Motorcycle Accidents
New Hampshire Personal Injury Lawyer
New Hampshire Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
You need a quality motorcycle accident attorney in New Hampshire if you are unfortunate enough to be involved in a motorcycle accident. Motorcycle accidents can cause severe injuries because of the vulnerability of the rider. When you hire a New Hampshire motorcycle accident attorney from Wyskiel, Boc, Tillinghast & Bolduc, P.A., you can rest assured that you are receiving representation from lawyers who have represented many people in motorbike accidents.
Sadly, there is a substantial danger of loss of limbs and loss of life in motorcycle accidents. Our attorney will gather all of the evidence to make sure that the insurance carrier for the person who caused horrific injuries has to pay for those injuries. If you have lost time from work, that information needs to be developed. Whether it is analyzing a tax return for a small business, or whether it is analyzing lost wages, we can make sure that all aspects of the damages you sustain in an injury are addressed.
Contact Us Today for a Free Consultation to schedule a free case evaluation or call (603) 742-5222—in some cases, one of our lawyers may be able to come to you if you can’t travel to our office.
Top Reasons Motorcycle Accidents Occur
Though motorcycle accidents don’t necessarily happen more often than other car accidents, there’s a lot of data showing that they’re more likely to result in severe injuries and fatalities. In fact, in 2019 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that motorcyclists were 29 times more likely than occupants of other vehicles to die in car crashes, and were 4 times more likely to be injured per vehicle miles traveled.
The reason for this high rate of severe injury and death is because motorcyclists have fewer protections on the road than car drivers and passengers—they lack airbags, seat belts, and an outer vehicle exterior that can keep them inside in the event of a collision. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take much for a rider to be thrown from their motorcycle and/or lose control.
Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents Include:
- Unsafe lane changes: Drivers who fail to signal or check their blind spots before merging or changing lanes can risk colliding with motorcyclists in nearby lanes. Due to their smaller size, motorcyclists are often in the blind spots of vehicles.
- Speeding: Speeding is a leading cause of all types of car accidents, as it can greatly reduce your reaction time and also increase the risk of losing control of your vehicle. Additionally, the higher the speed, the greater the impact, which means speeding almost certainly guarantees catastrophic injuries when motorcycles are involved.
- Left-turn accidents: Motorcycle accidents often occur at intersections as cars attempt to make left turns. These crashes can happen when a driver fails to yield to oncoming motorcyclists, or when they cut off a motorcyclist who is also attempting a turn or trying to pass them.
- Driving under the influence: Drunk driving is responsible for many car crashes because intoxicated drivers are less likely to be aware of their surroundings and their coordination and judgment are impaired. This can be especially dangerous for nearby motorcyclists, who drunk drivers may not be able to detect.
Injuries can vary, but some common severe injuries associated with motorcycle accidents include broken bones and crushed limbs, amputation injuries, spinal cord and neck injuries, internal organ damage, and brain injuries. Some of these injuries can result in permanent disability and death.
Our Personal Injury Lawyer
Serving NH & MA
How to Help Prevent a Motorcycle Accident
- Make sure to wear your gear
- Check your surroundings at intersections
- Don’t drink and drive
- Take a motorcycle safety course
- Avoid riding in bad weather
How We Determine Fault in New Hampshire
Victims of motorcycle accidents generally have multiple options to seek compensation in New Hampshire, as this is a “fault” state. If you wish to file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver, you must be able to prove that the driver was negligent in some way, and that this negligence caused your accident and damages.
Proving this requires a lot of evidence, which is where an experienced lawyer like ours comes in. A personal injury lawyer can use their resources and knowledge to investigate the accident, collect witness statements, file paperwork in a timely manner, and ensure the insurance company can’t pin the blame on you. As long as you’re not at least 50% at fault for your accident, you’ll be able to recover compensation if another driver caused your accident.
How Do I Know If I Have a Claim?
Unsure of whether you’re less than 50% to blame for your motorcycle accident and injuries? You won’t know for sure until you give us a call to take advantage of your no-obligation, free case evaluation. Our lawyer can determine if negligence contributed to your accident. If you’re sure the driver was drunk or on their phone texting at the time of the accident, for example, you’ll likely be able to file a claim against them for negligence.
With our help, you can obtain compensation to cover your medical bills, property damage, lost income, and pain and suffering. Filing a claim may be your best chance of healing without financial stress—allow us to provide you with legal guidance and representation.
