Louisville Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Motorcycle fatalities represent a disproportionate number of serious and fatal traffic accidents in Louisville. They account for 8 percent of crash-related fatalities in Kentucky but only 1 percent of total motor vehicle accidents. Nearly 75 percent of motorcyclists also suffered from motorcycle crash injuries compared to only 12 percent of vehicle passengers.

If a negligent driver struck you while riding on major highways such as I-264, I-64, or I-65, contact a dedicated Louisville motorcycle accident attorney at Gray & White. Our experienced personal injury lawyers have recovered millions for clients negligently injured in motor vehicle accidents, and we take your right to ride seriously. Call our 24/7 motorcycle accident professionals at (502) 210-8942 to schedule a free and confidential case analysis or connect with our legal team online.

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Leading Causes of Dangerous Kentucky Motorcycle Crashes

Firm Image Even with dedicated motorcycle training, motorcycle riders cannot avoid catastrophic traffic collisions. Driver negligence often contributes to motorcycle accidents in Louisville with devastating results. The following traffic violations and hazardous conditions commonly cause motorcycle crashes.

Failure to Yield

Motorcycles are considered motor vehicles under Kentucky Law (KRS § 189.753). As such, drivers are required to treat riders as they would other drivers. This includes yielding to motorcyclists at city intersections. However, sometimes drivers believe larger vehicles have the right of way and refuse to yield to motorcycles. Many drivers even intentionally cut off riders to avoid being trapped behind slower-moving vehicles. These dangerous intersection accidents, commonly referred to as T-bone collisions, have the highest fatality rate in Kentucky.

Following Too Closely

Drivers are required to keep a safe stopping distance between themselves and motorcycle riders. The faster you’re traveling, the greater the distance you must keep between vehicles. Drivers should never tailgate riders and must be able to safely stop if a rider slows down or falls. Even a ‘fender-bender’ can result in devastating motorcyclist injuries.

Drivers in other lanes should also avoid traveling too closely to riders, as rear-ending a motorcycle might unexpectedly propel the rider into an adjacent lane of traffic. General traffic safety laws require drivers to pay close attention to all roadway conditions, including riders, and account for potential dangers. This means drivers should consider whether to slow down or change lanes as a precautionary measure when sharing the road with motorcyclists.

Distracted Driving

Driver distraction is a leading cause of traffic accidents in the United States. Unlike motorcyclists, who cannot easily use their phones while riding, drivers are often caught texting or emailing. Rubbernecking, disciplining children, eating, smoking, and drinking are also common distracted driving behaviors less prevalent among riders. Rear-end collisions caused by distracted drivers are a leading cause of motorcycle accident injuries in Kentucky.

Speeding

Louisville speed limits exist for a reason. They are set based on traffic patterns and roadway conditions to prevent and reduce severe accident injuries. For example, exposed motorcyclists struck at under 25mph only have a 10 percent risk of suffering a fatal injury. This increases to 50 percent if drivers are traveling over 40 mph.

Hazardous Road Conditions

Four-wheel vehicles are more capable of handling roadway hazards (such as branches or potholes) than motorcycles. When a rider runs over a dangerous road condition, this can propel him from his bike. In some cases, longstanding roadway hazards such as cracked pavement or potholes can trigger municipal liability. Our experienced motorcycle accident attorneys can hold the City of Louisville accountable if it failed to properly correct or warn riders about known dangerous conditions. Contact us immediately if you were thrown from your motorcycle after striking a roadway hazard, as you must file public liability claims quickly.

Sideswipe (Blind Spot)

Motorcycles make up a smaller percentage of motor vehicles on Louisville roadways. As such, drivers might not be looking for riders when changing lanes. Motorcycles are also more easily hidden in blind spots, especially when traveling next to tractor-trailers. Merging accidents often push motorcyclists out of their travel lanes, forcing them into oncoming traffic.

Most automobile accidents are avoidable if drivers follow Kentucky vehicle and traffic laws. Our experienced personal injury attorneys can hold negligent drivers accountable for traffic violations or careless conduct responsible for causing a motorcycle collision.

Motorcycle Accident Hotspots in Louisville

As the most populous city in Kentucky, Louisville has a high traffic accident rate. Our experienced motorcycle injury lawyers have identified the following accident hotspots in this bustling city:

I-65/I-64 Interchange: Blind spot accidents involving motorcyclists often occur in this complex interchange as drivers merge over multiple lanes of traffic.
Dixie Highway: Especially during rush hour, Dixie Highway’s many entrance and exit ramps through commercial areas create dangerous conditions for careful riders.
Outer Loop (Route 1065): The outer loop intersects with multiple local and regional roads while also providing a high-speed roadway around Louisville. Many failure-to-yield accidents occur on the outer loop.
Bardstown Road: Known for its many restaurants, motorcycle riders on Bardstown Road are susceptible to dangerous left-turn and drunk driving accidents.

Most serious motorcycle accidents occur during heavy traffic conditions, especially at night, when drivers are fatigued or rushing home. Our dedicated Louisville attorneys know these dangerous areas and can quickly identify traffic cameras and known roadway hazards to support your personal injury claims.

Understanding Kentucky Motorcycle Helmet Laws

According to the latest Kentucky traffic data, reported serious injuries by motorcyclists wearing helmets (543) were almost equal to those not wearing helmets (577). However, riders not wearing helmets are twice as likely to suffer from fatal injuries, generally traumatic brain injuries. Kentucky has a limited motorcycle helmet law (KRS § 189.285) that requires motorcycle operators and passengers under 21 to wear appropriate headgear. You must also wear a helmet if you’re still operating with a learner’s permit or have had your motorcycle license for less than one year. All riders are also required to wear protective eyewear. You do not need a helmet unless you fall into one of these categories.

