Des Moines Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Des Moines, IA
If you have been injured in a motorcycle crash somewhere in the Des Moines area, the problems you are dealing with right now probably extend far beyond the damage to your bike or the cost of replacing riding gear that got destroyed in the collision. Motorcycle accidents frequently cause injuries that require emergency surgery, extended hospitalization, and months of physical therapy because riders simply do not have the protective steel frame, airbags, and crumple zones that help shield occupants of passenger vehicles during collisions.
Our Des Moines, IA motorcycle accident lawyer at Law Group of Iowa has spent more than two decades representing injured riders throughout central Iowa, and during that time our attorneys have helped motorcycle accident victims recover millions of dollars through negotiated settlements and jury verdicts in cases ranging from minor intersection collisions to catastrophic highway crashes that changed our clients’ lives forever. We provide free consultations to injured riders and their families, and we handle every motorcycle accident case on contingency.
Why Choose Law Group of Iowa for Motorcycle Accident Cases in Des Moines, IA?
Founding Partners Who Have Spent Decades Fighting for Injured Riders
Christopher Johnston founded Law Group of Iowa and has represented injured Iowans since 2001, which means he brings more than twenty years of litigation experience to motorcycle accident cases involving everything from T-bone collisions at busy intersections to high-speed crashes on interstate highways. His bar admissions include Iowa, Minnesota, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, and Federal Court for the District of Minnesota.
Christopher Martineau also founded the firm and has practiced law since 2003, concentrating his practice on motorcycle accidents, car collisions, semi-truck crashes, wrongful death claims, and other serious personal injury matters affecting Iowans throughout the state. He earned membership in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and that organization limits membership exclusively to attorneys who have actually won million-dollar-plus verdicts or settlements for their clients rather than simply advertising that they handle significant cases.
When you need a personal injury lawyer in Des Moines, IA, our firm combines the financial resources and litigation experience necessary to take on large insurance companies with authentic commitment to the individual riders and families we represent.
A Track Record That Demonstrates What We Can Do for Injured Riders
Our attorneys have recovered millions of dollars for clients injured in motorcycle wrecks and other serious accidents throughout Iowa because we approach every case with the thorough preparation and sustained attention that these claims demand from start to finish. We gather critical evidence before trucking companies and insurance carriers have opportunities to make it disappear.
Attorneys Who Actually Understand What Motorcycle Riders Face
Motorcycle accident claims require attorneys who genuinely understand both the physics of how motorcycle crashes happen and the unfair biases that injured riders frequently encounter from insurance adjusters, defense attorneys, and sometimes even juries. We know that motorcycles accelerate, brake, and corner differently than cars, that road hazards like potholes, loose gravel, oil slicks, and painted road markings pose serious dangers to riders that drivers of four-wheeled vehicles can often ignore completely.
No Money Required Upfront and No Fees Unless We Actually Win Your Case
Every motorcycle accident case we accept comes with a contingency fee arrangement, and that arrangement means you pay absolutely nothing out of pocket to get your case started and you owe no attorney fees whatsoever unless we actually succeed in recovering compensation for your injuries and losses. This fee structure exists because we firmly believe that riders who have been seriously injured deserve access to quality legal representation regardless of whether they can currently afford to write a check for legal fees.
Hear What a Client Has to Say About Our Representation
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“I cannot express enough how pleased and satisfied I am with the service I received. Attorney Chris Johnston is EXCEPTIONAL. He is extremely attentive and worked very hard to reach a settlement that exceeded my expectations. The whole staff made me feel welcomed and were very patient with all of my questions and concerns. Patty is amazing and explained everything in great detail to make me feel comfortable and informed. They are professional but down to earth and I am completely grateful for this experience. Excellence from start to finish. If I could have given 10 stars I would have. I will be recommending to everyone I know ! Thanks for all your hard work!” – Stephanie Sanger
Read more reviews on our Google Business Profile.
Types of Motorcycle Accident Cases We Handle in Des Moines
Motorcycle crashes happen in many different configurations, and the specific type of collision that caused your injuries affects how we investigate what happened, which parties we can pursue for compensation, and what evidence will prove most persuasive when negotiating with insurance adjusters or presenting your case to a jury.
