The Morgantown WV motorcycle accident attorneys at Adams Legal Group, PLLC are
experienced at fighting for motorcycle crash victims throughout West Virginia. Unfortunately, these claims often involve very serious injuries or death, as is common when a biker is involved in a wreck.
We know how to address the liability issues, including accident reconstructions, where necessary and are very adept in working through the medical treatment and rehabilitation of the frequently serious personal injuries and death aspects of these cases as well.
If you or a loved one have been injured or killed while riding a motorcycle in the State of West Virginia, because of the negligence or wrongdoing of another driver, please contact us to discuss your serious personal injury or wrongful death claim, today – (304) 381-2166. You can also initiate a conversation with us about how we can help you with your WV motorcycle accident claim by clicking the button below and completing our simple web-contact form.
If you are just looking for some quick answers about motorcycle claims – check out our WV Motorcycle Accidents FAQs section, below.
A motorcycle accident lawyer can help you take action and get the compensation that you are entitled to, through negotiating a possible settlement or by filing your case in an appropriate court or tribunal to preserve and pursue your claim through judicial remedies and ultimately a jury award, if necessary.
Motorcycle accidents can be very dangerous and lead to serious injuries. The rider is unprotected from the elements and other vehicles on the road. It is important to get a motorcycle injury lawyer for a motorcycle accident if you want to make sure that your legal rights to fair and just compensation for your motorcycle accident injury or the death of a loved one are protected.
If you are looking for additional answers regarding a motorcycle accident claims in West Virginia or about our legal services for your biking accident, please check out our answers to frequently asked questions.
Our motorcycle accident attorneys are located in our Morgantown, West Virginia office, which is in the North-Central part of the State; however, we routinely appear in courts and handle injury and death claims not just in Morgantown, but throughout the entire region, including the following areas:
In accidents involving serious and catastrophic injuries or deaths, we also handle claims throughout the entire State of West Virginia, because you deserve the best motorcycle accident attorneys in WV to handle your claim and help you get the compensation you deserve and guide you through the post-accident process.
I’m not claiming that as an experienced West Virginia motorcycle accident lawyer
that I have all the answers to keep you safe if you choose to ride a motorcycle as a hobby or out of necessity. But what I will tell you is that I guarantee that I can keep you “safer” if you are aware of and constantly remind yourself of certain facts and practice a few basic safety tips religiously.
Even if you do everything I write about here to make yourself safer, I can’t guarantee that you won’t be killed or seriously injured while riding a motorcycle. I can tell you, however, that your odds of getting killed or injured when on your motorcycle will go down substantially if you realize that passenger automobile and trucks can’t see you when you are riding your motorbike and that if you drink and ride it’s very likely you won’t make it home in one piece.
You’ve heard the biker slogan “Loud Pipes Save Lives.” The next time people complain to you about the noisy pipes on your Harley Davidson motorcycle, tell them that those loud pipes are about the only safety defense a motorcyclist has when cruising America’s highways.
The number one cause of motorcycle accidents is that the drivers of passenger vehicles fail to recognize that you are there in the first place. Not in their blind spot mind you, just even there period! You think you are operating safely but other vehicles are unaware of your presence on the highway.
Even if you have your headlight on, given the glare and changing sun light conditions, it’s like your invisible. “What was that? What did we hit?” are often questions that the driver of a passenger vehicle will ask, not having ever had a chance to avoid the collision because they never saw the motorcycle until after the accident had occurred.
This lack of visibility should be the motorcyclist’s number one safety concern when attempting to drive on the highway, particularly while riding in West Virginia, as our serpentine roadways and mountainous geographic features create complex visibility challenges for WV motorcyclists.
It should be presumed that passenger vehicles and truck drivers won’t even see you. It’s not their fault, it’s just a fact that motorcycles are really small and skinny compared to other vehicles that we are used to seeing on the road like cars and trucks. It’s just a fact that you can’t be seen and that’s what causes passenger vehicles to do seemingly stupid things like cutting into your lane and making left-hand turns into you.
It only seems like they are out to kill you but I assure you they’re not. They just can’t see you. Accept the fact that as a practical matter you are invisible to other drivers and ride with that in mind, at all times.
So given your invisibility, if you are passing on a multi-lane highway assume that the other vehicle will change lanes and cut you off. Sound your horn if you have to before you pass. Flash your lights. Make them aware of your presence. Better yet… don’t pass unless it’s absolutely necessary.
If you are passing a large truck like a tractor trailer, be aware that they need more distance to stop so don’t be in a big hurry to get back into the slow lane until you have cover enough distance in front of the truck to allow them to stop safely if necessary.
