Motorcycle riders face a disproportionate risk on Arizona roads. Because motorcycles offer little protection from larger vehicles, even a fender bender can result in devastating injuries. When another driver’s negligence causes that harm, the law gives you the right to seek compensation. At Gallagher & Kennedy, our Scottsdale motorcycle accident lawyers are prepared to help riders and their families recover physically, financially, and legally after a collision.
We understand the unique challenges motorcyclists face, not just on the road but also when seeking justice. Mainly, due to the high-stakes nature of these cases, you may be pushed to accept a settlement that is far less than what you deserve. A Scottsdale motorcycle accident lawyer can push back with a strategy to secure favorable results.
Why Gallagher & Kennedy Is a Trusted Choice for Motorcycle Accident Claims in Scottsdale
Motorcycle crashes can lead to difficult legal battles, especially when bias against riders and aggressive insurance tactics are involved. At Gallagher & Kennedy, we approach every motorcycle injury case with precision, preparation, and a deep understanding of Arizona injury law.
Our firm brings over 275 years of combined legal experience to each case we handle. As the seventh-largest law firm in Arizona, Our growth reflects a long history of securing substantial results in serious injury and wrongful death claims. As experienced personal injury lawyers, our attorneys have litigated and resolved some of the high-profile personal injury cases, and we bring that same level of focus to every injured rider who walks through our doors.
Our dedication to every client has consistently distinguished our firm. We treat each case with the care and focus needed to achieve the best outcomes. This approach has led to numerous record-setting verdicts and settlements, reflecting our ability to secure compensation for the distress caused by motorcycle accidents. We adjust our strategies to the specific circumstances of your case.
Common Injuries in Motorcycle Accidents
Unlike passengers in enclosed vehicles, motorcyclists are exposed to direct contact with other vehicles, road surfaces, and surrounding structures. This exposure increases both the likelihood and severity of injury in a crash. As a result, victims of motorcycle crashes in Scottsdale may require emergency surgery, long-term physical therapy, or even lifelong assistance.
Some of the prevalent injuries we see in Scottsdale motorcycle accident cases include:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs): Even with a helmet, a forceful impact can cause concussions or more serious brain trauma, affecting memory, cognition, or motor function.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: These injuries may affect mobility as well as bladder, bowel, and respiratory function.
- Lower Extremity Injuries: Broken legs, shattered knees, or crushed ankles are common due to the rider’s position during impact, often linked to the common causes of motorcycle accident. These injuries may require surgeries and extended rehabilitation.
- Soft Tissue Damage: Sliding across pavement can strip away layers of skin and muscle, often requiring skin grafts and leaving permanent scarring.
- Internal Organ Damage: Collisions may cause bleeding or bruising of organs that are not immediately discoverable but can become fatal without swift treatment.
- Psychological Trauma: Riders may experience anxiety, PTSD, or depression following a severe crash, especially if it led to disfigurement or chronic pain.
One of the key strategies in ensuring a successful claim is to ascertain the scope of the injuries you suffered. Our firm may engage medical professionals to evaluate your injuries, ensuring that your claim reflects the short- and long-term impact on your life. A well-defined scope of injury allows us to present a strong case for the compensation you deserve.
Compensation Available in a Motorcycle Injury Claim
A motorcycle accident can result in significant economic and personal losses. Arizona law allows injury victims to pursue recovery from the at-fault party or their insurance provider. The value of your claim depends on the nature of the crash, the extent of your injuries, and the evidence available to support your damages.
You may be entitled to recover:
- Medical Expenses: This includes hospital bills, surgeries, physical therapy, medications, medical devices, and any future treatment related to your injuries.
- Lost Earning Potential: If you’ve missed work or can no longer return to your previous occupation, your claim can involve current and future lost earnings.
- Pain and Suffering: These damages reflect the physical pain, emotional distress, and psychological burden caused by the accident.
