With all of the beautiful lakes, mountains, and natural scenery, Northwest Arkansas is an ideal location to enjoy a motorcycle ride, so much so that it hosts the Bikes, Blues, and BBQ rally each year, ushering in thousands of bikers from around the country. However, despite the welcoming nature to motorcyclists, other motorists have still not adapted to the significant number of motorcyclists, often overlooking them and causing serious accidents. 

If you were injured in a motorcycle accident, a Rogers motorcycle accident lawyer with Horton Personal Injury Lawyers can discuss your legal rights during a free, no-obligation consultation. 

How Our Rogers Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Can Help 

Motorcycle accidents tend to result in serious injuries. While you are healing, you don’t need to worry about making a legal claim or understanding complex laws regarding liability. Horton Personal Injury Lawyers can handle all aspects of your personal injury claim, including the following:

• Conducting a thorough investigation into the accident
• Visiting the accident scene and taking videos and pictures of it, and any skid marks
• Gathering witness statements and reviewing accident reports
• Requesting your medical records and working with your medical providers to determine the full extent of your injuries
• Working with accident reconstruction experts
• Handling communications with insurance adjusters
• Managing your insurance claims
• Reviewing your own policy for insurance coverage, such as uninsured motorist coverage
• Calculating the full extent of your damages

Our attorneys work on a contingency-fee basis, so we don’t get paid for our legal services unless we recover compensation for you. Contact us today to take advantage of a free, no-obligation consultation. 

Why Do Motorcycle Accidents Occur?

Even though insurance companies try to blame motorcyclists for accidents and use outdated stereotypes to create bias against them, the reality is that many motorcycle accidents happen due to the actions of the drivers of passenger vehicles. These motorists may cause accidents due to:

• Failing to check blind spots before changing lanes
• Turning in front of motorcyclists
• Failing to yield the right of way
• Speeding or driving too fast for road or weather conditions, including on US-62W or I-49 S
• Driver distraction, including by cell phones and other electronic devices
• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol

Arkansas is an at-fault state for auto accidents, so the driver deemed at fault for the accident is responsible for paying for the damages they caused. 

Common Types of Motorcycle Accident Injuries

Motorcycle accidents tend to result in more serious injuries than car accidents because motorcycle riders don’t have a steel frame, airbags, or seat belts to protect them. Some of the severe injuries that motorcyclists may suffer might include the following:

• Traumatic brain injuries: Motorcyclists may be ejected from their bikes during a serious accident, which can cause them to land on their heads and suffer severe brain injuries. 

• Spinal cord injuries: The force of impact of hitting the pavement can cause serious spinal cord injuries, including those that result in life-changing partial or complete paralysis. 

• Nerve damage: Serious injuries can damage nerves, leading to various medical complications.

• Musculoskeletal system injuries: Bones can break, tendons can tear, and joints can become dislocated, among other possible musculoskeletal injuries. 

• Internal injuries: Some motorcycle accidents cause internal bleeding and organ damage that can be life-threatening if not immediately diagnosed and treated. 

• Severe fractures: Motorcycle accident victims may suffer from multiple or complex fractures that impede mobility. 

• Road rash: Road burns can occur when the motorcyclist slides onto the roadway, suffering severe lacerations and abrasions. 

• Wrongful death: Tragically, many motorcycle accidents result in the wrongful death of the rider or passenger.

If you suffered any of these injuries or lost a loved one in a motorcycle accident, reach out to our dedicated motorcycle accident attorneys today. 

Arkansas Motorcycle Laws

Arkansas has a variety of laws pertaining to motorcycle use, including the following:

Motorcycle License Endorsements

To obtain a motorcycle endorsement in Arkansas, you must be at least 16 years old, obtain a learner’s permit, complete an MSF Rider Course, or pass a riding test, and pass the written exam. After completing these steps, you can apply for a Class M license with an Arkansas Revenue Office. 

Helmet Law 

Arkansas is one of the few states in the country that doesn’t require riders age 21 or over to wear a helmet. Even if you weren’t wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, this act should not prevent you from recovering compensation for your injuries since this fact did not cause the accident. 

Equipment Requirements

Under Ark. Code § 27-20-104, motorcycles operated on public streets in the state must have the following equipment:

• At least one headlight that can emit a light visible from at least 500 feet in front of the bike
• A red rear reflector visible from at least 300 feet 
• A lamp that emits a red light visible from a distance of 500 feet
• Good hand or foot brakes
• A standard muffler
• A horn in working order 
• Handholds and support for the passenger’s feet 
• Electrical turn signals 

Additionally, all riders and passengers must use protective glasses, goggles, or transparent face shields. 

Riding Laws

Motorcyclists are entitled to the full width of the lane, just as any other motorist is. However, it is legal for motorcyclists to travel two abreast if they choose. There are no laws in the state regarding lane splitting. 

