Elizabethtown Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Aggressively Pursue Compensation for Injured Riders

Elizabethtown Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

In Kentucky, many motorists park their cars and trucks in the garage during the warmer months in favor of hopping on a motorcycle. Motorcycles offer a fun, fuel-efficient way to travel; however, they also present a very real danger to riders. Indeed, each year, there are about 1,500 Kentucky motorcycle accidents. While less than one percent of all Kentucky traffic accidents involve motorcycles, Kentucky motorcycle accidents are responsible for about eight percent of all traffic-related deaths.

Causes of Hardin County motorcycle accidents

One of the most challenging issues facing injured motorcyclists is the social stigma they face in the wake of an accident. Too often, when someone hears about a motorcycle accident, they assume that the motorcyclist was at fault. This simply is not true. Most Elizabethtown motorcycle accidents involving another car or truck are not the result of the motorcyclist’s negligence. However, because people see motorcyclists less frequently, the negative experiences they have, however few, tend to stand out in their minds. This unfairly taints their perception of all motorcyclists. Thus, when selecting an attorney to handle a motorcycle case, it is crucial to choose one who understands the uphill battle motorcyclists face, and is prepared to negate these inaccurate societal perceptions.

The causes of Elizabethtown motorcycle accidents vary. However, several causes are more frequently seen, including:

  • A driver’s failure to notice a motorcyclist approaching
  • A driver’s failure to yield the right-of-way to a motorcyclist
  • Improper turns
  • Distracted driving
  • Drunk driving
  • Aggressive driving

Riders who have been injured in an Elizabethtown motorcycle accident should reach out to a dedicated Kentucky injury lawyer as soon as possible to discuss their claim. Accident victims have just two years to bring their claim under the state’s statute of limitations. Claims filed after the two-year mark will likely be dismissed without ever being heard. Thus, accident victims must act quickly to preserve their rights.

Can a rider still recover if they were not wearing a helmet?

Wearing a helmet undeniably helps to reduce the seriousness of injuries that a rider sustains after being involved in an Elizabethtown motorcycle accident. In Kentucky specifically, of the 86 riders who were killed in motorcycle accidents, 52 of them were not wearing a helmet at the time. Given the importance of wearing a helmet, it is not surprising that one of the most common questions motorcycle accidents have is whether they can still pursue an Elizabethtown motorcycle accident claim if they were not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.

As is often the case when answer a legal question, the answer is, “it depends.” As a general rule, defendants in Kentucky motorcycle accident cases cannot use evidence that a rider was not wearing a helmet to defeat their own liability for causing the accident. This is because, for all the good that helmets do, they cannot prevent an accident. Helmets may reduce the seriousness of any injuries, but cannot do anything to prevent the actual accident from occurring.

Along those lines, however, Kentucky courts will allow defendants to argue that a motorcyclists’ injuries could have been reduced or prevented had they worn a helmet. If successful, the at-fault driver will be able to shift some of the blame for the accident onto the motorcyclist, reducing the injured rider’s total recovery amount. This concept highlights the importance of working with an Elizabethtown motorcycle accident attorney who is familiar with local laws and can persuasively present a client’s case to the judge or jury.

Contact with a skilled Elizabethtown motorcycle accident law firm for immediate assistance

If you or a loved one has been involved in an Elizabethtown motorcycle accident, you need experienced personal injury lawyers on your side. Hessig & Pohl is ready to help you in any way possible. Our team of experienced attorneys routinely recovers significant damages awards on behalf of our clients who were injured in Kentucky motorcycle accidents. One of the many reasons Hessig & Pohl is a popular choice among Kentucky motorcycle accident victims is that our representation does not cost you anything upfront. Because we work on a contingency basis, we will not collect a fee unless we can help you recover compensation for your injuries. You can contact us online, or call our office at (502) 777-1111. The initial consultation is always free.

Marty fought for me when the insurance company denied my claim. We sued and got the insurance limits.

- JERAMY

Louisville personal injury lawyer