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Motorcyclists are at risk of serious, debilitating injuries when they are involved in a motor vehicle accident. If you or a loved one have been injured it is important to bring your case to an experienced St. Louis motor vehicle accident attorney as soon as possible. Why? Because the cost of the injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident can as devastating as the injuries themselves.
Why Choose Meyerkord & Kurth?
When you’ve been hurt and need legal guidance, it’s important to have a team you can trust right here in St. Louis. Meyerkord & Kurth brings decades of experience to your side and is dedicated to treating every client like a priority, never just a case number.
When you come to Meyerkord & Kurth for help with your motorcycle accident claim, you will have the advantage of working with a team that has more than 100 years of combined legal experience. Our St. Louis motorcycle accident attorney take pride in fighting for the rights of accident victims and their families and want to provide you with compassionate support in your claim for damages.
- Over 40 years serving St. Louis individuals and families
- More than 100 years of combined legal experience on our team
- Personal service with fast and attentive communication – every call and email matters and is answered
- Proven results with millions recovered for injury victims through settlements and verdicts
When you’re facing an injury, our team is here to help you every step of the way. We want you to focus on your recovery while we handle the complicated parts.
Call our knowledgeable St. Louis motorcycle accident attorneys at (314) 300-3000 to schedule a free consultation with our experienced team!
What Will a Motorcycle Accident Attorney in St. Louis Do For My Case?
Most people injured in a motorcycle accident have never thought of hiring an attorney before and may not understand the benefits of having one on their side.
First of all, we will deal with the insurance company for you. No one facing the long-term recovery associated with a motorcycle accident needs to have the extra burden of speaking to the insurance adjuster on their shoulders. Our legal team will be your voice during this time, allowing you the peace of mind you need to rest and recover from your injuries while knowing your case is in capable hands.
Second, we will maximize your financial recovery from the insurance company. At the end of the day, insurance companies are businesses that are out to make a profit. Their claims adjusters will do everything in their power to minimize the value of your claim and pressure you into accepting a low-ball settlement offer. Our motorcycle accident lawyers in St. Louis know what your claim is worth and will fight for every penny you deserve.
Don’t try to tackle a motorcycle accident claim on your own! Put an experienced St. Louis motorcycle accident lawyer on your side who will fight for you.
Serious Injuries and Damage in St. Louis Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcyclists are much more likely than drivers to be seriously injured in an accident. Even when wearing the right protective equipment and following Missouri motorcycle helmet laws, the amount of protection they have isn’t even close to what a driver—encased in a vehicle, with seatbelts, airbags, etc—is afforded. That may be the reason motorcyclists are 27 times more likely to be involved in a fatal accident than drivers traveling the same distance.
Catastrophic injuries, like traumatic brain injury (TBI), spinal cord damage, broken bones, and internal organ damage, may require emergency surgery, extended hospitalization, and physical rehabilitation for many months or years after the accident. These expenses can add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Compounded with the fact that the injured motorcyclist may be out of work for quite some time, these heavy expenses may be impossible to pay out of pocket.
The legal team at Meyerkord & Kurth are ready to fight for every penny you deserve for your motorcycle accident injuries. Contact us online or call (314) 300-3000 now for a free consultation!
Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in St. Louis
Riding a motorcycle in St. Louis comes with real dangers. When crashes happen, the injuries are often severe because motorcyclists lack the protection of a car. You deserve fair compensation if someone else causes your accident, and Meyerkord & Kurth can fight for your rights every step of the way.
The most common causes we see in motorcycle accidents include:
- Drivers looking at their phones instead of the road
- Cars turning left directly into a motorcycle’s path
- Drivers changing lanes without checking their blind spots
- Poorly maintained roads with potholes or debris
- Drunk or impaired drivers
- Cars speeding through intersections
- Weather conditions that affect visibility
Identifying Who Is at Fault in a St. Louis Motorcycle Accident
While some motorcycle accidents are caused by the rider’s reckless or careless actions, many can be directly attributed to negligence on the part of the driver of the passenger vehicle. In fact, many motorcyclists make it a point to ride defensively, knowing they are at risk of being seriously injured or killed in an accident.
Automobile drivers, on the other hand, are far more likely to get distracted behind the wheel or to forget to check their blind spots before turning or changing lanes. They may claim the right-of-way when it is not theirs, leaving motorcyclists with little or no time to react.
When you come to Meyerkord & Kurth, we will thoroughly investigate your motorcycle accident to determine who is at fault and present solid evidence that will prove your case in settlement negotiations or in court, if the case goes to trial. Our experienced motorcycle accident attorneys in St. Louis are not afraid to take big insurance companies to court for the sake of our clients!
Proving Negligence in a St. Louis Motorcycle Accident
If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in St. Louis and want to collect compensation from another party involved, it isn’t enough just to show you were hurt. You also have to prove that the other person was negligent.
This usually requires showing the following:
Duty of Care
You first need to show that whoever injured you owed you a duty of care to keep you safe. Every motorist on Missouri’s roads – including drivers of cars, trucks, and motorcycles – has a duty to look out for the safety of others. This duty means obeying traffic laws and being reasonably cautious at all times. If you were injured by another motorist, this element is usually easy to establish.