- Left-turn accidents. The single most common type of motorcycle crash occurs when a driver making a left turn fails to notice an oncoming motorcycle and pulls directly into the rider’s path, leaving virtually no time to brake or swerve before impact. These collisions frequently throw motorcyclists from their bikes and cause severe injuries including compound fractures, extensive road rash requiring skin grafts, and head trauma that may produce lasting cognitive impairment.
- Rear-end collisions. When drivers who are distracted by phones, conversations, or simply daydreaming fail to notice that a motorcycle ahead of them has stopped or slowed, the resulting rear-end collision can catapult the rider forward off the bike and cause devastating spinal injuries, traumatic brain damage, and multiple fractures that require extensive surgical intervention and months or years of rehabilitation.
- Lane-change accidents. Drivers who neglect to check blind spots before changing lanes frequently collide with motorcyclists traveling in adjacent lanes, sideswiping bikes and causing riders to lose control at highway speeds where even momentary loss of balance can result in catastrophic injury or death.
- Hit and run accidents. Some drivers who strike motorcyclists flee the scene rather than stopping to render aid and exchange information, whether because they panic, because they are intoxicated and fear arrest, or because they deliberately choose to avoid responsibility. We work diligently to identify these drivers through witness interviews, surveillance camera footage, and physical evidence analysis.
- Road hazard accidents. Potholes, uneven pavement joints, loose gravel, oil slicks, debris, and poorly maintained road surfaces pose dangers to motorcyclists that cars and trucks can often navigate without any difficulty whatsoever. When government entities responsible for road maintenance or private property owners fail to address hazardous conditions that cause motorcycle crashes, they may bear legal liability for the injuries riders suffer.
- Door accidents. When drivers or passengers in parked vehicles open their doors directly into the path of approaching motorcyclists, riders may have no opportunity to stop or swerve before colliding with the door and being thrown from their bikes. These crashes occur with troubling frequency on busy Des Moines streets where parallel parking places doors directly adjacent to travel lanes.
Iowa Legal Requirements That Affect Motorcycle Accident Claims
Iowa state law controls how your motorcycle accident case will move through the legal system and what types of compensation you may be able to recover, which makes understanding these legal requirements essential whether your case settles through negotiation or proceeds all the way to trial.
The Filing Deadline That Bars Claims Forever Once It Passes
Under Iowa Code § 614.1, injured motorcycle accident victims have exactly two years from the date their crash occurred to file a lawsuit seeking compensation for their injuries, and families who lose loved ones in fatal motorcycle accidents have two years from the date of death rather than the date of the accident itself to bring wrongful death claims. Once that two-year statutory deadline passes, you completely forfeit your right to sue regardless of how strong your evidence might be, how clearly the other driver was at fault, or how severely your injuries have affected your life.
How Iowa’s Comparative Fault System Reduces Compensation When Riders Share Blame
Iowa follows what attorneys call a modified comparative fault system under Iowa Code § 668.3, and that system permits injured motorcyclists to recover compensation as long as their own percentage of responsibility for causing the accident does not exceed 50 percent. When a jury determines that a rider bears some share of fault for a collision, perhaps because they were exceeding the speed limit or failed to activate turn signals, the total compensation award gets reduced proportionally by that percentage, so a rider awarded $300,000 who is found 25 percent at fault would ultimately receive $225,000 after the reduction.
What Iowa Law Says About Motorcycle Helmets and How That Affects Your Claim
Iowa is one of a handful of states that does not require adult motorcyclists to wear helmets while riding, and Iowa Code § 321.440 goes further by explicitly prohibiting insurance companies and defendants in personal injury lawsuits from using a rider’s choice not to wear a helmet as a basis for reducing compensation. Riders under eighteen years of age must wear helmets under Iowa law, and failure to comply could potentially affect claims involving minor riders.
What Damages Can Motorcycle Accident Victims Recover in Des Moines?
