Motorcycle Accidents
Representative Cases
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$7.5 million
$7.5 million settlement for the family of a motorcyclist killed when a semi-truck failed to yield the right of way.
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$4.1 Million
Trucking/Transportation/Motorcycle Accident
Delivery truck hits and kills motorist
Each motorcycle accident case starts with our motorcycle accident lawyers in Kansas City getting to know you, your family, and what you have lost as a result of the crash. This happens at an initial free consultation.
Time is of the essence when it comes to motorcycle cases, due to the anticipated claims made by at-fault motorists and their insurance companies. Physical evidence from the crash scene, the involved vehicles, and evidence in the at-fault driver’s possession must be preserved and evaluated to ensure you can make the strongest possible case and thwart any allegations of possible comparative fault. Experts may be required to reconstruct the accident, download and interpret any electronic control module (black box) information, comment on the standard of care for the at-fault driver, or evaluate you or your injured loved one for future medical care needs. Our firm will handle putting the right team of experts in place and taking the steps necessary to preserve evidence.
Our motorcycle accident lawyers in Kansas City at Bartimus Frickleton Robertson Rader will also investigate the existence of the insurance coverage that may be available to compensate you and your family for the personal, emotional, and financial harm sustained. Depending upon the strength of the liability and the severity of the injuries sustained, preliminary negotiations with the at-fault driver’s insurance company may take place. Negotiations may also begin with your insurance company if the other drivers were underinsured or uninsured. Our team will handle dealing with the insurance companies and fight on your behalf so you can focus on healing and recovery.
Our team of the best motorcycle accident lawyers will prepare and file the lawsuit if a pre-suit settlement cannot be reached to your satisfaction. We will work with you and the experts to develop a compelling and persuasive case.
Austin Green Speaks Further on Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycle accident lawyers in Kansas City
Steps to Take After a Motorcycle Accident
When someone is involved in a motorcycle accident, understanding their rights as a victim is important to ensure they obtain fair compensation for the damages they suffer. With an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer, victims can navigate the legal process and hold negligent parties accountable.
The following is not medical or legal advice, but information from sources concerning how individuals should react after a motorcycle accident. If safe and possible to do so, attempt to take these steps.
Motorcycle accident lawyers in Kansas City
Prioritize Safety and Seek Medical Attention
Motorcycle accidents can often result in devastating and serious injuries. The first priority for anyone involved in a motorcycle accident is getting to safety and seeking proper medical attention. This can include calling 911 if able to. Not all injuries are visible, and some have delayed onset of symptoms, so you should visit a medical professional even if you don’t feel injured following an accident.
Additionally, document all injuries suffered after the accident. Documentation of medical records, photos of injury, and police reports can help build a case and help ensure fair compensation after an accident.
Motorcycle accident lawyers in Kansas City
Document the Scene and Gather Evidence
If possible and safe to do so, document the scene of the accident. Photographs of any damages or evidence that shows what happened can be beneficial for establishing fault in the future. Never put yourself in danger to document a scene—it is always important to stay safe after an accident.
At this time, it is also recommended to collect information from other drivers and any witnesses to the accident. Collect names, contact information, plate numbers, and insurance information of those involved in the accident. At this time, note the weather and road conditions, and take clear pictures of the scene of the accident from multiple angles.
Motorcycle accident lawyers in Kansas City
Contact a Lawyer
Contacting a lawyer who has experience in motorcycle accidents is important to ensuring that fair compensation is received for damages after a wreck. A skilled motorcycle accident lawyer understands the complexities of these cases, and will work tirelessly advocating for the victim’s rights.
Your lawyer will take care of working with your insurance provider, as well as the insurance providers of the other drivers involved. Navigating insurance claims is often overwhelming, especially when victims are dealing with injuries, medical treatments, and the stress of recovery.
By hiring a lawyer with experience in motorcycle accident cases, victims give themselves the best chance of securing the compensation they need to move forward with their lives after an event as traumatic as a motorcycle accident.
