April 22, 2020 | Accidents, Motorcycle, Motorcycle Accident, Motorcycle Crash, Personal injury, Wrongful death

Riding a motorcycle is two-wheeled freedom on the open road. Exploring Nebraska and Iowa’s scenic byways on your Harley or Ducati is an alluring, exciting, and unforgettable way to travel, especially in the spring and summer.

While you may like the breeze on your face and the wind in your hair, something can go wrong on a motorcycle ride, no matter how long or short the trip may be. Without the protections that cars and trucks offer – doors, a roof, a front and back bumper, and a seat belt – motorcyclists involved in an accident can be killed or suffer injuries that are devastating to themselves and their families. 

Even if you’re wearing a helmet, as mandated by law in Nebraska (but not Iowa), motorcycle crash injuries are often very serious. It’s especially heartbreaking when motorcyclists are fatally injured by someone driving a car, truck, van, or even another motorcycle. More than 30,000 people involved in motorcycle crashes die each year in the United States, according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. If you are an experienced motorcyclist, you understand that you need to be on high alert every time you get on the road. 

Many motorcycle accidents are caused by circumstances beyond the control of the rider. They include: 

• Wet or slippery roadways 
• Gravel 
• Heavy rain, snow, or other adverse weather conditions
• A vehicle that changes lanes without signaling 
• A vehicle whose driver changes lanes too closely
• A vehicle that comes to a sudden, unexpected stop

It only takes a second for a car or truck driver to lose focus on the road – possibly due to a distraction from a text message – and miss noticing a nearby motorcyclist. Collisions between motorcyclists and vehicles typically cause the most severe injuries to the person on the bike. If you like to ride motorcycles, hopefully you will never be involved in a crash. 

Nebraska Motorcycle Accident Lawyers 

If you or a loved one were in a motorcycle accident, you should seek legal advice. The Omaha motorcycle crash lawyers at High & Younes can help you file a motorcycle accident lawsuit and secure compensation for your injuries – including potential future losses. Since your injuries are likely serious if not disabling, it is important to have a legal advocate in your corner, and by your side every step of the way. Give our Omaha law firm a call at 402.933.3345 or fill out our contact form. 

An Experienced Omaha Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help

Our team of personal injury and motorcycle crash attorneys can help you navigate complicated issues that may arise before and after your case is filed. We will look out for your best interests to ensure you are adequately taken care of by the insurance company. Insurers do not have your best interests in mind, although they will likely try to offer you a settlement that is far less than you truly deserve. Do not accept the first offer they give you with speaking to a motorcycle crash lawyer first. 

The truth is, without an attorney in your corner, the insurance company will likely pressure you to accept the smallest accident settlement possible. Always remember –  that’s what they get paid to do. They are hired to protect the insurance company’s bottom line.

Additionally, you risk signing a release agreement that would free the insurance company from having to pay for any future medical costs that could arise as a result of the crash. Without consulting an attorney, you may also receive far less money than you need to make sure you are taken care of today and in the event that your future health declines as a result of your injuries. 

We are experts at assessing fault, analyzing accident scenes, gathering evidence, reviewing medical records, conducting interviews, and other fact-finding tasks to determine acts of negligence. 

Our Omaha motorcycle injury attorneys also can rule out any possible mechanical problems on the bike or at the scene, including defects caused during manufacturing and whether the government is at fault if poorly-maintained roads contributed to the crash. Such factors could lead to larger damages. 

At High & Younes, we can navigate through a settlement offer, but we’re always prepared to go to trial if needed. We fight for our clients no matter what. Compensation can cover medical treatment, (including surgery, physical therapy, treatment, and medication) as well as pain and suffering (which can include mental health struggles such as depression, anxiety and PTSD), disability, and loss of income and/or earning capacity due to the accident.

If a motorcycle rider dies, his or her survivors can also request compensation for wrongful death and loss of companionship. 

After the Motorcycle Crash: What to Do 

Say you collide with a motorist while out for a sunset ride near your home. You’re banged up, but grateful to be alive and conscious. After calling the police, your first priority should be to receive medical attention at the hospital. It is important to do this right away for your health, but also to assess how the accident may have impacted you. Even if you’re feeling OK, doctors will run tests. It is possible you could have an internal injury that can’t be seen, like a traumatic brain injury. This assessment is very important because the insurance will analyze it with a fine- toothed comb. 

Again, visit a medical provider as soon as possible to diagnose and document your injuries. If you are well enough, exchange insurance information with the driver at the scene and notify your own insurance provider. Also, take photos of the entire accident if it’s safe to do so. Pictures are helpful for the insurance adjusters and for the legal team reviewing your case. 

