Motorcycle Accident Lawyers in Essex County, NJ

Expert Motorcycle Accidents Dedicated to Fighting for Victims’ Rights in Montclair and Throughout Essex County, NJ

For years, the experienced motorcycle accident lawyers at Birkhold & Maider, LLC have devoted our practice to successfully helping accident victims in Essex County recover the financial compensation they deserve after sustaining injuries in an accident caused by another person’s careless driving. If you have suffered injuries in a motorcycle accident, you may quickly find that you need help dealing with an insurance company that may seem set against paying the fair compensation you need to recover.

Motorcycle riders are uniquely vulnerable on the road, and the statistics bear it out: motorcyclists die at 26 times the rate of drivers behind the wheel of a car and are five times more likely to sustain an injury. New Jersey’s congested highways and interstates provide too many opportunities for severe or lethal injuries to occur. Road rash, spinal cord injuries, lost limbs, and broken bones are injuries common to motorcycle riders – and fatalities are all too common. When someone else’s actions caused your accident, you shouldn’t be left to shoulder the burden of the monetary expenses and suffering associated with that injury. Call our experienced Essex County motorcycle accident lawyers for a free initial consultation to see how we can help maximize your compensation award today.

Common Types of Essex County, NJ Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcycle riders are uniquely vulnerable in the court of public opinion. In fact, the broad assumption that riders are usually to blame for the accidents that befall them can lead to unfair and discriminatory treatment by insurance companies. The margin for error is slim, and cars have the advantage, in terms of weight and size. Car and truck drivers also have blind spots that motorcycles and riders do not—and because of this, drivers often fail to spot much-smaller motorcycles when changing lanes.

Regardless of the type of motorcycle accident in which you were involved, the injuries you sustain are likely to be severe. In Essex County, the most common types of accidents that motorcycles are involved in include:

Head-on collisions,
Collisions with vehicles making left-hand turns,
Motorcycle lane splitting,
Collisions between motorcycles and fixed objects, such as abutments and medians,
Accidents caused by road hazards, and
Accidents caused by the high speeds that can be achieved by sport and super-sport motorcycles.

Our Skilled Essex County, NJ Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Will Handle All Aspects of Your Injury Case

At Birkhold & Maider, LLC, our experienced Essex County motorcycle lawyers are committed to leveling the playing field to ensure motorcyclists receive fair treatment and full compensation for injuries sustained in motorcycle accidents. Insurance companies employ teams of legal experts whose sole job is to convince you, the injured party, to accept their first – and lowest – settlement offer. Importantly, in motorcycle accident cases, the compensation award you receive from the at-fault party must cover all of your current and future medical costs and other costs associated with the accident. This is because motorcycle insurance policies do not contain provisions for payment of medical bills, lost wages, and compensation for the pain and suffering the accident has caused.

This makes it especially important for you to choose a motorcycle accident lawyer with the legal knowledge and experience necessary to obtain the maximum available compensation in your case. When you retain one of the skilled lawyers at our personal injury law firm as your motorcycle accident lawyer, you can rest assured that we will leave no stone unturned in:

Reviewing all documentation, including police reports and medical records, to build the most compelling argument for compensation possible,
Investigating your case independently to locate additional evidence, including by retaining specialists with the ability to “recreate” the accident scene,
Listening to your story to gain a complete understanding of what happened to cause your accident,
Completing all paperwork and documentation, including insurance claims and any court filings,
Advocating vigorously on your behalf every step of the way to recover full compensation for your injuries.

How New Jersey’s Insurance Laws Create Unique Challenges for Injured Motorcyclists

One of the most important things motorcycle crash victims in Essex County need to understand is that New Jersey’s insurance system treats motorcyclists fundamentally differently from occupants of cars and trucks. This distinction has a direct and significant impact on how injured motorcyclists pursue compensation and why having experienced motorcycle accident lawyers is so critical.

The PIP coverage gap:

New Jersey requires auto insurance policies to include Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage, which pays for medical expenses and lost wages regardless of who caused the accident. However, motorcycle insurance policies in New Jersey are not required to include PIP coverage and typically do not.
This means that, unlike car accident victims who can immediately access their own PIP benefits for medical bills and lost wages, injured motorcyclists must rely entirely on recovering compensation from the at-fault driver’s insurance policy.
If the at-fault driver is underinsured or uninsured, motorcycle crash victims face an even greater financial challenge. Without PIP coverage as a safety net, every dollar of your medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, and lost income depends on your ability to build a strong claim against the responsible party.

