Kaufman & Stigger Injury Lawyers is a friend and shield for motorcyclists who are seriously injured by the careless mistakes of Lexington drivers. At-fault drivers need to be held responsible for a rider’s recovery, including every medical bill. That means full financial support until a victim is back on a bike again.
Contact our motorcycle accident lawyers to schedule a free, confidential consultation. It’s a no-risk way to find out about every benefit available to you and how to hold an unhelpful car insurance company fully accountable.
Critical evidence can be lost if you wait, so do call or live chat to speak with one of our lawyers about your injury accident.
Do I Need a Lawyer After a Lexington Motorcycle Accident?
If your motorcycle collision only resulted in a few minor scrapes and some bike damage, you may not need a lawyer’s help with your claim. But if a careless driver caused your crash and you suffered a serious injury like a broken bone, or a head, back, or neck injury, a skilled Lexington motorcycle accident lawyer can be an important protection.
When hospital bills stack up, car insurance companies try hard to avoid accepting blame. They often try to twist accident reports to make it look like the rider was to blame for what happened. They also skew medical reports to make injuries look less serious.
Our lawyers fight back. We fully investigate the accident and gather evidence so the facts can’t be changed. We also work with your doctors to make sure the severity of your injuries is clear and that you receive everything needed to rebound physically and financially. A skilled lawyer can often earn motorcyclists much more in a settlement check than they can earn by filing themselves. Pictured: A rider waiting for a green light on a Lexington street.
Motorcycle Accident Dangers in Lexington, Kentucky
The rush of Lexington traffic circles the city all day long and into the night. Distracted and reckless drivers barely look out for the safety of other drivers. They can be trusted even less to look out for the smaller profile of a defenseless motorcyclist.
Drivers can play with a cellphone while missing the motorcyclist in their blind spot along I-64. They can ram a rider from behind who might be stopped at a red light on Nicholasville Road, the driver didn’t see change.
These and other common risks for motorcyclists can leave riders with serious injuries and in a life-threatening condition at Albert B. Chancler Hospital:
- Left and Right Driver Turns – Unfocused drivers can make left turns across the path of oncoming motorcyclists they may claim they didn’t see. People in SUVs, cars, and trucks can also pull out for a right turn, cutting off the oncoming rider they’ll swear they never spotted. It’s all due to jumpy drivers who don’t pay enough attention to their driving.
- Distracted Driving Dangers – Drivers looking at texts and music on their phones are just more likely to miss the motorcyclist that may be nearby.
- Lane Splitting Mistakes – Lane-splitting is when a motorcyclist rides between two lanes of stopped or slowly moving traffic. This maneuver isn’t specifically illegal in Lexington, and drivers need to be cautious when they have a motorcyclist directly beside them. Drivers can veer out of a lane while accelerating at an intersection, and they can also open doors while a motorcyclist is approaching.
- Unsafe Lane Changes – Drivers must monitor their mirrors at all times. They must check in on their blind spots routinely, so they don’t miss a smaller vehicle like a cyclist or a motorcyclist.
- Rearend Collisions – Traffic on stop-and-go streets like New Circle Road may slow down unexpectedly. A driver paying attention to something else can ram a braking motorcyclist and send the rider flying backward to land on the hood of the car or the pavement.
- Dooring – Drivers and passengers can emerge from their parked cars and put a large metal and glass door in the path of a motorcyclist.
While no two motorcycle accidents are the same, some of the injuries we see the most often include road rash, head injuries and traumatic brain injuries and bone fractures. As seen on our settlements page, a few of the injuries our clients have been compensated for include cracked sternum, fractured ribs, leg injuries, facial fractures, closed head injuries, pelvis injuries, neck injuries, hand injuries, femur fractures, broken ankles, fractured spleens and nerve damage.
Lexington Motorcycle Accident Stats
Kentucky State Police Collision Data showed that there were at least 97 serious motorcycle accidents in Lexington in 2024. Those accidents led to at least 5 tragic fatalities. In 2023, there were at least 6 lives were lost to accidents involving motorcycles.
- The data shows that at least 17 of the serious motorcycle accidents in Lexington in 2024 occurred along New Circle Road.
- The KSP Crash Facts Report for 2023 found that Kentucky documented 1,702 reportable motorcycle collisions for the year. That year saw at least 100 lost lives in motorcycle-involved accidents.
Kentucky Motorcycle Laws
To ride a motorcycle in Kentucky, motorcyclists need to have a motorcycle license or have a valid driver’s license that includes a motorcycle cycle operator’s endorsement.