The Most Dangerous Motorcycle Injuries 

Traumatic brain injuries are a real threat after an accident, and sometimes symptoms are not present right away. Motorcyclists often hit their head when knocked off of their bikes during a crash. It’s only natural for this to happen since motorcycles don’t have much protection or airbags. Brain injuries can lead to concussions, brain damage or brain damage for life.

Did you know that Nebraska law requires motorcycle drivers to wear helmets at all times while operating the bike? Even so, failing to do so doesn’t mean you’re automatically at fault if you were to get into an accident. It is still possible to prove the other driver had been negligent.

But insurance companies may try to argue forgoing a helmet stops you from being able to receive payment for the injuries. Don’t listen. It’s simply not true.

Other significant injuries include injuries to the brain and spinal cord; loss of a limb; broken bones; road rash; lacerations; internal injuries disfigurement and scarring. Each and every one could put you on a long road to recovery, with multiple surgeries followed by lengthy rehabilitation. 

Dealing With Medical Costs 

Medical costs are usually very high in motorcycle accident injury and recovery. The litigation process can become time consuming with all of the back-and-forth between the insurance company and your attorney. To cover the bills while you wait, check with your motorcycle insurance provider to determine if your plan will cover the medical bills in the interim. If you don’t have that level of coverage, it’s a good time to switch your plan as it is affordable and worth having to ensure your peace of mind. 

The legal experts at High & Younes can help you negotiate with the medical facilities that are seeking payment immediately. It is not uncommon for hospitals to delay medical bill payments until the case has been settled. This requires you to commit a portion of your settlement funds to paying back the hospital.

Talk to us today. Everyone has a different experience with variables that would change your circumstances. While we can’t say for sure how much compensation your case will bring, you can be assured that we will fight to bring you the largest outcome possible. Give us a call at 

About the Omaha Motorcycle Accident Lawyers at High & Younes 

Justin High prepares every case as if he’s going to trial. That way, if the case is one that actually needs to be tried, he and his client are always ready and well-prepared. Justin shows up for all of his clients in every meaning of the word – and that’s the reason he has spent the last 15 years successfully advocating for hundreds of people in Nebraska and Iowa whose voices need to be heard in a system that often fails to listen. 

 When Justin takes on a case, whether it’s in state or federal court, his clients reap the benefit of his expertise, knowledge, wisdom, and personal investment. Specializing primarily in wrongful death, personal injury, and workers’ compensation law, he has secured tens of millions in compensation for victims and their families. He has argued and won before the Nebraska Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court. In 2019, Justin obtained a $3.3 million award against the City of Omaha on behalf of a firefighter who was injured saving lives. Justin is an American Mensa member, a member of the Nebraska Association of Trial Attorneys, the Nebraska State Bar Association, and the Iowa Bar Association. Outside the courtroom, Justin has presented at dozens of seminars educating clients and attorneys on workers’ compensation, personal injury, and other legal topics. Email him at justin@hyattorneys.com.

Frank Younes has recovered millions of dollars of compensation in his work seeking justice for injured parties and the families of those who have lost their lives to the wrongful acts of others. He has spent his career honing his craft in expressing the stories of his clients with passion in order to achieve the utmost compensation available to them under the law. Frank has successfully prosecuted wrongful death claims against the federal government, governmental entities, individuals, and school districts amongst others.

Recently, Frank obtained one of his injured clients – the victim of a shooting – a jury verdict in the amount of $923,000 in Douglas County District Court. Frank has received many accolades and awards for his work including: 10 Best Attorneys – High Verdicts & Settlement Winner by the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys; Attorneys and Practice Magazine’s Top 10 Personal Injury Attorney; Lawyers of Distinction Award winner; Super Lawyers Rising Star; Client’s Choice Award by Avvo; and American Academy of Attorneys’ Top 40 Under 40. He is a member of the Nebraska Association of Trial Attorneys, American Association for Justice, American Bar Association, Nebraska State Bar Association, and was elected to be an Attorney Member of the Nebraska Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission for the Fourth Judicial District. Email him at frank@hyattorneys.com. 

Joe Selde argued and won a civil trial a month after he became a lawyer. Since then, Joe has continued to zealously advocate for those who have suffered personal injuries resulting from someone else’s negligence. He brings that commitment to doing what’s right each day he walks into his office at High & Younes. Through his prior experience working at an insurance defense firm and as a claims adjuster, Joe has handled injury claims at every stage; from taking the first phone call on a claim to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.  He has recovered hundreds of thousands of dollars in compensation on behalf of homeowners whose properties were damaged in hailstorms.

At High & Younes, Joe continues to work tirelessly to ensure his personal injury clients have a strong, experienced, and passionate voice representing them both inside and outside the courtroom. Joe can help you, too. Email him joe@hyattorneys.com.