Pittsburgh PA Motorcycle Accident Attorney

Have you or a loved one been injured in a motorcycle accident? It is crucial that you obtain the best motorcycle accident lawyer possible to ensure that your rights are protected. Dallas Hartman is an experienced motorcycle rider who understands the mechanics of riding a motorcycle. Dallas’ experience as a biker is an advantage to our clients because he can quickly evaluate the cases and often determine if all the facts of the case are logical.

Dallas has helped countless motorcycle accident victims, and he can help you too. If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident anywhere in Pennsylvania or Ohio, regardless if you were riding your Harley Davidson Motorcycle or your Suzuki Motorcycle, contact the Pittsburgh personal injury lawyer team at the Law Office of Dallas W. Hartman, P.C or dial (800) 777-4081 to speak to Dallas immediately to find out whether you have a case. Your initial consultation is free and we will never charge you a fee or costs unless we obtain you a recovery for your injuries or loss.

Why Choose Us

• We have more than 25 years of experience representing victims of motorcycle accidents, car accidents, truck accidents and other types of collisions.
• At Dallas W. Hartman P.C., our results speak for themselves. We don’t push our clients to accept fast settlements. Instead, we fight for the best possible results, even if that means going to trial.
• Our Pittsburgh motorcycle accident attorneys operate on a contingency fee basis. This means if we don’t win your case, you won’t pay any attorney’s fees, guaranteed.

Pittsburgh Motorcycle Accident Resources

• Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries
• Causes of Pittsburgh Motorcycle Accidents
• What Is the Comparative Negligence Law?
• Pittsburgh Motorcycle Helmet Laws
• How to Prove Your Motorcycle Accident Claim
• What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident

Do You Need an Attorney for a Motorcycle Accident in Pittsburgh?

You have enough to worry about as the victim of a serious motorcycle accident in Pittsburgh. You should be able to focus on healing and your recovery, not a complicated legal claim. If you hire an attorney, an experienced and trained legal professional can take care of your claim for you. A motorcycle accident lawyer can handle many complicated legal processes and tasks, such as:

• Investigating your motorcycle accident
• Gathering key evidence to build your injury claim
• Making sure the insurance company treats you justly
• Taking the burden of legal action off your shoulders
• Fighting for maximum financial compensation
• Answering your questions and giving you peace of mind

Your motorcycle attorney will understand the laws surrounding motorcycle accidents in your city and state, as well as how to counteract common defenses, such as comparative fault. The comparative fault argument tries to blame you for the motorcycle accident in an attempt to reduce your recovery. Your lawyer will know how to correctly handle your injury claim for the best possible outcome.

Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries

Motorcyclists are at risk of life-changing injuries in motor vehicle collisions. With hardly any protection, a motorcycle rider can suffer damage to all parts of the body – including the head and brain. Motorcycle crash injuries can cause extensive physical pain and emotional suffering, as well as require expensive medical care. If you or a loved one has suffered any type of injury in a motorcycle accident, our motorcycle accident attorneys in Pittsburgh can help you seek justice.

Most common injuries include:

• Broken bones
• Road rash and permanent scarring
• Facial injuries and disfigurement
• Lost and damaged teeth
• Soft-tissue injuries
• Lower extremity injuries
• Arm and elbow injuries
• Back and neck injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Internal organ damage

Sadly, many motorcycle collisions in Pittsburgh are fatal for the motorcyclist. If someone else carelessly or recklessly caused the death of your loved one, discuss the possibility of a wrongful death lawsuit with an attorney. Although nothing can make up for the loss of a loved one’s life, a lawsuit could give you justice and help you move forward. As an injured motorcycle passenger, contact our Pittsburgh motorcycle passenger injury attorney for legal assistance with your case.

Common Causes of Pittsburgh Motorcycle Accidents

It is important to understand who or what caused your motorcycle accident before you pursue financial compensation. Pennsylvania is a no-fault state, while Ohio is a fault state. If you get into a motorcycle accident in Pennsylvania, you will seek financial recovery from your own insurance provider, regardless of the cause of the crash, unless you have serious or catastrophic injuries. In Ohio, you must determine fault, as you will file your insurance claim against the at-fault party.

Common causes of motorcycle accidents in Pittsburgh include:

• Distracted and negligent drivers
• Texting while driving
• Reckless driving
• Weaving in and out of traffic
• Speeding
• Drugs and drunk driving
• Red-light running
• Making illegal turns
• Motorcycle lane splitting
• Poor weather
• Dangerous road conditions
• Defective motorcycles

Liability for your motorcycle accident refers to financial responsibility for your related losses and injuries. If a driver caused your collision, his or her auto insurance company will be liable. Otherwise, a party such as the government or a motorcycle manufacturer may be liable. If you file a fault-based insurance claim or lawsuit, it is up to you or your motorcycle accident attorney to prove fault based on a preponderance of the evidence. In accident caused by a distracted driver, our Pittsburgh distracted driver accident lawyers can help you prove liability and recover the compensation you deserve.

