New Haven Motorcycle Accident Attorney
Motorcycles offer an exciting way to travel, but they come with significant risks, as accidents often lead to severe injuries. If you’ve been hurt in a motorcycle accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you deserve experienced legal representation to fight for your rights.
Contact the New Haven, CT accident attorneys at Kennedy, Johnson, Schwab & Roberge today for a free consultation and let us help you pursue the compensation you need to recover.
Motorcycles remain one of the most popular modes of transportation. In addition to providing a sleek and stylish way to commute, they also allow riders to enjoy great weather and fresh air.
While motorcycles are fun and exciting, there is no shortage of motorcycle accidents every single day. These collisions can harm a victim’s well-being and quality of life.
If you’ve sustained injuries in a motorcycle accident, you may have a valid claim for compensation. Discuss your case with a knowledgeable motorcycle accident attorney today.
Table of Contents
- Why Kennedy Johnson Schwab & Roberge?
- What Causes Motorcycle Accidents, and Why Are They So Dangerous for Riders?
- Common Injuries Resulting from Motorcycle Collisions
- Liability for Motorcycle Accidents
- Pursuing Compensation for Your Motorcycle Collision
- Contingency Fees
- Motorcycle Accidents FAQs
- Consult with a New Haven Motorcycle Accident Attorney
Why Kennedy Johnson Schwab & Roberge?
A motorcycle accident can be detrimental to many aspects of your life, including your physical health and finances. The skilled legal team at Kennedy Johnson Schwab & Roberge understands this and wants to do everything possible to help make it right.
The accident attorneys at our firm have over 30 years of experience helping injured clients get the justice and compensation they deserve after negligent parties cause them harm. We know the significant impact fair monetary recovery can have on your circumstances, and we’ll do whatever is necessary to obtain a favorable result.
If you’ve sustained injuries in a motorcycle collision, do not hesitate to contact our New Haven personal injury law firm as soon as possible.
John Kennedy Jr.
Founding Partner
John J. Kennedy, Jr., is the founding partner of Kennedy, Johnson, Schwab & Roberge, P.C. In 1988, John formed Kennedy & Johnson, along with David Johnson. John is an accomplished trial attorney, spending most of his more than 42 years practicing in Connecticut, representing injured clients before juries.
What Causes Motorcycle Accidents, and Why Are They So Dangerous for Riders?
Motorcycle accidents are often caused by driver negligence. Common dangerous driving behaviors that result in motorcycle collisions include:
- Distracted driving
- Aggressive driving and road rage
- Speeding
- Fatigued driving
- Failure to yield
- Unsafe lane changes and turns
- Failure to obey traffic signs and laws
- Driving under the influence
While many believe motorcycle accidents are just like any other motor vehicle collision, that’s not necessarily the case. Unfortunately, motorcycle accidents often prove to be much more dangerous for riders, leading to extensive, life-threatening injuries.
Because motorcycles provide little-to-no protection to riders, riders have a higher likelihood of sustaining more severe injuries in a collision. Additionally, Connecticut law does not require adult riders to wear helmets, creating additional risk.
Motorcycle accidents almost always result in injuries. If you suffer harm in a collision, speak with a motorcycle accident lawyer as soon as possible.
Common Injuries Resulting from Motorcycle Collisions
Your injuries from a motorcycle accident typically depend on the cause and severity of the collision. However, some of the injuries our clients most often face include the following:
- Road rash
- Broken bones
- Internal injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Spinal cord injuries
- Crush injuries
In the most serious cases, motorcycle accident victims face health complications such as amputations, paralysis, and cognitive issues. When injuries are more severe, more medical treatment is required, increasing the need for financial recovery to pay for these expenses.
When the impact of a collision or the resulting injuries are substantial enough, victims of motorcycle collisions may pass away. Under these circumstances, families of accident victims can pursue compensation through wrongful death claims.
Liability for Motorcycle Accidents
Simply put, the party responsible for causing a motorcycle collision is financially accountable to the victim. However, in some cases, determining and proving liability is not as straightforward as it might seem.
You can pursue compensation from the party responsible, but your motorcycle accident attorney must first review the details of your collision to determine the cause. Once the cause is established, it is often clearer who the responsible party (or parties) might be.
