle accidents, but there are many injuries that victims will suffer. The lack of protection that motorcycles have is often to blame for the severity of these injuries, but the irresponsible driver is the one at-fault for your injuries, not your choice of vehicle. Secondary incidents lead to additional injuries like striking the asphalt, being crushed by another car, and sliding across the pavement. Other serious injuries include:
A motorcycle accident brings many costs, and victims can recover payment for those losses through an injury claim. However, working with an Elko motorcycle accident lawyer is essential to determine case worth. The highest cost is medical bills which many health insurance policies will cover. However, motorcycle accidents result in severe injuries that can exhaust health insurance. After an accident, many victims cannot work and will lose their employment which is often tied to their health insurance.
While health insurance can help ease some of the financial burdens of medical bills, and the insurance carrier will get a reimbursement upon a settlement or verdict, there are many other expenses. Once fault is established, victims can seek compensation for lost income, property damage, loss of consortium, scarring, disfigurement, pain, and suffering. In some instances, you can also seek punitive damages. Elko motorcycle accident lawyers work with financial analysts and your employers to determine lost income and long-term economic repercussions.
After addressing your tangible costs from an accident, you must also address the long-term impacts it can have on your life. Injuries will heavily impact your case worth, but other factors must be considered. The injury severity is one factor along with your medical expenses. You must also consider your medical condition, age, and long-term prognosis. These factors are imperative for seeking payment for motorcyclists who have permanent injuries.
After a motorcycle accident, victims quickly blame the other driver and demand they pay for all the losses they suffer. It is understandable to want to seek compensation for your losses. Still, victims must speak to an Elko motorcycle accident lawyer to review the cause of the accident and uncover the liable parties. The driver is liable, but so is the vehicle’s owner, employer of the at-fault driver, vehicle manufacturer, or mechanic.
It is essential to find every responsible party and review their insurance policies. These steps are necessary because multiple insurance policies mean more room for payment. Motorcycle accidents can result in severe damages, and if there are numerous insurance policies, it can make full financial recovery more likely.
Motorcyclists must know the laws and the positive and negative ways they can impact a claim. You can follow all the laws, and the insurance company can still attempt to use these laws against you. Lane splitting is when a cyclist uses the space between lanes to pass around other vehicles. These actions are illegal in Elko and throughout Nevada. Instead, motorcyclists must use the entire lane, and other drivers must facilitate that.
Another relevant law is the helmet law which involves drivers and passengers wearing helmets that meet U.S. Department of Transportation standards. Wearing a helmet is essential for riding but does not prevent victims from seeking compensation. Many insurance companies will use helmet laws to deny claims unfairly by scarring riders. When the motorcycle doesn’t have a windshield, riders must wear safety goggles.
The aftermath of a motorcycle accident is confusing, and for victims, this time is about processing what happened, not thinking about getting payment. The future seems grim, but working with an Elko motorcycle accident lawyer can brighten your future if you move fast. Nevada has a two-year statute for motorcycle victims to file claims. The clock begins when the accident happens, and your legal options are over once it ends.
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Taking on insurance companies is challenging, and victims need the legal knowledge and resources that working with a law firm offers. Kidwell & Gallagher Injury Lawyers help victims seeking compensation after a life-altering motorcycle accident. After an accident, victims must preserve evidence and get medical attention. Above all else, contact Kidwell & Gallagher Injury Lawyers as soon as possible.
With over 45 years of combined personal injury law experience representing clients nationwide, our team is dedicated to helping our clients and our community. We also have two bilingual staff members to accommodate your needs!
When you schedule your free consultation with a personal injury lawyer in Reno, Nevada, you should come prepared with specific questions for us to address.
Motorcycle accident victims have the right to seek compensation for their injuries and losses. Determining the case value is challenging because many factors will determine how much you can recover, including injuries, insurance policy limits, and more. The accident’s impact on a person’s life will also impact case worth. Punitive damages are available in instances of egregious negligence by the other driver.
For permanent injuries, it is essential to consider the age and if any preexisting conditions were impacted by the accident. Occupation and hobbies are also factors because a Reno motorcycle accident lawyer must consider how your injuries prevent you from participating in your job or doing the things you once loved.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Managing Partner, Craig W. Kidwell who has more than 20 years of legal experience as a personal injury attorney.