Why Hire a North Carolina Motorcycle Accident Injury Attorney?

In a motorcycle crash, the stakes are often higher. Motorcycle crashes in North Carolina result in injuries far more often than crashes involving passenger vehicles. The stats for fatalities are even more alarming – motorcycle accidents are generally over ten times more likely to be deadly than passenger vehicle accidents.

Since motorcycle accidents result in more injuries and are more likely to be severe, riders often have a lot more to lose. Here are some things to consider when you’re deciding whether to hire an attorney to represent you.

Someone who doesn’t ride may not understand the risks other drivers pose or the unique features and limitations of motorcycles. Contact our North Carolina motorcycle accident lawyers today at 1-866-900-7078 – we know the challenges that injured riders face.

Motorcycle Crashes Are Different From Other Motor Vehicle Accidents

The dynamics of motorcycle accidents are very different than crashes between two cars. There are specific things to consider, and with the increase in serious injury likelihood for bikers, the monetary compensation you’re seeking could be higher. That usually makes a fight with the at-fault driver’s insurance company more likely as well.

Our North Carolina motorcycle accident attorneys have significant experience representing motorcyclists and know how to address the following differences between motorcycles and regular cars:

Handling Dynamics

Passenger cars and trucks handle very differently than motorcycles, for one. Two-wheeled vehicles simply have different handling characteristics that you, as a rider, understand. Would you trust a non-rider to understand those differences? What a witness thinks is a rider’s failure to brake properly may be the best a rider can do without going over the handlebars or laying the bike down.

You want an attorney to know how a bike turns and stops because the insurance company is protecting their interests, not yours.

Societal Prejudice

Many people think of motorcyclists as “rebels,” and their impression of riders is of lawless renegades, thanks mostly to television and films. Riding a motorcycle is perfectly legal, but that doesn’t mean that misconceptions may not interfere with your case.

An experienced North Carolina motorcycle accident attorney knows where this prejudice is likely to appear and this can be key to seeking fair compensation.

Subconscious Misclassification of Bikers

Drivers often say they did not see bikers, just as they often fail to see children, pedestrians, and cyclists. That’s dangerous and unfortunate. There’s something else at work, though: conditioning. Part of the reason people may not see bikers as readily is many people are conditioned to look for two headlights and a grill. When they don’t see that, they can register bikers as pedestrians or bicyclists, so their brains don’t process speed and timing correctly.

Size, Distance, and Speed

Another common “excuse” drivers give when they collide with motorcycle riders is that the rider was speeding or “came out of nowhere,” or similar expressions of surprise. The truth is people have a harder time judging the distance and speed of motorcycles because of their size and how they sound. It’s easy for a rider to appear to be moving faster than they really are.

Speed is a common way insurance companies try to blame riders for motorcycle accidents.

Knowing this, a motorcycle accident injury lawyer can fight to try to put this excuse to rest. This is even more critical in North Carolina due to the rule of contributory negligence. TipIn North Carolina, if you are deemed to be even 1% at-fault for an accident, you can be denied compensation for your injuries.

Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Know Which Questions to Ask

Few uniform statistics are kept regarding the nature of motorcycle accidents involving other cars. We know they happen often, but we do not necessarily know the details of each one sufficient to know for sure how often certain types of crashes happen.

For example, we can tell you what we see very often: drivers taking a left turn in front of riders who have no time to stop or safely avoid the turning vehicle.

Our experienced motorcycle accident attorneys have certainly handled this kind of wreck before. We know what the defense is likely to claim, and we know what to look for to try and prove them wrong:

• Did the driver signal the turn?
• Did the driver come to a complete stop before turning left?
• Was the rider easily visible – were the conditions and sight lines unobstructed?
• Were the vehicle and motorcycle’s lights on/functioning properly?
• Were the rider and the driver paying attention at the time of the crash?

If a driver is paying attention, comes to a complete stop before making the turn, signals the turn properly, and takes time to look, many motorcycle crashes probably wouldn’t happen. If you add up the long list of possible distractions drivers have these days, it may be surprising more crashes don’t happen.

As experienced motorcycle accident attorneys, we know what questions to ask. Call 1-866-900-7078 or contact us online today for a free case evaluation.

Evidence Gathering, Communication, and the Details That Matter: How Motorcycle Injury Attorneys Can Help

Another way an experienced North Carolina motorcycle accident attorney can make a difference is in knowing what evidence to gather, who to speak to (and what NOT to say), and how to try to prevent things from slipping through the cracks.

Gathering evidence can include:

• Inspecting the bike before evidence on it is lost to weather or inadvertent contact
• Examining the rider’s clothes and gear for evidence
• Reviewing medical records
• Seeking out witnesses and getting statements
• Reviewing video of the crash
• Scouring the police report for errors or facts that can impact your case
• Examining the scene of the crash and if necessary, having an expert reconstruct it
• Investigating the driver to try to determine their condition at the time of the crash

These are just a few examples. Depending on the specific circumstances of your unique case, an attorney can look for these pieces of evidence and more.

Communication matters for motorcycle accident victims. Who you talk to matters. What you say matters. There are multiple opportunities to damage your case, and precautions you can take to try to avoid doing so.

We recommend:

• that you do not agree to a recorded statement with an insurance company or adjuster
• that you limit what you say to an adjuster and instead communicate through an attorney
• against negotiating your injury case with an insurance company before your injuries have healed

Beware of quick settlement offers from the insurance company – in our experience, they are almost always too low and may not cover all the possible expenses related to your injuries moving forward. Speak to an attorney before you agree to any offer of compensation or cash any check the insurer may send!

How Much Does a Motorcycle Accident Attorney Cost?

At the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin, we work on a contingency fee basis. There are no upfront costs or hourly fees. In fact, we do not charge an attorney’s fee unless we’re able to collect on your behalf. Guaranteed.² This limits the financial barrier to hiring a motorcycle accident attorney to represent you – you’ve got enough to deal with.

Attorney and motorcycle rider, Michael Jordan, fights for victims of
motorcycle accidents and their families throughout the state.

Why Call the Motorcycle Accident Lawyers at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin?

We have a long history of helping injured riders. They’re included in the more than 73,000 people we’ve helped to recover a total of more than $2 billion in compensation in our history.¹ When you put us on the case, we put you first and take the fight to the insurance company so you can focus on recovery. And we’re perfectly willing to fight them in court if necessary.

Our firm was rated one of the “Best Law Firms” in 2025 by Best Lawyers for the 10^th consecutive year, and several of our personal injury lawyers were listed on its 2025 “Best Lawyers” list and its “Ones to Watch” list.⁴

Our clients say it best on our results and testimonials page.

Call us any time at 1-866-900-7078 or contact us online. We’ll evaluate your case for free, and at no obligation whatsoever. Tell them you mean business!

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