Motorcycle Safety and Traffic Laws – Louisville Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Have you or someone you love been the victim of a motorcycle accident in or around Louisville? You’re in the right place.
Kaufman & Stigger Injury Lawyers stands up for Louisville motorcyclists who are seriously injured by the careless mistakes of local drivers. At-fault drivers need to be held financially responsible for a rider’s full recovery costs and more.
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 as you heal and work towards getting back on your bike.
Client Reviews
“Very friendly and very knowledgeable. Was great with keeping me up to date with everything going on. Great to work with and I felt very comfortable with their process.”
- Beth B. review on Google
“I am always pleased and recommend Kaufman & Stigger. They make sure that they do everything possible to get you what you deserve.. Thank you Matt & Tara”
- Star P. review on Google
“I would highly recommend Kaufman & Stigger for your legal needs. They went above and beyond to help me through a difficult time and they put the needs of their clients before their own.”
- Colleen J. review on Google
“Jacob was amazing every step of the way!! Everyone that works there was amazing, for that matter. I was apprehensive at first about hiring a lawyer, but I don’t regret a single thing now. He always responded to any questions/concerns quickly (which I had a lot - but he always helped put my mind at ease). If you’re in an accident and need a lawyer - this firm is the one to go to.”
- Hayley R.
“So I called Kaufman & Stigger because of a major car wreck I was. These AMAZING PEOPLE helped me when I thought I couldn't be helped at all! These guys would get a 10 out of 10 stars if I could give it them. They have helped me pay my medical bills and so much more! Thank you all so much for helping me when no one else would!”
- Jasmine H.
Do I Need a Lawyer After a Louisville Motorcycle Accident?
If your motorcycle collision was caused by a careless motorist and your injuries are serious, it’s a good idea to have a skilled attorney look over your case. The higher your hospital bills run for something like a broken bone, a neck or back injury, or head trauma, the harder insurers will resist having to pay.
Car insurance adjusters will try to limit the support they must pay you or even try to blame you for what happened. A Louisville Motorcycle Accident Lawyer is your protection against these tactics and is your best chance of earning the maximum available for your injury.
A good lawyer can often secure much more for you than you could if you went ahead with your injury claim alone. Our skilled lawyers conduct thorough investigations and collect all evidence for your case. Then we get aggressive with car insurers to secure everything you need to fully recover.
Louisville Motorcycle Accident Hazards
Kentucky offers many beautiful and different routes for motorcyclists. Unfortunately, the routes are also traveled by drivers who can sometimes be careless. Louisville motorcyclists face distracted drivers who don’t look up from their cellphones long enough to check for riders before making a turn. They must account for speeding drivers who switch lanes without checking their mirrors and blind spots to locate the rider next to them.
These and other dangers are present on Louisville’s busy highway and interstates, and on routes across the state. A motorcycle ride on the Bourbon Trail between Louisville and Lexington may start at the Evan Williams Distillery on Main Street. Riders wanting the entire tour can hop on I-64 and head east towards Lexington, with stops at distilleries in Versailles and Frankfort.
Riders might brave “Spaghetti Junction,” the tangle of interstates that offers a view of the river and Louisville’s beautiful downtown. (Pictured: Entering I-65 near Spaghetti Junction)
Unfortunately, motorists in fast-moving SUVs or Trucks can end these amazing rides with a mistake that sends a rider to the pavement to suffer a serious injury or life-threatening trauma.
And too often, car insurance companies like to blame riders for any crash, even going against what a police report says. This is when motorcyclists need to count on a strong legal representative. Our lawyers at Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC, are ready to turn the tables and earn the victim everything needed to bounce back physically and financially.
Louisville Motorcycle Accident Statistics
Vision Zero Louisville’s Dashboard data over the past five years (2020-2024) shows that an average of almost 18 lives are lost on Louisville and Jefferson County Roads each year.
Vision Zero Louisville also found that in 2023, 17% of the traffic fatalities recorded in the city were the result of a motorcycle collision.
In 2024, Louisville motorcycle accidents caused 68 serious injuries and at least 18 tragic deaths. The injury statistic was up from 2023’s 58 victims suffering serious injuries, but fatalities were lower than in 2023 (20).
In the 2022 Collision Fact Report from the Kentucky State Police, the data shows that Kentucky saw around 1,619 serious motorcycle accidents, with at least 98 of the collisions involving a fatality.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported on some heartbreaking figures for 2023 motorcycle accident statistics across the U.S.:
- 6,335 fatalities in motorcycle accidents nationally
- That number made up 15% of all traffic accident fatalities in the country
- That number was the highest fatality level since 1975
Kentucky Motorcycle Laws
According to the Kentucky State Police’s Motorcycle Operator’s Manual, to operate a motorcycle on state roads, a person must possess a valid driver’s license that includes a motorcycle cycle operator’s endorsement, or have a motorcycle license. For those under the age of 18, motorcyclists may have 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 will need to pass a knowledge and skills test to receive a full motorcycle endorsement or motorcycle license. Drivers will need to pass a written test to receive a 30-day motorcycle permit. After 30 days, drivers are ready to schedule a skills test with the Kentucky State Police to get a real Motorcycle operator’s license.
