Abogado de accidentes de motocicleta Golden

You were riding legally. Following the rules. And someone still hit you.

Now you’re hurt, your bike is totaled, and the insurance company is already asking if you were wearing a helmet. They’re looking for reasons to blame you — not because you did anything wrong, but because you were on a motorcycle.

Ese sesgo es real. Y también lo es su derecho a una indemnización.

McCormick & Murphy, P.C. represents motorcycle riders in Golden and throughout Colorado. We know how these cases work. We know what adjusters say behind closed doors. And we know how to fight back when someone assumes you’re at fault just because you were on two wheels instead of four.

Llamar 888-668-1182 to talk to a lawyer who rides and who fights for riders.

Por qué los casos de accidentes de motocicleta son diferentes

A motorcycle accident is not just a car accident on two wheels. The physics are different. The injuries are worse. And the legal fight is harder.

When two cars collide, there’s metal and airbags between the drivers and the impact. When a motorcycle is hit, there’s a rider and the pavement. That difference shows up in every part of the case — from the injuries you suffer to the tactics the insurance company uses to avoid paying.

Riders face catastrophic injuries that car drivers walk away from. Road rash that requires skin grafts. Fractures that need multiple surgeries. Traumatic brain injuries even with a helmet. Spinal cord damage. Amputations.

The medical bills pile up fast. The recovery takes months or years. And the insurance company acts like you took some wild risk just by getting on a bike.

They treat motorcycle accidents differently because they want to pay differently. Our job is to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in Golden

Most motorcycle accidents happen because a driver in a car or truck failed to see the rider or misjudged their speed. These aren’t mysterious crashes. They’re preventable collisions caused by inattention or carelessness.

The most common scenarios we see include left-turn collisions at intersections along Washington Avenue and Highway 6, where a driver turns left across traffic and directly into the path of an oncoming motorcycle. The driver will say they looked but didn’t see the rider. That’s not a defense. That’s negligence.

Lane change accidents happen on I-70 and C-470 when drivers merge without checking their blind spots. Motorcycles occupy less space on the road, but they have the same right to that space. A driver who changes lanes without looking is liable for the collision.

Rear-end crashes occur when drivers follow too closely or aren’t paying attention at stop signs and traffic lights. A motorcycle can stop faster than most cars, but that doesn’t give the driver behind you an excuse.

Road hazards are more dangerous for riders. Gravel in a turn. Potholes. Uneven pavement. Oil slicks. What a car drives over without noticing can put a motorcycle on the ground. If a government entity failed to maintain the road or a construction company left debris, they may be liable.

Dooring happens when a parked car’s driver opens their door into the path of a passing motorcycle. This is especially common on Golden’s downtown streets where parking is tight and visibility is limited.

El prejuicio contra los motociclistas

Insurance adjusters and juries bring assumptions into every motorcycle case. They assume the rider was speeding. They assume the rider was showing off. They assume the rider was somehow asking for it.

None of that is based on evidence. It’s based on stereotype.

Studies show that in the majority of motorcycle-car collisions, the car driver violated the rider’s right of way. But the first question after an accident is always what the rider did wrong.

Were you wearing a helmet? Were you in the lane or between lanes? Were you going too fast? Were you wearing bright colors? Could the driver see you?

The insurance company will use anything it can to shift blame onto you and reduce what it has to pay. Our job is to control the narrative from the start, document what actually happened, and make it clear that you were operating lawfully and the other driver was not.

We’ve represented enough riders to know what’s coming. We build the case before they can twist it.

Colorado’s Helmet Law and Your Claim

Colorado does not require riders over 18 to wear a helmet. That means if you weren’t wearing one, you were riding legally.

But the insurance company will still ask. And they’ll use your answer to argue that your injuries wouldn’t have been as severe if you’d been wearing a helmet — even if the helmet wouldn’t have made a difference.

Whether a helmet would have reduced your injuries is a medical and biomechanical question, not an assumption. If the other driver’s insurance tries to reduce your compensation based on helmet use, we bring in experts who can explain what a helmet does and doesn’t protect against.

