A Reading motorcycle accident lawyer is an essential advocate in the aftermath of a collision. At Munley Law, we have more than 250 years of combined legal experience and have negotiated with insurance companies and fought in court to help clients recover more than $1 billion in damages since 1959.
The American Association for Justice, the National Trial Lawyers, Best Lawyers, Best Law Firms, Super Lawyers, and Irish Legal 100 are among the many legal institutions that have honored our lawyers for their work on behalf of motorcycle accident victims.
Expert legal counsel is paramount if you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident. A skilled Reading accident attorney from Munley Law navigates the intricacies of insurance claims, establishes fault, and vigorously pursues fair compensation. Insurance companies may attempt to minimize the extent of a rider’s suffering, but a dedicated accident lawyer recognizes the full spectrum of damages.
From immediate medical expenses to long-term rehabilitation costs and lost wages, a thorough legal approach considers all aspects of the client’s ordeal when seeking just compensation. Contact Munley Law today to schedule a free consultation.
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Call Us At 844-686-5397 Motorcycle Accident Statistics and Laws in Reading, PA
According to the official Commonwealth of Pennsylvania website, there were 350,808 registered motorcycles in 2024. Many of these will pass through Reading, PA, due to its proximity to several major thoroughfares. Unfortunately, however, this also means the city saw a fairly high number of accidents and injuries. In the same year, Pennsylvania as a whole saw 3,390 motorcycles involved in accidents, resulting in 3,064 injuries and 219 fatalities.
While Reading and Pennsylvania as a whole encourage the use of helmets and other protective headwear, there are ways to circumvent these requirements. If a motorcycle driver is more than 21 years of age and has two years of riding experience or has completed a PennDOT motorcycle safety course, they may forgo the use of a helmet.
Pennsylvania also requires a Class M license to operate a motorcycle, and interested parties must pass a written permit test. This permit is valid for one year, during which the permit holder must then pass a skills test.
How is Fault Determined in a Reading Motorcycle Crash?
As with any roadway accident, there are quite a few parties that may potentially be at fault. What’s more, multiple of these parties may share a degree of fault. Some of the potentially at fault parties include:
- A motor vehicle driver
- Another motorcyclist
- A pedestrian
- A company or corporation (if the accident is caused by a truck or vehicle operating on behalf of a company)
- The city or jurisdiction (if the accident was caused by poor signage or unkempt roadways)
- And more
Of course, it is also possible for the motorcycle driver to be at fault. However, you should remember that even if you bear partial responsibility for the accident, hope is not lost. In the state of Pennsylvania, under 42 Pa C.S.A. § 7102, you are still eligible to receive compensation for an accident in which you bear partial liability, as long as that percentage is less than 51%.
If you believe you may bear partial responsibility for your collision, speak to your motorcycle accident lawyer. They can advise you on how best to proceed and whether your degree of fault still enables you to collect damages.
What are the Most Common Injuries in Motorcycle Accidents in Reading, PA?
When a motorcycle collides with a passenger vehicle, numerous potential injuries can occur. Because the motorcycle rider is far less protected, there is a high risk of severe damage, far higher than there is for most car accident victims. Some common injuries that occur in motorcycle accidents include:
- Lower extremity injuries. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration performed a study that showed that “lower-extremity injuries were the most common injuries sustained by motorcyclists treated in level I and II trauma centers.” This refers to injuries below the waist, most commonly to the pelvis and legs.
- Traumatic Brain Injuries. Also known as TBIs, traumatic brain injuries are injuries that cause damage to the brain tissue within the skull, often caused by a blunt force trauma to the head. If a motorcycle rider is thrown from their bike and lands on their head, the chance of a TBI is high. Wearing a helmet is extremely important in lowering the risk of a severe and even life-threatening TBI.
- Upper extremity injuries. After lower extremity injuries, upper extremity injuries are one of the most common results of a motorcycle accident. One study found that upper extremity injuries occurred in 47.5% of motorcycle crashes. If a motorcycle rider is thrown from their motorcycle, it’s a human reflex to extend the arms in order to brace the body against impact. The result is that the arms might collide with a hard surface, such as the road, leading to dislocation, broken bones, ligament damage, and more.
- Face and neck injuries. Full face helmets can additionally help to protect against face and neck injuries. If a rider lands on their face, the helmet can keep the neck steady and also protect the face from lacerations and additional damage.
- Lacerations. A laceration is a deep cut or tear to the skin or flesh. This can occur from colliding with the pavement or another vehicle. If the car or motorcycle is damaged, there may be sharp metal present, and it’s also possible for the skin to snag on this and become damaged.
