Motorcycle Accident Lawyers in North Smithfield, RI

Were you injured in a motorcycle crash in North Smithfield, Rhode Island? If the accident was someone else’s fault, you could be entitled to recover compensation for your injuries and property damage. A North Smithfield motorcycle accident attorney from Bottaro Injury Lawyers can help you with your case.

Our attorneys are dedicated to representing victims of accidents in North Smithfield and throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Personal injury cases are our firm’s sole focus, and we strive to put the “personal” back in personal injury law. That client-first attitude and commitment to success have helped us win millions of dollars in compensation for accident victims like you.

Our firm’s No Fee Guarantee means that you don’t have to pay upfront to secure the legal representation you need. Our firm is paid only when we win you compensation.

If you were injured in an accident on your motorcycle in North Smithfield, it’s time to “Get to Know Mike Bottaro.” Contact Bottaro Injury Lawyers today for a free initial case evaluation to see how a North Smithfield motorcycle accident attorney can fight for the compensation you deserve.

Do You Have a Motorcycle Accident Claim?

You might have a claim to recover compensation following a motorcycle accident due to someone else’s negligent or careless behavior. However, to do so, you must have incurred expenses or other losses for which you can be compensated financially. Examples of common losses include property damage, medical bills, past and future lost income, and pain and suffering.

Why Are Motorcycle Accidents More Complicated?

Motorcycle accident cases are often more complicated to pursue than other kinds of traffic accident claims for several reasons, such as:

Motorcycle riders often suffer significant injuries. Riders have no protection in a motorcycle collision, aside from a helmet, pads, and riding leathers. As a result, motorcycle wrecks tend to leave riders with serious injuries. That can make pursuing a motorcycle accident claim more difficult, as a higher compensation award often means more extended settlement negotiations and more contentious litigation. Resolving a claim can become more difficult if a rider is still getting treatment for injuries since the compensation award will need to include a reasonable estimate for future expenses.
Drivers may not have sufficient insurance coverage. Many drivers in Rhode Island carry only the minimum amount of liability insurance required by law. Minimal coverage may not cover the losses incurred by a motorcycle rider who is severely hurt in a crash. It may be necessary to turn to underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage in such cases.
Insurers may try to shift blame for the wreck onto the motorcyclist. In some cases, insurers will try to avoid paying compensation by relying on unfair stereotypes about motorcyclists and arguing that the victim bears some of or all the fault for an accident. Countering these ugly biases may require additional evidence and a more aggressive strategy.

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Speeding
Tailgating or following too closely
Reckless driving, including excessive speeding or weaving through traffic
Failing to allow adequate space when passing a motorcycle
Turning or changing lanes without signaling or checking mirrors and blind spots
Disregarding traffic signals, including running red lights and stop signs
Distracted driving, including texting while driving
Driving under the influence
Drowsy or fatigued driving
Failure to yield the right-of-way
Inexperienced drivers
Poor visibility from low lighting or adverse weather conditions
Poor road conditions, including icy surfaces or broken pavement and potholes

Benefits of Hiring a North Smithfield Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

If you have suffered severe injuries from a motorcycle crash, you need to focus on your physical and emotional recovery, not fighting with insurers and filling out complex paperwork. By hiring a North Smithfield motorcycle accident lawyer from Bottaro Injury Lawyers, you can benefit from a dedicated legal advocate who will:

Investigate the accident thoroughly to find evidence that can be used to prove your right to compensation for your injuries and property damage.
Work with accident reconstruction experts to help us persuasively explain how the motorcycle crash occurred and who should be held at fault.
Identify insurance coverage that you can file claims against.
Document the losses you suffered from your injuries, including estimating costs of future medical needs
Discuss your rights and options with you and guide you through each stage of your case.
File insurance claims on your behalf and pursue settlement negotiations with adjusters to try to secure fair compensation.
Take your claims to court and trial when litigation becomes the best way to pursue the compensation you deserve.

How Is Fault Determined After a Motorcycle Accident in North Smithfield?

Our Rhode Island motorcycle accident law firm relies on various kinds of evidence to help us prove someone else was at fault for an accident and is therefore legally liable. Some of the types of evidence we may turn to include:

Accident scene photos and videos
Police accident reports
Traffic citations and arrest records
Eyewitness statements

Surveillance and traffic camera footage
Dashcam and helmet cam footage
Post-accident vehicle inspection and repair reports
Accident reconstruction reports

In Rhode Island, the comparative fault system holds that an injured motorcycle rider can still pursue a claim for compensation even if they share in the fault for the crash. However, an injured rider’s compensation is reduced in proportion to their share of the fault. For example, a person who suffered $100,000 in losses and is assessed to be 25 percent at fault for the accident in which they were injured could receive only $75,000 in damages.

What Compensation Can Be Recovered After a Motorcycle Crash?

After a motorcycle crash, you may be entitled to recover money for financial expenses and other losses that you suffered as a result. Motorcycle accident compensation in your case can cover:

Costs of medical treatment and physical rehabilitation
Costs of long-term care for permanent disabilities or chronic infirmities caused by your injuries
Loss of past and future wages if your injuries or resulting disabilities keep you out of work
Pain and suffering
Loss of quality of life due to scarring and disfigurement from your injuries, or inability to participate in activities you previously enjoyed
Repair bills for your bike or its cash value if it was totaled in the accident

Statute of Limitations on Motorcycle Accident Lawsuits

Rhode Island’s statute of limitations on motorcycle accident lawsuits normally gives you only three years from the date of the wreck to file suit against the people who were responsible for it. If you wait until after the limitations period has passed to file a lawsuit, your case will likely be permanently dismissed by the trial court. For that reason, you need to speak to a motorcycle accident lawyer in North Smithfield as soon as possible to ensure that you do not miss this crucial deadline.