Insurance adjusters may attempt to reduce payouts to motorcyclists who weren’t wearing helmets. However, this should not impact your right to obtain personal injury damages if a negligent driver caused the crash. At Gray & White, our attorneys can still recover substantial damages after Louisville motorcycle accidents, regardless of whether you were wearing safety gear.

Life-Altering Motorcyclist Injuries and Fatalities

Motorcyclists have a higher serious injury rate than those in passenger vehicles because they’re often subject to multiple impacts. Sedans and SUVs are also designed to collapse after high-speed accidents to absorb the crash force. Riders do not have the same protections. When negligent drivers cause motorcycle accidents in Louisville, it often results in the following serious and fatal injuries:

Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs): These common motorcyclist injuries generally occur when riders’ heads strike the pavement, not during the initial impact or a controlled fall. When riders are thrust from their motorcycles, especially during high-speed collisions, it may result in skull fractures, brain bleeds, concussions, and fatal diffuse axonal injuries.
Slipped Discs: Spinal cord injuries involving herniated discs often occur when the crash force, especially during a rear-end collision, travels through the rider’s body. The spine flexes to absorb the impact, often resulting in painful slipped discs and nerve injuries.
Paralysis: High-speed accidents increase the crash force and, as such, the damage to the rider’s spinal cord. Serious motorcycle crashes may permanently sever the spinal nerves, leading to paralysis.
Internal Bleeding/Organ Damage: When the impacting vehicle or another third-party driver runs over an injured motorcyclist, this often results in fatal organ damage due to heart and lung trauma.
Friction Burns (Road Rash): Rides pushed from their bikes often skid across rough pavement. The friction between the rider’s body and the roadway generates heat, causing painful burns.
Fractures and Dislocations: Traumatic fractures and dislocations, especially shoulder and hip dislocations, often occur when riders strike the pavement. Though not initially life threatening, the extreme pain can prevent riders from getting to safety. This can expose them to third-party vehicle impacts.
Amputations: Many runover accidents result in compound and complex fractures, especially in the rider’s legs and arms. These serious crushing injuries can result in substantial blood loss, necessitating amputations.
Death: If your loved one was killed in a motorcycle accident or died from his injuries, our wrongful death attorneys can help Louisville families recover financial compensation. This can include damages for lost financial support, funeral expenses, and your loved one’s emotional suffering.

If a negligent driver injured you, any insurance settlement is based on your injury’s severity and resulting financial losses. The compassionate Louisville motorcycle accident lawyers at Gray & White can help injured riders recover substantial damages for these catastrophic injuries.

Financial Damages Available to Injured Motorcycle Riders

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Accidents involving motorcycles are classified as traffic collisions. This allows injured riders to demand personal injury damages from the negligent or reckless driver’s auto insurance company. Additionally, our motorcycle accident attorneys can request compensation from another driver’s insurer if a second vehicle struck you in the roadway. Innocent motorcyclists are also prone to hit-and-run accidents, as drivers often panic. Our legal professionals can request the following damages from your uninsured motorist policy in such cases:

Lost Income

Life-altering injuries often prevent injured riders from working. Even neck and back pain can stop you from typing or sitting for long periods. Many catastrophic injuries also require riders to attend numerous physical therapy and medical appointments each week, practically preventing them from working. Our lawyers can calculate and recover the value of your lost income, which may include:

Lost paychecks, bonuses, and commissions
Missed business opportunities and profits
Reduced work capacity
Lost promotions
Lost employer-sponsored health insurance
Lost pensions
Lost retirement contributions

Based on medical evidence, an expert economist can calculate the value of these damages over your remaining work life. This calculation can also account for inflation and standard industry raises. Most claimants are entitled to substantially more than a missed paycheck after a serious motorcycle accident.

Medical Benefits

Eligible claimants may recover compensation for all past and future medical expenses. This includes the cost of surgeries, physical therapy, mental health counseling, medications, and doctors’ visits. Medical damages can also cover necessary cosmetic procedures to restore your appearance – often denied by health insurers – and the cost of medical transportation and home modifications. You can even request compensation for home nursing services, house cleaners, and other household help.

Pain and Suffering (Non-Economic Damages)

Physical injuries often take second place to the emotional suffering caused by devastating Louisville motorcycle accidents. The pain of not being able to ride and the extra stress put on spouses are compensable damages in Kentucky. Our personal injury lawyers at Gray & White can demand fair insurance settlements for the emotional suffering, physical pain, inconvenience, frustration, and lost enjoyment of life associated with your injuries. These are called non-economic damages because they’re difficult to estimate. In most cases, legal counsel will calculate these damages as a multiple of your economic damages (lost income and medical expenses).

At Gray & White, our dedicated legal team will fight to maximize the compensation available after your motorcycle accident. We can even cover the initial cost of retaining qualified medical, occupational, and economic experts to estimate the lifetime value of your financial losses. This allows our motorcycle accident lawyers to request insurance settlements accurately reflecting your lifetime damages. It also provides a way for injured claimants to obtain needed financial compensation while they’re still recovering.

Retain a Compassionate Motorcycle Accident Law Firm in Louisville

We understand and respect your passion for motorcycles at Gray & White. You should be able to safely share the road with Kentucky drivers, but sometimes, your rights aren’t respected. Unfortunately, innocent riders often pay a high price for driver negligence. If you suffered an injury in a Louisville motorcycle crash, you may be entitled to significant financial compensation. Our dedicated Louisville personal injury lawyers can even represent you without any upfront legal fees – only getting paid if they recover needed compensation for your injuries.

Contact our 24/7 Louisville attorneys to schedule a free and confidential motorcycle injury consultation by calling (502) 210-8942 or connecting with us online. Don’t let insurers blame you for the collision. Obtain dedicated legal representation after your motorcycle accident today.