Nashville Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Serving Seriously Injured Riders & Families Since 1977

Motorcycle riders have less physical protection than occupants of enclosed vehicles, so a collision can result in extensive medical care, lost income, and lasting limitations. We investigate whether another driver, a commercial carrier, a manufacturer, a public entity, or another party may be legally responsible.

Since 1977, we’ve represented people facing serious injuries and families grieving wrongful deaths caused by negligence. Our practice focuses exclusively on serious injury, medical malpractice, and wrongful death cases in Nashville, throughout Tennessee, and in neighboring states.

At Kinnard Law, our trial lawyers prepare serious injury claims for negotiation and litigation. We offer free, confidential case evaluations so injured riders and eligible family members can discuss what happened and whether legal action may be available.

Contact us online or call (615) 933-2893 today to discuss your case with our Nashville motorcycle accident lawyers.

Trial-Ready Representation for Serious Motorcycle Injuries

Our attorneys bring more than 150 years of combined legal experience to serious injury cases. We’ve tried hundreds of cases to verdict and recovered millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for clients throughout Tennessee and neighboring states.

A serious motorcycle claim may require crash investigation, detailed medical documentation, insurance analysis, negotiation, and preparation for trial. We limit our practice to serious injury, medical malpractice, and wrongful death matters so clients receive focused attention throughout that process.

Randall Kinnard is certified as a Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Legal Specialty Certification. Our firm’s broader record includes a $55 million personal injury settlement and a $5 million wrongful death verdict. These results aren’t from motorcycle accident cases, and results depend on the facts.

Our approach to motorcycle accident claims includes:

• Individual attention: We begin with the rider’s medical condition, employment concerns, family needs, and account of the crash.
• Detailed investigation: We identify and preserve available evidence.
• Insurance analysis: We identify applicable liability coverage and examine whether uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage may apply.
• Trial preparation: We prepare claims for litigation rather than assuming every case will resolve through settlement.

Motorcycle Crashes & Victims’ Rights

If you or someone you love has been injured in a motorcycle wreck, or if you have lost a loved one in a fatal collision, you may have the right to seek compensation for your losses by pursuing a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit. These civil claims allow victims or eligible surviving family members to seek financial accountability from parties whose conduct caused compensable harm.

Motorcycle accident cases may involve claims against motorists, product manufacturers, public entities, commercial defendants, and other potentially liable parties. The available claims depend on evidence of each party’s conduct, the cause of the collision, and the resulting harm.

Potential sources of motorcycle crash liability include:

• Failures to yield, failures to obey traffic signals, and other traffic violations
• Unsafe lane changes and failures to check for approaching motorcyclists
• Distracted driving and drunk driving
• Roadway hazards, including fallen cargo or defectively designed or maintained roads
• Defective products, including faulty tires, brakes, and other motorcycle components
• Wrecks caused by commercial vehicles and tractor-trailers, including drivers or operators who violate applicable trucking regulations

Motorcycle Laws in Tennessee

Tennessee requires an appropriate motorcycle license to operate a two-wheeled or three-wheeled motorcycle or motor-driven cycle over 50 cubic centimeters. Licensing compliance may be examined during a claim, but the presence or absence of a license doesn’t automatically determine who caused a collision.

State law generally requires motorcycle operators and passengers to wear crash helmets that satisfy applicable statutory standards, subject to limited exceptions. Helmet use and civil liability are separate questions. The relevance of helmet evidence can depend on the injuries, causation, damages, and other facts of the case.

Tennessee law gives a motorcycle the full use of a traffic lane. It also prohibits passing another vehicle in the same lane and operating a motorcycle between traffic lanes or between adjacent rows of vehicles. This means lane splitting is prohibited in Tennessee.

A traffic citation or alleged rule violation isn’t necessarily conclusive proof of civil fault. A liability analysis may consider vehicle positions, sight lines, traffic controls, impact locations, roadway conditions, witness accounts, and the conduct of both the rider and driver.

Do I Have a Nashville Motorcycle Accident Claim?

Whether you have a valid claim depends on the facts. Riders may face disputes over fault and liability, including arguments that their own conduct caused or contributed to the crash.

A civil negligence claim generally requires evidence that another party owed a legal duty, breached that duty, caused the collision, and caused legally compensable harm. Our free consultation gives us an opportunity to review those issues, identify potentially responsible parties, and explain how we may assist.

Evidence can disappear quickly after a crash. Useful material may include the Tennessee crash report, scene photographs, available surveillance or dashboard video, witness contact information, motorcycle and vehicle damage, medical records, employment documents, and all relevant insurance policies.

Insurance analysis may extend beyond the other driver’s liability policy. Depending on the policies and circumstances, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage may also be relevant when an at-fault driver has no insurance or insufficient limits.

Tennessee generally requires a personal injury lawsuit to be commenced within one year after the cause of action accrues. Exceptions and different claim-specific requirements may apply, particularly when a public entity, wrongful death, or another unusual issue is involved. Prompt review helps us identify the applicable deadline instead of relying on a general rule.

What’s the Value of My Motorcycle Accident Claim?

A motorcycle accident claim’s value depends on the rider’s injuries, documented losses, available coverage, and other case-specific facts. Some riders recover from their injuries, while others are left with permanent and profound disabilities.

Injuries & Long-Term Effects

Motorcycle crash injuries may include:

• Traumatic brain injuries
• Fractures and broken bones
• Amputation and loss of limbs
• Neck and spinal cord injuries
• Paralysis, including paraplegia and quadriplegia
• Severe burns or road rash

The nature, severity, and prognosis of injuries sustained in a wreck are among the factors that can determine potential case value. An evaluation must account for both losses already incurred and future losses supported by medical, employment, and other evidence.

