Helmet laws in Richmond Heights, MO, are in place to help prevent catastrophic brain injuries in the event of bicycle accidents. Even if you’re wearing a helmet, ending up in a wreck can still result in severe losses that leave you with significant medical bills and the inability to work.
If the accident and those associated losses result from someone else’s negligent or reckless behavior, you may be able to file a claim against them for compensation. At Eason Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers, our Missouri motorcycle accident lawyers can assist you and offer the support you need to better manage the entire process. Contact us today at (314) 932-1066 for a free consultation.
How Eason Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Motorcycle Accident in Richmond Heights, MO
If you have suffered injuries in a motorcycle accident, filing a personal injury claim allows you to seek compensation for your losses. The process is not simple, however, as it requires a thorough understanding of how the law works and experience in negotiating with insurance companies.
At Eason Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers, our Richmond Heights motorcycle accident attorneys offer assistance throughout the entire claims process by:
- Assessing the case during a free consultation
- Investigating the motorcycle accident
- Gathering evidence, including expert witness testimonies
- Establishing that negligence or wrongful conduct occurred
- Calculating economic and non-economic damages
- Communicating and negotiating with insurance companies
- Litigating, if necessary
With our experience and dedication, our Richmond Heights personal injury lawyers have assisted clients for more than two decades, securing settlements and jury verdicts that maximize their compensation. Don’t hesitate to contact our team to schedule a free consultation today.
Richmond Heights, Missouri Helmet Laws
In Missouri, people under the age of 26 must wear helmets when riding a motorcycle, regardless of whether they are the operator or just a passenger. Those at or above the age of 26 have the right not to wear a helmet as long as they have some form of insurance covering their medical expenses if they’re in an accident.
Anyone with a learner’s permit, however, must wear a helmet when riding, no matter their age. Additionally, the helmet one chooses to wear needs to meet all requirements set forth by the Missouri Department of Transportation. It should weigh at least three pounds, be one inch thick, and have a liner, rivets, and a strong chin strap.
Does Not Wearing a Helmet Impact Your Claim in Missouri?
Missouri police officers cannot stop you just to verify if you meet the state’s helmet requirements. Still, Missouri is an at-fault state for traffic collisions, which means whether you were responsible for the accident will have an impact on your compensation. That can affect your claim if you weren’t wearing a helmet but should have been according to Missouri law.
How Comparative Negligence Affects Your Compensation
Missouri operates under pure comparative negligence laws. These allow you to recover losses even if you were 99% responsible for the crash, but the catch is that the compensation you receive will be reduced by the percentage of fault you hold.
Your compensation could be significantly lower if you weren’t wearing a helmet. Insurance companies, in response, will do their best to try to pin as much of the blame on you as possible so that they don’t have to pay.
To protect your rights, you need experienced attorneys to gather evidence and show how the accident occurred. It’s vital that you don’t attempt to represent yourself in these types of claims, especially if you weren’t wearing a helmet when you should have been, as the opposing party can quickly devalue your claim.
Contact Our Richmond Heights Motorcycle Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation
After being in a Missouri motorcycle accident, you may not know how to protect your claim. It’s essential, therefore, that you obtain representation to avoid delays in pursuing compensation. Even if you were not legally required to wear a helmet, insurance companies could still try to use your lack of one against you. Experienced legal counsel makes a difference.
At Eason Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers, our team of attorneys can assist you through the entire claims process. We’ll investigate the accident and gather all forms of evidence that show the other party’s degree of fault (and yours, if any).
With decades of experience negotiating with insurance companies, you can depend on us. Contact our team today to schedule a free case evaluation with a Richmond Heights motorcycle accident attorney.