Damages in a Motorcycle Accident Claim 

Damages after a motorcycle accident are often significant because of the serious nature of the injuries. The damages sought should reflect your short- and long-term needs, considering that you may not be able to work and may face additional expenses in the future. 

Your motorcycle accident attorney can identify the damages to include in your personal injury claim, which may include:

• Payment for medical bills: You may have incurred significant medical bills for emergency treatment, including medical transportation, emergency room fees, hospital stays, and imaging tests. Your personal injury claim can seek payment for or reimbursement for these bills.

• Ongoing medical care: You may need to continue seeing your doctor for follow-up treatment, complete rehabilitation, or participate in physical therapy. You can include these costs in your legal claim.

• Future medical expenses: You may require surgeries or other medical treatments in the future for which you can seek compensation now.

• Lost wages: You can recover compensation for the time you missed from work while you were seeking medical treatment or recovering from your injuries. 

• Reduced earning capacity: If you suffered a permanent impairment or disability that prevents you from working or causes you to make less money, you can seek compensation for your lost or reduced earning capacity. 

• Property damage: You are entitled to the payment of repair costs if your bike was damaged in the accident. You can also seek compensation for rental reimbursement while your ride is being repaired.

• Pain and suffering: In addition to your economic damages, you can seek compensation for your non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, mental anguish, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. 

What Is My Motorcycle Accident Claim Worth?

Every motorcycle crash case is different. The value of your motorcycle accident claim will depend on various factors specific to your case, such as:

• How the accident occurred and who is responsible 
• The nature and severity of your injuries
• How long you required medical treatment
• The extent of your pain and suffering
• How the accident has affected your life and ability to earn a living
• Whether you contributed to the accident
• Available insurance coverage

An experienced attorney can evaluate your case and give you a better sense of its potential value. 

What If I Contributed to the Accident?

Some motorcycle accident victims are afraid that they can’t recover any compensation if they contributed to the accident, so they forgo filing an insurance claim for their damages. However, this is only the case when their degree of fault is equal to or greater than the defendant’s, according to Ark. Code § 16-64-122. Therefore, you can still pursue compensation for your injuries as long as the defendant was more to blame than you were in causing the accident. 

However, your monetary damages are reduced by your degree of fault. Suppose you were speeding 5 mph over the speed limit when another driver turned left in front of you. In such a case, you might be found 10% responsible for the accident while the defendant is found 90% responsible. If you suffered damages of $10,000, your damages would be reduced by 10% or $1,000 in this example. But you would still be able to pursue compensation for the other $9,000 of damages. 

What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident

Motorcycle accidents can often be disorienting. You may not know what to do after the shock of it all. If you are able, follow these steps to protect your health and legal rights:

Get to Safety 

Get yourself and your bike out of the path of traffic if possible. Ask the other driver to activate their hazard lights and place traffic cones or flares if they have them. This can help alert other drivers to the accident and potentially avoid secondary accidents.

Report the Accident 

Call 911 to report the accident. Request an ambulance if you were injured. You can complete some of the other steps listed below while you wait for emergency services to arrive at the scene. 

Seek Medical Treatment 

If by some miracle you don’t feel injured, you should still get checked out. After a crash, it’s common to feel a sudden surge of adrenaline, which can mask your pain and other symptoms. Seek medical attention immediately so that your injuries can be properly diagnosed and treated. 

Gather Information 

Ask the other driver for their information, including their:

• Name
• Telephone number
• Address
• Driver’s license number
• Year, make, and model of their vehicle
• License plate number
• Insurance information 

Ask any witnesses for their names and contact information. Your motorcycle accident lawyer can follow up with them later to get statements. 

Document the Scene 

If your cell phone wasn’t broken in the wreck, use it to take pictures of the accident scene, your bike, damage to the other vehicle, any skid marks, and your injuries. 

Contact an Experienced Lawyer

Contact an experienced personal injury lawyer for assistance with the next steps.

What Is the Statute of Limitations for Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Arkansas? 

Most personal injury lawsuits in Arkansas have a deadline of three years after the accident date. This means that you have until the third anniversary of the wreck to file a lawsuit in court. If you don’t file a lawsuit within this timeframe and have not otherwise settled your case, you can forfeit your right to have the court hear your case and miss out on the compensation you might have otherwise been able to obtain. 

Contact Our Rogers Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Today

If another driver’s negligence caused you to suffer harm, you deserve to be fairly compensated for your injuries and losses. Horton Personal Injury Lawyers is here to demand fair compensation and justice for you. 

At Horton Personal Injury Lawyers, we have represented thousands of clients and recovered millions of dollars for them. We can conduct a thorough investigation, gather evidence to prove the other driver was at fault, and relentlessly pursue maximum compensation for your injuries. Get started by contacting us for a free case review.