Why this makes experienced legal representation essential:

Because there is no PIP coverage to fall back on, the settlement or verdict you obtain from the at-fault driver must cover the full scope of your damages — past, present, and future medical bills, lost wages, diminished earning capacity, pain and suffering, and emotional trauma.
Insurance companies understand this vulnerability and often use it as leverage, pressuring injured motorcyclists to accept inadequate compensation before they understand the true value of their claim.
An experienced motorcycle accident attorney at Birkhold & Maider ensures that the playing field is leveled and that you are treated fairly throughout the insurance claims process. We fight for full compensation that accounts for every loss, not just the ones the insurance company is willing to acknowledge.

Contact our law offices for a free initial consultation to discuss how New Jersey’s insurance laws affect your motorcycle accident case.

What Essex County Motorcycle Crash Victims Should Know About Left Turn Collisions

Left turn collisions are one of the deadliest types of motorcycle accidents in Essex County and across New Jersey, and they account for a disproportionate number of serious injuries and fatalities involving motorcycle riders. Understanding why these crashes happen and how liability is established can help you protect your rights if you’ve been involved in one.

Why left turn accidents are so dangerous for motorcyclists:

Left turn collisions typically occur when a car or truck driver turns left at an intersection directly into the path of an oncoming motorcycle. Because motorcycles offer far less protection than other motor vehicles, the rider absorbs the full force of the impact with little more than a helmet and protective gear between them and the vehicle.
These crashes frequently result in the most catastrophic injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, severe road rash, broken bones, and internal injuries. Fatal outcomes are tragically common, leaving surviving family members to cope with funeral expenses and the devastating loss of a loved one.
Car and truck drivers who cause left-turn collisions often claim they simply didn’t see the motorcycle. Because motorcycles are smaller and narrower than other cars on the road, they can be obscured by blind spots, glare, or other vehicles, particularly at busy Essex County intersections.

Establishing liability in left-turn motorcycle accidents:

In most left-turn collisions, the turning driver bears primary fault for failing to yield the right of way to oncoming traffic. New Jersey traffic laws require drivers to ensure the way is clear before executing a left turn, and failure to do so constitutes negligence.
However, insurance companies frequently try to shift blame to the motorcycle rider, arguing that the rider was speeding, failed to signal, or was otherwise difficult to see. An experienced motorcycle accident lawyer will gather evidence, including traffic camera footage, witness statements, police reports, and accident reconstruction analysis, to counter these arguments and establish the other driver’s fault.
New Jersey’s comparative negligence law allows injured motorcyclists to recover damages even if they share some percentage of fault, though the compensation is reduced proportionally. Our Essex County motorcycle accident lawyers fight to minimize any fault attributed to the rider and maximize the financial compensation you receive.

If you or a family member suffered injuries in a left-turn motorcycle collision in Essex County or anywhere in New Jersey, contact our New Jersey motorcycle accident lawyers for a free consultation with experienced motorcycle accident lawyers who understand the legal challenges these cases present and will fight aggressively for adequate compensation on your behalf.

Schedule a Risk-Free Consultation with Our Compassionate and Competent Motorcycle Accident Lawyers in Essex County Today

The challenges that you will likely face in recovering from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident can be daunting, but you don’t have to go it alone. At Birkhold & Maider, LLC, our competent and compassionate team of motorcycle accident lawyers will fight to recover the compensation that is justly yours so that you can move on with your life. Don’t bear the burden of dealing with medical bills, insurance companies, and the at-fault driver who caused your accident alone. While you focus on your health, we will devote all of our attention to your case. For a free initial case evaluation to see how we can help, call or contact us online today.

Frequently Asked Questions About Motorcycle Accident Claims in Montclair, NJ

FAQ: What types of compensation can I recover in a motorcycle accident case?

If you sustained serious injuries and a negligent third party caused your accident, you are legally entitled to recover compensation for all of your current and future medical and rehabilitative costs, as well as any lost wages or lost future wages you have incurred. We can also fight for your right to recover compensation for your pain and suffering and the emotional trauma associated with the accident. In wrongful death cases, the family of the victim is entitled to recover, in addition to traditional compensation, compensation for funeral expenses and loss of consortium (meaning loss of your loved one’s presence in your life).

FAQ: Do I have to wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle under New Jersey law? What if I was involved in a motorcycle accident while not wearing a helmet?

Yes. New Jersey requires all motorcyclists to wear a helmet approved by the Department of Transportation. If you sustained injuries in a motorcycle accident while not wearing a helmet, this does not necessarily mean that your right to compensation is foreclosed—but it does mean that compensation could potentially be limited under New Jersey’s comparative negligence laws. You may also receive a citation for not wearing your helmet. Our experienced motorcycle accident lawyers can work with you and the evidence in your case to fight for your right to compensation.