Many lawyers and law firms advertise themselves as “accident lawyers.” Many firms, however, do not have the experience, reputation, and resources to truly maximize the value of your motorcycle accident case. Moreover, many firms handle hundreds, if not thousands, of motorcycle accident cases at any one time, which effectively prevents them from devoting the time and resources that should be dedicated to your specific case. Some of these firms have dozens of non-lawyers handling the day-to-day aspect of motorcycle accident cases. Other firms have quotas about how many cases each one of their paralegals or lawyers must settle each month. These practices incentivize these firms to accept settlements that are less than full value. Unfortunately, most of their clients do not know any better.
Bartimus Frickleton Robertson Rader understands your case is your only case. When our team of motorcycle accident lawyers in Kansas City agrees to represent a client in a motorcycle accident case, we agree to devote the time, resources, and expertise necessary to get the best possible result. We do not warehouse hundreds or thousands of accident cases, and our experienced lawyers for motorcycle accidents will handle your case.
To effectively represent the victim of a personal injury from a motor vehicle accident, a law firm must also have intimate knowledge of how insurance coverage works. Often, law firms unskilled in this area miss sources of insurance that can increase the value of a motorcycle accident case or take an insurance company’s word for it that a policy may not apply. There may be multiple policies that provide coverage for any one accident. Bartimus Frickleton Robertson Rader has lawyers for motorcycle accidents that specialize in insurance coverage issues who can identify all of the potential sources of insurance coverage and effectively deal with insurance companies that act in bad faith by trying to deny coverage for car accident claims or hide other policies that may apply.
A lot of people who have motorcycle accident cases do not realize that their own insurance policy may provide benefits even if they were not the party at fault. Examples include personal injury protection (“PIP”), med pay coverage, or underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage. These coverages are additional sources of coverage that may be available to help you maximize the value of your motorcycle accident case. Properly dealing with insurance companies requires an experienced team of motorcycle accident lawyers in Kansas City.
Wondering if you have a case?
Why Common Driver Negligence Is Especially Dangerous for Motorcyclists
Why Common Driver Negligence Is Especially Dangerous for Motorcyclists
The same negligent driving behaviors that lead to car accidents can have even more devastating consequences when a motorcycle is involved. Because motorcycle riders have far less protection than occupants of passenger vehicles, a collision caused by distracted or impaired driving, speeding, or failure to yield can result in life-changing injuries.
Understanding the factors that commonly lead to motorcycle crashes helps anyone seeking to protect their rights after an accident. Sometimes, these collisions are entirely preventable and result from another driver failing to exercise reasonable care on the road.
Discover how driver negligence contributes to motorcycle accidents, why riders often suffer more severe injuries, and how motorcycle accident lawyers in Kansas City help injured victims pursue compensation for their losses.
Why Common Driver Negligence Is Especially Dangerous for Motorcyclists
Why Motorcycle Accidents Often Result in More Serious Injuries
Motorcyclists face unique risks every time they share the road with larger vehicles. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motorcyclists are about 24 times more likely to die in a crash (per vehicle miles traveled) compared to people driving other types of vehicles.
Several factors contribute to the severity of motorcycle accidents
- Limited physical protection: Unlike passenger vehicles, motorcycles do not surround riders with a protective frame. They do not have airbags, seat belts, or reinforced structures to absorb the force of a collision.
- Reduced visibility: Motorcycles have considerably smaller frames than cars, SUVs, and commercial trucks. Drivers who fail to properly check mirrors, blind spots, or intersections may overlook an approaching motorcycle entirely.
- Greater exposure to road hazards: Minor inconveniences for other vehicles can create serious dangers for motorcyclists. Conditions like potholes, loose gravel, uneven pavement, standing water, and roadway debris can all cause a rider to lose control.
- Higher risk of catastrophic injuries: When a collision occurs, riders are often thrown from their motorcycles or directly exposed to impact with another vehicle, the roadway, or nearby objects.
The physical, emotional, and financial consequences of these injuries can be substantial, sometimes requiring years of treatment and rehabilitation. Because of this, it is always recommended to consult with experienced motorcycle accident lawyers in Kansas City after an accident.
Driver Negligence Remains a Leading Cause of Motorcycle Crashes
While some motorcycle accidents involve rider error, many occur because another motorist acted negligently. Drivers frequently fail to recognize the presence of motorcycles, or they make decisions that place riders in immediate danger.
Failure to Yield
Failure-to-yield accidents rank among the top causes of motorcycle collisions. This category includes accidents where a driver makes a left turn across the path of an oncoming motorcycle.