Breach of Duty
You need to show that the other party failed to meet their responsibility. Common examples include texting while driving, not yielding the right of way, or forgetting to double-check blind spots for motorcycles before changing lanes or making a turn.
Causation
Proving causation means demonstrating that the other person’s careless or unlawful action directly led to your accident and injuries. This could mean showing that someone else on the road changed lanes and crashed into you, for example.
Damages
Finally, you need to link your physical, emotional, or financial harm to the collision. This usually requires proof of your medical expenses, repair costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, and any lingering challenges brought on by your injuries.
If you’re planning to file an accident claim, the best way to prove negligence is to work with an experienced lawyer.
Comparative Negligence Laws in Missouri
Motorcyclists often face unfair bias from insurance companies and defense attorneys, which can lead to lower settlements and, in some cases, denied claims. This is particularly true when the other party claims that the motorcyclist contributed to the crash.
Missouri uses pure comparative negligence laws, which means you can still recover money even if you were partly at fault for the accident. The court assigns a percentage of blame to each person involved, and your compensation gets reduced by your percentage. For example, if you claim $100,000 and the court assigns 30% of the liability to you, you will receive $70,000.
That’s why having our team at Meyerkord & Kurth fight for you matters—we’ve spent over 40 years standing up to these tactics and protecting motorcyclists throughout St. Louis. We will aggressively counter any unfair accusations of blame and prove the other party’s liability.
Importance of Evidence That Can Be Used in a St. Louis Motorcycle Accident Claim
To recover compensation in a motorcycle accident case, you need strong evidence that shows the other party caused your collision. Police reports form the foundation of most motorcycle cases. These documents may include the responding officer’s observations, statements from those involved, and preliminary determinations of fault.
Medical records tell the story of your injuries: their immediate severity, the treatments you require, and the long-term outlook. These records link your injuries directly to the crash and document your pain and suffering, which you can use to prove your right to compensation.
Witness testimony can provide independent verification of how the accident occurred. Bystanders with no connection to either party can help establish the series of events leading to the collision, helping counter false claims about your riding behavior or speed.
Video evidence has become increasingly valuable in motorcycle cases, whether from traffic cameras, nearby businesses, or dashboard cameras from other vehicles. Physical evidence can also validate important facts about the collision: skid marks showing braking distance, damage patterns on vehicles revealing impact angles, and your damaged protective gear illustrating the force of impact.
What Compensation is Available in a St. Louis Motorcycle Accident Claim?
If you’re injured in a St. Louis motorcycle accident, you may be entitled to several types of compensation for your losses.
Motorcycle accident claims can cover both economic damages – the concrete, out-of-pocket expenses caused by your injuries – and non-economic damages, which address harder-to-measure losses like pain and suffering and other ways your life has been impacted negatively by the accident. These types of damages include:
- Medical bills
- Future medical expenses for long-term care or ongoing treatment
- Lost wages when you miss work after the accident Reduced future earning capacity if your injuries limit your ability to return to work
- Repair or replacement costs for your motorcycle and any personal property damaged
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional distress, such as anxiety, depression, or PTSD
- Loss of enjoyment of life if you can no longer do hobbies or activities you once loved
- Scarring
- Permanent disabilities
Your motorcycle accident lawyer in St. Louis will help you gather evidence to show why you should be entitled to each type of damages and argue for maximum compensation.
Steps to Take After a Motorcycle Crash in St. Louis
The actions you take immediately following a motorcycle accident significantly impact your physical recovery and legal claim.
After a motorcycle crash, you should:
- Seek immediate medical attention, even for seemingly minor injuries.
- Report the accident to the police and obtain a copy of the report.
- Document the scene with photos and videos if you are physically able.
- Collect contact information from witnesses and other involved parties.
- Avoid discussing fault or giving recorded statements to insurers.
- Preserve physical evidence, including damaged gear, clothing, and your motorcycle.
- Contact Meyerkord & Kurth for a free consultation and begin building your case.
How Long do I Have to File a Motorcycle Accident Claim in Missouri?
Under Missouri law, you usually have up to five years from the date of your motorcycle crash to file a personal injury claim. This window is known as the statute of limitations, and if you wait too long, you typically lose your right to pursue compensation. There are a few exceptions that could make your filing deadline different.
For example, cases involving injured minors or situations where the harm wasn’t immediately discovered can sometimes extend the deadline. Because the rules aren’t always simple, it’s important to talk to a lawyer as soon as possible after your accident.
We Can Help You After a Motorcycle Accident in St. Louis
Our St. Louis motorcycle accident lawyers are ready to help you take action to hold a driver accountable for causing your accident. We know how difficult it can be to move forward after a crash causes serious injuries, but we are here to take some of the burden off your hands. Our skilled team has experience negotiating settlements and arguing cases in court to help clients maximize their outcomes.
Our goal in every case is to recover the full compensation you deserve, which can include payment for your medical expenses and future costs, compensation for your lost wages and reduced earning power, and even damages for your pain, suffering, and mental anguish. Reach out to us if you’ve bee hurt to learn more about your legal options and rights in this situation. Our team wants to help you pursue justice and recovery the compensation you need to fund your treatment.
If you have been hurt or have lost a loved one in a motorcycle accident in St. Louis, we are here to help you hold the negligent party accountable. Call us at (314) 300-3000 to schedule a free consultation with our team.