You don’t lose your right to compensation because you made a legal choice about safety gear. You lose compensation when you don’t have a lawyer who knows how to argue the nuances of Colorado law.

Lesiones que observamos en casos de accidentes de motocicleta

Motorcycle accidents cause injuries that change lives.

Road rash is not a scrape. It’s a burn that removes layers of skin and often requires debridement and grafts. The scarring is permanent. The risk of infection is serious. And insurance companies consistently undervalue it.

Fractures in motorcycle accidents are rarely simple breaks. We see compound fractures, crushed bones, and joint damage that requires hardware, pins, and reconstructive surgery. Recovery can take a year or more, with physical therapy and loss of mobility that affects your ability to work and live independently.

Traumatic brain injuries happen even when riders wear helmets. A TBI can cause cognitive problems, memory loss, personality changes, and chronic headaches. The effects may not be obvious right away, which is why we make sure every rider gets a full neurological evaluation before settling a claim.

Spinal cord injuries result in paralysis, loss of sensation, and lifetime medical needs. These are million-dollar cases, and the insurance company knows it. They will fight hard to avoid responsibility or to blame pre-existing conditions.

Internal injuries from blunt force trauma can be life-threatening and expensive to treat. Riders often suffer rib fractures, punctured lungs, liver or spleen damage, and internal bleeding.

The full cost of these injuries includes emergency treatment, surgery, hospital stays, rehabilitation, medication, assistive devices, home modifications, lost income, and diminished earning capacity. A fair settlement accounts for all of it — not just the ambulance bill.

Qué puedes recuperar después de un accidente de motocicleta

Colorado law allows you to recover compensation for every loss caused by the accident.

Medical expenses include everything you’ve paid and everything you’ll need in the future. That means specialist visits, physical therapy, prescription costs, and any ongoing care your injuries require.

Lost wages cover the income you missed while you were recovering. If your injuries prevent you from going back to the same job or working the same hours, you can recover the difference between what you used to earn and what you can earn now.

Property damage includes repair or replacement of your motorcycle and any gear that was damaged in the crash — helmet, jacket, gloves, boots.

Pain and suffering is not a luxury claim. It’s recognition that you’ve been hurt in ways that can’t be fixed with a check. Chronic pain. Loss of enjoyment of life. Emotional trauma. Scarring and disfigurement. These losses are real and they’re compensable under Colorado law.

If the other driver’s conduct was willful or wanton — drunk driving, road rage, reckless driving — you may be entitled to punitive damages meant to punish the behavior and deter others.

¿Cuánto tiempo tiene para presentar una reclamación?

Colorado gives you three years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. That sounds like a long time. It’s not.

Evidence disappears. Witnesses forget. Surveillance footage gets deleted. Skid marks fade. The insurance company’s investigation starts immediately. Yours should too.

Waiting also weakens your negotiating position. If you reach out two years after the crash, the insurance company assumes you’re desperate or that your case is weak. If you reach out two weeks after, they know you’re serious.

The statute of limitations is a deadline, not a strategy. Start your case now.

What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident in Golden

The moments and days after a motorcycle accident determine how strong your case will be.

If you’re able, call 911. Even if you think you’re fine, get checked by a paramedic. Some injuries don’t show symptoms right away, and a refusal of medical care on the scene can be used against you later.

Stay at the scene and cooperate with the police. Give a factual account of what happened, but don’t speculate or apologize. Saying “I’m sorry” can be interpreted as an admission of fault.

Get the other driver’s information: name, phone number, insurance company, policy number, license plate. If there are witnesses, ask for their contact information too.

Take photos if you can. Your bike. The other vehicle. The road. Your injuries. Skid marks. Traffic signs. Anything that shows what happened and the conditions at the time.

Don’t give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance company. They’ll call within a day or two and act friendly. They’re looking for statements they can use to deny your claim. Refer them to your lawyer.

