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Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Las Vegas, NV

Our Attorneys Can Help After a Motorcycle Accident

Motorcycle accidents are far too common and can result in serious injuries to motorcyclists. Motorcycle accidents can occur for any number of reasons, and a good motorcycle accident attorney will investigate all the factors and find all liable parties. This investigation is particularly important in motorcycle accident cases because motorcyclists are one of the most vulnerable drivers on the road. Without the protections afforded by a car, such as a roof and seatbelts, motorcyclists can suffer serious debilitating and sometimes permanent injuries. The experienced motorcycle accident attorneys at Carvalho & Associates knows that a motorcyclist who suffers catastrophic injuries needs all the compensation they can get to deal with the rising medical bills, wage loss, and continuing inability to work.

If you were injured in a motorcycle accident, you need to contact an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer. Lawyers for motorcycle accidents know how to gather information and documentation that proves injury and establishes fault. They can also fight for your rights in court. At Carvalho & Associates, our team of motorcycle accident attorneys has decades of experience representing victims of motorcycle accidents in Las Vegas, NV. We work tirelessly to fight for our clients’ rights and give them the best chance of a successful outcome in court.

What Are Common Injuries from Motorcycle Accidents?

The injuries sustained in motorcycle accidents depend on a wide variety of factors: speed, type of collision, the age of the rider, what protective gear they were wearing, where the accident occurred, and what collided with the motorcycle (and/or what the motorcycle collided with during the accident). The most common injuries sustained in motorcycle accidents are:

Scrapes, cuts, and bruises
“Road rash”
Soft tissue injuries
Sprains and/or strains
Broken bones
Spinal and skull fractures
Traumatic brain injuries
Neurological injuries
Burns
Organ damage

Motorcycle Accident Lawyers in Las Vegas, NV

What Factors Contribute to Motorcycle Accidents?

The most common causes of motorcycle accidents in Nevada are:

Speed
Weather-related issues
Driving under the influence
Failure to yield, stop, or use turn signals
Dangerous road conditions
Blind spots
Swerving to avoid something else on the roadway
Distracted driving
Aggressive driving
Tailgating

Does Nevada Have a Mandatory Helmet Law?

Yes, helmets are required for drivers and passengers on motorcycles, mopeds, and trimobiles with handlebars and a saddle seat. Helmets are not required on three-wheeled vehicles with an enclosed cab and a steering wheel rather than handlebars. The helmets must also meet standards established by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Helmets have been shown to be 37% effective in preventing deaths from motorcycle accidents and 67% effective in preventing traumatic brain injuries.

Lawyer Standing Beside a Crashed Motorcycle

Who Is Responsible for My Damages & Injuries?

The state of Nevada is an at-fault state, which means that an injured victim must show that another person was negligent, reckless, or acted intentionally. Negligence means failure to act with ordinary care; in other words, it means being careless. In Nevada, a car accident victim needs to only show that the other driver was 51% or more at fault. If a motorcyclists is 50% or less responsible for the accident, the motorcyclist can still recover their damages, minus an amount equivalent to their percentage of fault.

Also, in Nevada, a traffic citation is generally not admissible in court to prove who is at fault. So, attorneys have to gather evidence beyond just a traffic citation to show who is responsible for a car accident.

Determining who is at fault involves analysis of how the accident happened and the applicable traffic laws or Rules of the Road. Often times, a traffic crash report prepared by police officers may be insufficient to show how the accident happened; sometimes there’s a dispute whether the traffic crash report is completely accurate or contains all of the relevant information. Remember, unless an accident involves a fatality, most traffic officers do not perform an accident reconstruction and may only perform a cursory investigation.

Thus, an experienced motorcycle accident attorney will conduct a more thorough investigation and analysis. This could start by looking to see if neighboring buildings captured a video of the accident, and this must be done promptly before the video is re-recorded over. A diligent attorney would also look for any witnesses to the accident and interview them. An attorney’s job could include hiring an accident reconstruction expert. A motorcyclists who suffers a catastrophic injury after an accident needs to hire an experienced accident attorney that will undertake a thorough and proper investigation.