A driver may incorrectly assume they have enough time to complete the turn, or they may fail to see the motorcycle altogether. Because motorcycles are smaller than passenger vehicles, drivers sometimes misjudge their speed or distance.
Intersections are particularly dangerous locations for these crashes. When other motorists fail to obey traffic signals, stop signs, or right-of-way rules, motorcyclists often have little opportunity to avoid a collision.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving contributes to many serious traffic accidents throughout Kansas and Missouri.
This includes accidents where drivers are:
- Texting
- Using navigation systems
- Browsing social media
- Adjusting vehicle controls
- Eating or drinking
For motorcyclists, those moments can be life-changing. A distracted driver may drift into another lane, fail to notice stopped traffic, overlook an approaching rider, or make a sudden turn without fully checking their path.
Because motorcycles are less visible, distracted driving often creates an even greater risk for riders than for other motorists.
Blind Spot Accidents
Motorcycles can disappear within a driver’s blind spots, especially for larger vehicles, such as SUVs, pickup trucks, and commercial trucks. When drivers change lanes without properly checking their surroundings, they may collide directly with a motorcyclist traveling beside them.
Although modern vehicles increasingly include blind-spot monitoring systems, drivers cannot rely solely on technology. Proper mirror checks and shoulder checks remain essential for preventing motorcycle collisions.
Impaired Driving
Alcohol and drug impairment create thousands of serious and fatal traffic accidents every year.
An impaired driver often has:
- Slower reaction times
- Reduced coordination
- Poor decision-making
- Impaired judgment
- Difficulty recognizing hazards
These impairments amplify danger for motorcyclists. When a rider suffers injuries because another driver chose to get behind the wheel while impaired, motorcycle accident lawyers in Kansas City can help investigate the crash and pursue accountability.
Aggressive Driving
Aggressive driving behaviors frequently place motorcyclists at risk.
Examples include:
- Tailgating
- Excessive speeding
- Unsafe lane changes
- Running red lights
- Road rage incidents
- Improper passing
Because motorcycles require adequate space to maneuver safely, aggressive driving can quickly create dangerous situations. Riders often have fewer options for avoiding collisions, especially when another driver acts recklessly.
Motorcycle accident lawyers in Kansas City regularly encounter cases involving aggressive or reckless driving, where motorists could have avoided an accident by exercising reasonable caution.
Hazardous Road Conditions Can Contribute to Motorcycle Accidents
Not every motorcycle crash is caused solely by another driver. In some cases, dangerous roadway conditions contribute to—or directly cause—an accident.
Slippery Road Surfaces
Rain, snow, ice, oil spills, and loose gravel can significantly reduce traction for motorcycles.
Even experienced riders may struggle to maintain control when road conditions become hazardous. Sudden braking or necessary evasive maneuvers on slippery surfaces can cause a motorcycle to slide or overturn.
Poor Road Design and Roadway Obstacles
Certain roadway designs present additional challenges for motorcyclists. Roads with narrow lanes, sharp blind curves, uneven surfaces, and limited visibility all increase the risk of accidents.
Roadways should be designed and maintained with the safety of all users in mind, including motorcyclists.
Objects on the road surface, like potholes, debris, fallen cargo, and guardrails, can force riders to swerve or lose control. Motorcyclists often have only seconds to react to unexpected obstacles, increasing their likelihood of losing control or colliding with another vehicle.
Unsafe Infrastructure
Certain roadway features also pose unique risks to motorcycles. Metal bridge grates, railroad crossings, sewer covers, and grooved pavement may affect tire stability and traction. These conditions can become even more dangerous during wet weather.
Poor Road Maintenance
Failure to properly maintain roadways can create dangerous conditions for all drivers. Uneven lane surfaces, deteriorating pavement, poorly repaired potholes, and inadequate drainage can significantly increase the risk of motorcycle accidents.
Experienced motorcycle accident lawyers in Kansas City often investigate whether poor roadway maintenance contributed to a rider’s injuries.
Construction Zones
Construction zones present a number of hazards, like loose gravel, abrupt lane shifts, temporary barriers, and rough pavement. All of these increase the risk of motorcycle crashes.
Construction companies and contractors have a responsibility to maintain reasonably safe work zones and provide proper warnings to approaching motorists.