Las Vegas Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

If you or someone you love has been involved in a motorcycle accident in Las Vegas, the experienced attorneys at Bertoldo Carter Smith & Cullen can help you work to recover the fair compensation you need—and deserve.

Our accomplished Las Vegas motorcycle accident attorneys can create a strong, personalized legal strategy on your behalf, compiling your medical records, accident reports, witness statements, and medical expert evaluations in order to obtain a clear, comprehensive picture of your damages and costs. From there, we can immediately start building your case with a focus on maximizing your recovery so you can start the healing process. 

On This Page:

• How a Motorcycle Injury Lawyer Can Help
• Leading Causes of Motorcycle Accidents
• Motorcycle Accident Statistics
• Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries
• What Damages Are Available in Motorcycle Accident Claims?
• Establishing Liability in a Motorcycle Accident
• How to Begin a Motorcycle Accident Claim in Nevada
• Motorcycle Accident FAQ

Dedicated to Helping Injured Accident Victims Get Back on Their Feet. Call (702) 505-8115!

How a Motorcycle Injury Lawyer Can Help

We cannot overstate the importance of getting immediate, proper medical care right after the accident. This is critical in establishing the nature, severity, and overall extent of your injuries which, in turn, is crucial to your personal injury case.

While you are seeking treatment, we will:

• Investigate the crash site
• Safeguard evidence associated with your injuries and property damage
• Interview witnesses from the scene
• Depose law enforcement officials who responded to the crash site and filed the police report
• Partner with professionals who can strengthen our case, including accident reconstruction experts and medical specialists
• Determine the overall accounting and financial recovery figures necessary to cover your initial and ongoing medical care, lost wages, and additional expenses in their totality

When you choose to work with our Las Vegas motorcycle accident attorneys, you get the legal opportunity you and your family need to hold the negligent driver responsible for your damages.

Leading Causes of Motorcycle Accidents

The U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration list the main causes of motorcycle accidents as:

• Vehicles maneuvering through traffic and making unsafe lane changes without looking for motorcyclists
• Car doors hazardously opening as a motorcycle passes
• Left turns in front of motorcyclists
• Vehicle operation/driving under the influence
• Driving a vehicle while distracted
• Speeding and reckless driving by passenger vehicle drivers
• Vehicles failing to obey traffic signs and signals
• Failing to observe motorcycles as road-sharing vehicles

Motorcycle Accident Statistics

Based on records from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, last year:

• An estimated 88,000 motorcyclists were injured in accidents throughout the country
• There were 4,976 motorcyclist fatalities in the U.S., an 8% increase from the previous year
• 55 of those fatalities occurred in the state of Nevada

Data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note:

• Since the year 2000, motorcycle-related deaths have increased by 55%
• The economic liability of motorcycle-related crashes reaches $12 billion annually

Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries

At Bertoldo Carter Smith & Cullen, we know that the very nature of motorcycle crashes often leads to severe and devastating injuries that can—and often do—change the lives of our clients and their families forever. Because of the size difference between a passenger vehicle and a motorcycle, as well as the rider’s vulnerable/exposed state, motorcycle accident injuries are often serious and can require lengthy treatment.

Some of the most common motorcycle accident injuries include:

• Broken bones/fractures
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Paralysis
• Friction burns (“road rash”)
• Soft tissue damage
• Accidental amputation
• Internal organ damage
• Hemorrhaging

If you have experienced a motorcycle accident in Law Vegas and lost a limb, suffered a serious spine or head injury, or were scarred or disfigured, our motorcycle crash lawyers in Las Vegas can help. We take your long-term medical needs fully into account before approaching the negligent driver and their insurance company, meaning we are ready to negotiate a settlement or seek a verdict that covers the full extent of your immediate and ongoing future needs.

What Damages Are Available in Motorcycle Accident Claims?

The CDC reported that the average hospital costs for motorcycle riders who sustained a traumatic brain injury were 13 times higher than the costs for those who did not. Even if your injuries do not include a serious brain injury, the costs can be overwhelming. However, an experienced attorney can help you fight to hold the negligent party responsible and recover compensation for your medical bills and other damages.

Depending on the specifics of your case, you could be entitled to compensation for:

• Current and future lost wages
• Immediate, ongoing, and future medical expenses
• Prescription and medical device costs
• Therapy and rehabilitation services
• Partial or full disability
• Temporary or permanent disability
• Pain and suffering

Also, losing a loved one in a fatal motorcycle accident is devastating. While you are trying to healthily grieve the loss, you will also be bombarded with financial issues, like medicals bills, funeral costs, and the sudden absence of the deceased’s wages.