How Much Is My Las Vegas Case Worth?

The amount of damages you can claim in your motorcycle accident case will depend on many factors, the most important of which are the extent of your injuries and the amount of insurance monies available. A motorcycle accident attorney can help you recoup the most money possible based on the specific details of your case.

Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents

There’s no doubt that riding a motorcycle is dangerous. Motorcycle accidents can occur for many reasons, including driving error by a motorcyclist. But motorcyclist accidents can also occur because of other drivers or because of roadway design.

The most common cause of motorcycle accidents in Nevada is speeding or driving too fast for conditions. Driving too fast increases the chances of being involved in a collision, because a driver has less time to react and stop. Speeding also increases the risk of fatalities or catastrophic injuries. One study shows that about 34% of motorcycle fatalities involved speeding.

The next most common cause of motorcycle accidents is driving under the influence or impaired driving. One study shows that 27% of motorcycle accident deaths involved alcohol. Driving while impaired at night further increases the chance of a catastrophic motorcycle accident.

Other common causes of motorcycle accidents are distracted or aggressive driving, failure to stop at a stop sign or red light, failure to use turn signals or turn lawfully, swerving to avoid something else on the roadway, blindspots, tailgating, and driving in dangerous weather conditions or on dangerous roadways. What percentage of motorcycle accidents are the rider's fault? Nationwide statistics show that ¼ of all motorcycle accidents are due to a collision with a fixed object, while 66% of single-vehicle motorcycle crashes are due to rider error.

Common causes of motorcycle accidents

Speeding
Driving under the influence
Failure to obey traffic control devices such as stop signs and traffic lights
Blindspots
Tailgating
Dangerous weather conditions
Dangerous road conditions

Statute of Limitations For Las Vegas Motorcycle Accident Claims

You have two years after the date of the motorcycle accident to file a lawsuit for bodily injuries against the party at fault and three (3) years to file a lawsuit for damage to your motorcycle. This means you can try to negotiate a settlement of your motorcycle accident injury claim by the second anniversary of the accident. If your case can’t be settled before the second anniversary, however, you must file a lawsuit or you waive your right to recover any compensation for your medical bills and pain and suffering.

Insurance Coverage Requirements For Las Vegas Motorcycle Accident

Under Nevada law, motorcycle riders are required to have the same liability insurance as auto drivers. This insurance pays for injuries or damages to others, not for your injuries or damage. Motorcycle riders must carry liability insurance in the amount of $25,000 for bodily injury or death of one person in any one accident, a total of $50,000 for bodily injury or death for one accident when two or more persons are injured, and $20,000 for injury to or destruction of property in any one accident.

How a Motorcycle Injury Lawyer Can Help

Because motorcyclists are often blamed for accidents, an injured motorcyclist needs an attorney who will conduct a thorough investigation and analysis of the accident and what caused it. A diligent and experienced motorcycle injury lawyer will explore all possible causes and immediately visit the accident scene, obtain and preserve evidence such as videos, speak with witnesses and law enforcement, and help establish fault. An experienced accident attorney will also make sure that the injured motorcyclist obtains the right medical care and then gather and analyze those medical records to ensure all injuries are addressed and documented.

Experienced personal injury trial attorneys like those at Carvalho & Associates will not settle for an insurance company’s low ball offer when they know they can obtain better by filing a lawsuit and going to trial.

Why Hire Our Las Vegas Motorcycle Accident Lawyers?

Our Las Vegas motorcycle accident lawyers have decades of experience. They know how to successfully negotiate with insurers to get the highest payout possible. They can speak to your doctors, employer, family, and friends to gather evidence to establish fault and determine the costs of your medical bills, lost wages, and non-economic damages.