Motorcycle Accident FAQ
- What damages can I recover after a motorcycle accident?
You can file a motorcycle accident claim against the party that hit you or caused your wreck. The damages that you demand are based on the severity of your injuries and how your day-to-day life has been negatively impacted by them. Typically, motorcycle accident claims seek damages for past and future medical costs, lost wages, lowered income earning capacity, pain, suffering, and permanent disability. The worse you have been injured, it makes sense to say that the greater amount of compensation you will be owed. - What steps should I take after a motorcycle accident?
Immediately after being in a motorcycle accident, you should take steps to protect yourself from further injuries by stepping away from the road if you can. Call 911 and instruct the dispatcher if anyone has been severely injured or if there are large pieces of debris in the road that could cause subsequent accidents. Next, you have to exchange contact and insurance information with all other motorists involved. Then, use your smartphone to take pictures of the scene. There is no such thing as taking too many pictures, so be thorough. Lastly, head to an urgent care facility for a checkup, assuming you don’t need emergency medical care instead. - Do you have to wear a motorcycle helmet in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire is one of the few states in the United States that does not require motorcyclists to wear a helmet while riding. However, even though it is not required by law, many safety experts recommend wearing a helmet while riding a motorcycle. In addition, helmets can also help prevent serious head injuries in the event of an accident.
It is also worth noting that although helmets are not required in New Hampshire, riders and passengers are still required to wear eye protection, such as goggles or a face shield, unless their motorcycle has a windscreen. - I didn’t have a helmet on when I crashed – does that affect my claim?
Not wearing a helmet can still be construed as having accepted a known risk of head or brain injury. If you suffer such an injury, then the defendant could try to argue that you should be partially liable for any damages directly related to that injury because you willingly chose not to put on a helmet before riding your motorcycle. - Can you sue if you were hit while lane-splitting?
Lane-splitting or the act of riding in between two occupied lanes of traffic is not legally permitted in New Hampshire. If you were lane-splitting when another driver hit you, then your liability will likely increase. Although, lane-splitting doesn’t automatically block you completely from seeking compensation. You should speak with our attorneys to get a better idea of what you can do about your case.
Call us today to speak with a New Hampshire motorcycle accident attorney about your accident and injuries at (603) 742-5222. Though we’re based in New Hampshire, we’ve helped clients throughout New England since 1987.
We’ll Fight For You
FAQ
Your Title Goes Here
Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.
Do I have to pay to meet with an attorney first before I commit?
No. Our law firm offers free case evaluations to everyone in New Hampshire and throughout New England—it costs you nothing to meet with us to learn more about how lawyers and so we can learn more about you and your case.
What do I do after an accident?
If you’ve been injured in an accident, whether it’s a car crash or after slipping on a wet surface, your priority should be getting medical attention for your injuries—even if your injuries are minor or you’re not feeling any immediate pain. From there, we recommend documenting as much of your accident as possible, from taking photos of the property damage to gathering witness contact information, and then calling our firm to get started on your case. We can begin investigating your accident quickly to ensure important evidence doesn’t disappear over time.
How is a wrongful death claim different from a personal injury claim?
Victims of accidents who survive can file personal injury claims, but when they die in their accidents or later pass away from their injuries, their surviving family members or those who were financially dependent on them can file wrongful death claims. Wrongful death claims can recover most of the damages that personal injury claims recover, including medical bills, lost wages, and property damage, but they can also recover some of the damages the family members incurred, including funeral and burial bills and loss of companionship.
What should I say if an insurance adjuster calls me?
Shortly after an accident, you may receive a phone call from an insurance adjuster. While they may sound nice and say they simply want to understand what happened, insurance adjusters often try to coax certain statements from you so they can limit the amount of liability that falls on their insured. It’s important to get legal representation as soon as possible so your lawyer can handle these calls and you don’t have to risk saying something that may harm your case.
How long do I have to file my personal injury claim?
It’s important for victims to know that they don’t have all the time in the world to file a personal injury lawsuit. The amount of time you have to file a claim depends on the state where the accident and injuries occurred. For example, New Hampshire’s statute of limitations is three years, meaning victims have three years from the date of injury to file a claim successfully. Hiring a personal injury attorney can be beneficial because they understand their state’s various laws, including those governing filing deadlines.