Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Serving West Virginia and Ohio

Frequently Asked Questions

What injuries are most common in motorcycle accidents?
The most common is head injury, and this causes the most deaths. They are not all fatal, but they are usually serious and can cause permanent disability. Also frequent are spinal injuries, which again can cause permanent disability, burns, and bone fractures.

When the accident occurred I was wearing no helmet. Does that matter?
It depends on how you were injured. If you were not injured in the head, but in the legs, for example, where a helmet would not have protected you anyway, it will probably not matter. However, the amount of damages you eventually receive will perhaps be reduced because you wore no helmet. You can discuss your specific case with a motorcycle accident lawyer to learn more.

What sort of compensation could I receive?
Your award or settlement amount would depend on the particular circumstances but in general you could receive compensation for:

• Pain and suffering
• Present and future medical bills
• Property damage
• Lost wages, present and future
• Miscellaneous bills for your injuries
• Loss of consortium

Occasionally, when another driver has been guilty of gross negligence, you might be awarded punitive damages. That is designed to be a punishment to that driver.

What legal options do I have after losing a loved one in a motorcycle accident?
Depending on the specifics of that accident, you and other family members may be able to file a wrongful death claim. A wrongful death attorney will be able to give you more information after reviewing your situation, and it would be a good idea to consult one without delay.

How can I best protect myself as a motorcycle rider?
Wear a helmet. This is the law in Ohio and West Virginia. Certainly obey the rules of the road; that’s a given. Riding a motorcycle is exhilarating and it’s easy to break speed limits, so pay particular attention to the posted limits. Remember that too often drivers cannot see you, or do not see you quickly enough. Sometimes that’s because of lighting conditions or fog, for example, but often it’s because a motorcycle is relatively small. So avoid impulsive movements like darting into another lane, or suddenly passing a vehicle. Remember that most drivers have a blind spot. If you can’t see the driver’s face in his rear view mirror, he probably can’t see you either, so move further forward, or fall back a little. In general, safe motorcycle riding calls for more caution and attention to surrounding vehicles.

Our practice is to treat all our clients with the utmost respect, starting with the initial consultation. We start by listening, to try and form a clear picture of your particular motorcycle accident, and then we ask some questions to fill out the picture. Please call or email the law offices of Jim Leach today for a confidential appointment. From there, we can start building a case for you.

Our motorcycle accident lawyer represent injured victims throughout West Virginia and Southern Ohio including the communities of Belpre, Parkersburg, Morgantown, Charleston, Wheeling, Athens, and Huntington.

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