Massachusetts Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Motorcyclists have little protection in a crash, and injuries are often severe: fractures, road rash, spinal injuries, and traumatic brain injuries. Too often, riders also face an unfair assumption that they must have been riding recklessly. Muggeo & Associates represents injured motorcyclists and their families across the North Shore and throughout Massachusetts.
Common Causes of Motorcycle Crashes
- Drivers turning left in front of an oncoming motorcycle
- Drivers changing lanes without checking blind spots
- Car doors opened into a rider’s path
- Rear-end collisions at lights and in traffic
- Potholes, gravel, and road defects
- Drivers who are distracted or impaired
Insurance Is Different for Riders
Massachusetts Personal Injury Protection (PIP) generally does not cover injuries to a person while operating or riding a motorcycle. That makes your own health insurance, any medical payments coverage on your motorcycle policy, and your uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage especially important. We review every available policy to find coverage for your medical bills and losses.
Helmets and Your Claim
Massachusetts requires all motorcycle operators and passengers to wear a helmet. If you were not wearing one, an insurer may argue that your injuries would have been less severe. That argument does not necessarily bar your claim, and many motorcycle injuries, such as leg and arm fractures, have nothing to do with helmet use.
Overcoming Bias Against Riders
Insurance adjusters and jurors sometimes assume motorcyclists are to blame. We counter that with evidence: scene photos, vehicle damage, video, witness statements, and, where appropriate, accident reconstruction. Under Massachusetts comparative negligence, you can recover as long as you were not more at fault than the other parties, with your recovery reduced by any share of fault.
Deadlines
Most Massachusetts motorcycle accident claims must be filed within three years. Claims involving road defects or government vehicles have much shorter notice deadlines, so it is important to act quickly.
Learn more about our personal injury practice.
What To Do After a Motorcycle Accident
- Seek prompt medical care, even if pain or symptoms develop later.
- Preserve the motorcycle, helmet, protective gear and photographs of the road and vehicle damage when possible.
- Keep police reports, witness information, insurance correspondence and medical records.
- Avoid disposing of damaged equipment before its significance has been reviewed.
- Contact counsel promptly where a government roadway defect or other special notice requirement may be involved.
Motorcycle Injury FAQ
What if a driver says they never saw my motorcycle?
A driver’s failure to observe a motorcycle does not decide fault by itself. Vehicle positioning, right-of-way, sightlines, traffic controls, video and witness accounts may be important.
Can I make a claim if I was partly at fault?
Massachusetts modified comparative negligence rules may allow recovery where the claimant’s responsibility does not exceed the permitted threshold. Any recovery can be reduced by the claimant’s percentage of fault; the details require review.
Does motorcycle insurance cover my treatment?
Coverage depends on the policy and circumstances. Massachusetts PIP exclusions for motorcycle occupants mean health insurance, medical payments coverage and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage can be important.
For injuries involving other types of vehicles, see our Uber and Lyft accident guide and car accident practice.
Talk to a Lawyer Today
Call Muggeo & Associates at (978) 741-1177, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or send us a message. Our office is at 133 Washington Street in downtown Salem.
This page provides general information only and is not legal advice. Laws and deadlines change and depend on the facts of each case. Contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.