Baton Rouge Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Baton Rouge, LA Motorcycle Accident Attorney

Accidents between motorcycles and passenger cars can have devastating impacts on bikers. It is important to work with a Baton Rouge motorcycle accident lawyer to protect your interests if you are injured while riding.

Many people love riding motorcycles throughout our beautiful Pelican State. And who can blame them? Louisiana boasts some of the most varied terrain and interesting rides in the country. With plenty of warm weather, tons of local festivals, and great food and music destinations to ride to, Sportsman’s Paradise can’t be beat.

But motorcycle accidents, when they happen, can be catastrophic.

Motorcycle riders —yes, even those wearing helmets, heavy-duty biker boots, and padded leather jackets —are 27 times more likely to die in an accident than someone riding in a car.

Accidents that don’t end in the rider’s death can result in:

• Severe brain or spinal injuries
• Amputations
• Third-degree burns
• Disfigurement
• Permanent injuries, and more

These injuries can be painful, disabling, and incredibly expensive. Most riders injured in motorcycle accidents end up facing:

• Extensive medical treatment
• Hefty hospital bills
• And lost wages

When you are not to blame for the accident, you should not have to bear the cost of healing. That’s why our motorcycle accident attorneys in Baton Rouge, Louisiana fight hard to get motorcycle accident victims the compensation they need and deserve. If another driver or party is liable for your injuries, they are responsible for the costs of your injuries and other losses.

Getting the Compensation You Deserve With Day Law Group

When you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident, the idea of managing an insurance or civil claim can be exhausting. Unfortunately, there is a very short window of time to file these claims. Many insurance companies require claims to be filed as soon as possible. Civil claims for personal injury and wrongful death must be filed within a year in Louisiana. Waiting to file these claims can result in lost evidence or an ineligibility to file.

When you are injured, you need compensation for your personal and financial losses, and you need a qualified and compassionate attorney to fight for your rights. While you and your family rest and recover, the attorneys at Day Law Group can:

• Investigate your accident.
• Find essential evidence.
• Determine the at-fault party.
• Calculate how to obtain the maximum compensation from an insurance or a civil claim.

At Day Law Group, our attorneys have over 25 years of collective experience in personal injury law, and we have significant experience with the unique challenges involved in motorcycle accident claims. We are proud to represent those who are wrongfully injured in Baton Rouge and support our community in their time of need. Our team has significant negotiation and trial experience, and we use our knowledge and resources to fight for the compensation you deserve.

What Makes Motorcycle Accidents Different?

Motorcycle accidents are more likely to result in severe, long-term, and catastrophic injuries to motorcyclists, and they are more likely to cause fatal injuries. More extreme injuries typically require a higher settlement amount to account for:

• Higher medical costs
• The long-term consequences of the injuries
• Their effect of these injuries on the rider’s employment

A higher settlement can often be more difficult to negotiate, and riders are more likely to exceed the coverage of the initial insurance claim with the at-fault driver.

Additionally, motorcyclists face extra legal challenges. The party who is at fault in motorcycle accidents frequently claims that the biker rode their motorcycle while knowing the risks, so their injuries should not be the responsibility of the at-fault party.

At Day Law Group, we consider this to be an unfair presumption, particularly when drivers act negligently and cause motorcyclists to suffer severe and debilitating injuries. Many drivers do not take appropriate care around cyclists, or even drive aggressively, and they should be held accountable and liable for this carelessness and recklessness.

What Causes Motorcycle Accidents in Baton Rouge?

Several factors, from weather to rider experience, can cause motorcycle accidents, but 63% of motorcycle crashes involve multiple vehicles. All too often, drivers fail to see motorcyclists, and no matter who is at fault, motorcyclists bear the brunt of the accident. Both riders and drivers have to be careful on the road. Motorcycles are less visible than other vehicles, but drivers should remain vigilant and careful on the road. Driver negligence is frequently the cause of these collisions.

Some common causes of motorcycle accidents include:

• Unsafe lane changes, such as failing to signal or failing to check blindspots for smaller vehicles
• Improper left turns, and cutting off motorcyclists due to improperly judging how fast a motorcyclist is going
• Failure to yield the right of way, or otherwise impacting the flow of traffic
• Speeding, increasing the likelihood of an accident and the damage in a collision
• Tailgating, which is especially unsafe around motorcycles
• Aggressive driving, including swerving
• Driving under the influence, which increases the chances of an accident by lowering the reaction speed and rational thinking of drivers and riders
• Distracted driving, such as eating, drinking, texting, or daydreaming
• Drowsy driving, which is nearly as dangerous as driving under the influence
• Dooring, which can cause serious injury to motorcyclists if they are going at fast speeds

Although it is not legal in Louisiana for motorcycles to lane split, it is also the law that those in cars should ensure that it is safe before opening their vehicle doors on roadways. A driver who purposefully doors a motorcyclist could be held liable for their intentional misconduct.

Every person on the road has a duty to act with a reasonable amount of care for others on the road. Drivers and riders must travel responsibly and drive defensively. When a driver or rider fails to uphold this duty, and this failure causes an accident and injury, they can be held liable.

Who Is at Fault for a Motorcycle Accident?

