New Jersey Bad Weather Motorcycle Accident Attorney

motorcyclist riding during bad weather

For motorcycle riders, the roads are much more dangerous than for other drivers, especially in bad weather. Nagel Rice LLP, a first-rate motorcycle accident law firm with offices in New Jersey and New York, regularly defends the rights of bikers who have suffered serious injuries. Our nationally respected bad weather motorcycle accident attorneys have won over $1 billion in personal injury settlements and verdicts. 

If you have suffered injuries in a bad weather motorcycle accident involving someone else’s negligence, contact us to find out if you are entitled to substantial damages. Your initial consultation with us is free, and if we take you on as a client you will owe us no attorneys’ fees until we win your case. 

Whether the Weather is Good and Bad, Motorcyclists Are at Higher Risk 

According to the NHTSA, while only 20 percent of car accidents result in injury or death, that figure jumps to 80 percent for motorcycle accidents. Nonetheless, for devoted bikers, the pleasure and enormous sense of freedom offered by motorcycle travel is worth the risk.

The wonderful sense of exhilaration that comes from traveling the world under your own power — with no barrier between you and the fresh air, the scenery, and the sky — is worth everything to bikers. Even with appropriate protective clothing and helmets, however, the dangers of not being enclosed in the metal frame of a car are obvious. Moreover [1] bikers ride in vehicles that are much smaller, lighter weight, and less visible than those around them [2] two-wheeled vehicles are considerably less stable than cars and [3] riding a motorcycle requires special skills. 

At Nagel Rice, we believe wholeheartedly in the rights of motorcyclists to be on the roads and that with all motorists exercising appropriate caution, the roads can be made safer for everyone. When you become our client, we will treat you with dignity and respect and fight for the compensation you need and deserve.

Bad Weather Increases the Risk of Motorcycle Accidents 

There is a good reason that you see bikers waiting under overpasses for storms to abate — bad weather is a formidable foe for motorcyclists. All kinds of poor weather conditions can be acutely dangerous for bikers:

  • Rain and thunderstorms create slippery pavement that can cause motorcycles to slide, hydroplane or topple. Sudden flooding can engulf a motorcycle much more quickly than a car because the former is so much smaller and lighter.
  • Fog interferes with visibility; when dense, it can make it hard to distinguish traffic lanes, forks in the road, and even to see approaching vehicles. This is an especially difficult problem for motorcyclists whose small-sized vehicles are less visible to other motorists to begin with. 
  • Snow not only interferes with traction and visibility, it also covers road signs, lane demarcations, and street lights as it accumulates. Snow can also easily cause a motorcyclist to lose balance. The “fender benders,” so common during snowstorms, can be fatal to bikers. 
  • Ice, whether it pelts us with summer hail or winter sleet, interferes with stability and vision. Where ice may damage a car windshield, it puts a motorcyclist under personal attack. Being hit by ice pellets may be the ultimate in driver distraction. 
  • Heavy winds of thunderstorms, blizzards, hurricanes or nor’easters, can be the most dangerous of all. Motorcycles can be blown off balance easily, and the toppled trees, downed wires (some of them “live”), and blowing debris often present unavoidable hazards.

Even “black ice,” wet leaves, and sun glare can be factors in serious motorcyclist accidents. In spite of the fact that weather conditions contribute, most accidents are more directly caused by someone’s negligence, whether that someone is an impaired or speeding driver or a road crew that fails to clear a designated street. 

Once you contact Nagel Rice, we will get to the bottom of the situation and create a winning strategy so that we are well-positioned to obtain the compensation you deserve for your injuries and lost income.

Damages Our Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Will Fight For

We are familiar with the prejudice against bikers that you may fear will impede justice, but you can have full confidence that our legal knowledge and well-practiced tactics will level the playing field. We will fight aggressively to win you every dollar you deserve for:

  • Medical, surgical, and rehabilitation costs
  • Lost income, present and future
  • Property damage
  • Nursing care
  • Alterations to make your home accessible
  • Physical pain and emotional anguish
  • Permanent scarring or other disfigurement
  • Permanent disability
  • Loss of enjoyment of life

If the defending party’s conduct showed extreme recklessness or indifference to human life, we may also be able to convince the court to award you punitive damages.

If you have been through the tragedy of losing a loved one in a bad weather motorcycle accident, we know that we can never recoup your losses. We will, however, work hard to obtain damages to cover your final medical expenses and funeral costs, and to replace your loved one’s lost financial support. Depending on particulars, we may also be able to win you damages for loss of companionship or consortium.

What if you bear some measure of fault for the bad weather motorcycle accident?

In many traffic accidents, both parties bear some blame for the collision, for example if one party was speeding, but the other made an illegal turn. If there is a question of partial blame in the accident in which you were injured, in New Jersey you can still collect damages, as long as the court doesn’t deem you more than 50 percent responsible. In cases like this, the court will assign each party a percentage of fault and that percentage will be deducted from the amount you are awarded as settlement. 

If, for instance, the court finds you 10 percent at fault for your own injuries, and you have been awarded a $100,000 settlement, you will end up receiving $90,000 — your award minus 10 percent. Be assured that Nagel Rice has extensive experience in the legal negotiations that take place when there is fault on both sides. We know how to argue your case with evidence we have amassed from:

  • Our investigation of the accident site
  • Our examination of the police report
  • Our interviews of witnesses
  • Our examination of your medical records
  • Our consultations with experts

We have a remarkable record of successful negotiations and positive verdicts and we are committed to getting you maximum compensation for all you have suffered.

Contact the Dedicated NJ Motorcycle Accident Attorneys of Nagel Rice Today

We know the trauma and upheaval caused by a serious motorcycle injury is overwhelming. Contacting our efficient, caring lawyers will be the first step in restoring order and security to your life.

Nagel Rice LLP helps their clients with their bad weather motorcycle accident claims throughout New Jersey including Bergen County, Essex County, Middlesex County, Monmouth County, Morris County, Passaic County, and Sussex County.