Motorcycle Accident Attorney

The Bias ProblemWhat Riders Are Up Against With Insurance Companies

Motorcyclists face a bias in insurance claims that has nothing to do with the law: adjusters and juries often assume that riding a motorcycle is itself reckless, and that assumption colors how fault is assigned and how offers are made. It shows up in several consistent patterns:

• A driver who didn't see a rider before turning is given the benefit of the doubt — "the motorcycle came out of nowhere" — rather than being held to their duty to look.
• A rider's lane position or speed is scrutinized far more than the same behavior in a car.
• Early settlement offers are made before the full extent of serious injuries — road rash, fractures, TBI — is known.
• Helmet or gear use is used to argue comparative fault even when it's legally irrelevant to most of the injuries.

Identifying and pushing back on these assumptions is a central part of representing a motorcycle accident victim. The legal standard is what actually happened, not what adjusters assume about riders.

Helmet & GearWhat Helmet Use Actually Does — and Doesn't — Affect

This is the question almost every rider asks first, and the honest answer is more nuanced than either "it doesn't matter" or "it bars your claim."

The same logic applies to other gear. Protective jacket, gloves, and boots reduce injuries — but their absence doesn't bar a claim or even necessarily reduce it, unless the absence was a direct contributing factor to a specific injury the gear would have prevented. Those arguments require evidence, not assumptions.

This page provides general information about Washington law and is not legal advice. The rules that apply depend on the specific facts of your situation; contact us to discuss your case.

Common CrashesHow Motorcycle Accidents Happen Around Puyallup

Most motorcycle crashes in Pierce County are caused by other drivers — not by the rider. The collision patterns we see most often:

• Left-turn crashes — a driver turning left cuts across a rider's path at an intersection. This is the single most common motorcycle crash type nationally and in Washington.
• Lane changes without checking — a driver merges into a motorcycle's lane on multi-lane arterials like Meridian Ave or on Hwy 512.
• Rear-end collisions at stops and traffic lights.
• Failure to yield at intersections and driveways.
• Road hazards — gravel, debris, potholes, or uneven pavement that causes a single-vehicle crash. In these cases a property owner, a contractor, or a government entity responsible for road maintenance may share liability.

The Washington State Fair in Puyallup each September brings a seasonal surge in traffic on these corridors — an elevated-risk period for riders who commute or ride through the area.

Right AwayWhat to Do After a Motorcycle Crash in Puyallup

1. Get medical care immediately. Adrenaline masks pain — injuries that feel minor at the scene can be serious. Many motorcycle crash victims in this area go to MultiCare Good Samaritan. The medical record is the foundation of the claim.
2. Call the police for an official report. Don't let the other driver talk you out of it.
3. Photograph everything — the scene, both vehicles, road conditions, skid marks, debris, your injuries, and your gear — before anything is moved or cleaned up.
4. Get the other driver's information — license, insurance, registration — and collect witness names and contact details.
5. Don't give the other driver's insurer a recorded statement before speaking with an attorney. Those statements are used to minimize claims.
6. Have your motorcycle inspected by someone you trust before it's repaired. Evidence of the crash — contact points, damage patterns — can be relevant to proving how the collision happened.

Your RecoveryWhat a Motorcycle Accident Claim Can Cover

Because motorcycles offer no structural protection, injuries in bike crashes are often far more serious than those in passenger-vehicle collisions. A full claim accounts for the real scope of those injuries:

• Emergency care, surgery, and hospitalization
• Orthopedic treatment for fractures — riders frequently suffer broken arms, legs, collarbones, and ribs
• Traumatic brain injury treatment and long-term management
• Road rash treatment, skin grafting, and scarring
• Spinal injury treatment and rehabilitation
• Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
• Motorcycle repair or replacement and gear replacement
• Pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of riding

Washington does not cap non-economic damages — under Sofie v. Fibreboard Corp., 112 Wn.2d 636 (1989), a jury can award what the evidence supports. That matters most in serious injury cases. Greene & Lloyd handles motorcycle accident claims on a contingency-fee basis — no attorney fee upfront, a fee only if we recover for you. You work directly with Rob Lloyd and Tim Greene throughout.