Motorcyclists Get Blamed First. We Make Sure the Evidence Tells the Real Story

What Motorcyclists Need to Know About NY Injury Claims
Motorcycle accident cases are harder than standard car crash cases for one main reason: bias. Jurors and insurance adjusters often assume the rider was reckless before they see a single piece of evidence. Our job is to reframe the case with objective evidence: skid marks, sight lines, vehicle speeds, and witness accounts that show what actually happened. New York does not require helmets for riders 18 and older, so a helmet defense is not available to the defendant against you. New York follows pure comparative negligence, so even if a jury finds you 40% at fault, you still recover 60% of your damages. No-fault law applies to motorcycle accidents differently: motorcycle operators are excluded from no-fault PIP under Insurance Law §5103(b). You must bring a third-party negligence claim from the start. The three-year statute of limitations under CPLR 214 applies.
What you need to know
Plain-English answers to the questions that come up most often on these cases.
No No-Fault for Motorcyclists
Under Insurance Law §5103(b), motorcycles are excluded from New York no-fault PIP coverage. You cannot file a no-fault claim with your own insurer after a crash. Your claim goes straight to the at-fault driver’s liability policy. If they are uninsured, your own UM coverage applies.
Read moreHelmet Is Not Required for Adults
New York does not require helmets for riders 18 and older. Defense attorneys cannot use your failure to wear a helmet to reduce your recovery for head injuries unless the specific injury would have been prevented by a helmet. We fight helmet defenses aggressively.
Read morePure Comparative Negligence
New York follows pure comparative negligence. Even if you are found 50% at fault, you recover the other 50% of your damages. We challenge every attempt by the defense to inflate your share of blame with accident reconstruction and expert testimony.
Read moreCommon Causes of Motorcycle Crashes
Left-turn collisions, lane changes without checking mirrors, dooring by parked cars, and road defects cause the majority of serious motorcycle accidents. We reconstruct the crash scene to prove the other driver or municipality caused your injuries.
Read moreSerious Injury Threshold Still Applies
Even though there is no no-fault for motorcyclists, the serious injury threshold under Insurance Law §5102(d) governs what damages you can recover in a third-party suit. Fractures, spinal injuries, and TBIs common in motorcycle crashes typically satisfy the threshold.
Read moreThree-Year Filing Deadline
You have three years under CPLR 214 to file a personal injury lawsuit after a motorcycle crash. If a municipality or government vehicle was involved, you have 90 days to file a Notice of Claim under General Municipal Law §50-e.
Read moreHow we handle these cases
Step 1
Retain accident reconstructionists immediately to document road conditions, sight lines, and vehicle positions.
Step 2
Challenge insurer and jury bias with objective evidence: traffic camera footage, ECM data, and witness statements.
Step 3
Fight helmet defenses by connecting or disconnecting the specific injury from helmet use.
Step 4
Build a strong comparative negligence defense to minimize your assigned fault percentage.
Step 5
Pursue UM/SUM coverage when the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured.
Real cases. Real results.
Three recent Personal Injury outcomes — case context and result. No client identifying information.
Bias countered with objective accident reconstruction evidence, not just witness credibility.
Comparative negligence minimized through expert analysis of speed, sight lines, and road conditions.
Full recovery for medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering including future losses.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Each case is evaluated on its own facts. The case outcomes shown are representative examples; details have been altered or generalized to protect client confidentiality.
Related questions
Quick answers from our FAQ library.
Other ways we help
Same firm, same approach — different practice areas under one roof.
Workers’ Compensation
Injured at work. Lost wages. Denied benefits.
Learn more →Social Security Disability
Can’t work due to a disability. SSDI & SSI claims, denials, appeals.
Learn more →Long-Term Disability
Private LTD insurance denied or cut off. ERISA appeals.
Learn more →Personal Injury
Car accident. Construction site. Scaffold Law.
Learn more →Workers’ Rights
Retaliation, wage theft, harassment. Plaintiff-side only.
Learn more →Personal Injury lawyers near you
Seven New York offices serving working clients across the state.
The attorneys who work your case
Not a call centre. The lawyer who signs you is the lawyer who shows up.
Need a personal injury lawyer?
Free consultation. No fee unless we win. English or Spanish. Day or night.


