A couple riding a motorcycle is recovering after a crash with an SUV. On Saturday, August 1, at approximately 9:30 p.m., the couple was traveling on Versailles Road toward Lexington. A Chevrolet Blazer was traveling in the opposite direction on Versailles Road when the driver of the Blazer began to turn left, crossing the motorcycle’s path. The turn began too late for the motorcycle to avoid hitting the Blazer. The couple riding the motorcycle were taken to University of Kentucky Hospital, with non-life-threatening injuries. Police believe that the motorcycle had the right of way, and are investigating whether a citation will be filed against the driver of the Blazer.

Many motorcycle accidents are caused by larger passenger vehicles turning left into the paths of oncoming motorcycles. Due to the smaller target that motorcycles present on drivers’ visual fields, it can be difficult both for drivers to see the oncoming motorcycle, and to gauge how fast the motorcycle is traveling.

Because of the lack of protection afforded to motorcyclists, they are far more prone to fatal or serious injuries than drivers of passenger vehicles. Over the course of 16 years that saw a 66% drop in passenger vehicle fatalities, fatalities among motorcyclists have remained static. Despite constituting only 3% of all motor vehicles on the roads, motorcyclists constitute 14% of all motor vehicle-related fatalities.

Motorcyclists often attract negative attention from police and other drivers, but they are frequently not the responsible party in crashes with passenger vehicles. If you or someone you love has been injured in a motorcycle crash, seek out knowledgeable, diligent legal help to ensure you’re fully compensated for your injuries. Lexington Attorney Todd W. Burris is available to represent your personal injury and motorcycle crash claims in and around the Lexington area, throughout Fayette County and beyond. Call Todd W. Burris, PSC for a free consultation on your claims, at 859-252-2222.

Car accidents can be overwhelming and disorienting, and you may not know where to turn for guidance on basic questions you may have. Below are some answers to questions that may arise for you after your car crash.

Do I need to go to the doctor after an accident, even if I’m not in pain?

Yes. There are multiple reasons you should see a doctor right after you’re involved in a car accident. First of all, you may be hurt but not realize it. Many injuries that victims of car or truck accidents experience may not be obvious right away and can require a doctor’s expertise to uncover. Second, if you do end up incurring substantial medical expenses, not seeking treatment right away could diminish your eventual recovery. Waiting longer than 72 hours after an accident to seek medical care may be considered a “delay in treatment” by the insurance adjusters determining the value of your claim. Such a delay in treatment will lead the insurers to offer you a smaller settlement. It is thus important for you to seek medical care right away; if your regular doctor isn’t available within 72 hours, ask if there is someone else in the practice who could see you, or go to an urgent care facility.

What will happen to my car insurance rates after the accident?

Kentucky insurance companies look at several factors when reevaluating your insurance rates after an accident. A very important factor will be the circumstances under which you got in the car accident. This includes whether or not you were at fault for the accident and, crucially, whether you were doing anything illegal at the time of the accident. If you were intoxicated, speeding, driving recklessly, or ran a red light or stop sign in the moments before your accident, there is a high possibility that your insurance rates will go up. Insurance companies will also consider how many claims you’ve made on your policy in the past, your driving record, and what sorts of claim settlements you’ve received from the insurer in the past.

Your insurer may offer an accident forgiveness program. Such programs vary from insurer to insurer, but typically they allow you to keep the same insurance rate after one at-fault accident, depending on the severity of the accident.

How long will it take to process my claim?

The time that Kentucky insurance companies will take to settle a claim varies broadly. If the claim and issues of liability are fairly straightforward, and the value of the claim is not especially high, then settlement may only take a few months. If your claim adjuster is overrun with cases, if the questions of liability are not clear-cut, or if the claim is for serious injuries, then receiving a settlement may take a year or more from the date you submitted your claim. It is important not to settle your claim too soon, before the full extent of your damages is known.

Make sure your interests are protected and aggressively represented when you’re in a car accident. Contact Todd W. Burris Law, PSC for a free consultation on your potential claims with a knowledgeable Lexington car accident attorney. We are available throughout the Lexington, Kentucky area, as well as Georgetown, Richmond, Keene, Lancaster, Bryantsville, Clark County, and Mercer County.

No matter how cautious and thoughtful a driver you may be, car accidents are an inevitable part of driving. Finding an attorney who is experienced with personal injury law and automobile accidents could protect you from expenses you shouldn’t be paying, or liability you shouldn’t incur.