Iowa law permits motorcycle accident victims to pursue compensation across several distinct categories depending on how their crashes happened, what injuries they suffered, how those injuries have affected their lives, and what evidence is available to document their losses.
Economic Damages That Cover Actual Financial Losses
Economic damages compensate injured riders for financial losses that carry specific dollar values which can be documented through medical records, billing statements, pay stubs, tax returns, and similar evidence. Medical expenses typically constitute the largest category of economic damages and include emergency room treatment immediately after crashes, surgical procedures to repair fractures and address internal injuries.
Non-Economic Damages Compensating for Real Harms That Lack Price Tags
Non-economic damages compensate injured riders for genuine harms that do not come with specific dollar values attached but nonetheless significantly diminish quality of life in ways that deserve recognition and compensation. Pain and suffering encompasses the physical pain that riders experience from their injuries along with the discomfort that accompanies medical treatment, surgical procedures, physical therapy sessions, and the overall recovery process.
Punitive Damages That Punish Especially Reckless Conduct
In cases involving particularly outrageous or reckless conduct by defendants, Iowa courts have authority to award punitive damages under Iowa Code § 668A.1 to punish wrongdoers and discourage similar dangerous behavior in the future. Drivers who cause motorcycle accidents while severely intoxicated, while street racing, while fleeing police, or while engaging in other conduct demonstrating complete disregard for the safety of others may face punitive damage awards in addition to compensatory damages covering injured riders’ actual losses.
What Steps Should Motorcycle Accident Victims Take in Des Moines?
The actions that injured riders take during the hours and days immediately following motorcycle accidents can substantially affect their ability to recover fair compensation, which makes it important to understand what steps protect both physical health and legal rights.
- Get yourself out of traffic and away from immediate danger if you are physically able to move without making your injuries worse, positioning yourself somewhere that approaching vehicles will not strike you while you wait for help to arrive.
- Call 911 as quickly as possible to report the accident and request emergency medical assistance for yourself and anyone else who appears injured, understanding that the official police report generated by responding officers will become crucial evidence documenting what happened and supporting your eventual claim.
- Accept medical evaluation and treatment even if you believe your injuries are relatively minor, because motorcycle crashes frequently cause internal injuries, traumatic brain damage, spinal cord problems, and soft tissue injuries that may not produce obvious symptoms until hours or days after collisions occur.
- Document everything you possibly can at the accident scene using your smartphone to photograph vehicle damage, road conditions, traffic signals and signs, skid marks, debris patterns, your visible injuries, and any damage to your helmet and protective riding gear that might indicate the forces involved in the crash.
- Collect contact information from any witnesses who saw the accident happen because their testimony may prove essential later when insurance companies dispute how the crash occurred or attempt to blame you for causing the collision.
- Exchange information with the driver who hit you, including their name, driver’s license number, insurance company and policy number, phone number, and address, while being careful to avoid discussing fault or making any statements that could be interpreted as admitting that you were responsible for what happened.
- Preserve your motorcycle and all riding gear without repairing anything or throwing anything away, because the damage to your bike, helmet, jacket, gloves, and boots serves as important evidence showing the forces involved in the crash and may also reveal defects that contributed to causing your injuries.
- Decline to give recorded statements to insurance adjusters who will likely contact you very quickly after the accident, understanding that you have no legal obligation to provide such statements and that doing so before you fully understand your injuries and legal rights can seriously damage your ability to recover fair compensation.
- Keep detailed records of absolutely everything related to your accident and injuries, including every medical bill, pharmacy receipt, correspondence with insurance companies, and documentation of work you missed, while also maintaining a daily journal that tracks your pain levels, symptoms, and how your injuries affect your ability to perform normal activities.
- Contact a motorcycle accident attorney as soon as you reasonably can because critical evidence tends to disappear quickly as memories fade, witnesses become difficult to locate, surveillance footage gets recorded over, and vehicles are repaired or scrapped before they can be properly inspected.
Iowa Motorcycle Accident Infographic
Motorcycle Accident Statistics in Des Moines and Iowa
Looking at data on motorcycle crash frequency and outcomes helps demonstrate why these accidents deserve serious attention and experienced legal representation.
