Clifton Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

We are a team of highly skilled personal injury attorneys. If you have a bodily injury legal issue in or around Clifton, New Jersey, we can help. Call us today for a free consultation. 

Clifton Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Riding a motorcycle gives you an experience unlike anything else. But it also comes with risks. You do not have a passenger compartment to protect you from ejection. Even a near-miss could cause you to lay down your motorcycle or careen off the road.

Motorcycle accidents in New Jersey fall under a different set of insurance rules than car accidents. The state’s no-fault insurance system does not cover motorcyclists. Thus, the only way to recover compensation for motorcycle crash injuries is to pursue an insurance claim or lawsuit against the at-fault driver.

A Clifton motorcycle accident lawyer from Garces, Grabler & LeBrocq can help you after a motorcycle collision. We founded the firm over 30 years ago to represent accident victims in the English- and Spanish-speaking communities of Clifton. We are proud of our bilingual heritage and fight tenaciously for every one of our clients. Contact us to learn about your options after someone crashes into your motorcycle.

Steps To Take After a Motorcycle Accident in Clifton

The steps you take after a motorcycle accident can affect your compensation claim. Since no-fault insurance does not apply to motorcycles, you can only recover compensation if insurers or jurors can pin the blame for the crash on the other driver.

Thus, you should avoid doing anything that could tend to shift the blame to you. Do not apologize to the other driver or take responsibility for the accident. When you talk to the police, stick to the facts as you experienced them while ensuring the investigating officer understands your side of the story.

Some steps you should take after a motorcycle crash include the following:

You must stop at the accident scene, even if you did not cause the crash. No one involved in a collision can leave the scene before giving their name and address and showing their driver’s license and vehicle registration. Prosecutors can charge people with hit-and-run for violating this law.

While stopped at the scene, you must also do the following:

  • Check on the other people involved in the crash
  • Render assistance if necessary
  • Exchange insurance information

However, motorcycle crashes can disable you, at least temporarily. The law excuses you from performing these steps if your injuries prevent you from doing so. When you suffer incapacitating injuries, like getting knocked unconscious, the other driver should give the information to the police.

New Jersey requires you to report to the police all collisions that cause injury, death, or at least $500 in damage. The dispatcher will send officers to manage the accident scene and investigate the crash.

During the crash investigation, the officers will talk to you and the other driver. They will also interview any witnesses and take photos. They record all of this information in an accident report that you can access a few days after the crash.

When you speak to the police, tell your side of the story. Do not lie, even if it reflects poorly on you. For example, if you were speeding right before the other driver pulled out in front of you, be honest about it. You want the accident report to support your side of the story, so cooperate with the police.

If you suffered incapacitating injuries, ask the police to call paramedics. If you can leave under your own power, visit an emergency department, quick-care clinic, or doctor’s office.

Motorcycle accidents can cause both visible injuries, like road rash and lacerations, and invisible injuries, like brain injuries and torn ligaments. A doctor can diagnose all of your injuries and prescribe a treatment plan.

The doctor will create medical records that memorialize the type and extent of your injuries. They also document when you got them. This information supports your injury claim.

After a minor car accident, you might try to handle your no-fault claim without legal assistance. However, motorcycle crashes are not covered by no-fault insurance. This means you will file your claim with the other driver’s insurance company, not your insurer.

This means your motorcycle claim will be adversarial from the start. The driver and their insurer will fight your every move. A Clifton motorcycle accident lawyer from Garces, Grabler & LeBrocq will be in your corner, fighting tenaciously while providing the comfort and security you need during this stressful time.

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Understanding Motorcycle Accident Laws in Clifton

Since motorcycles do not fall under no-fault insurance, conventional fault-based legal principles apply to them. This means you can recover compensation by proving the other driver negligently or intentionally hit you.

Intentional collisions are rare. But they can happen when drivers engage in road rage or try to evade the police. In these cases, lawyers must prove that the other driver intentionally made harmful contact with your motorcycle.

You do not need to prove that they meant to hurt you. Instead, you only need to prove that they meant to hit you. For example, if a driver nudges your motorcycle in a fit of road rage, they are liable for any resulting injuries.

In most cases, lawyers cannot prove intent. However, you can still recover financial compensation by proving negligence. Negligence applies when a driver fails to exercise reasonable care. “Reasonable care” means the care exercised by a reasonable person who drives with ordinary caution and prudence.

A breach of the duty of care is typically proven in two ways. First, a driver breaches their duty of care when they violate traffic safety laws. Thus, a driver who hits a motorcycle after running a red light acted negligently.

Second, negligence can be proven if a driver did something that was unreasonably dangerous, even if they didn’t realize it at the time. For example, New Jersey has no laws against reaching for a dropped object while driving. But when a driver crashes into you while reaching for something, lawyers can use negligence laws to pursue injury compensation.

Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in Clifton

Motorcycles are smaller and more maneuverable than cars and trucks. Many crashes happen as a result of these characteristics. Drivers have trouble seeing motorcycles, particularly when they are not focused on driving. Most drivers do not ride motorcycles. They are unfamiliar with their capabilities or vulnerabilities. As a result, they treat them like cars instead of exercising the caution they should.