- Permanent Disability or Disfigurement: Lifelong impairments, visible scars, or amputations can significantly increase a claim’s value.
- Property Damage: Compensation for your motorcycle’s repair or replacement and any personal items damaged in the crash.
- Disfigurement and Scarring: Permanent injuries that alter your appearance may warrant additional compensation, particularly in cases involving facial injuries or burns.
- Loss of Consortium: In cases of serious harm, a spouse may claim damages for the impact of the injury on the relationship, including loss of companionship or intimacy.
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life: If you can no longer participate in hobbies, traveling, or maintaining your previous lifestyle after the crash, this loss may be compensable.
- Wrongful Death (if applicable): In the event of a motorcycle accident that leads to a death, the family members left behind have the option to initiate a wrongful death claim. It can help them recover costs for burial services, lost future earnings, and other related damages.
However, the specific value of your motorcycle accident claim depends on several key factors, including:
- Severity and Type of Injury: More permanent injuries generally result in higher compensation. For instance, the greater the effect on your current and future ability to work, the more substantial your claim for lost earnings and earning capacity will be.
- Duration of Recovery: Longer recovery periods can increase lost earnings and extend the need for ongoing care, raising the overall value of the claim.
- Liability and Fault: If the at-fault party admits responsibility, it may streamline negotiations and strengthen your position for full compensation.
- Availability of Evidence: Strong documentation, such as medical records, can substantiate your claim and support the damages you’re seeking.
- Insurance Policy Limits: The amount of available compensation may also be capped by the insurance coverage carried by the at-fault driver.
Our attorneys assess the full scope of your losses and present a detailed case to insurers or jurors, leaving no category of compensation overlooked. We usually leverage medical records, expert evaluations, and victim accounts to build comprehensive cases that address physical and emotional losses. Therefore, consult our firm so that we can thoroughly document your damages to support a complete claim.
Where Do Motorcycle Accidents Happen in Scottsdale?
Motorcycle accidents in Scottsdale are not confined to any one neighborhood. These crashes may occur across the city, from busy urban corridors to open stretches of desert highway. The combination of high-speed traffic, year-round riding conditions, and an increasing number of vehicles on the road contributes to the daily risks that motorcyclists face.
Many serious collisions take place along high-traffic arteries such as Loop 101 (Pima Freeway) and Scottsdale Road, where speed and congestion often create hazardous conditions. Intersections like Shea Boulevard and Hayden Road have also been noted for frequent crashes involving motorcycles, often due to drivers making left turns without yielding.
While beautiful, scenic routes that attract riders, like North Pima Road near the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, can present dangers when passenger vehicles fail to share the road responsibly. Sudden lane changes, distracted driving, and blind spots contribute to avoidable collisions.
According to data from the Arizona Department of Transportation, motorcyclists are disproportionately represented in traffic fatalities despite making up a smaller share of total vehicles. In Scottsdale and the greater Maricopa County area, local law enforcement has consistently reported motorcycle crashes involving severe injuries, especially during peak commuting hours and weekends.
Understanding where and how these accidents happen plays a critical role in proving liability and anticipating the tactics that insurance companies may use to shift blame. Our attorneys are familiar with Scottsdale’s traffic patterns and accident history, which can provide insight into local trends and how they might affect your case.
Fighting Insurance Companies
After a motorcycle crash, dealing with the physical and financial consequences is hard enough without having to battle a reluctant insurance company. Despite what adjusters may claim, their goal is not to protect your interests but to minimize payouts. This dynamic can place injured motorcyclists at a disadvantage, especially when insurers exploit biases and misconceptions about riders.. Often resulting in far less than the average payout for a motorcycle accident.
Your Scottsdale motorcycle accident lawyer will push back against these tactics and level the playing field. Insurance companies often attempt to:
- Blame the Rider: Motorcyclists are frequently and unfairly portrayed as reckless. A lawyer can collect objective evidence to dismantle these assumptions.
