Motorcycle accident
Motorcycle Accident Attorneys in Grand Rapids, Michigan
The firms in this guide
1. Sinas Dramis Law Firm
Practice Focus: Personal injury law, motorcycle accidents, auto accidents, truck accidents, no-fault insurance claims, wrongful death
Case Types Handled: Motorcycle vs. car collisions, motorcycle vs. truck accidents, hit-and-run crashes, drunk driver accidents, distracted driver collisions, road hazard accidents, wrongful death from motorcycle crashes, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, catastrophic injuries
Legal Services: Free case review, accident investigation, evidence gathering (crash reports, video footage, witness statements, helmet recordings), no-fault insurance negotiations, liability carrier negotiations, litigation, trial representation, medical expense recovery, lost wage claims, pain and suffering compensation
Background: Sinas Dramis Law Firm has spent decades fighting for injured riders and their families in West Michigan. The firm has attorneys recognized as “Top 10 Plaintiff’s Personal Injury Lawyers” in Michigan by Leading Lawyers. The firm has deep ties to Kent County courts and communities. Attorneys have been recognized by Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers for excellence in personal injury law.
Location: 435 Cherry St SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Contact: https://sinasdramis.com
Consultation: Free case review available
2. Holmes and Wiseley, P.C.
Practice Focus: Personal injury law, motorcycle accidents, auto accidents, truck accidents, insurance law, wrongful death
Case Types Handled: Motorcycle collisions, lack of visibility accidents, road condition accidents, driver negligence cases, speeding and reckless driving accidents, wrongful death claims, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones
Legal Services: Free consultation, accident investigation, evidence gathering, insurance claim assistance, no-fault benefit claims, third-party liability claims, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, medical expense recovery, lost wage claims, pain and suffering compensation
Background: Holmes and Wiseley, P.C. has over 80 years of combined legal experience. The firm is led by Richard E. Holmes and Aaron D. Wiseley. The firm has a deep understanding of Michigan’s complex insurance laws and regulations surrounding motorcycle accidents, including the no-fault system and how it applies differently to motorcyclists than to automobile drivers.
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Contact: (616) 649-1411 | https://www.holmeswiseley.com
Consultation: Free initial consultation available
3. Goodman Acker, PC
Practice Focus: Personal injury law, motorcycle accidents, auto accidents, truck accidents, no-fault insurance claims, wrongful death
Case Types Handled: Motorcycle collisions, failure to see motorcycle accidents, drunk driver crashes, distracted driver accidents, lane change collisions, left-turn accidents, wrongful death claims, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, catastrophic injuries
Legal Services: Free consultation, accident investigation, evidence gathering, no-fault insurance claims, third-party liability claims, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, medical expense recovery, lost wage claims, pain and suffering compensation, wrongful death representation, survivors’ loss benefits
Background: Goodman Acker, PC has been handling accident cases for over 150 years. The firm has achieved significant motorcycle accident verdicts including $300,000, $525,000, $735,000, and $1.9 million recoveries in Michigan. The firm takes cases on contingency and is prepared to take cases to court if necessary. The firm is recognized as willing to litigate aggressively against insurance companies.
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Contact: (248) 621-8771 | https://www.goodmanacker.com
Consultation: Free consultation available, contingency fee arrangement
4. Barrix Law Firm
Practice Focus: Personal injury law, motorcycle accidents, car accidents, truck accidents, no-fault insurance claims
Case Types Handled: Motorcycle collisions, distracted driving accidents, driver error accidents, dangerous road condition crashes, underinsured motorist claims, uninsured motorist claims, Michigan Assigned Claims Plan cases, wrongful death claims, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries
Legal Services: Free consultation, accident investigation, evidence gathering, no-fault insurance benefit claims, third-party claim pursuit, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, medical expense recovery, lost wage claims, pain and suffering compensation
Background: Barrix Law Firm is led by founder Jason Barrix, who has over 30 years of legal experience. The firm has in-depth knowledge of Michigan’s no-fault insurance system and has secured millions of dollars in damages for clients in Mobile and West Michigan communities. The firm handles car accidents, truck accidents, and motorcycle accidents throughout West Michigan.
Location: Grand Rapids, MI (serving West Michigan)
Contact: https://barrixlaw.com
Consultation: Free consultation available, no fee unless recovery is obtained
5. Michigan Legal Center
Practice Focus: Motorcycle accidents, car accidents, truck and commercial vehicle accidents, pedestrian accidents, wrongful death, police misconduct and civil rights
Case Types Handled: Motorcycle accidents, car accidents, truck accidents, commercial vehicle accidents, pedestrian accidents, wrongful death
Legal Services: Free case review by phone, video or in person at the Grand Rapids office, 24/7 intake
Background: Michigan Legal Center has helped people across Michigan since 1989 and keeps a Grand Rapids office on Monroe Avenue NW; visitors are asked to call before coming in.
Location: 250 Monroe Ave NW Ste 400, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Contact: (616) 591-3700 | https://michiganlegalcenter.com/locations/grand-rapids/
Consultation: Free consultation, no fee unless the firm wins
Helmet Exceptions, Seat and Passenger Rules and Comparative Fault for Grand Rapids Motorcycle Crashes
A Grand Rapids motorcycle crash claim can involve Michigan’s helmet rule, which riders 21 and older may skip only with experience or training and at least $20,000 in first-party medical security. Michigan also limits passengers to the motorcycle’s designed capacity and bars noneconomic damages when the rider’s fault is greater than everyone else’s combined.
The Helmet Rule and Its Exceptions
Under MCL 257.658(4) and (5), a person operating or riding on a motorcycle must wear a crash helmet, except that an operator 21 or older who has held a motorcycle endorsement for at least 2 years or passed a motorcycle safety course, and who has first-party medical security of at least $20,000, may ride without one. A rider 21 or older is also exempt if the rider or the operator has that security. For the rider’s own medical benefits, MCL 500.3114(5) sets the order of claims after a crash involving a motor vehicle: first the insurer of the vehicle’s owner or registrant, then the vehicle operator’s insurer, then the motorcycle operator’s motor vehicle insurer, then the motorcycle owner’s motor vehicle insurer.
Seats and Passengers
Under MCL 257.658(1) and (2), a motorcycle operator may ride only upon and astride a permanent and regular seat attached to the motorcycle, and a motorcycle may not carry more persons at one time than it is designed and equipped for.
Comparative Fault
Under MCL 600.2959, the court reduces damages by the injured person’s percentage of comparative fault, and if that fault is greater than the aggregate fault of the other persons, whether or not parties, economic damages are reduced and noneconomic damages are not awarded.
Several Liability
Under MCL 600.2956, except as provided in 600.6304, each defendant’s liability is several only and not joint, without abolishing an employer’s vicarious liability for its employee.
Grand Rapids Motorcycle Accident Questions
Do adult riders in Michigan have to wear a helmet?
Yes, unless they meet MCL 257.658(5): age 21 or older, an endorsement held at least 2 years or a passed safety course for the operator, and at least $20,000 in first-party medical security.
What happens if I was mostly at fault?
Your noneconomic damages are lost, but economic damages remain, reduced. For example, imagine $60,000 in economic damages, $90,000 in noneconomic damages and 60 percent of the fault on the rider: under MCL 600.2959 the recovery would be $24,000 in economic damages and nothing for noneconomic damages.
How long do I have to sue after a Grand Rapids motorcycle crash?
Three years after the death or injury, under MCL 600.5805(2). Against a city, county or state agency whose vehicle hit you, MCL 691.1405 supplies the liability for an employee’s negligent operation of an agency-owned motor vehicle.