Minneapolis Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Trusted Minneapolis Motorcycle Accident Attorneys

It happens in the blink of an eye: You are traveling down a Minneapolis roadway and suddenly, out of nowhere, you are struck by a car driven by someone who failed to look at both corners before proceeding. Your life changes at that instant.

If a motorcycle accident injured you in Minneapolis, you need immediate medical attention. Once you have sought out and received that attention, your next call should be to Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers so you can learn about your legal rights and options.

Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers Makes a Difference for Personal Injury Clients

We have a history of success. Those who talk with any of our clients will learn that we take care of them, we communicate with them during every step of the process, and we relentlessly pursue fair settlements for all of our injured clients.

We believe in holding responsible parties financially accountable for their negligence. Our past successes do not mean we will be successful in every case in the future. However, our track record speaks for itself. We have been repeating these successes over fourteen years, and fully intend to continue to advocate for our Minneapolis neighbors who suffer injuries.

Victims and the Injuries Suffered in Motorcycle Collisions

Cars have four doors, seatbelts, windshields, and a trunk. Motorcycles have no such barriers, meaning a car striking a motorcycle will cause the motorcycle operator far more serious injuries.

Some of the more common injuries in the more than 8,700 victims suffered after a motorcycle accident in Minnesota recently include:

• Fractured or broken bones
• Injuries to the ears or eyes
• Head and neck trauma
• Concussions and traumatic brain injuries
• Shoulder and back injuries

Any one of these injuries could lead to other problems. Some Minneapolis motorcycle accident victims suffer paralysis, others lose a limb due to infection or crushing injuries, and unfortunately, more than 40 people annually lose their lives while traveling on a motorcycle.

Motorcycle Accident Injury Liability

You are injured. The accident was not your fault. Now, it is time to determine who caused your injury.

This is a complicated task that, in some cases, takes time. Chances are, police issued a report after the accident. The report may name the at-fault party.

However, other factors may determine liability for your injuries:

1. What caused the accident? If a driver veering out of the way of another driver caused the accident, another driver may bear fault. An unmarked road hazard may give a municipality partial fault.
2. Did someone employ the other driver? If the taxi, rideshare, or delivery driver injures you, their employer may bear some liability for your injuries.
3. Did the car the other driver was operating have a mechanical failure? If the driver’s brakes or tires failed, there is a possibility there may have been a failure caused by the manufacturer or distributor of a part.

You might find the answers to these questions in potential surveillance videos taken by nearby businesses or traffic cameras. Your motorcycle accident attorney may obtain these recordings provided you contact them soon enough. Remember, the software that records this data may overwrite it after a short time.

The legal team at Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers leave no stone unturned in finding out who caused an accident and make sure the liable parties are always held accountable. We are aggressive in pursuing every possible avenue of compensation for your injuries.

Potential Damages After a Minneapolis Motorcycle Accident

During an initial consultation, potential clients always ask us what damage they may collect.

Your case is unique. There is no one-size-fits-all answer to your question.

However, you may pursue damages for:

• Injury-related medical expenses - you may include reasonable and customary medical expenses that you pay out of pocket in your claim. Remember, this is a broad category that includes medical devices like crutches, canes, and wheelchairs. You may include medications, the cost of specialized tests, and transportation to and from medical appointments in this category.
• Estimated future medical expenses - when a motorcycle accident victim is disabled or suffers a permanent injury, they may be facing future medical costs including tests, rehabilitation, or ongoing follow-up care. Your motorcycle accident attorney and your medical team can estimate these costs over time and include them in your claim.
• Wages lost during recovery - recovering from a motorcycle accident injury can take several weeks or months. During that time, you may take home less money than you would if you were working. Some victims may need to use vacation or personal days while they are waiting for disability payments. You may include any shortfall from your normal income in your motorcycle accident claim.
• Future loss of income - victims who cannot return to their jobs, or any jobs, may include the loss of income that they could have earned in their settlement claim. Discuss with your attorney whether to include this in the settlement demand.
• Property damage - motorcycles can end up being a tangled mess of metal following a collision. The party responsible for the accident should pay for repairs or replacements. Most motorcycle operators wear specialized protective clothing that may also need replacing following an accident.

Keep in mind, these are only some of the potential damages you might include in a settlement demand. The attorney who handles your case at Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers will explore every possible area of compensation, and ensure your demand is fair so you do not suffer financially from an injury you didn't cause.

We Hold the Insurance Company Accountable

When you suffer an injury in a Minneapolis motorcycle accident, insurance issues are complicated.

