A motorcycle accident can change your life in the blink of an eye. Instead of hearing the roar of an engine, there’s the blare of ambulance sirens. And instead of riding on the open road, you’re stuck in a hospital room. The medical bills, the lost wages, the pain and suffering – it’s overwhelming, and you shouldn’t have to handle it alone, especially when someone else caused the accident that harmed you.
At London Harker Injury Law, our motorcycle accident lawyers in Sandy, UT, understand how much your world can shift when you’ve suffered severe injuries in a motorcycle crash. Our attorneys have significant experience with motorcycle accident cases and will fight tooth and nail to help you recover fair compensation for your injuries.
Whether it’s negotiating with insurance companies, meticulously building your case, or advocating fiercely for your rights in the courtroom, we’ve got your back. Let us bear the legal burdens while you focus on what truly matters – your recovery. Call 77CARCRASH today or complete our online contact form for a free case evaluation.
Types of Sandy, UT, Motorcycle Accidents We Handle
Motorcycle accidents can occur in various ways, each with its unique set of circumstances and challenges. Our law firm has the experience and knowledge to handle a wide range of motorcycle accident cases, including the following:
- Left-Turn Accidents: These crashes often occur when another vehicle makes a left turn in front of a motorcycle and misjudges the motorcycle’s speed or does not see the motorcycle at all. These are among the most common types of motorcycle accidents we handle.
- Rear-End Collisions: Even a low-speed rear-end collision can have serious consequences for motorcyclists. Such accidents can lead to severe injuries, especially if the motorcycle is stationary when hit by a larger vehicle.
- Hit-and-Runs: Some drivers choose to flee the scene after causing a motorcycle crash. We can help victims of hit-and-run accidents seek compensation, even if the driver can’t be found.
- Drunk Driving Accidents: Accidents caused by impaired drivers can be especially devastating. If a drunk driver hit you, we will fight to hold them accountable for their negligent behavior.
- Speeding-Related Accidents: Speeding can reduce a vehicle’s ability to steer safely around curves or objects in the roadway, extend the distance necessary to stop a vehicle, and increase the distance a vehicle travels while the driver reacts to a dangerous situation. All these factors make a crash more likely.
Utah Motorcycle Laws
While motorcycle riders in Utah generally have to follow the same traffic laws as any other driver, there are a few regulations specific to motorcycles that can affect a personal injury claim. These laws include:
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Motorcycle insurance
Utah is a no-fault insurance state for most traffic accidents, but motorcycle insurance policies do not have to include no-fault coverage. This makes a personal injury claim easier in some ways, as injured motorcyclists don’t have to work around the no-fault system to file a lawsuit. On the other hand, injured motorcyclists must prove someone else caused the crash before they can recover compensation through a personal injury claim.
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Helmets
Utah law clearly states that anyone under age 21 must wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle. However, that same law also says that a rider’s failure to wear a helmet does not constitute negligence in a civil case. But even with that law on the books, insurance companies sometimes use a rider’s lack of a helmet as justification to reduce or deny a claim, which is why it’s crucial for injured motorcyclists to hire an attorney.
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Lane-filtering
Heavy traffic puts motorcyclists in danger of rear-end collisions or other accidents, so they will sometimes try to maneuver through stopped traffic to reach a safer spot. This practice, sometimes called lane-filtering, is allowed under Utah Code § 41-6a-704 and described in the Utah Motorcycle Operator Manual. However, motorcyclists can only drive between lanes of traffic in specific circumstances and only through traffic moving in the same direction of travel. Lane-filtering is only legal if the rider is on a road with a speed limit of 45 mph or less, the vehicle the rider is overtaking is stopped in the rider’s lane, the rider is moving at 15 mph or less, and the rider can pass the stopped vehicle safely.
How Our Sandy, UT, Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Can Help
Motorcycle claims are not just car claims on two wheels. Insurers treat riders differently, and protecting your case means getting ahead of that. Here is where our Sandy motorcycle accident lawyers focus:
- Beating the bias against riders. Adjusters and juries sometimes assume a motorcyclist was reckless. We build the record that shows you were riding lawfully, and we rely on Utah’s helmet law, which says failing to wear a helmet is not negligence, to shut down attempts to shift blame onto you.
- Proving the driver took your right of way. Most rider injuries come from drivers who turn left or change lanes into a motorcycle. We track down intersection video, witness accounts, and vehicle data that show the other driver simply did not look.
- Reconstructing how the crash happened. Gravel, road debris, and canyon conditions all matter. We work with reconstruction experts to explain the real cause when the other side tries to pin it on the rider.
- Capturing the full cost of a rider’s injuries. Road rash, broken bones, and long rehabilitation are common in motorcycle wrecks. We make sure future care and lasting limitations are part of the demand, not an afterthought.
- Refusing the lowball. When an insurer bets a rider will grab a quick check, we are ready to file suit and take the case to trial.
Having a motorcycle accident lawyer handle your claim increases your chances of securing appropriate compensation and allows you to focus on your recovery without the added stress of legal complexities. Let our experienced Sandy personal injury lawyers fight for your rights while you focus on healing. Call 77CARCRASH today or reach out online for a complimentary case review.