Riders know the risk. A motorcycle offers almost no protection in a crash, and a mistake by a car driver can change a rider’s life in an instant. If you were hurt on a motorcycle in Northeast Arkansas, here are some things that are different about these cases.

Why motorcycle crashes happen

Many motorcycle crashes involve a driver who did not see the rider or misjudged the bike’s speed. Common examples:

A car turns left across the rider’s path at an intersection.
A driver changes lanes into a motorcycle in a blind spot.
A driver pulls out from a side street or parking lot.
A driver follows too closely and rear-ends the bike.
A driver opens a car door into the rider’s path.

Road conditions can play a part too, like gravel, potholes, or uneven pavement.

Arkansas helmet and eye-protection rules

Under A.C.A. § 27-20-104, motorcycle riders under 21 must wear a helmet. Eye protection is required for all riders, whatever their age. Riders 21 and older are not required by that statute to wear a helmet.

In an injury claim, the insurance company may try to make the case about the rider: what gear they wore, how fast they were going, or how they were riding. Those arguments matter because of Arkansas’s comparative fault rule. Your damages are reduced by your share of fault, and if your fault is equal to or greater than the other driver’s, you recover nothing (A.C.A. § 16-64-122). I’ll talk with you honestly about how those arguments may come up in your case.

The bias riders sometimes face

Some people assume riders are reckless. That is not fair, but it is real, and it can show up in how adjusters value a claim or how a jury hears the facts. Solid evidence helps answer it: photos of the scene, the position of the vehicles, damage to the bike, witness statements, and helmet or dash camera video if you have it.

After a motorcycle crash

Get medical care right away. Head, spine, and internal injuries are not always obvious at first.
Keep your helmet, jacket, and other gear. Don’t repair or throw them away. They can be evidence.
Don’t have the bike repaired or sold until it has been photographed and you have talked with a lawyer.
Save any camera footage from your helmet or bike.
Write down what you remember while it is fresh.
Be careful with recorded statements to the other driver’s insurance company.

What a claim can include

Motorcycle injuries are often serious: broken bones, road rash, head injuries, and spinal injuries. Depending on the facts, a claim can include medical bills, future care, lost income, damage to the bike and gear, and pain and suffering. Most injury lawsuits in Arkansas must generally be filed within three years (A.C.A. § 16-56-105), but some deadlines are shorter, so don’t wait.

Common questions

I’m over 21 and wasn’t wearing a helmet. Can I still bring a claim?

The statute does not require a helmet for riders 21 and older. Whether a lack of a helmet affects a particular claim depends on the facts, and it is something we would talk through together.

Does my motorcycle insurance help if the driver had none?

It may, if your policy includes uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. Bring your policy when we meet.

See my personal injury page for how these cases work in general, or my car accident page for more on dealing with insurers.

Talk with a Jonesboro lawyer about your motorcycle crash

Call my office at 870.525.2191. Our phones are answered 24 hours a day, and Sara Beth or I will call you back. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., at 721 W. Matthews Ave in Jonesboro. You can also request a consultation online. Consultations are free and usually last about 30 minutes, and I’ll explain how fees work for your kind of case before you decide anything.

This page is general information about Arkansas law, not legal advice for your situation.