- Organ damage. One of the dangers of organ damage is that it may not be immediately apparent. It’s possible for someone to have no external injuries, but for there to be substantial internal bleeding or damage to the organs. For this reason, it’s always crucial to seek medical attention after a motorcycle accident, even if you don’t see any obvious injuries. You may be experiencing internal damage that needs immediate attention.
“At Munley Law, our mission is simple: to provide all injury victims equal access to justice, even against the most powerful entities. For more than 65 years, we have been the voice for the injured, the forgotten, and those who need someone to stand beside them in their darkest hour.”
Marion Munley
How Insurance Plays a Role in Reading Motorcycle Accidents
Pennsylvania generally uses a no-fault approach to insurance coverage for accidents. This means that each party’s own insurance coverage should pay for their own damages. This is in contrast to fault-based states, in which the at-fault party’s insurance pays out damages to the victim.
However, the way that motorcycle insurance and car insurance function in Pennsylvania is quite different. One key difference is that with car insurance, many drivers in Reading, PA choose to carry limited tort coverage. This means that in order to make any claim against the other driver for damages to cover pain and suffering, you must meet the state’s criteria of “serious injury”. With motorcycle accidents, however, both the motorcycle driver and anyone on the motorcycle are automatically entitled to full tort coverage. This means that motorcycle occupants can claim damages for pain and suffering without having to meet the criteria of a “serious injury,” i.e., permanent disfigurement or serious impairment of a bodily function.
All of this means that you are able to seek compensation via the at-fault party’s insurance. As you seek to negotiate a settlement, keep in mind that the other party’s insurance company is operating from a place of wanting to pay out as little as possible. That is their job, as it is for all insurance companies. Letting them know you’re working with a Reading car accident attorney from the beginning means they’ll know you can’t be lowballed or pushed around, and that you won’t accept an unfair settlement. Working with a Reading, PA motorcycle accident lawyer means you are more likely to end up with a satisfactory settlement.
Compensation Available in Reading Motorcycle Accidents
The damages that you may be eligible to receive after a Reading, PA motorcycle accident depend greatly on the details of your case. Your compensation is determined in great part by things like whether you had to miss work due to your injuries, and how much, what your medical bills look like, how much property damage you experienced, and more. Your motorcycle accident lawyer can even attach a dollar value to your pain and suffering. After all, you deserve compensation for the mental and emotional toll that an accident can take on your life.
While it’s difficult to estimate what a case may be worth without further details, Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys has a record of obtaining extremely satisfactory settlements. Contact a Reading accident lawyer today to schedule a free consultation.
What Can a Reading Motorcycle Accident Attorney Do for You?
The aftermath of a motorcycle accident can be an extremely overwhelming time, especially if you’re trying to heal from a motorcycle injury. Working with a Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys motorcycle accident attorney ensures that you have an expert in your corner, handling the specifics of your case while you recuperate.
Immediately after your motorcycle accident, your Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys lawyer will get to work compiling all the evidence needed to prove your case and show that you are deserving of compensation. This includes things like the:
- Police report
- Medical bills
- Photos of the scene
- Witness statements
- CCTV footage
If the accident involved a commercial truck, your lawyer may obtain the truck’s black box to get more information about the event of the crash. All of this is necessary to establish what kind of damages you’re eligible to receive. In addition, your lawyer will ensure your case is filed before the period allowed by the statute of limitations expires. Under 42 Pa. C.S.A. § 5524 (2), this period is two years from the date of the accident.
Your motorcycle accident lawyer will also serve as the key intermediary between you and the insurance negotiators. As soon as you hire your lawyer, all communication with the insurance investigators will happen through them. This means you’ll never get tripped up and agree to an unfair settlement or accidentally admit fault, which is surprisingly easy to do.
Your lawyer will advise you not to provide any written or recorded statements to anyone from any insurance company, and not to accept the first offer you’re given. Almost always, it will be too low, and your lawyer will have to negotiate for something better. Your lawyer will head this process, fighting on your behalf for a settlement that accurately reflects your experience and the financial burden someone else’s negligence has placed upon you.
In the vast majority of cases, a settlement will be reached. However, if a settlement cannot be reached, your attorney can also protect you in court. Some personal injury attorneys have no courtroom experience and are experienced only in negotiating settlements, but at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys, all of our attorneys are prepared to defend you in the event of a trial.
Why Choose Our Reading, PA Motorcycle Accident Lawyer?