1. Injuries Resulting from a Car Accident Require Experience and Investigation

If a car accident results in a serious injury either for you or your passenger, finding legal representation can ensure you’re compensated not just now, but in the future for ongoing expenses associated with your injuries. Certain traumatic injuries don’t manifest immediately and may have life-long implications, so that a quick insurance investigation and claim payment might finish before you even experience certain symptoms, excluding you from compensation for all of your injuries. Additionally, the time limits for filing a lawsuit in the state of Kentucky are especially brief. Hiring a lawyer early will help ensure that any legal claims you may possess are filed before the time runs out to make them.

2. Negotiations with Insurance Companies Can Be Difficult for the Inexperienced

While car accidents are a rare event for most individuals, insurance companies negotiate claims based on car accidents every day. They know exactly how to shape their arguments and will use their vast experience to intimidate the average claimant into accepting less compensation than that to which they’re entitled. However, having strong, experienced legal representation will keep you from getting bullied into accepting less than you need for your injuries and the damages to your vehicle.

3. Focus on Your Recovery and Leave the Fight to Your Lawyer

Investigating claims, gathering evidence, finding witnesses, composing a settlement demand, collecting incident and medical reports—these all require a great deal of work, especially when you don’t understand the system and are in the midst of recovering from a traumatic incident. Additionally, Kentucky’s comparative fault system makes the post-accident investigation especially important, since your own recovery will be reduced by the amount to which you were determined to be at fault for the accident. An attorney not only knows how to accomplish all these things in a short span of time, but also will do a more precise job of compiling evidence to ensure that your case is solid and successful in getting you the money you deserve.

4. No-Fault Laws Involve Showing You Meet Certain Requirements to Seek More Compensation

Kentucky is a no-fault state, which means that, even when it was your fault that the accident occurred, your own insurance company will compensate you for at least up to $10,000 of your own accident-related costs, depending on your policy. The no-fault rules only apply to personal injuries, and vehicle damage claims must be pursued against the other driver. However, if you have greater costs than your insurer will cover and you wish to file a claim for liability against the other driver, then you’ll need to opt out of the no-fault system by showing that you have at least $1,000 in medical expenses from the accident or any of the following: permanent disfigurement; fracture of a weight-bearing bone; a complex fracture of any bone; any permanent injury; or permanent loss of a bodily function. An attorney can help you manage seemingly simple negotiations with your insurance company, as well as handle a liability claim or lawsuit when you realize you’re going to need additional compensation to be made whole.

5. Should Settlement Negotiations Fail, Be Prepared to Go to Court

Going to court can be expensive and time-consuming, further delaying your recovery, and insurance companies will use these facts to their advantage in dissuading you from suing if you’re on your own without an attorney. Finding experienced representation means that you don’t have to be afraid of being bullied into abandoning your claim out of fear of the courtroom. Insurance carriers will also be less likely to think they can steamroll you, and will take settlement more seriously, knowing you have a knowledgeable and seasoned personal injury attorney backing you up.

If you’ve recently been in a car accident in the State of Kentucky, focus on healing and putting your life together after that traumatic event. Don’t go it alone—speak with the experienced attorneys at Todd Burris Law, who will handle the fight with the insurance company for you.

Whether you’re a driver, passenger, or pedestrian, there are many ways you can protect yourself (and others) before and after you’re involved in a car accident. In this blog, we’re going to give you some tips so you’re prepared in the event of an accident, and able to capably handle an accident situation.

Before you’re ever involved in an accident, make sure you have adequate auto insurance. Find out if your insurance policy will cover you if another party is at fault for an accident, and if it will cover another party if you are at fault for an accident. Also, make sure you’re covered by underinsured and uninsured motorist protection. Read more about Kentucky’s uninsured motorist laws here.

Capably Handling Vehicle Collisions

The Kentucky Drivers Manual is an excellent resource for how to handle car accidents. After a collision, take these steps to help yourself and others.

1. Stop and park your vehicle at the accident scene and wait for the police. You must contact the police if the damage is $500 or more and/or if there is an injury or death.
2. Record the names and addresses of everyone involved, including witnesses.
3. Record the names and addresses of all drivers involved, as well as all vehicle information (year, make, model, license plate, and registration number) and all insurance information (company name and policy number).
4. Make a list of all vehicle damages.
5. If there are any seriously injured accident victims, call 911. Never move an injured person yourself unless it is a life-threatening emergency.

If you’re involved in a collision that results in $500 or more in damages and a police investigation isn’t conducted, you’ll need to obtain and complete an accident report provided by the Kentucky State Police and return it within 10 days of the accident./

After a car accident, don’t assume your insurance company or the other driver’s insurance company will readily cover all of your injuries and damages. Talk to a personal injury attorney. In Lexington, contact Todd W. Burris PSC for a free initial consultation.