East Orange Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

Motorcycle accidents often result in severe injuries and significant financial burdens for riders. The physical, emotional, and economic consequences can be overwhelming for individuals and families trying to recover and rebuild their lives. At Goldstein & Goldstein, LLP, our East Orange motorcycle accident lawyers have extensive knowledge representing clients who have suffered injuries in motorcycle collisions throughout New Jersey. 

Our legal team understands the challenges motorcycle riders face on the road and in the courtroom and will focus on obtaining maximum compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, and pain and suffering so you can concentrate on recovery.

What Are the Most Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in New Jersey?

The most frequent causes of motorcycle accidents in the Garden State include:

• Distracted driving behaviors, particularly texting and using mobile devices, remain a leading cause of collisions. 
• Left-turn accidents occur when vehicles make turns without yielding to oncoming motorcycles. These accidents frequently happen at intersections when drivers do not properly look for or misjudge the speed of approaching motorcycles.
• Impaired driving continues to threaten motorcyclists on New Jersey roads. Alcohol and drugs impair judgment, reaction time, and vision, increasing the likelihood of catastrophic accidents.
• Dangerous road conditions like potholes, uneven pavement, debris, and inadequate signage create particularly hazardous situations for motorcycles compared to four-wheeled vehicles.
• Weather factors, including rain, fog, and high winds, affect motorcycle stability and visibility.  
• Speeding and aggressive driving behaviors heighten the risk of severe motorcycle accidents.  

Important Motorcycle Laws in New Jersey

New Jersey has implemented specific laws that motorcyclists must follow. Understanding these regulations helps prevent accidents and also affects potential compensation claims:

• All motorcycle operators and passengers must wear approved helmets that meet the standards set by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). Eye protection is also required unless the motorcycle has an approved windscreen.
• New Jersey requires a motorcycle endorsement on a standard driver’s license or a separate motorcycle license for legal operation. Riders must pass both written and road tests to demonstrate competence.
• Lane splitting (riding between lanes of slow-moving or stopped traffic) is not legal in New Jersey. Motorcyclists must operate within a full lane like other vehicles.
• Every motorcycle must have working headlights, taillights, turn signals, and mirrors. Regular maintenance of these safety features is mandatory under state law.
• All registered motorcycles in New Jersey must maintain minimum liability insurance coverage of $15,000 for injury or death to one person, $30,000 for injury or death to more than one person, and $5,000 for property damage.

Available Compensation After a Motorcycle Accident

Motorcycle accident survivors in New Jersey may be entitled to several forms of compensation. Medical expenses constitute a primary category, encompassing emergency care, hospitalization, surgeries, rehabilitation, physical therapy, prescription medications, and any future treatments related to their injuries.

When injuries prevent victims from returning to work either temporarily or permanently, they may recover lost income and diminished earning capacity. This includes compensation for wages, benefits, and other employment-related earnings lost due to the accident.

Survivors can also receive property damage compensation for motorcycle repairs or replacement, as well as for damaged protective gear and other personal belongings affected in the accident.

Compensation may address pain and suffering, acknowledging the physical discomfort, emotional distress, mental anguish, and reduced quality of life resulting from the accident and injuries. Finally, when accidents cause lasting impairments or visible scarring that impact appearance and self-image, victims may be entitled to permanent disability and disfigurement damages.

What if I Was Not Wearing a Helmet at the Time of the Crash?

New Jersey follows a modified comparative negligence standard. If you were not wearing a helmet during your accident, you can still recover damages, but your compensation might be reduced. When injuries occurred regardless of helmet use, your compensation should not be affected. However, if medical evidence suggests your injuries were worse because you were not wearing a helmet, the court may reduce your compensation proportionally. 

Our East Orange motorcycle accident lawyers work with medical professionals to establish whether helmet use would have prevented or minimized your particular injuries to protect your right to fair compensation.

What About No-Fault Insurance and Motorcycle Accidents?

New Jersey operates under a no-fault insurance system for most motor vehicles, but motorcycles are specifically excluded from these provisions. This creates important distinctions for motorcycle accident claims. Unlike automobile policies, motorcycle insurance does not provide Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits. This means motorcyclists cannot rely on their own insurance to cover medical expenses regardless of fault.

Motorcyclists have the right to pursue claims against at-fault drivers immediately after an accident without meeting the verbal or dollar threshold requirements that apply to automobile accidents. However, the exclusion from the no-fault system actually provides motorcyclists greater access to compensation through liability claims against responsible parties.

Critical Evidence for Your Motorcycle Accident Case

Building a strong case requires substantial evidence such as:

• Accident scene photographs documenting road conditions, vehicle positions, skid marks, traffic signals, and visible injuries.
• Police reports contain official accounts of the accident, including statements from involved parties and witnesses, preliminary fault determinations, and citations issued.
• Medical records establish the connection between the accident and your injuries, the severity of harm, treatment protocols, and prognosis for recovery.
• Witness statements from impartial observers can corroborate your account of how the accident occurred and substantiate liability claims.
• Video footage from traffic or surveillance cameras, dashcams, or helmet cameras may capture the accident as it happened, providing objective evidence.

Our East Orange motorcycle accident lawyers gather and meticulously examine every potential evidence source and present each one with skill and care.

How Can a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Help Me Pursue Compensation?

Our East Orange motorcycle accident lawyers provide comprehensive legal support for every case. We conduct thorough investigations to identify all responsible parties and sources of compensation, gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, and consulting with accident reconstruction professionals. Our team handles all communications with insurance companies to prevent them from using your statements against you or pressuring you into accepting inadequate settlements. 

We can determine the full value of your claim by working with medical professionals, economists, and life-care planners to calculate current and future damages. Throughout the process, we prepare your case for trial while simultaneously pursuing fair settlement negotiations, demonstrating to insurance companies that we stand ready to advocate for you in court if they fail to offer appropriate compensation. 

East Orange Motorcycle Accident Lawyers at Goldstein & Goldstein, LLP Will Protect Your Rights

If you or a loved one suffered injuries in a motorcycle accident, now is the time to consider your legal options. Contact the East Orange motorcycle accident lawyers at Goldstein & Goldstein, LLP for a free consultation to discuss your case and outline potential pathways to compensation. To learn more, call our East Orange, New Jersey office at 973-675-8277 or contact us online. We proudly serve clients in the surrounding areas.