Some common causes of motorcycle crashes include the following:

A left-turn-across-path (LTAP) crash is one of the most common motorcycle accidents in New Jersey. This crash happens when a driver turning left at an intersection or into a driveway turns into or in front of an oncoming motorcycle.

When the driver turns in front of the motorcycle, the rider slams into its side. Even if the motorcyclist sees the vehicle turn, they do not have enough time to brake or swerve. As a result, the impact happens at or near full speed.

The impact can throw the rider off the motorcycle and into the vehicle or onto the road. The motorcyclist can suffer serious or fatal head and neck injuries due to the ejection.

When the driver turns into the motorcycle, they slam the rider to the ground. The rider can get crushed by the motorcycle or the car. They will often suffer serious injuries to their arms and legs. They may also strike their head on the pavement, causing a traumatic brain injury.

Drivers cause LTAP accidents for many reasons. They may not see the motorcycle or think they can beat it through the intersection. Regardless of the reason, the driver who made the left turn will bear liability for the crash since they failed to yield the right-of-way.

A right-turn-into-path (RTIP) crash is similar to an LTAP crash. But instead of turning left across the motorcyclist’s path, they make a right turn into the motorcyclist’s path.

For example, a driver might stop at a red light and turn right into a motorcyclist’s path. Or they might pull out in front of a motorcyclist when leaving a driveway or parking lot.

This type of crash often happens when the driver approaches the turn and only glances to the left before making the right turn. Since they are looking for a car, they fail to recognize the approaching motorcycle and drive into the rider’s path.

Everything happens so quickly that the motorcyclist does not have enough time to maneuver away from the turning vehicle. They often get ejected when the vehicles collide.

Drivers can lose track of motorcycles while on multi-lane roads and highways. This problem is compounded when drivers change lanes without checking their blind spots.

Careless drivers often operate on “auto-pilot,” checking only their mirrors when maneuvering. This carelessness can lead drivers to sideswipe motorcycles while changing lanes.

Sideswiping cars often cause only minor damage. Since motorcycles are smaller, lighter, and have only two wheels, a sideswipe can knock a motorcycle over. The rider may run off the road or, worse yet, tip over in active traffic.

Drivers often treat motorcycles like inferior vehicles. A common manifestation of this happens when they crowd them or cut them off while passing.

Motorcycles are entitled to the full use of a lane. New Jersey drivers must move completely into the passing lane when passing motorcycles. If they only move partially into the passing lane and hang over into the motorcyclist’s lane, they have violated traffic laws. Equally importantly, they may hit the rider or cause them to swerve.

After overtaking the motorcycle, the driver must not move back into their lane until they are safely clear of it. Moving into their lane too quickly could cause them to clip the front tire of the motorcycle or cause the motorcyclist to brake or swerve suddenly.

In both of these scenarios, the driver’s carelessness and impatience in passing make them liable for the injuries that result from the crash.

Selecting a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Clifton

The lawyer you select for your motorcycle accident claim could make a difference in the outcome of your case. You need someone who has knowledge, experience, and skill. You also need someone who has compassion for your situation and treats you like family.

You will not find someone like that by chance. Instead, you need to interview lawyers to find one that meets all of these needs.

You should start by gathering names. Some good resources for finding lawyers include:

  • Family members
  • Friends
  • Co-workers
  • Acquaintances in the legal profession, like lawyers and judges
  • Legal directories

The best source of names will be former clients. They can give you insight into how it feels to work with a particular lawyer.

Once you gather names, you should schedule some free consultations. Lawyers conduct these consultations without any fee or obligation to hire them. During your consultation, you should ask the lawyer the following questions:

  • How much do you charge?
  • Do you have experience with motorcycle crash cases?
  • What outcomes can I expect in my case?
  • What obstacles do you see for my claim?

You can choose a lawyer after you have the information you need. You will sign a fee agreement with the lawyer in which you commit to pay them for legal services.

Most injury lawyers charge a contingency fee. This arrangement means you pay nothing until the end of the case. You will avoid upfront fees and will not pay anything for a losing outcome.

Contact Our Clifton Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Today

Motorcycle accident claims in Clifton present many challenges. Insurers do not earn profits by paying claims. A claims adjuster will press lawyers at every turn to prove what happened and how their policyholder is liable for it. You will need a tenacious and experienced lawyer to battle claim adjusters and insurance defense lawyers on your behalf.

The hardworking Clifton motorcycle accident lawyers at Garces, Grabler & LeBrocq get to know you and your needs. We tailor a legal strategy to your case to pursue a full and fair resolution of your claims. Contact us online or call 1-800-923-3456 for a free consultation to discuss your motorcycle crash and how we can help you.

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GGL Wins

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Recent GGL Wins

Medical Malpractice

A 30-year-old pregnant woman went into labor. The doctor failed to take proper steps in the baby’s delivery, making the mother wait in the hallway for ten hours while the baby’s heart rate began to drop. The baby was delivered via C-Section; he was blue from lack of oxygen resulting in Cerebral Palsy.

$14 Million

Verdict

Construction Accident

Mediation award resulting from an industrial explosion causing disfiguring burns and severe orthopedic injuries.

$7,8 Million

Verdict

Auto Accident

31-year-old man who was cut off by another car causing his car to flip over. He sustained head injuries, facial injuries, and half of his pinky finger was amputated.

$3 Million

Verdict