Other claim-value considerations include:

• The type and amount of surgeries, procedures, rehabilitation, and therapy required
• The duration of recovery and periods of limited or temporarily disabled function
• The amount of missed work and lost income
• The rider’s ability to continue working or perform the same job as before
• Long-term needs involving accommodations, assistive devices, walkers, or wheelchairs
• Lasting physical, psychological, and family consequences

We investigate crashes and assess potentially responsible parties and available insurance coverage. When necessary, we also work with outside professionals to assess the severity of injuries and their long-term effects on the rider’s life.

Damages in a Motorcycle Accident Claim

Recoverable damages depend on the evidence, the applicable law, available insurance or assets, and how the injuries affect the rider and family. No two claims have the same medical history, prognosis, employment losses, or long-term needs.

Potential damages may include:

• Past and reasonably supported future medical expenses
• Lost income and reduced earning capacity
• Physical pain and emotional distress
• Permanent disability or disfigurement
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Funeral and burial expenses in a fatal collision
• Loss of companionship or financial support in an eligible wrongful death claim

Why Motorcycle Accident Claims Require Additional Proof

Fault disputes in motorcycle cases often turn on visibility, vehicle position, and rider and driver conduct. The seriousness of an injury can increase the importance of medical, employment, and future-needs documentation, but it doesn’t by itself establish who caused the crash.

Issues that can complicate a motorcycle claim include:

• Bias and prejudice: Insurance adjusters, jurors, and other decision-makers may hold stereotypes that motorcyclists are reckless or aggressive. Objective evidence is important when those assumptions affect a fault dispute.
• Visibility and liability: Motorcycles are smaller and less visible than enclosed vehicles. A driver may claim not to have seen the motorcycle or may dispute its speed and position.
• Serious injuries: Extensive medical expenses, long-term rehabilitation, disability, and lost income require careful documentation and valuation.
• Shared fault: Tennessee follows modified comparative fault principles. A rider’s assigned percentage of responsibility can reduce or prevent recovery, depending on the facts and the percentage assessed.
• Limited insurance coverage: An at-fault driver may have minimum liability limits or no applicable insurance, making a complete review of all available policies important.
• Missing witnesses or evidence: Independent witnesses may be unavailable, and physical evidence can be lost when vehicles are repaired, destroyed, or released.

We prepare motorcycle accident claims for both negotiation and litigation. That work may include examining vehicle positions, impact points, sight lines, roadway conditions, traffic controls, electronic data, medical evidence, and witness testimony.

How Our Nashville Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Can Help

When you contact us after a serious wreck, we start by listening to what happened and what you’re dealing with day to day. Because every case is different, we take time to understand your medical needs, employment situation, and family concerns before moving forward.

After we’re retained, we gather key evidence, including the Tennessee crash report, photographs, available video footage, and statements from witnesses or first responders. We may consult accident reconstruction professionals, review electronic control module data when commercial vehicles are involved, and work with treating providers to document the full extent of your injuries.

We handle communications with insurance carriers after representation begins so you don’t have to manage repeated adjuster inquiries while receiving medical care. We also evaluate liability coverage, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, documented losses, and any disputes about comparative fault.

As the case progresses, we evaluate whether a fair settlement can be reached through negotiation or whether filing a lawsuit and preparing for trial are appropriate. Davidson County Circuit Court is a primary civil trial venue for tort claims in Nashville and Davidson County, although the proper court and litigation process depend on the parties, claims, and procedural requirements.

Trial preparation may include written discovery, depositions, exhibits, medical testimony, economic evidence, and crash reconstruction analysis. We keep you informed as we build a claim supported by the available facts.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Should I Do Immediately After a Motorcycle Accident?

Your primary focus should be on safety. Move out of danger if possible, seek medical attention, report the crash to law enforcement, and document the scene with photographs. Gather witness information, exchange required details, and avoid admitting fault. Preserve medical, repair, and insurance documents. After we’re retained, we can handle insurer communications and identify evidence that should be secured.

What Are Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents?

Common causes include distracted or impaired driving, speeding, unsafe lane changes, traffic-signal violations, and failures to yield. Defective motorcycle components, roadway hazards, and commercial-vehicle negligence may also contribute. Tennessee prohibits operating a motorcycle between lanes or adjacent rows of vehicles, but any alleged violation must be considered with the complete crash evidence when assessing civil fault.

Can I Still Recover Damages If I Was Partially at Fault in a Nashville Motorcycle Accident?

Potentially. Under Tennessee’s modified comparative fault rule, a rider generally must be less than 50% at fault to recover damages. Any award is typically reduced by the rider’s assigned percentage of fault. The effect of partial responsibility depends on the evidence and the final allocation of fault, so an insurer’s initial assessment isn’t necessarily conclusive.

Discuss Your Motorcycle Accident Claim with Our Firm

Injured riders and eligible family members can request a free, confidential consultation with our firm. We can review the available information, discuss time-sensitive evidence and deadlines, and explain whether we may be able to pursue a case.

We handle accepted cases on a contingency-fee basis, meaning attorney fees aren’t owed unless we obtain a recovery, subject to the written fee agreement and the terms of the case. We also welcome attorney referrals.

Schedule your free consultation by contacting us online or calling (615) 933-2893 today to speak with our Nashville motorcycle accident lawyers.