Skilled Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Parsippany, New Jersey Assists Riders

Reputable attorney provides honest advice and strong advocacy

Motorcycles offer great advantages for commuting and touring, but even a minor accident can have serious, long-term consequences. If you or someone you love has been hurt in a motorcycle accident in New Jersey, Noel E. Schablik, P.A. can help. We offer highly personalized legal service to give you peace of mind during a difficult recovery period. Over more than 35 years of practice, we have built an excellent reputation for civil litigation, based on honesty, legal knowledge and complete dedication to client service. We understand how much our injured clients depend on the success of their claim, and we work tirelessly to deliver the best possible results.

Knowledgeable representation for specific issues that motorcyclists face

Motorcycle accidents are often very different from standard passenger car accidents. Specific issues include:

  • Vulnerability of the vehicle — Motorcycles are small and maneuverable, enhancing an operator’s ability to avoid an accident. However, a bike travels on two wheels, making it inherently less stable than a four-wheeled vehicle. Bikes can lose traction easily on slick surfaces, such as metal plates, manhole covers, railroad tracks, and painted letters or arrows in the roadway. Motorcycles are also smaller than passenger cars, making them less visible to motorists.
  • Vulnerability of the rider — A biker’s body is exposed, and protective gear can only offer so much protection against collisions with motor vehicles and hard surfaces. Motorcyclists can suffer a catastrophic personal injury much more easily than motorists.
  • Motorist ignorance — Most passenger car drivers have never ridden a motorcycle, so they don’t know how bikers are likely to react to different roadway situations. For example, car drivers are unaware of the danger they create by driving too closely behind a bike that can stop much more quickly than their car can. Some motorists even believe they can share a lane with a motorcycle the way they would with a bicycle.
  • Motorist inattentiveness — Because motorcycles are small, passenger car drivers don’t always see them, nor do they look for motorcycles before making abrupt maneuvers.
  • Stigma against riders — Because motorcyclists are often seen as rebels, risk-takers, and rule-breakers, it can be difficult to convince a jury that the biker was in the right and the mom driving the minivan was in the wrong.

We have the knowledge, experience and resources to thoroughly investigate your motorcycle accident and assemble the evidence necessary to build a compelling case for your recovery.

Is failure to wear a motorcycle helmet contributory negligence in New Jersey?

New Jersey’s contributory negligence law enforces the idea that every person has an obligation to exercise reasonable care for his or her own safety. Therefore, the defendant in a motorcycle accident lawsuit can charge contributory negligence if a biker suffers a head injury while not wearing a helmet. However, even though New Jersey has a mandatory helmet law for all motorcycle operators and passengers, the law does not state that failure to wear a helmet is negligence per se. That means a jury must consider whether a reasonable person in the plaintiff’s position would have been wearing a helmet. If the answer is yes, the plaintiff was negligent, and the jury may consider to what extent failure to wear the helmet added to the plaintiff’s injuries. The jury must then reduce the plaintiff’s recovery of compensation accordingly. However, a defendant’s assertion that failure to wear a helmet was contributory negligence that caused the accident or caused a leg injury is unlikely to succeed without specific factual support.

Contact an honest and dedicated motorcycle accident attorney in Parsippany, New Jersey

A serious motorcycle accident can have long-lasting consequences, so it’s important to get the most from your personal injury claim. You can trust Noel E. Schablik, P.A. to manage your case honestly, efficiently, and cost-effectively: you pay no fees unless you collect damages. Call us at 973-402-9596 or contact us online to schedule a free telephone or in-person consultation at our Parsippany office or at your home or hospital room.