Content reviewed by:
Alex Shulman
When you are in a motorcycle accident, you have a high probability of being ejected from the motorcycle and dragged across the pavement. The likelihood of experiencing catastrophic injuries is high. You could also be left with overwhelming medical bills and disabilities that keep you from working.
Our experienced motorcycle accident lawyers are dedicated to obtaining full and fair compensation to cover the lifetime costs of your injuries and protect your future. Contact us online or call (212) 221-1000 to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.
The Long Island Motorcycle Accident Attorneys You Can Trust
We have decades of combined experience successfully representing motorcycle accident victims and have recovered over $700 million in settlements and verdicts for injured clients. You can count on our award-winning attorneys to deliver high-quality legal representation and personalized service throughout the life of your case.
Our dedicated legal team proudly redefines the service you would expect from a law firm by providing open communication, attention to detail, and vigorous representation. Our lawyers have been recognized as Super Lawyers, Top 40 Under 40, and Rising Stars, honors awarded only to top-performing attorneys.
Our Long Island personal injury office is conveniently located in Rockville Centre. It is important to contact an attorney as soon as possible after your accident. We prioritize accessible communication and are available to meet virtually or in person, even if your injuries prevent you from visiting our office.
We are an inclusive law firm and passionate about helping injured Long Islanders get justice for injuries caused by the carelessness of others. Our multilingual team includes attorneys fluent in Spanish and Russian.
Why choose Shulman & Hill? It’s because it’s a family here. We’ll take care of you for any legal matter, whether we handle it in-house or work hand-in-hand with another firm. We provide extra assistance to every single client. You have a paralegal assigned to your case. You are not just a number, but part of the Shulman & Hill family.
JJ Hill, Founding Partner
What Compensation Can You Recover After a Motorcycle Accident in Long Island?
When you are injured in a motorcycle accident, you could be left with a paralyzing spinal cord injury, a traumatic brain injury, an amputation, road rash, permanent scarring, nerve injuries, and severe pain. When someone else’s negligence is to blame, you deserve compensation. You may be entitled to the following damages from the responsible parties:
- Economic damages – Compensation for financial losses, including past and future medical expenses, lost wages, lowered earning capacity, and property damage.
- Non-economic damages – Compensation for intangible losses, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, scarring, disfigurement, and loss of consortium.
- Punitive damages – Damages awarded to punish the defendant and deter others from similar conduct when the defendant caused your injuries through intentional or blatantly reckless misconduct.
Every motorcycle accident claim is different, and the amount you recover varies widely from thousands to millions. Your compensation depends on factors like your injury severity, age, life expectancy, earning capacity before and after the accident, and available insurance coverage.
How Fault Affects Motorcycle Accident Settlements
Partial responsibility for the accident can affect the amount you recover, but it does not automatically prevent you from receiving compensation. New York is a pure comparative negligence state, which means you can pursue damages from a negligent defendant as long as you are not 100 percent at fault for the accident.
However, your compensation will be reduced accordingly. For example, if you are 20 percent at fault with $1 million in damages, your compensation will be reduced to $800,000.
Motorcyclists often experience unfair bias after motorcycle accidents. Regardless of what law enforcement or insurers tell you, you do not have to accept wrongful accusations of fault. Our knowledgeable Long Island personal injury attorneys can investigate your accident and identify who is at fault. In many cases, we can push back against findings of fault to increase the compensation you collect.
New York’s Helmet Law and Motorcycle Accident Compensation
New York’s universal helmet law requires all motorcyclists to wear an approved helmet and eye protection. If you do not wear a helmet, your risk of suffering a catastrophic head injury is significantly higher.
However, riding without a helmet does not automatically bar you from receiving compensation. Insurance companies may blame you for your injuries because you did not wear a helmet, but if a negligent driver caused the accident, you may still receive compensation. We can work with forensic experts and other professionals to prove your injuries would have been the same with or without a helmet.
Insurance Coverage for Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcyclists in New York typically do not qualify for personal injury protection (PIP) benefits, this essentially requires them to pursue compensation from the at-fault party’s insurance carrier.
In order to be successful on these claims, you must prove liability, normally by showing that the at-fault party was negligent. Our knowledgeable Long Island motorbike accident lawyers can help you meet the burden of proof so you can recover all of the damages you deserve.
New York drivers must carry the following auto liability coverage minimums:
- $10,000 for property damage
- $25,000 for bodily injury per person ($50,000 for fatal injuries)
- $50,000 for bodily injury per accident ($100,000 for fatal injuries)
- $100,000 Motorcycle Accident Settlement, Westchester County, Shulman & Hill was able to secure a full policy recovery. Our client was riding motorcycle on a rainy day. Another vehicle attempted to make a turn and hit the client on the front of their bike. Our client woke up in the hospital with multiple injuries.
Recovering Compensation for Fatal Motorcycle Accidents
If your loved one was killed in a motorcycle accident, you may be eligible for wrongful death damages. Our compassionate Long Island wrongful death attorneys can file your lawsuit and pursue compensation for:
- Lifetime income of the deceased.
- Funeral and burial expenses.
- Your loved one’s medical expenses.
- Your loved one’s pain and suffering before death.
- Loss of estate value.
How Our Motorcycle Accident Attorneys in Long Island Can Help
No matter what they tell you, insurance companies are not on your side. Their adjusters and legal teams are trained to reduce or deny the value of accident claims as much as possible. Without a skilled motorcycle accident attorney at your side, insurers may blame you for the accident, twist your words, and manipulate you into accepting a lowball settlement.
Our skilled attorneys can level the playing field and hold them accountable for paying the compensation you deserve. When you choose us to handle your case, you will not have to worry about deadlines, paperwork, or saying the wrong thing. You can count on us to:
- Investigate your accident.
- Identify the responsible parties.
- Identify all sources of compensation.
- Handle legal paperwork.
- File your insurance claim.
- File your personal injury lawsuit.
- Comply with all deadlines.
- Negotiate a settlement and refuse to accept less than you deserve.
- Fight for you in court if the insurance companies refuse to pay fair compensation.
With Shulman & Hill on your side, insurance companies will know they cannot take advantage of you. We are here to protect your legal rights.
We’ve had a number of cases, a number of instances through the years where insurance companies have approached unrepresented clients, offering them relatively small amounts of money—$1,000, $2,000, $3,000, $4,000, $5,000—to sign releases and forgo pursuing claims. To me, that is the biggest mistake an individual can make. We’ve encountered cases where we successfully argued before judges that these releases were signed either under duress or without proper understanding… These instances highlight the challenges individuals face when dealing with accidents and seeking proper compensation.
Alex Shulman, Founding Partner
