Navigating the Aftermath of a Motorcycle Accident

Like many riders, you may look forward to Seattle’s idyllic summers to head out on the back roads. After months of gloom and drizzle, you think it’s safe to hit the pavement. But there is always that bad traffic on I-5 and I-99, and you can never get away from having to navigate Seattle’s narrow, winding neighborhood roads with all the cars and delivery trucks.

Among Seattle’s busy and unpredictable traffic or out in the surrounding areas you may find yourself becoming the victim of a crash. Your beloved bike may be totaled, and you might have suffered some very serious injuries. The best thing to do in these circumstances is to talk with a motorcycle accident lawyer in Seattle as soon as you can. When another driver is at fault for the crash, an experienced lawyer from Menzer Law, can guide you through a personal injury claim and fight for you to receive full and fair compensation for your injuries.

Common Causes Of Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcycle crashes happen for many diverse reasons. That being said, our attorneys in Seattle have represented riders who have been harmed by:

Drunk driving
Drugged driving
Distracted driving
Drowsy driving
Improper passing
Negligent merging
Failing to yield the right of way
Running red lights or stop signs
Following too closely
Aggressive driving
Speeding
Failure to check blind spots

When you are injured in a motorcycle crash caused by the fault of another driver, we recommend you have an attorney conduct a thorough and independent investigation into the crash. You do not have to rely on a police report or an insurance company’s review, and oftentimes, you should not do that. If you don’t have your own investigation, you may be placed at a disadvantage and have a harder time pursuing the compensation you deserve.

Pursuing Compensation For Vehicle Damage

After a serious crash, your motorcycle may be severely damaged. In many cases, the cost of repairing your bike will be more than its current market value. You then may have to fight the insurance company to pay for all the repairs or a fair price to replace your totaled bike. This can be tough, especially when the insurance company is trying to undervalue your bike.

By working with a Seattle motorcycle accident lawyer, you will have someone on your side to fight for the full compensation for your bike.

Pursuing Compensation For Your Injuries

Motorcycle crashes often lead to serious physical and emotional injuries. No matter how protective their gear and helmet is, a motorcycle rider cannot win against a larger, heavier vehicle or the hard pavement. A crash – even at low speeds – can still cause serious and even catastrophic injuries.

When you are injured in a crash caused by someone else, our Seattle motorcycle accident lawyers can help you pursue compensation for your:

Past and future medical bills
Past and future lost income
Past and future pain and suffering
Past and future emotional distress
Disfigurements
Disabilities
Loss of enjoyment of life
Reduced earning capacity
Loss of consortium

Whether you suffered road rash, broken bones or a concussion, or you are dealing with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or spinal cord injury, we are here to help. We will aggressively pursue the maximum amounts of compensation for your physical, emotional and financial injuries.

Washington Motorcycle Laws

Following a motorcycle crash, the other party will investigate whether you were following all state motorcycle laws.

To legally operate a motorcycle in the state, you must obtain an endorsement on your driver’s license. To do this, you can complete an approved motorcycle riding course, which includes a knowledge and skills test. You can present your certificate of completion to the Washington Licensing Services Office within 180 days of completing the class to obtain your endorsement. Or, you can take the knowledge and skills test with the Department of Licensing (DOL) and pass on your own.

You should always register your motorcycle with the DOL, have your valid driver’s license and endorsement in your possession, and wear a helmet while riding.

Washington’s Comparative Negligence Law

Washington law includes a comparative negligence rule. Under this law, you can recover compensation for your injuries even if you are somewhat at fault for the accident. This issue can come up if the other driver claims you were also careless or reckless while riding your motorcycle and it contributed to the crash.

Because Washington follows a “pure” theory of comparative negligence, there is no threshold at which you are prohibited from receiving compensation. You can be more than half at fault, and if another party is also to blame, you can still receive compensation.

However, your compensation will be reduced if you are determined to be partially at fault. In other words, if you have damages valued at $500,000 but you are determined to be 10% at fault, then your award will be reduced by 10% for a reduced total of $450,000.

While it is good news that you can still recover compensation if you are partly at fault, you will need to fight back against a comparative negligence claim in order to maximize your compensation.

Let A Seattle Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Help You

After a crash, you do not have to handle everything alone. You do not need to stress yourself out over the insurance claim process and the possibility of going to court. Our lawyers and staff at Menzer Law are here to guide you through these processes and fight for you to receive the compensation you deserve.