Alternately, applicants can now take 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 Louisville. 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.
How Can a Louisville Motorcycle Accident Attorney Help My Case?
Based in Louisville, our motorcycle accident attorneys work exclusively with injured clients in Kentucky and Indiana. Our team of investigators will reconstruct the motorcycle accident, gather eyewitness accounts, and use documents and photos to obtain the best possible settlement.
Because motorcycle accidents involve devastating or life-changing injuries all too often, our team may also work with your doctors to determine the compensation you may need for future medical expenses, including those involving recovery and rehabilitation.
We have a proven record of successful motorcycle accident results, including a $1.2 million trial verdict for a 30-year-old male active in the US Military who was driving a motorcycle and was hit by a truck. As a result of the motorcycle accident, our client suffered severe nerve damage and lost use of his arm. Our lawyers fought to get him the settlement he deserved, and we will do the same for you. Tell us about your motorcycle accident and your injuries, so we can help you get every dollar the law allows.
Call or Live Chat now and Get the Tiger on Your Side!
Can I Ask for Support If I Am Found Partially to Blame for a Motorcycle Accident?
Yes. Kentucky is a pure comparative negligence state. This means that damages allocate among negligent parties per each party’s proportionate share of fault. If you were partially at fault for a motorcycle accident that caused you injuries, that does not bar you from recovering damages, but it will reduce the amount of damages you can recover, based on the percentage of fault allocated to you in a court of law. Even if they determine that you were 99% at fault for the accident, you still have the legal right to recover your losses, even though the amount decreases accordingly.
Damages Covered in a Motorcycle Accident Claim
If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident that was caused by another party’s negligence, you may be entitled to recover damages. Compensatory damages are designed to compensate you for the losses you have suffered and may include:
- Actual damages to reimburse you for out of pocket expenses such as medical expenses, physical therapy costs, motorcycle repairs or replacement, and lost wages or other income; and
- General damages for non-monetary losses such as pain and suffering, mental anguish, emotional distress, and loss of consortium.
The support for non-economic damages is especially important for motorcycle accident victims. They may develop chronic pain from any injury suffered. It’s pain that may be with them for months, years, or a lifetime. Support for the emotional devastation a rider may experience is also key.
Victims may struggle with PTSD symptoms stemming from the moment of impact and need psychological counseling to be able to resume their rides. They may develop depression and anxiety while having to give up rides for months or years, or the rest of their lives. These are very real consequences for many victims hurt in frightening accidents.
Punitive or exemplary damages may also be available in certain cases only. These damages do not solely compensate the plaintiff for losses, but also punish the defendant for egregious, intentional, or particularly harmful conduct.
Insurance Bad Faith and Lowball Offers
After a serious motorcycle accident that was someone else’s fault, you have the right to seek compensation for your losses. However, the at-fault party’s insurance company, or even your own insurance company, may not have your best interests at heart. In fact, insurance bad faith is not an uncommon occurrence in motorcycle accident claims. It may involve:
- Failure to promptly and thoroughly investigate a claim
- Wrongfully denying a claim
- Unreasonably delaying payment
- Unreasonable interpretation of the terms of a policy
- Insurer’s refusal to settle a claim
- Shortchanging the benefits an insured person is entitled to receive under the terms of a policy
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sue the motorcycle operator if I was a passenger on the bike?
If you are riding on the back of a motorcycle and sustain an injury because of the negligence of the bike operator, then you can be compensated for your injuries. As such, the insurance for the bike operator will cover any injuries caused by his or her negligence.
What if I fell off a motorcycle?
If you were ejected from the bike because of another person’s negligence, then you can get compensation for your injuries. Kentucky law requires anyone who injures another person to pay for reasonable and foreseeable damages.
How long do I have to settle my motorcycle accident claim?
In Kentucky, you have one year to settle your motorcycle claim before you have to file a lawsuit with the court. If you do settle, then you won’t have to go to court, but if the insurance company won’t give you what you think is fair, then you have to file a lawsuit.
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.
Contact a Louisville Motorcycle Accident Lawyer today
We are here to protect your rights and interests. We have the resources to accurately evaluate the full extent of your losses, and the experience to skillfully negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf. Our dedicated legal team will aggressively pursue the full and fair compensation you deserve, and fight for your rights in court if necessary. When you call Kaufman & Stigger, you Get The Tiger On Your Side! For more information and a free case consultation, please call (502) 458-5555 or (800) 937-8443.
Additional Information
- ATV Accidents
- Motorcycle Accident Blogs
- Talk to a Lawyer with Motorcycle Accident Experience.
- What Should You do After a Motorcycle Accident? Attorney Cara Stigger Shares her Advice.
- Motorcycles & Mopeds in Kentucky
- Head-On Accidents
- Motorcycle DUI Accidents
- Hit and Run Accidents
- Right Hook Accidents
- Dooring Accidents
- Parking Lot Accidents
- Motorcycle Wrongful Death Accidents
- Dog v. Motorcycle Accidents
- Fatal Motorcycle Accidents
- Lane Splitting Accidents
- Rural Motorcycle Accidents
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