The Kentucky State Police’s Motorcycle Operator’s Manual explains that younger motorcyclists (under 18) can ride if they earn an instruction permit and the signature of a parent or guardian.
Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS) go over the requirements for those under 18.
KRS 186.450 Instruction permits for motor vehicle and motorcycle
Applicants can apply for an instruction permit when they are 15. They will need to pass a knowledge and skills test to receive a full motorcycle endorsement or motorcycle license. Another option is for applicants to complete and pass a Basic Riders Course (BRC), allowing them to waive the written and skills testing. The following revised statutes go into further requirements.
KRS 186.480 Motorcycle Driver’s License Examination
KRS 176.5062 Motorcycle rider training courses
Kentucky motorcyclists under the age of 21 must wear a helmet. Riders over 21 can go without a helmet if they’ve had their motorcycle endorsement or license for over a year.
All riders must have approved eye protection unless their motorcycles have qualifying windshields.
KRS 189.285 Kentucky Motorcycle Helmet and Eye Protection Requirements
KRS 189.285 Other Equipment Requirements for Motorcyclists
Kentucky motorcyclists must carry $25,000 in insurance coverage for bodily injury damages to one person. The policy must also provide at least $50,000 in coverage for injuries to all victims hurt in an accident. A policy with a single limit of $60,000 is also acceptable. Riders do not have to carry basic reparations benefits (also known as no-fault insurance) the same as the drivers of cars, but they can voluntarily purchase it.
KRS 304.39-110 Kentucky Motorcycle Insurance Requirements
Motorcycle Lane Splitting in Lexington. Lane-splitting isn’t covered in Kentucky statutes or local ordinances. Since it isn’t mentioned, it isn’t illegal in our state. Lane-splitting is when motorcyclists move to the front of traffic by traveling between cars, most often while stopped at intersections. Local authorities will likely allow lane-splitting as long as it’s done safely. Riders can be ticketed if they engage in lane-splitting in a dangerous setting or at a hazardous time.
What if I was speeding or partially at fault?
Sometimes when a driver is playing with their phone, fiddling with their radio or simply not looking twice, they pull into the path of a motorcycle. At that point, the motorcyclist may have no time to maneuver around the vehicle and they’re forced to lay it down or hit the side of the vehicle. In some cases, they were going a few miles per hour over the speed limit. If this happened, don’t let an insurance company blame you for the crash.
Kentucky is a pure comparative negligence state. If you were partially at fault for a motorcycle accident that caused you injuries, that does not bar you from recovering damages
Pure comparative negligence means that damages are allocated among negligent parties based on each party’s proportionate share of fault. Proving “how” negligent the other party was is vital to your claim.
Don’t assume you were partially at fault, either. If you were indeed partially at fault, the amount of damages you can recover are reduced based on the percentage of fault allocated to you in a court of law. However, even if it is determined that you were 10%, 20%, or even 99% at fault for the accident, you still have the legal right to recover for the losses you have suffered, even though the amount will be reduced accordingly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I can’t afford to pay a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer after my crash?
You can focus on getting better and not worry about paying Kaufman and Stigger Injury Lawyers. We don’t ask for anything up front. And we don’t get paid at all unless we win your case for you. Then our fee comes out of the money an at-fault driver’s insurer must pay you.
Can my family get help after a loved one has been killed in a Lexington motorcycle accident?
Yes. A personal representative named in the victim’s will would file a wrongful death claim on behalf of the family that’s left behind. They can earn support for funeral costs and remaining medical bills after losing someone in a motorcycle accident. The wages a victim can no longer provide to the family in the future should also be considered in any support awarded. Car insurance companies must be held accountable for these losses. A Lexington wrongful death lawyer can also help file this lawsuit and make sure family members receive justice and get the maximum in support available.
How long can I wait to file a motorcycle accident claim in Lexington?
You have two years to file an injury claim involving a vehicle collision in Kentucky. Victims should not wait years to act, though. Motorcyclists should begin the steps to filing a claim as soon as possible. That can mean allowing a lawyer to gather evidence before it disappears. A lawyer should be allowed to track down witnesses before they become harder to locate. A lawyer should be informed soon so that video evidence can be obtained before it’s erased.
Contact a Lexington KY Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Today
After any accident, insurers may attempt to delay or deny your claim. This includes the at-fault party’s insurance company or even your own insurance company. If they do make you an offer, they may try to lowball you. Don’t let this happen to you. We’ve helped motorcyclists who ride Yamaha, Kawasaki, and Harley-Davidson motorcycles and everything in between. If you or a loved one has been injured, contact us for a free consultation.