Experiencing a motorcycle accident is undoubtedly a terrifying experience, and due to the nature of the vehicle, it can often result in horrible consequences. After a motorcycle accident, you should be able to focus on resting, recovering, and getting back to the things you love, not on negotiating with insurance companies.
That’s where Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys comes in. Allow us to do the heavy lifting so that you don’t have to. We have almost seven decades of experience and the legal expertise necessary to fight on your behalf and ensure you’re not shortchanged. You deserve nothing but the best when it comes to fighting for your rightful maximum compensation – and the best is what you can expect from Munley Law.
Marion Munley, Daniel Munley, J Christopher Munley, and John Mulcahey are board certified in Civil Trial Law and Civil Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Marion and Daniel are also members of the American Board of Trial Advocates. In addition, Marion is the current Vice President of the American Association for Justice (AAJ) and was named Lawyer of the Year for Personal Injury Litigation by Best Lawyers, while Daniel was named a Lawyer of Distinction by Lawyers of Distinction.
All our attorneys are members of the AAJ and the Pennsylvania Bar Association. The National Trial Lawyers named all our partners among the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Pennsylvania. Our partners were also named to the Irish Legal 100 list, and they all received AV Preeminent ratings from Martindale-Hubbell.
Since 1959, we’ve secured multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements for the injured of Reading, Berks County, and greater Pennsylvania. Among our client victories is a $4.3 million jury award for a motorcycle accident victim. As our clients would agree, Munley Law is the best motorcycle accident firm in the Keystone State.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Reading Motorcycle Accident Cases
How Can a Reading Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Help After a Crash?
A Reading motorcycle accident lawyer can help after a crash by investigating the incident, gathering evidence, and determining who may be legally responsible. They can also handle negotiations with insurance companies and pursue full compensation for your injuries, lost wages, and other damages. If necessary, they are also prepared to take your case to trial to protect your rights.
Can I Still Recover Compensation if I was Partially at Fault for My Motorcycle Accident in Reading, PA?
You may still be able to recover compensation if you were partially at fault for your motorcycle accident in Reading, PA. Pennsylvania follows a modified comparative negligence rule under 42 Pa. C.S.A. § 7102, which allows you to pursue compensation if you are found to be less than 51% at fault for the accident. However, your award may be reduced by your percentage of fault.
What Types of Compensation are Available After a Reading Motorcycle Accident?
The types of compensation available after a Reading motorcycle accident include those for economic and non-economic damages. Among these are medical expenses, lost income, future rehabilitation costs, property damage, and pain and suffering. If the case is particularly severe, compensation may also account for long-term disability or diminished earning capacity. The exact value of your claim depends on the severity of your injuries and the circumstances of the crash.
Do Motorcycle Riders in Pennsylvania Have to Wear Helmets?
Motorcycle riders in Pennsylvania do not necessarily need to wear helmets. The Commonwealth generally requires them to wear helmets, although riders over the age of 21 may be except if they have at least two years of riding experience or have completed a safety course approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). Even when not legally required, wearing a helmet significantly reduces the risk of serious injury.
How Does Insurance Work in a Reading Motorcycle Accident Case?
Insurance in a Reading motorcycle accident case works differently from how it would in a car accident case. While Pennsylvania uses a no-fault insurance system for car accidents, motorcycle riders are entitled to full tort coverage, meaning you can pursue compensation for pain and suffering without meeting the “serious injury” threshold required in some car accident claims. An experienced attorney can help with insurance negotiations and ensure you are not pressured into accepting a low settlement offer.
Schedule a Free Consultation with Our Reading Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys is dedicated to bringing you exceptional legal services and ensuring that you receive the justice you deserve. Having a Reading, PA personal injury attorney on your side will help ensure you receive the damages you are owed and are not coerced into accepting an unfairly low offer.
Our team of highly experienced lawyers and excellent legal support staff will work tirelessly for you, and we do not get paid unless you win. Contact us today.
Marion Munley
Marion Munley has been practicing personal injury law for nearly 40 years. She is triple board-certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy for Truck Accident Law, Civil Trial Law, and Civil Practice Advocacy. She currently serves as Vice President of the American Association for Justice, an organization dedicated to safeguarding victims’ rights. Marion has won many multimillion-dollar recoveries for her clients, including one of the largest trucking accident settlements in history. She has been named a Top 10 Super Lawyer in Pennsylvania since 2023, a Best Lawyer in America, and was recently inducted to the Lawdragon Hall of Fame.