See a doctor even if the paramedics cleared you at the scene. Adrenaline masks pain. Soft tissue injuries and concussions take time to develop symptoms. A gap in treatment gives the insurance company room to argue that you weren’t really hurt.

Keep records of everything. Medical bills. Prescriptions. Repair estimates. Pay stubs showing missed work. A journal describing your pain and limitations. All of this becomes evidence.

Why Insurance Companies Fight Motorcycle Claims

Insurance companies fight motorcycle claims harder than car accident claims because they know the injuries are worse and the payouts are higher.

Their first strategy is delay. They’ll drag out the investigation, request the same documents multiple times, and take weeks to respond to calls. They’re hoping you’ll get frustrated and accept a low offer just to be done with it.

Their second strategy is blame. They’ll say you were speeding, even without proof. They’ll say you were splitting lanes or being aggressive. They’ll say the driver couldn’t have seen you. Anything to make it your fault.

Their third strategy is minimization. They’ll claim your injuries aren’t that bad, that you’re exaggerating your pain, that you’ll be fine in a few weeks. They’ll send you to their own doctor who will write a report saying you’re ready to go back to work.

None of this is personal. It’s business. Their job is to pay as little as possible. Our job is to make sure you get what you’re owed.

How We Build a Motorcycle Accident Case

A strong case starts with the crash scene. We go to the location, photograph the road layout, measure distances, and look for factors the police report might have missed. If the other driver claims they didn’t see you, we want to know why — and whether that’s even plausible given the sightlines and conditions.

We obtain the police report, but we don’t stop there. Police reports contain errors. Officers sometimes rely on the driver’s version of events without questioning it. We interview witnesses independently and compare their statements to the official narrative.

We review all available video. Surveillance footage from nearby businesses. Dash cam video. Helmet cam if you were wearing one. Traffic cameras. This footage often contradicts what the other driver claims happened.

We work with accident reconstructionists who can analyze the physical evidence — skid marks, debris field, vehicle damage — and provide an expert opinion on speed, point of impact, and who had the right of way.

We document your injuries with your medical providers and, when necessary, independent medical experts who can explain the long-term effects of your injuries and the cost of future care.

We calculate your full damages. Not just what you’ve lost so far, but what you’ll lose over time if you can’t return to your old job or your old life.

We present a demand that reflects the actual value of your case, and we back it up with evidence the insurance company can’t ignore. If they refuse to be reasonable, we file a lawsuit. Most cases settle before trial, but we prepare every case as if it’s going in front of a jury.

¿Cuánto cuesta contratar a un abogado especializado en accidentes de motocicleta?

We handle motorcycle accident cases on a contingency fee basis. That means you don’t pay anything upfront. No retainer. No hourly billing. No invoices while your case is pending.

We get paid only if we recover compensation for you. Our fee comes out of the settlement or verdict, so our incentive is to maximize what you receive.

If we don’t win, you don’t owe us attorney fees.

The insurance company has lawyers working on their side from day one. You should too.

Serving Motorcycle Riders in Golden and Across Colorado

McCormick & Murphy, P.C. represents injured riders in Golden, Wheat Ridge, Lakewood, Arvada, Westminster, Thornton, Northglenn, Commerce City, Aurora, Englewood, Littleton, Centennial, Greenwood Village, Lone Tree, Parker, Highlands Ranch, Castle Rock, Broomfield, Brighton, Longmont, Boulder, Louisville, Lafayette, Superior, Erie, Morrison, Evergreen, Conifer, Bailey, Pine, Idaho Springs, Georgetown, Estes Park, Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, and throughout the Denver metro area and surrounding counties.

If your accident happened on a Colorado road, we can help.

Talk to a Lawyer Who Fights for Riders

You have rights. The insurance company hopes you don’t know what they are.

We do.

Llame a McCormick & Murphy, PC al 888-668-1182 o visite nuestro sitio web to schedule a free consultation. We’ll review what happened, explain your options, and tell you what your case is worth.

No fees unless we win.