Cleveland Motorcycle
Accident Lawyers

What Our Clients Say

Severe Injuries After a Motorcycle Accident

Motorcycle accidents can cause devastating injuries, making recovery and the legal process even more difficult for the victim. Here are a few common serious injuries associated with motorcycle accidents:

• Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs): TBIs can range from mild concussions to life-altering impairments. The consequences can linger for years, including persistent headaches, difficulty concentrating, memory problems, personality shifts, and increased risk of conditions like dementia.
  
  
• Spinal Cord Injuries (SCIs): SCIs can cause partial or complete paralysis, affecting a person’s mobility, independence, and overall quality of life. This could necessitate long-term modifications to your home, specialized equipment, and ongoing care.
  
  
• Internal Bleeding and Organ Damage: The force of impact can cause internal organs to rupture or bleed, leading to life-threatening conditions.
  
  
• Extensive Fractures and Broken Bones: Broken bones can be extremely painful, require lengthy recovery, and lead to permanent mobility issues.
  
  
• Road Rash and Severe Lacerations: Sliding along pavement can cause severe skin abrasions and deep cuts, leading to infection and permanent scarring.

These injuries often require extensive medical care, rehabilitation, and long-term assistance—creating an immense financial burden. Our team will fight to secure the compensation you need to cover past, present, and future medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Comparative Fault in Ohio Motorcycle Accidents

Ohio follows a modified comparative fault rule. This means that you can still recover compensation for a motorcycle accident, even if you’re partially at fault. However, the amount you’re awarded will be reduced by your percentage of blame. For example, for a $100,000 injury claim, if you’re found 20% at fault, you would only receive $80,000.

It’s important to note that if you’re found to be over 50% at fault, you won’t be eligible for any compensation in Ohio.

Common Insurance Issues Motorcyclists Face

Motorcyclists may face special challenges when dealing with insurance companies after an accident. A couple common issues include:

• Bias Against Riders: Some insurers may hold negative stereotypes about motorcyclists, which can unfairly impact claim assessments.
  
  
• Lowball Offers: Insurance companies may try to settle your claim quickly by offering an amount that won’t fully cover your needs, given the severity of your injuries.

However, an experienced motorcycle accident attorney can:

• Investigate the accident and gather additional evidence to support your claim
• Negotiate aggressively with insurance companies to secure a fair settlement
• Fight for your rights in court if necessary

Legal Representation You Can Trust

At Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy, we’ve been helping injured victims in Ohio and across the nation for more than 90 years. We know the tactics insurers use to deny much-needed payment to injured motorcyclists. We’re here to deal with the insurance company after your motorcycle accident so you can focus on your recovery. Contact us to learn how we can represent you with your Ohio motorcycle accident case

How Our Cleveland Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Can Help

Insurance companies often stereotype motorcyclists as reckless or dangerous. But at Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy, we know that accidents can happen even when you followed all the proper safety precautions.

Fighting for Your Rights

It’s an insurance adjuster’s job to protect company profits, not your best interests. Our Cleveland motorcycle accident attorneys know how to handle insurance companies so you can focus on your recovery. We’ll find, collect, and present all the evidence needed to prove your claim, such as:

• Medical treatment records
• Photographs of your accident scene and motorcycle damage
• Wage loss analysis
• Witness testimony

You shouldn’t be forced to pay for someone else’s negligence. We’ll stand up to the insurance company to help you get compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and other injury-related expenses.

Understanding the Motorcycle Accident Claims Process in Ohio

If an insurance company refuses to make a fair settlement offer for your accident-related expenses, our Cleveland motorcycle accident lawyers won’t hesitate to file a lawsuit so you can get the full amount of compensation you deserve.

Filing an Ohio Motorcycle Accident Claim

When filing a motorcycle accident injury claim, we need to talk to the other driver’s insurance company. If we can’t reach a settlement offer that you’re happy with, our attorneys will file a lawsuit.

You can expect your claim to progress in the following steps:

1. Presenting a Demand Package
   We’ll investigate every aspect of your case to determine the true cost of your injuries—including the cost of past and future medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. We’ll then prepare a demand package outlining the value of your claim and present it to the defendant’s insurance company.
   
2. Receiving a Settlement Offer From the Defendant’s Insurer
   The defendant’s insurance adjusters will present you and your attorney with a settlement offer based on your case’s demand package. Your attorney will then evaluate if the offer will cover your accident-related expenses.
   
3. Settling Your Claim or Filing a Lawsuit
   If the defendant’s adjusters agree to a fair value for your claim and you’re willing to accept the offer, we can settle the case. In some cases, your motorcycle accident attorney may determine the defendant’s insurer is unwilling to make a fair offer and will suggest filing a lawsuit on your behalf.
   
