What to Look for in a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

For those who ride, you understand that motorcycling comes with a set of risks that regular vehicles simply do not experience. Besides an entirely different driving experience, there are also increased risks to your person. After all, when a motorcycle gets in a collision with another vehicle, it is the motorcyclist that ends up on the losing side.

It is this difference in what happens in a collision that means you may require an attorney to help you through the legal process, one that understands motorcycling and the additional risks that come with riding. If you are a motorcyclist, you may want to find a lawyer just in case you are in a collision that will require follow-up legal counsel. And if you are looking for a motorcycle accident lawyer, look for the following traits to ensure you have someone who will work for, and with, you.

1. Medical Knowledge

It’s unfortunate, but motorcycling comes with a much higher risk of injury than driving in cars, trucks, or vans. Without the metal casing around the driver, motorcycles leave their operators more open to injury. These injuries can also be more severe as a result of high-speed collisions, which can sometimes leave the rider severely injured, perhaps for the rest of their lives.

One of the more common severe injuries in motorcycling is classified as “catastrophic orthopaedic injury.” Unfortunately, there is no clear definition of what constitutes a “catastrophic” injury, but there are legal precedents for what follows when such an injury is brought into court. But because of the lack of hard definition recognized by the courts, it means you will need legal representation with a strong medical background.

Motorcycle accident lawyers often understand more about the medical side of accident cases than other lawyers because of the frequency at which their cases involve severe injuries and catastrophic orthopaedic injuries. Armed with such knowledge, they can make a stronger case for their clients that bring to bear the full impact of the injuries on the person’s life—and on their ability to work and enjoy their lives. When looking for a motorcycle accident lawyer, be sure they have a demonstrable knowledge of the medical conditions you may be suffering from, and the resources to learn more about them, so they can build you a stronger case.

2. Knowledge of Motorcycle Driving

Another unfortunate circumstance that arises from motorcycle driving is the misconception about the drivers. Many people feel motorcycle drivers are irresponsible or reckless drivers, and since many injury cases are decided by a jury, this bias can lead to decisions that leave motorcyclists without the compensation they need and the justice they deserve—all based on a simple but pervasive stereotype.

A motorcycle accident lawyer needs to understand motorcycling, the safe driving practices and procedures that responsible motorcyclists practice, and the common problems they encounter from other drivers while out on the road. Without this knowledge, they could jeopardize your case and leave the decision up to a jury who doesn’t understand what went wrong.

Your motorcycle accident lawyer should be knowledgeable about motorcycling to help you make the best case possible. When looking for an attorney, see how committed to motorcycle accidents he or she is. Is it prominent on their website? Do they have previous cases that they can point to? If it seems like motorcycle injury cases are a side show for the firm, then they will probably approach the case like any other personal injury case, and that will not suffice.

3. Location

When you are injured on a motorcycle, state law factors heavily into the cases that follow. If you have been injured in one state but live in another, it is always better to hire a lawyer who lives in the state in which you had your collision. Local lawyers understand local laws better than outside lawyers, which means they can build better cases and defend your arguments more effectively in the court of law. While you may have a lawyer that you would rather use in your own state, it is always better to use one who understands the local laws much better.

If you are looking for a qualified and trained motorcycle accident lawyer, be sure to find someone who understands motorcycling and the injuries that can happen in motorcycling collisions. Without this knowledge, your case could end up missing some key details, and that could leave you without the compensation you need to move forward in your life.