- Undervalue the Claim: Insurers may offer fast settlements that ignore long-term medical needs or future income loss. Legal representation ensures that every category of damage is documented and calculated appropriately.
- Dispute Medical Treatment: It’s not uncommon for adjusters to challenge the necessity or cost of medical care. Our personal injury attorneys work with healthcare professionals to present medical records and expert opinions that justify your treatment plan.
- Delay or Deny Claims: Some companies drag out the process just to pressure you into accepting less. A lawyer understands how to apply legal pressure, move negotiations forward, or file a lawsuit if necessary.
- Leverage Gaps in Evidence: Any missing information in your file can be used to justify a lower offer. A legal team steps in early to preserve evidence, interview witnesses, and ensure that every angle of your case is supported.
Our firm can counter insurance tactics by thoroughly documenting your injuries, securing admissible evidence, and negotiating assertively to pursue proper compensation. We will handle all insurer communications, lest your statements be used to weaken your claim. With a history of record-setting verdicts and settlements, our team can manage the complexities of motorcycle accident cases to preserve the integrity of your claim.
What’s Next After A Motorcycle Accident in Scottsdale?
Following a motorcycle crash, you need to undertake a few steps to protect your right to compensation and reinforce the strength of your claim. What you do in the days and weeks following the accident can directly affect the outcome of your case, especially when it comes to documentation and credibility. Here is what you need to do:
- Stick to Your Treatment Regimen: Follow your doctor’s instructions carefully, attend all scheduled appointments, and take medications as prescribed. Insurers may use any gaps in treatment to argue that your injuries are not as severe as claimed.
- Keep Every Receipt and Bill: Save documentation for out-of-pocket expenses related to your injuries, including prescriptions, mobility aids, transportation costs, and home modifications. These receipts provide clear, quantifiable evidence of financial losses.
- Maintain a Recovery Journal: Keeping a written record of your pain levels, physical limitations, emotional distress, and daily challenges offers a detailed picture of how the accident has impacted your quality of life. This personal log can be a valuable supplement to medical records when calculating non-economic damages.
- Secure a Copy of the Police Report: This official document often contains key facts about the crash, including the responding officer’s observations, witness accounts, and whether citations were issued. Make sure you review it for accuracy and provide a copy to your attorney.
- Preserve Physical Evidence: If possible, hold onto your damaged helmet, clothing, or motorcycle parts. These items may help demonstrate the severity of the impact or disprove allegations about fault.
- Provide This Information to Your Attorney: The more complete your documentation, the stronger your motorcycle accident attorney’s ability to build and negotiate a persuasive claim. Bringing thorough records allows your legal team to act swiftly and strategically on your behalf.
By continuing to track your recovery and compiling evidence, you’re giving your lawyer the tools to pursue the full compensation you’re entitled to under Arizona law. Partnering with Gallagher & Kennedy ensures your documentation is effectively used to maximize your claim’s value and support your path to recovery.
Contact a Scottsdale Motorcycle Accident Attorney Today
You shouldn’t have to bear the consequences of a crash caused by someone else’s actions. The injuries of a motorcycle crash can be severe to warrant high compensation, something which requires a robust legal strategy. Fortunately, the legal team at Gallagher & Kennedy is familiar with the legal burdens associated with such crashes and can handle the process, allowing you to focus on your recovery.
With over four decades of experience handling personal injury claims, we believe we can help move forward with strength and clarity. Call us (602) 530-8400 today to schedule a free consultation with a Scottsdale motorcycle accident lawyer.
Client Testimonial
“I was involved in a situation that I had considered to be hopeless, but Mr. Anthony Coury took my case, fought diligently with tenacity and perseverance to achieve results that by far exceeded my wildest expectations. That is putting it lightly. This firm demonstrates professionalism from top to bottom, and when looking for a legal team to represent your case, you could not be in better hands, especially with an attorney like Anthony.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Joe M.
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