St. Louis Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

What to expect

You don’t have to face a motorcycle injury claim alone

Motorcyclists often suffer catastrophic injuries in a collision with a car or truck. Compounding an already difficult situation, the financial costs of a serious injury can easily exceed the available insurance coverage. If you’ve been injured — or a loved one was killed — in a motorcycle accident, it helps to work with an attorney who knows how to pursue every possible source of compensation, including uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.

What to do after a St. Louis motorcycle accident

Collecting and preserving evidence after a crash can help prove your injury claim against a negligent driver. If you’re able to, these steps make a difference:

• Photograph the scene. Use your phone to capture the bike on the ground, the point of contact between the bike and the vehicle, and any debris from the impact.
• Don’t admit fault. Fault isn’t always obvious right after a crash, and accidents are confusing and traumatic. Keep a clear head and be careful not to say anything that could be used against your claim.
• Document everything with police. When officers arrive, they’ll make a report with a scene diagram, eyewitness contacts, weather notes, and any citations issued.
• Report to your insurer — carefully. Without admitting fault, report the accident and provide the police report number, the responding officer’s name and badge number, and the other driver’s contact and insurance details. If they ask about your injuries or vehicle damage and you’re not sure, it’s better to say you don’t know yet than to guess — injuries and damage often turn out to be more extensive than they first appear.
• Preserve your helmet. Photograph it at the scene and keep it as-is. Showing you wore a helmet helps rebut any argument that you contributed to your own injuries.
• Gather eyewitnesses and surveillance. Collect contact information and accounts from any witnesses, and check nearby businesses, schools, or other properties for outdoor cameras that may have captured the crash.
• Keep your medical records. Hold on to lab reports, prescriptions, your doctor’s diagnosis, and test results to support your claim.
• Ask whether you’ve been assigned fault. Insurers sometimes assign fault to the motorcyclist automatically, which can raise your rates. Ask your adjuster, and if fault was assigned to you, you may be able to file an objection.

Compensation after a St. Louis motorcycle accident

Motorcycle accidents are often accompanied by serious injuries, and you should be able to recover compensation for them. Beyond medical expenses, you may be able to recover for pain and suffering, lost wages, and disability. An experienced motorcycle accident attorney can help you pursue full compensation and make sure no source of recovery is overlooked.

Counteracting the bias against motorcyclists

Many people — including jurors — carry preconceived notions that motorcyclists are reckless. That reputation is largely undeserved. In reality, motorcycle accidents often result from the negligence or carelessness of other drivers who:

• Don’t check their blind spot when changing lanes
• Don’t see the motorcycle when entering or exiting a street
• Fail to yield the right of way at a stop
• Make a sudden left turn in front of an oncoming motorcycle at an intersection

Attorney Christopher Hoffmann works hard to counter this negative image. Through careful investigation and consultation with qualified witnesses, he can often present evidence showing that the driver of the car, truck, or other vehicle was the actual cause of the crash.

A note on helmets

A helmet can make an enormous difference in a crash. According to the NHTSA, wearing a motorcycle helmet can reduce the risk of brain injuries significantly, and other research has found helmets substantially reduce the risk of head injury and death. Beyond the safety benefit, wearing a helmet — and preserving it after a crash — can help rebut an insurer’s argument that you contributed to your own injuries.