This depends on the factors of the unique case. Often, the at-fault party is the driver, but either party may be liable. However, even when a motorcyclist is partially liable, they may still be able to file for damages under Louisiana’s pure comparative negligence laws. The final compensation amount awarded to the cyclist would be limited by the same percentage that they were found at fault, but this settlement can still be substantial when the rider has suffered severe injuries.

If a motorcyclist is found to be 15% liable for the accident, their final settlement is reduced by 15%. However, the driver in the accident often has limited damages that need to be covered. An attorney is essential in these cases to determine fault and potentially limit the percentage that a rider is found liable, therefore increasing the final settlement. An attorney can also help riders determine the benefits of filing a claim and understand the likely settlement amount.

Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries

Motorcyclists are operating vehicles with very few safety protections, including no seatbelts and no crumple zones. In a crash, riders are often thrown from their vehicles, meaning that they suffer the impact of the collision and the impact of hitting the ground, which is often the pavement. Without the protection of a passenger vehicle, motorcyclists often suffer serious injuries in crashes. In fact, more than 80% of all reported motorcycle crashes result in injury or death to the motorcyclist.

When riders survive the accident, they frequently find themselves facing reconstructive and rehabilitative surgeries, physical therapy, long-term recovery and care, and disability. It may take months or years to recover from these injuries. The motorcycle accident injuries we see most frequently at our firm include:

• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries, including partial or full paralysis
• Fractures and broken bones
• Lacerations and puncture wounds
• Road rash
• Burns and electrocution injuries
• Nerve damage
• Internal injuries
• Lower-extremity injuries
• Amputations
• And more

Helmets can help prevent traumatic brain injuries, but sometimes, serious injuries are unavoidable. If you’ve been harmed, we are here for you.

Motorcycle Accidents and Wrongful Death Claims

Wrongful death occurs when someone is killed due to another party’s negligence or intentional misconduct. They may also survive the accident itself, only to later die from their injuries. A wrongful death claim takes the place of the personal injury claim that the individual could have filed if they survived.

Their spouse and children have the right to file a wrongful death claim. If they have none, their parents can file the claim, followed by siblings if there are no surviving parents, followed by grandparents. The deceased’s family members can recover damages such as:

• The cost of a funeral and burial
• Any medical costs from before their loved one’s death
• The loss of emotional and financial support

Why Hire Day Law Group?

We have successfully represented many Louisiana motorcycle accident victims and their families over the years. We are passionate about providing our clients with the personal attention they need, and we are dedicated to aggressively pursuing their rights to full and fair compensation. Our team brings you the legal resources and knowledge necessary to give your claims their greatest chance of success. We can help you maximize the settlement you receive, ensuring that it fairly reflects the damages you suffered.

Our motorcycle accident attorneys have extensive experience in representing riders who have been injured by the negligence of another driver and families seeking redress for the loss of a loved one. We know that this time in your life is incredibly difficult. Although a settlement will never fix everything or replace a lost loved one, it can provide you with much-needed support and stability as you heal and grieve. We want to help you efficiently work through these legal processes. We are accessible, we offer FREE consultations, and we do not get paid unless you win your case.

How Much Are Most Motorcycle Accident Settlements?

Every motorcycle accident is unique, and therefore, every settlement amount is unique. When another party is at fault for your injuries, you can hold them liable for every economic or noneconomic damage that was caused by the accident. This is true whether the at-fault party is a driver, a product manufacturer, a governmental agency, or another party.

The size of the settlement is directly related to the severity of your damages. The damages that could be recoverable in your motorcycle accident claim may include:

• Medical Costs: Any existing medical bills, the cost of future medical needs, and expected complications from your injury should be compensated. Any medical cost that resulted directly from the accident and injury is compensable, including prescription costs, hospital stays, and surgeries.
• Property Damage: This induces the cost to repair or replace any valuable items damaged in the accident. Often, property damage is covered in an initial insurance claim, but the damage to a motorcycle could exceed the existing coverage.
• Lost Income: When you have a short-term injury and must take some time off to recover, the income you would have earned during that time may be in the settlement amount.
• Lost Earning Capacity: After a motorcycle accident, you may be unable to return to work for a significant period of time, be unable to complete gainful employment ever, or only be able to work in a limited capacity at your job. In these cases, compensation would cover the amount of income that you would have earned during your lifetime if you were not injured.
• Other Economic Damages: Your settlement could cover any other relevant damages caused by the accident.
• Noneconomic Damages: These damages are intangible losses that are legally recognizable, including physical pain, mental trauma, disfigurement and scarring, loss of quality of life, and loss of consortium.

Some of these costs can be difficult to predict without prior experience. Qualified attorneys with years of experience in these accidents and their resulting injuries can determine the complete cost of your losses.

Compassionate. Experienced. Dedicated to Getting You the Compensation You Deserve.

If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident or lost a loved one because of another driver’s negligence, contact our experienced motorcycle accident attorneys at Day Law Group. We have offices in Baton Rouge, and we serve Baker, Gonzales, Port Allen, New Orleans, Zachary, and every other city across Louisiana. Learn how we can help you manage a claim and recover what you deserve.