Remember, Minnesota is a no-fault auto insurance state. For victims of a roadway accident, this would normally mean filing your initial claim with your own insurance company. However, things work differently when the victim operates a motorcycle and does not opt to purchase optional personal injury protection (PIP) insurance. In this case, you will file your claim with the responsible party’s insurer. It will likely make the process difficult.

Always keep in mind that insurance company adjusters are going to flood you with questions about the accident. At Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers, we strongly encourage Minneapolis motorcycle accident victims this way: Do not discuss your case with an insurance adjuster before speaking with a personal injury attorney. This protects you and your claim against the at-fault party.

Insurance adjusters are not there to help you. They are there to protect the insurance company. Even when they clearly represent the at-fault party, they will go out of their way to avoid paying a claim or paying the full amount of the claim.

They may:

• Blame the accident on you - this is a pretty common tactic that an insurer will use. This is one reason why you must avoid simple statements at the scene of an accident such as I am sorry, or I did not see you, or anything which implies you had any responsibility for the accident.
• Blame the accident on other factors - poor road conditions, a defect in the vehicle, an animal ran out into the road, or other ways of deflecting blame are common. However, keep in mind, all drivers must control their vehicles. Other factors in the accident may open alternative avenues for you to recover compensation for your injuries.
• Minimize your injuries - it is pretty hard to take the stance that you were injured but your injuries are not as serious as you claim. However, that will not stop an insurance adjuster. They may track you on social media to determine your comings and goings, they may request your full medical records to show the accident did not cause your injury, or they may try other tactics.

Always remember that every insurance company has a legal team standing behind them and helping them fight back against a claim. That is why a Minneapolis motorcycle accident victim has to have an attorney who will advocate on their behalf.

Insurers are not going to explain your rights to you. What may occur is shortly after a motorcycle accident, you may receive a settlement offer. Do not be lulled into thinking this is because they are doing the right thing. Chances are that this offer will be a small portion of what you may be entitled to collect for your injuries.

Never let an insurer talk you into signing anything without first having your motorcycle accident attorney review the document. Remember, once you accept a settlement, the insurance company is no longer responsible for any losses you may suffer because of your injury.

Every insurance company and the adjusters who work for them understand victims are short on cash because of being out of work following an injury. That is one reason why they try to encourage you to accept a fast settlement and not get a motorcycle accident lawyer involved in the claims process.

When you partner with Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers to handle your Minneapolis motorcycle accident claim, we work tirelessly to get you the compensation you deserve for your injuries. We know how to deal with insurance companies, and we can negotiate with them on your behalf.

Victims have only a limited time after a Minneapolis motorcycle accident to file a lawsuit. They have only six months after an accident to file a claim with the responsible party’s insurance company. While both of these deadlines may seem far away, remember there is a lot of work to do before you get to either point.

Costs of Hiring a Minnesota Motorcycle Accident Attorney

Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers understand that finances matter when a motorcycle accident injures you and you are out of work. You feel you cannot justify hiring an attorney, putting an additional financial burden on your family. The fact is, you bear no financial burden in hiring us to represent you in a motorcycle accident claim.

Your initial consultation with us is free. In fact, if your injuries prevent you from coming to our offices, we can come to you for a consultation. During the consultation, we will review the facts surrounding your accident and discuss the extent of your injuries. We can discuss your legal options to collect compensation under Minnesota law.

Once we meet with each other, you may decide what is right for you and your family. We will then draw up a retainer agreement. Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers will not collect any attorney fees unless and until we have successfully obtained a settlement or judgment on your behalf. In actuality, the at-fault party pays us a percentage of your settlement or judgment.

Minneapolis Motorcycle Accident FAQ

Being involved in a motorcycle accident is always a terrible experience. You may face all kinds of challenges in recovering physically and emotionally. Plus, you’ll likely have to find other means of transportation while your motorcycle undergoes repairs.

If you’ve been in a motorcycle accident in Minneapolis, you’re not alone. Minnesotans have registered over 230,000 motorcycles, and as part of the Twin Cities, Minneapolis is one of the busiest areas in the state. Many drivers of motorcycles have suffered from accidents in or near Minneapolis, with 840 motorcyclists injured in the state last year.

While you must focus on seeking medical treatment and recovering after your accident, you probably have a lot of questions about how to get justice if another driver caused your motorcycle accident. That’s where we can help. Below, we’ve answered some of the most frequently asked questions we get about motorcycle accidents. If you have more questions, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Contact a Law Firm That Gets Results for Minneapolis Motorcycle Accident Victims

Whether you are a motorcycle accident victim or you lost a loved one in a Minneapolis motorcycle accident, Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers are here to help. Call (612) 446-3999 anytime to schedule your free initial consultation, or fill out our online contact form.