Steps to Take After a Motorcycle Crash

If you're in a motorcycle accident, you should immediately check yourself and others for injuries and call 911. In Nevada, the police will only respond to a motorcycle accident if it is severe or if there are injuries. Still, you should call 911 to establish a record of the accident. Leave your helmet and all safety gear on. Then move out of the flow of traffic, if possible. You should also try moving your bike out of the roadway if it blocks traffic. Take photos of the accident site, any other vehicles involved, and any factors that might have contributed to the crash (low visibility, lack of signs, dangers in the roadway, etc.). Taking videos is even more helpful. Get insurance information and contact information for all other drivers involved in the accident, and get contact information from any witnesses. If there are security or traffic cameras with a view of the accident location, photograph and record their locations. Wait for police officers to respond. If they aren't going to respond, you can leave the scene of the accident. Visit a medical professional right away. Your adrenaline might hide symptoms even if you don't think you sustained any injuries. You should also contact a motorcycle attorney and your insurance company.

What If I was Partially at Fault for the Accident?

You can still collect damages if you were less than 51% at fault for a motorcycle accident. You can't recover any damages if you are 52% or more at fault.

What Percentage of Motorcycle Riders Get in Accidents?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration records that 72 out of every 100,000 motorcycle riders will get into an accident, or .07%. What percent of motorcycle accidents result in injury or death? A whopping 80%. What percentage of motorcycle accidents are fatal? Motorcycle deaths have increased by 32% in Nevada since 2021 - from 60 to 79. There is an 80% chance of injury or death in a motorcycle accident vs car accident.

How Many Motorcycle Accidents Per Year in Las Vegas?

If you’re wondering how common are motorcycle accidents in Nevada, the most recent data from 2019 shows 56 deaths and 56 crashes. Between 2015 and 2019, more than 25,000 motorcycle deaths occurred. How many motorcycle accidents vs car accidents occur? Head-on collisions with cars account for 56% of deaths in motorcycle accidents, and most accidents occur when the driver fails to see or notice a motorcycle. Where do most motorcycle accidents occur? Most motorcycle accidents in Nevada occur in Las Vegas and Reno, in urban and high-traffic areas.

The likelihood of car accidents vs. motorcycle accidents is much higher than motorcycles vs. other vehicles, but ¼ of all motorcycle accidents are due to the driver colliding with a fixed object.

Call Our Attorneys for Motorcycle Accidents in Las Vegas, NV

After a motorcycle accident in Las Vegas, NV, you should immediately call our motorcycle accident attorneys at Carvalho & Associates. Our team will work closely with you to protect your rights and secure the best outcome for your motorcycle accident lawsuit. Contact us to speak with an attorney.

Skill & Experience

Our legal team at Carvalho & Associates Attorneys at Law is well-respected and widely recognized among industry peers and the public, having successfully recovered compensation in some of the largest, most highly publicized personal injury cases in the history of Nevada.

Compassionate Support

Regardless of the scope or complexity, we handle every personal injury claim with the utmost care, professionalism, and attention to detail to serve the unique legal needs of our clients. When you partner with Carvalho & Associates Attorneys at Law, we treat you like family.

Aggressive Representation

When someone sustains unforeseen injuries because of a preventable safety hazard or the reckless behavior of others, the victim should not have to pay for the consequences. Our personal injury attorneys work decisively and with conviction to seek justice.

Driven by Results

We are tireless in our efforts to attain the most beneficial outcomes for our clients. We take pride in outworking the opposition by taking bold actions, remaining proactive, and being deliberate in attaining closure and peace of mind for families during critical times.

Thoughtful. Reliable. Effective.

When Carvalho & Associates Attorneys at Law represents your claim, we’ll immediately put our expertise to work for you. We’ve provided successful legal counsel to hundreds of clients impacted by motorcycle-related accidents, aggressively fighting insurance companies to recover the financial relief they need. Strengthen your case and contact us today for a free case assessment.