Our client was riding his vintage motorcycle on a sunny day in downtown Louisville. Enjoying the breeze and the beautiful city, he expected this to be as peaceful a ride as any other. When he saw a green light ahead of him, he did what any other driver would do regardless of their vehicle. He proceeded through the intersection with the legal right-of-way. But at that same moment a sedan suddenly cut left at the intersection, straight into our client’s path.
The impact violently launched him off of his motorcycle. Our client was thrown roughly 100 feet across South 3rd Street. He struck the pavement with no way to control the fall. Responding firefighters had to hold his spine still as emergency crews loaded him into the ambulance. At the hospital, doctors evaluated an extensive list of injuries. He suffered a concussion, memory loss, and deep scalp lacerations that required immediate stitches.
Scans revealed a broken bone in his right foot as well as trauma in the back, shoulders, and neck. Doctors fitted him with a cast shoe and crutches, keeping him stuck indoors. Through no fault of his own, our client was unable to participate in his favorite hobby of riding or his profession of masonry. This deprived him of both his enjoyment of life and his ability to earn income, all the while being stuck with massive medical bills.
Don’t Let Insurance Companies Take You For A Ride
The driver of the sedan admitted to police officers on the scene that they did not see the motorcycle as they turned at the intersection. Regardless of what its insured admitted, the insurance adjuster attempted to contest fault for the accident. Insurance companies often exploit biases against motorcycle riders. Adjusters assume juries will blame the rider automatically. This means they will leverage that bias to drag out claims, dispute injuries, and offer pennies on the dollar even if they understand the actual cause of the accident.
In this case, the insurer faced a claimant with tens of thousands in emergency medical expenses alone. This didn’t even cover the thousands in lost wages given how physically demanding masonry is as a profession. Our client was caught in the trap so many accident victims get stuck in. His body needed physical therapy before he could work. But he needed to work to be able to pay for the physical therapy. The adjuster attempted to use this pressure to force a cheap settlement.
Where The Rubber Meets The Road
Our team took the fight directly to the insurance carrier. We systematically built a clear evidentiary record using physics, traffic law, and the documentary evidence. First, our analysis pointed to basic Kentucky traffic standards. The law imposes a clear duty of ordinary care on every motorist. Making an unsafe left turn across oncoming traffic on a green light violates the most fundamental rules of the road.
Then, we began to organize every piece of physical proof. Our total record included EMS logs showing the 100-foot distance he was thrown, photographic evidence of injuries, detailed chiropractic records documenting long-term damage, and written wage verification letters proving nine full weeks of missed work. This let us put the insurer on formal notice. We demanded they produce a board-certified medical expert if they wanted to dispute any of the medical bills that they initially refused. Without experts to back them up, the insurance adjuster’s arguments crashed and burned.
Filling Up The Tank For Recovery
Faced with strong evidence and clear liability, the insurer backed down completely. We secured the full policy limit available under the at-fault driver’s policy. Furthermore, our team aggressively negotiated with medical providers to slash the client’s outstanding hospital liens. Reducing those medical bills put more settlement money into our client’s hands. He secured the financial relief needed to pay his bills, treat his injuries, and rebuild his life.
Insurance adjusters routinely shift the blame onto innocent riders. A disputed claim does not mean your case is over. With the right evidence and aggressive advocacy, you can force insurance companies to do the right thing and pay the full value of your case.
If you or a loved one suffered injuries in a Louisville or Southern Indiana motorcycle accident, reach out to our offices today for a free consultation. Feel free to call us at 502-771-0588 or email aaronkemper@lawhelplouisville.com.