I’ve Been Hurt in a Motorcycle Accident – Do I Need a Lawyer?
By Darrell Cochran Law
Motorcycle accidents often result in severe injuries due to the lack of protective barriers and safety restraints. Unlike cars, motorcycles offer no frame protection, and riders are directly exposed to impact.
What might be a minor fender bender for a car driver can turn into a life-altering event for a motorcyclist. If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle crash, consulting with a motorcycle accident lawyer can be crucial to protecting your rights and pursuing full compensation.
Below are key situations where hiring a lawyer is especially important.
You Suffered Catastrophic Injuries
The more severe your injuries, the higher your potential compensation, making your case more valuable and more heavily contested. As the stakes rise, defendants and their insurance companies often push back aggressively, using various tactics to minimize or deny your claim. When this happens, having a skilled attorney on your side becomes essential to level the playing field and ensure your rights are protected.
You Weren’t Wearing a Helmet
Washington state law requires all motorcyclists and passengers to wear helmets. If you fail to wear a helmet, the defense can use your failure as evidence of comparative fault. This will likely result in a reduction in the amount of damages you qualify for, even if you win the case.
A Defective Vehicle Part Caused Your Accident
Suppose your brakes malfunctioned due to a defective part. Alternatively, suppose you were hit by a car whose brakes malfunctioned. If a defective motorcycle or automobile part caused the malfunction, you likely have a product liability claim.
When a defective motorcycle or automobile component causes an accident, the responsible party is often a manufacturer or parts supplier. These companies are frequently located out of state and backed by teams of experienced attorneys. To effectively pursue your claim and hold them accountable, you’ll need a knowledgeable lawyer who can stand up to large corporate defense teams.
You Delayed Medical Treatment
At the scene of the accident, you may have initially believed you weren’t injured. However, some injuries—like concussions or soft tissue damage, including neck injuries—often have delayed symptoms that don’t appear right away. If you waited to seek medical attention until those symptoms surfaced, the defense may use that delay as an opportunity to argue that your injuries weren’t caused by the accident. This can complicate your claim and weaken your case.
You Have a Preexisting Injury
Suppose you have an old back injury from high school football. Now you suffer another back injury from your motorcycle accident. Under Washington state law, a defendant who caused your accident is liable for your back injury even if your back was already weakened at the time of the accident.
An insurance company, however, might assert that you did not injure your back in the accident, and that you’re just trying to get the insurance company to pay for your high school football injury because it’s still bothering you. You may need a lawyer to help refute such allegations.
The Defendant Was an On-Duty Employee at the Time of the Accident
If the defendant was an on-duty employee at the time of the accident, there’s an important follow-up question: Were they acting within the scope of their job duties when the incident occurred?
For instance, if the driver was making a delivery at the time of the crash, their employer could potentially be held liable. This is significant, as employers often have greater financial resources and insurance coverage than individual employees, increasing the likelihood of full compensation for your damages.
Do You Need a Motorcycle Accident Attorney?
If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident, you may be facing serious injuries, mounting medical bills, and uncertainty about your legal options. While not every crash requires legal representation, many cases involve complex issues like disputed fault, insurance challenges, or defective parts.
An experienced motorcycle accident attorney can help you navigate these challenges, protect your rights, and pursue the maximum compensation you deserve.
Contact Our Motorcycle Accident Law Firm in Seattle, WA
For more information, contact an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer at Darrell Cochran Personal Injury Lawyer to schedule a free initial consultation. We have convenient locations in Seattle and Tacoma, Washington.
Darrell Cochran Personal Injury Lawyer – Seattle
701 5th Ave Suite 4300, Seattle, WA, 98104
(253) 948-0250
Darrell Cochran Personal Injury Lawyer – Tacoma
909 A St Ste 700, Tacoma, WA 98402
(253) 264-0225