If you are approaching an intersection on a highway, always assume that oncoming traffic will make an illegal left hand turn into your oncoming lane. Slow down 5 or ten miles per hour even if you are approaching an intersection where you have a green light, so that if the oncoming driver does make that stupid left, you will have a chance to avoid them by braking or swerving.
Now given the fact that you are nearly invisible and have little control of your destiny when operating a motorcycle, there is another cause of motorcycle crashes, deaths and injuries that you do have control over. You are much more likely to have a safe day on your motorcycle if you do not drink alcohol while riding. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (www.nhtsa.gov), motorcycle riders that are killed in accidents are 2.5 times more likely to been drinking alcohol than drivers of passenger vehicles.
Drinking reduces you inhibitions and that includes reducing the necessary fear one should have when driving a motorcycle. If you drink you may be tempted to go faster than the speed limit, or not care so much about the potential mistakes of oncoming traffic. In addition, riding a motorcycle requires much greater physical motor skills than does operating a passenger vehicle, balance being the big one, and drinking diminishes your motor skills.
Another problem that drinking causes is that it exacerbates a bad mood. Alcohol is a depressant and if you go into a bar in a bad mood, i.e., to drown your sorrows, I guarantee that you’ll leave in an even worse mood. You can be depressed by losing a job, the death of a loved one, or breaking up with your girlfriend, and many, many, many people will turn to alcohol at these times to attempt to lessen their pain. Not caring if you live or die is a bad idea anytime, but that attitude can be fatal if you combine a negative attitude, excessive alcohol consumption, late night hours and getting on a motorcycle to drive home.
If you have not been drinking and stay 100% sober, you will have all your motor skills and mental concentration intact and will increase your chances of avoiding the driver who can’t see you when they cut you off by veering into your passing lane or making that ninety degree left-hand turn into your oncoming lane of traffic. When riding a motorcycle, always drive defensively and always play the percentages.
If you or a loved one has been killed or injured in West Virginia, as a result of a motorcycle accident, it is vitally important that you contact an experienced WV motorcycle crash attorney 
who is well versed in the handling of claims against negligent drivers in motorcycle accident cases.
Please call Adams Legal Group PLLC for a free consultation – (304) 381-2166. If you have a case, we can come to see you if you are incapacitated and can not leave the hospital or your home. We take personal injury cases on a contingent fee, which means no fee for you, unless we recover money for you!
You can also complete our easy web contact form by clicking the button below.
The major benefit of hiring a West Virginia motorcycle accident lawyer is to ensure that the victim gets the best possible compensation allowed by the laws of the State. The lawyer will evaluate the case and take care of all the paperwork and legal procedures. They will also be able to offer advice on how to deal with insurance companies. if it becomes necessary. The lawyer can also represent you in court and get a settlement for your injuries. For more information about what to do after a motorcycle accident, visit this article.
Motorcycle accidents are one of the most common types of accidents in the United States, and unfortunately, they also more frequently result in fatalities than other types of accidents. Motorcycles are more likely to be involved in an accident than cars.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 5,014 motorcycle-related fatalities in 2019. Of these deaths, approximately 94% of the time the rider was the one killed in a crash. Additional analysis reveals that per mile traveled, a motorcyclist is killed in a fatal accident about 29 times more frequently than an occupant of a passenger vehicle.
Motorcycle accidents are more likely to result in death or injury than other types of car accidents. In the United States, there are about 4 deaths per 100 motorcycle accidents. This is much higher than the 1 death per 100 car crashes.
The most common type of motorcycle accident is a collision with another vehicle. This usually happens when the driver of the other vehicle fails to see the motorcycle or misjudges its speed and distance from their vehicle.
If you are involved in West Virginia motorcycle accident, it is important to be aware of the laws and regulations that apply to your situation. It is also important to know what to do if you are in an accident.
First, if you have been involved in an accident, the absolute first thing that you should do is remain still for a moment and assess your physical condition, checking for mobility, bleeding and any broken bones. That being said, you should also be aware of your surroundings, as following an accident on a bike, typically both you and the bike will be on the ground and thus subject to very low visibility and prone to further incident or collision from other vehicles traversing the roadway. If you are able to do so safely, you should ensure that you are not situated in a precariously dangerous location on or off the roadway.
Second, make sure that the driver of any other vehicle involved in the accident stops at once and exchanges information with you.
Third, call for help if needed. If there is any property damage or injury involved in the crash then it is important to call 911 or your local emergency number immediately so that help can be sent as soon as possible.
Many people who have been in a motorcycle accident are often confused about how much it is going to cost them to hire a lawyer. As a general rule, there are typically a number of different factors that may affect the price of hiring a lawyer.
However, in most instances, many lawyers will undertake to represent accident and injury victims on a contingent-fee basis, which means that the attorney does not charge any fees up front. Rather, the attorney fronts all of the costs of pursuing the claim under a contractual arrangement whereby they will ultimately receive a percentage of the total amount of any award, whether that award is achieved by virtue of a settlement or by a jury verdict.