Negligent drivers are often at fault for motorcycle collisions. However, other parties may also be liable, including:
- A party’s employer
- Mechanics
- Vehicle or vehicle parts manufacturers
- The city or other governmental entity
Motorcycle accident cases often rest on a theory of negligence. If a party’s negligence caused your collision, you must take the necessary steps to satisfy the elements of negligence, which include:
- Duty: The liable party owed you a duty of care
- Breach: The liable party’s actions caused them to breach their duty of care
- Causation: The liable party was the actual and proximate cause of your accident
- Damages: You suffered monetary and non-monetary damages
Your motorcycle accident lawyer will request and obtain all the necessary evidence and documentation to prove the at-fault entity’s negligence. This brings you one important step closer to obtaining compensation for your injuries.
Pursuing Compensation for Your Motorcycle Collision
In many cases, you’ll seek monetary recovery from the at-fault party’s insurance company. This my require the filing a personal injury lawsuit if your motorcycle accident attorney feels it is necessary to pursue fair financial compensation.
After a motorcycle collision, damages may be available to you to compensate you for the losses resulting from your accident. Potential damages for a motorcycle accident case could include:
- Medical expenses, including hospital stays, medical treatment, and medications
- Rehabilitation costs
- Lost earnings
- Loss of earning capacity
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Permanent scarring or disfigurement
Punitive damages are available in certain cases if appropriate. Instead of simply compensating victims, punitive damages are assessed if a defendant’s actions prove to be intentional or reckless. In granting these damages, courts punish defendants for their wrongdoing while also deterring future actors.
Fair compensation is your primary goal. You can trust your motorcycle accident lawyer to accurately calculate your damages and pursue the financial recovery you truly deserve.
Contingency Fees
At Kennedy, Johnson, Schwab & Roberge, P.C., we handle all Motorcycle Accidents cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that we do not get paid unless and until you receive a settlement or a jury award.
Schedule a free, confidential consultation with a skilled New Haven motorcycle accident lawyer today. Contact us online or call our New Haven law firm directly at 203-865-8430.
Motorcycle Accidents FAQs
How Do I Know How Much My Motorcycle Collision Claim Is Worth?
At the outset of your case, it may be challenging to determine just how much your accident-related losses are worth. However, as time goes on, your attorney will obtain a better understanding of the value of your case in order to seek the right damages.
Calculating your damages requires reviewing certain factors, including:
- The extent and severity of your injuries
- Whether you’ll need medical treatment in the future
- Whether you’ll face a disability or other long-term effects of your injuries
- How much time you lost from work and the total sum of your lost wages
- Whether you’ll be able to return to work in the same capacity as before
- Whether you’ll need to find other employment that suits a potential disability
- How your motorcycle accident affected your mental and emotional health
- The total of any other monetary or non-monetary losses related to your accident
While damages are tricky to calculate and prove, you can rely on your motorcycle accident law firm to handle everything on your behalf.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After Sustaining Injuries in a Motorcycle Accident?
If your case requires filing a personal injury lawsuit, it’s important to understand that time is limited under Connecticut law.
The statute of limitations for motorcycle accident claims is only two years from the date of your collision. This means you only have two years to file a lawsuit; if time runs out, your chances of collecting the compensation you deserve could be negatively impacted.
Because time is of the essence, it’s critical to consult with a motorcycle accident law firm as quickly as possible after your collision.
Do I Really Need a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer to Handle My Case?
By law, you are fully entitled to handle your own collision claim. However, with legal assistance so readily available to you, there is no reason you should go at it alone.
Having a qualified motorcycle accident attorney on your side can make all the difference in the outcome of your case. Lawyers understand the laws and procedures associated with collision cases and know how to negotiate with insurance companies.
When you have a skilled lawyer on your side, you’ll likely end up with a better result. You only have one shot at pursuing financial recovery after an accident — make sure to do it the right way.
Consult with a New Haven Motorcycle Accident Attorney
Don’t wait to seek legal guidance if you’ve sustained injuries and losses in a motorcycle collision. Contact the Connecticut motorcycle accident law firm of Kennedy Johnson Schwab & Roberge today to schedule your complimentary consultation.
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15 N. Main Street #100 Suite 217
West Hartford, CT 06107
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