4. Preparing Your Case for Court
   To bring your claim to court, we will file a complaint in the civil court system and begin a process called discovery—or the exchange of documents including medical records and photographs—between your lawyers and the attorneys for the defendant(s). We’ll then gather evidence, such as depositions (recordings of sworn witness testimony) to be used during your trial.
   
5. Going to Trial
   The defendant’s attorneys may decide to settle your case at any time before the trial. If that doesn’t happen, you and your attorney will go to court to present your case to a judge (in a bench trial) or judge and jury (in a jury trial). After a presentation of your case and the defendant’s case, the judge will deliver a final decision on your case.

At Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy, we’re here to help you get the compensation you need to cover your accident-related expenses. If you’ve been injured in a car accident, don’t wait to get the legal representation you’re owed. Contact our Cleveland motorcycle accident lawyers today.

5 Steps to Take After a Motorcycle Accident

After a motorcycle accident, the first thing you should do is seek medical help as soon as possible. Even if you don’t think your injuries are severe, some may be internal or masked by adrenaline and won’t show symptoms until days after your accident. A professional healthcare provider can evaluate your condition and help treat and document your injuries before they worsen.

In addition to getting the medical help you need, there are five steps you should take after a motorcycle accident to help strengthen your injury claim:

1. Notify Your Insurance Company.
   Report your motorcycle accident to your insurance company soon after it happens. Avoid speaking to the other driver’s insurance company and don’t sign any documents from them, as these actions can affect your ability to collect the compensation you’re owed.
   
2. Write Down the Details of Your Accident.
   It’s important to document everything you know about your accident as soon as possible. Life moves fast, and details can become unclear over time. Be sure to include specific information, such as:
   • Descriptions of vehicles involved
   • Protective gear you were wearing
   • Time of day
   • Traffic flow
   • Weather conditions
   • Your lane of travel
   • Any other details that may help prove your case
     
3. Take Pictures of Your Injuries.
   Photographs can help paint a picture of how your accident happened. If your doctor didn’t photograph your injuries, make sure to photograph them yourself.
   
4. Document Your Recovery and Treatment.
   Motorcycle accident claims help victims like you get compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Keeping track of your recovery and treatment will help show how your accident affected your life. Document the doctor visits you attend, the medications you’re taking and their dosage amounts, and any other treatments or rehabilitation you receive while recovering.
   
5. Get an Experienced Cleveland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer.
   Contact the Cleveland motorcycle accident lawyers at Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy today—call us or fill out a free initial consultation form. We know how to protect your legal rights after a motorcycle accident, and we’ll work hard to gather the evidence needed to file a strong claim on your behalf.

Frequently Asked Questions About Motorcycle Accidents

Safety Tips for Ohio Motorcyclists

No matter how long you’ve been riding a motorcycle, safety begins before you even get on your bike. From preparing your motorcycle for a ride to following the rules of the road, here are some tips to help keep your ride safe, fun, and enjoyable.

Before Your Ride:

• Take a motorcycle safety course.
  Regardless of your experience, safety courses let you refresh your skills with professional instructors in a controlled, closed-course environment.
  
• Test the bike’s safety equipment.
  Lights, brakes, and turn signals should all be in working order.
  
• Protect your head.
  Ensure your helmet fits properly, and make sure your passengers are also wearing helmets.
  
• Wear proper rider protection.
  Long pants, a riding jacket, gloves, and boots cover your exposed skin and help reduce your risk of serious injury.
  
• Be visible.
  Attach reflective accents to your riding gear to increase your visibility to other motorists on the road.
  
• Ride sober.
  Never consume alcohol and get on a motorcycle.

On the Road:

• Know the rules of the road.
  Obey all traffic laws and use signals when turning.
  
• Use caution on unfamiliar roads.
  Loose gravel, potholes, and road construction can create riding hazards.
  
• Pay attention to traffic in all directions.
  It’s easy to notice what’s in front of you, but oncoming traffic and traffic behind you can also pose safety hazards.
  
• Wait out bad weather.
  Pull over and wait for conditions to improve during hazardous weather.
  
• Check twice at intersections.
  Check traffic to your left, right, and then left again before proceeding through any intersection to help minimize your chance of a collision.

Our Cleveland Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Here to Help

At Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy, we know that even when you take all necessary safety precautions, accidents can still happen. If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle crash, our Cleveland motorcycle accident lawyers are here to help get you the compensation you’re owed. Contact us today—just give us a call or complete a free initial consultation form.