What Is the Comparative Negligence Law?

As stated above, you may encounter the comparative negligence defense during your motorcycle accident case. This is an attempt by the insurance company to save money on your claim by deferring some or all of the fault for the collision onto you. If an investigation finds that you are partially to blame for the motorcycle accident, this could impact how much you are eligible to receive in financial compensation.

Both Pennsylvania and Ohio are modified comparative negligence states. This means that you can still recover financial compensation in both states if you are found to be partially at fault for a motorcycle accident. Both states cap the ability to recover, however, at 50 percent. This means if you are found to be more than 50 percent responsible for your motorcycle accident, you will be barred from financial recovery.

If you are less than 50 percent at fault, the courts in Pennsylvania or Ohio will reduce your financial recovery by an amount equivalent to your percentage of the blame. For example, if you are 10 percent responsible for speeding but a driver is 90 percent responsible for pulling out in front of you, you would receive 10 percent less of a settlement or judgment award.

Motorcycle Helmet Laws in Pennsylvania and Ohio

Neither Pennsylvania nor Ohio laws require riders to wear a helmet. However, motorcyclists are strongly encouraged to wear helmets, as they drastically reduce the risk of serious and fatal brain injury. Brain injuries, other body injuries and fatalities from motorcycle accidents are at an all-time high in both Pennsylvania and Ohio. Many times a negligent driver is to blame. If you fail to wear a motorcycle helmet, this may negatively affect your personal injury case in Pittsburgh. An attorney can help you defend your rights, helmet or no helmet.

Seeking Financial Compensation After a Pittsburgh Motorcycle Accident

Attorney Dallas Hartman understands how important your bike is to you. We understand how serious injuries can occur from a motorcycle accident, especially if the victim was not wearing a helmet. If you or a loved one has suffered serious injury from a motorcycle accident or if you have lost a loved one, Dallas will fight to get you the compensation you deserve and help you take care of medical bills and other expenses incurred because of the accident.

Damages or financial compensation, available in a motorcycle accident case can include:

• Medical and hospital bills
• Property damage repairs
• Lost wages and capacity to earn
• Lost quality of life
• Disability or disfigurement
• Loss of consortium
• Pain and suffering
• Out-of-pocket expenses
• Punitive damages

For those who have lost their custom bike in a collision, we will fight for you to have it restored if possible. If not, we will fight to get you the maximum amount of compensation possible. If a loved one has lost their life after a fatal motorcycle accident, contact our Pittsburgh wrongful death lawyers for compassionate support and expert legal help handling your case.

How to Prove Negligence in Your Motorcycle Accident Claim

Before you can recover financial compensation for your medical bills and other losses, you or your Pittsburgh motorcycle accident attorney will need to prove your case. The burden of proof – a preponderance of the evidence – rests with the injured party during a personal injury lawsuit. This evidentiary standard requires enough clear and convincing evidence to establish that the defendant is responsible for the accident with at least a 50 percent certainty.

Most motorcycle accident claims come down to negligence. A driver or party is negligent if they don’t use an appropriate amount of care, and this causes harm to others. An Pittsburgh motorcycle accident attorney can help you gather evidence to prove the elements of negligence. Evidence may include a copy of your police report and medical records, photographs and videos, and testimony from qualified motorcycle accident experts. Working with an attorney from the very beginning of your injury claim can help you build the strongest case possible.

What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident

If you get injured in a motorcycle accident in Pittsburgh, try to remain calm and pull over as close to the scene of the collision as possible. Report the crash to the police right away. Check yourself and others involved for injuries. If you are badly injured, try to restrict your movements until paramedics arrive.

Exchange information with the other driver. This includes your names, insurance information and vehicle information. Take pictures of the crash scene and your damaged bike. When the police arrive, give them your side of the story but do not admit fault for the motorcycle accident. Go to a hospital in Pittsburgh immediately for professional medical care.

Gather copies of relevant documents, such as your police report and medical records. Then, contact your auto insurance company to make an initial report of the crash. The insurance company will investigate and come to a decision on your claim. Before you accept a settlement or a claim rejection, consult with a motorcycle accident attorney.

Get Help from an Experienced Pennsylvania and Ohio Motorcycle Accident Attorney

It is very important to retain experienced counsel if you have been involved in a motorcycle accident. Insurance adjusters and defense attorneys protect the interests of their employer – the insurance company – rather than your interest. They are trained to persuade you to settle your claim for a low amount. Insurance companies retain experienced counsel to protect their own interests.

No Recovery – No Fee – Contact a Pittsburgh Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Today

Don’t let the insurance company kick you while you are down. If you or a loved one have been injured in a motorcycle accident Contact Dallas Hartman, an experienced Pittsburgh motorcycle accident attorney or call (800) 777-4081 to speak to a Pennsylvania or Ohio motorcycle collision attorney immediately. Find out how to protect your rights.