After a catastrophic motorcycle accident, the cost of emergency medical care will be steep, especially if the motorcyclist was not wearing a helmet and suffered severe head injuries. By some estimates, the cost of final medical care and revival efforts will average at least $300,000. Even with adequate healthcare insurance coverage, out-of-pocket expenses can add up quickly as those insurance policies cap.

The damages that could arise from a fatal motorcycle accident include:

• Final medical care costs: The cost of medical care used to try to save your loved one’s life can be the most significant economic damage pursued in your claim.
• Lost wages and benefits: You can seek damages equal to the wages and benefits your loved one likely would have earned in life had the fatal motorcycle accident never happened.
• Burial costs: The price of a burial and/or a funeral can also be repaid through damages, as long as those prices are deemed “reasonable.”
• Loss of companionship: You and your other loved ones can seek noneconomic damages for the pain and hardship you have felt due to the untimely loss of companionship and care.

How a Personal Injury Attorney Can Establish Liabilty in a Motorcycle Accident

Establishing legal liability involves not only a determination of facts but references to legal provisions that can support a claim for damages. An experienced Las Vegas motorcycle accident attorney can help by determining:

• What started the chain of events
• Negligence or recklessness involved
• Degree of responsibility of those involved

Claiming compensation from an insurance company can also be difficult, as most insurers tend to deny claims or offer lower settlement amounts that are insufficient to cover medical expenses, funeral, and related costs. To protect your rights, it may be necessary to present your case in court and collect the value of damages that you deserve.

In metropolitan Las Vegas and parts of Nevada for many years now, the law firm of Bertoldo Carter Smith & Cullen has been helping injured motorcyclists and their families to obtain the compensation that they legally deserve.

How to Begin a Motorcycle Accident Claim in Nevada

Starting the process of filing your accident claim can be intimidating, but our firm is here to provide the guidance and counsel you need from start to finish. As you undergo medical treatment, contact our experienced motorcycle accident attorneys to schedule a free consultation. Our dedicated team will take the lead in investigating your accident, the driver who caused your injuries, your medical records, and overall financial needs to pursue the best outcome available for your case.

Your situation is unique, and so is our approach to your case. By partnering with Bertoldo Carter Smith & Cullen, you gain access to decades of legal experience and invaluable resources. We approach each case with the precision and detail our clients deserve.

Schedule your free, confidential consultation today; call (702) 505-8115or submit an online contact formto get started.

Motorcycle Accident FAQ:

Do you have to wear a motorcycle helmet in Nevada?

Yes; the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles notes that a universal helmet law is in effect in the state of Nevada. This law states that all riders must be wearing a helmet during the operation of a motorcycle, regardless of age or whether they are driving or simply riding as a passenger.

Nevada has a contributory negligence rule that applies to personal injury and wrongful death claims. It allows a defendant to pay less in damages based on how liable the plaintiff was for their own injuries. If the plaintiff is found to be 51% liable due to their negligence, then the entire claim against the defendant can be dismissed.

Helmet usage becomes crucial in a fatal motorcycle accident case because of this contributory negligence rule. If your loved one was not wearing a helmet at the time of their death, then the defending insurance company will certainly argue that they were negligent and contributed to their own risk of severe injury or death.

What if I cannot afford the medical care I need?

Your health and well-being is the number one priority. It is important that you obtain the medical care you require for your injuries. Our attorneys can help you learn more about your options if you are concerned about paying for this medical care out of pocket. In some cases, motorcycle accidents cause permanent injuries that require long-term care; our firm can help ensure these costs are covered without you having to pay out of pocket.

The Las Vegas motorcycle accident attorneys at Bertoldo Carter Smith & Cullen will review your accident claim from beginning to end, including your medical records and statements from your doctors, to ensure no detail is overlooked when seeking the maximum financial recovery available for your case. If you are in need of a motorcycle accident lawyer in Las Vegas, contact us today for the help you deserve.

How long do I have to file a claim after a motorcycle accident in Nevada?

In Nevada, the statute of limitations for filing a personal injury claim after a motorcycle accident is typically two years from the date of the accident. This means that you have two years from the accident date to file a claim in court or reach a settlement outside of court.

It's important to keep in mind that there are exceptions to this deadline in certain circumstances. This is why it's so important to discuss your situation with a skilled motorcycle injury lawyer as soon as possible after your accident.

Give us a call at (702) 505-8115 or submit an online contact form to learn more about how our attorneys can help you after your motorcycle accident. Se habla español.