Tips for Protecting Your Rights after a Motorcycle Wreck

Taking certain steps following a motorcycle crash in North Smithfield can greatly improve your chances of receiving the full compensation that you deserve. These steps include:

Taking photos or video of details of the accident scene, including vehicle damage, road conditions, traffic controls, or the presence of skid marks
Seeking medical attention as soon as possible so that your injuries are diagnosed and treated
Making sure to follow your doctor’s treatment instructions and recommendations
Preserving copies of bills, invoices, and other records of expenses from the accident.
Having copies of your income statements if you end up missing work because of the accident
Keeping a journal to document your recovery and how your injuries and treatments cause you pain or reduce your quality of life
Speaking with a motorcycle accident lawyer in North Smithfield, RI, to get legal help with your motorcycle accident claim.

Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries

Motorcycle riders don’t have the protection of a passenger vehicle’s body, airbags, or seat belts in the event of a crash. As a result, riders tend to suffer serious injuries, such as:

Lacerations, road rash, skin abrasions, and avulsions
Burns, usually from making contact with surfaces or fluids
Broken bones
Strained, sprained, or torn ligaments, tendons, and muscles
Whiplash
Herniated discs
Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
Internal organ injuries and internal bleeding
Crush injuries
Traumatic amputations
Facial injuries
Head injuries
Traumatic brain injury

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Motorcycle Accident FAQs

Motorcycle Accident

Are motorcycle riders required to wear helmets in Massachusetts and Rhode Island?

Massachusetts and Rhode Island have different laws regarding motorcycle helmets.

Massachusetts requires all motorcyclists, including passengers, to wear helmets while riding.
Rhode Island requires all motorcyclists to wear helmets within the first year of getting their license, regardless of age. After the one-year period is up, only motorcyclists under the age of 21 are required to wear helmets.

Is lane splitting legal in Massachusetts and Rhode Island?

No. Lane splitting — the practice of riding between lanes of traffic flowing in the same direction — is not legal in Massachusetts or Rhode Island. In fact, many riders are surprised to learn that lane splitting is not officially legal anywhere in the country. California’s Highway Patrol has issued guidelines that outline specific circumstances in which riders may be stopped for lane splitting, effectively authorizing safe lane splitting in certain conditions, but the nationwide debate on whether lane splitting is safe enough to be legal is ongoing.

Can I sue for my motorcycle accident injuries?

In most cases, you must prove that another negligent driver was at fault for your motorcycle accident to be able to sue for your injuries. However, if your accident was the result of a motorcycle defect or mechanical failure with your bike, you may have a claim against the motorcycle’s manufacturer and distributor. Other factors that contributed to the accident, including unreasonably dangerous road conditions, may also be grounds for filing a claim.

In short, if you were involved in a motorcycle accident and someone else is to blame, you may have a case. Our motorcycle accident lawyers know Rhode Island and Massachusetts law, and we’re here to provide a free case review to help determine your rights to compensation.

Can I still recover damages if I was partially at fault for a motorcycle accident?

It depends. Rhode Island is a “pure comparative negligence” state, which means that, even though an accident may be partially your fault, you can still recover damages from another at-fault party. However, your damages will be reduced by your percentage of fault.

Massachusetts is a “modified” comparative fault state, which can have a significant effect on your compensable damages if you are found to be partially at fault for a car accident. Under “modified” comparative fault rules, you can only recover damages in a crash if you are found to be less than 50 percent at fault for the accident. Like Rhode Island, the amount of damages you receive will be reduced by an amount equal to the percentage of fault you share in causing the crash.

Before you dismiss the possibility of recovering damages for your motorcycle injuries, contact Bottaro Injury Lawyers to discuss the specific facts of your case.

What is ATGATT?

ATGATT is an acronym that stands for “All the gear, all the time.” Many riders follow ATGATT and encourage their fellow riders to do the same. While you may not be able to walk away from a motorcycle accident completely unscathed, wearing full protective riding gear — including a DOT-certified helmet, gloves, boots, jacket, and padded pants — can help reduce your risk of suffering severe injuries and shorten your road to recovery.

If I’m unable to work because of my injuries, how can I afford to hire an attorney?

At Bottaro Injury Lawyers, we don’t think you should have to worry about how you’ll pay for an experienced attorney after a motorcycle accident. That’s why we offer the No Fee Guarantee®, a promise to you that you won’t pay us anything unless you win your case. If you or a loved one suffered injuries because of a motorcycle accident that wasn’t your fault, call us today at (401) 777-7777. Let us put our knowledge and resources to work for you.

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Talk to a North Smithfield Motorcycle Accident Attorney Now

When you have suffered catastrophic, life-altering injuries in a motorcycle collision, don’t wait to pursue the financial compensation you need for your physical and emotional recovery.

Contact Bottaro Injury Lawyers today for a free, no-obligation consultation with a North Smithfield motorcycle accident attorney about your legal options for pursuing a motorcycle accident case in Rhode Island. It’s time to “Get to Know Mike Bottaro.”