Our Morgantown, WV personal injury attorneys handle all of our West Virginia accident and wrongful death cases, including WV motorcycle accident claims on a contingent-fee retainer. We charge a straight percentage and cover all of the costs of pursuing the claim and litigation costs, without ever charging those costs back to our injured clients, unless and until we receive a monetary settlement or award for our client.
There is no standard amount of time that it takes to settle a motorcycle accident case. However, in a case where the injuries and future treatment are reasonably certain, from that point forward, in our experience, it often takes around 3-6 months to settle a WV motorcycle accident case.
If the injuries involved are uncertain in nature or the treatment necessary to address those injuries is undetermined or ongoing, the settlement process will likely take longer.
When questions arise as to which party was at fault for causing the accident or when the motorcycle accident victim may have contributed to his own injuries or the extent thereof (e.g. by not wearing proper clothing or safety gear), this can often times cause settlement discussions to take longer than typical.
However, in any case, if the injured motorcyclist is not satisfied with the settlement negotiations or settlement offer, we can always proceed to formally pursuing the claim for recovery of damages in a court of law. Generally, when a motorcycle wreck case ends up in Court, the process then becomes subject to formal discovery and the scheduling by the Court and often results in much more significant delays.
Sometimes pursuing a court action is the best way to force the insurance company for the other party to pay up and give you a fair amount to compensate you for your injuries and other damages, even if that means going all the way to a jury in trial.
If you are injured in a motorcycle crash in WV or anywhere, for that matter, It is important to get medical attention as soon as possible after a motorcycle accident. If you are not feeling well or have any injuries, go to the hospital or call an ambulance.
If you are in pain, try to avoid moving around too much. This will help prevent further injury and preserve evidence of your injuries. If you are unable to move because of the pain, stay where you are and wait for help.
If you can, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away.
Only after you have first attended to your immediate medical needs and handled the emergency situation at hand should you contact an experienced West Virginia motorcycle accident attorney.
The number one top cause of most motorcycle accidents is the failure by other motorists to maintain a proper lookout – Motorcyclists are often “invisible” to other drivers, because of the low profile of the bike, when most drivers are accustomed to maintaining only a casual lookout for much larger and more readily apparent 4-wheel vehicles.
Some of the additional common causes of motorcycle accidents are as follows:
Motorcycle accidents are one of the most dangerous as many riders sustain severe injuries such as broken bones, head trauma, and spinal cord injury. Because riders are fully exposed, with very little cushion or protection being afforded by the bike itself, motorcyclists often suffer serious bodily injuries and are often killed as a result of an accident with another motor vehicle.
If you have an injury that is the result of a motorcycle accident and you need to get compensated for it, it’s important to know how much your injuries are worth. Unfortunately, there is no “formula” for determining the value of your case. Be wary of any website form or calculator that purports to be able to spit out a value for your claim after you input a few simple variables.
The best way to determine the value of your injury is by getting a consultation with a lawyer who specializes in motorcycle accidents or traffic accidents. An experienced motorcycle accident attorney will be able to tell you how much you can expect in compensation and what type of settlement you should request from the other party.
The West Virginia motorcycle accident injury attorneys at Adams Legal Group, PLLC are experienced in handling serious injury and death claims resulting from motorcycle crashes in the State of West Virginia. We offer both free initial consultations and also free evaluations of your claim, where we entertain to assess the potential strength and value of your accident claim. Click here if you would like to get a free consultation on your WV motorcycle accident claim.
West Virginia has a 2-year statute of limitations for all personal injury claims, which also applies to all types of injuries resulting from accidents, including motorcycle accidents. This means that if your motorcycle crash occurred in the State of West Virginia, then you have two years from the date of the accident and resulting injuries within which to formally file a personal injury claim in Court.
There are very few exceptions and after two years elapsed, any potential claim you may have had will be precluded if you have not preserved the claim by filing a civil action in a West Virginia Court. The motorcycle crash attorneys at Adams Legal Group, PLLC are here to help you with your motorcycle injury claim and will ensure that we comply with all statutes and that your accident claim in timely filed in the appropriate court to preserve your rights to recover an award for your damages and losses.
You have already taken the first step in the process of pursuing a WV motorcycle accident claim for injuries, damages and losses, by visiting this page. Our highly experienced WV accident and wrongful death lawyers have the knowledge and experience to competently handle your motorcycle crash claim and
National Highway Traffic Safety Admin. – Motorcycle Safety
National Safety Council –
fax: (855) 400-4481
Contingent Fees In All Personal Injury, Accident & Wrongful Death Cases
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