The Iowa Department of Transportation compiles crash statistics for the entire state, and their data shows that motorcycle accidents result in fatalities and serious injuries at rates dramatically exceeding those for passenger vehicle occupants when calculated on a per-mile-traveled basis.
According to research published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motorcyclists face approximately 29 times greater risk of dying in traffic crashes compared to passenger car occupants when the comparison accounts for miles traveled.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that head injuries remain the leading cause of death in motorcycle crashes despite decades of helmet technology improvements, though injuries to extremities, the spine, and internal organs also contribute substantially to motorcycle crash fatalities and the long-term disabilities that many surviving riders must live with permanently.
The Des Moines metropolitan area creates particular challenges and hazards for motorcyclists because busy arterial roads carrying heavy traffic volumes, complex highway interchanges where vehicles merge at speed, and numerous signalized intersections all create potential conflict points where distracted, inattentive, or impaired drivers may fail to notice riders sharing the roadway with them. The Iowa State Patrol investigates serious motorcycle crashes throughout the region and generates detailed accident reports that often serve as important evidence supporting injury claims.
Des Moines Motorcycle Accident Lawyer FAQs
How much does hiring a Des Moines motorcycle accident attorney cost?
We handle every motorcycle accident case on a contingency fee basis, and that arrangement means you pay nothing whatsoever out of pocket to get started and owe no attorney fees unless we successfully recover compensation on your behalf through settlement or trial verdict.
What is the deadline for filing a motorcycle accident lawsuit in Iowa?
Iowa law gives injured riders two years from the date of their accidents to file personal injury lawsuits, and families bringing wrongful death claims have two years from the date their loved one died rather than the date the accident occurred.
Will the insurance company try to blame me for the accident just because I ride a motorcycle?
Insurance adjusters defending motorcycle accident claims frequently attempt to shift blame onto riders by arguing that motorcyclists were speeding, weaving through traffic, riding aggressively, or otherwise behaving recklessly, and they make these arguments regardless of whether any actual evidence supports such claims. Our attorneys understand these tactics intimately and know exactly how to counter biased arguments with evidence demonstrating that negligent car drivers actually caused the collisions.
Does it hurt my case that I was not wearing a helmet when the accident happened?
Iowa law does not require adult motorcyclists to wear helmets, and state statutes explicitly prohibit defendants and insurance companies from using helmet non-use as a basis for reducing compensation in personal injury cases. Insurance adjusters sometimes improperly attempt to raise helmet issues anyway, and we push back firmly against such arguments whenever they arise.
Can I still recover compensation if I was partially responsible for causing the accident?
Iowa law permits injured riders to recover compensation as long as their share of fault for causing accidents does not exceed 50 percent, though compensation amounts are reduced proportionally by whatever fault percentage juries attribute to riders.
What happens if the driver who hit me did not have insurance or fled the scene?
Riders injured by uninsured drivers or hit-and-run drivers who cannot be identified may recover compensation through the uninsured motorist coverage included in their own motorcycle or auto insurance policies, and we work diligently to identify hit-and-run drivers through investigation whenever possible.
How much compensation can I expect to receive for my motorcycle accident injuries?
Every case is different, and the compensation available depends on factors including how severe your injuries are, how much your medical treatment has cost and will cost in the future, how much income you have lost and will continue to lose, how significantly your injuries have affected your daily life and relationships, and how strong the evidence is against the defendant who caused your crash. We provide honest assessments during free consultations rather than making unrealistic promises.
How long will it take to resolve my motorcycle accident case?
Some cases settle within a few months when liability is clear and insurance companies recognize they cannot win, while other cases require a year or longer to resolve, particularly when injuries are severe, damages are substantial, or defendants actively dispute who caused the accident and how.
What evidence matters most when pursuing a motorcycle accident claim?
Critical evidence in motorcycle accident cases includes official police reports, photographs from the accident scene, statements from witnesses who saw what happened, medical records documenting injuries and treatment, documentation of wages lost during recovery, and physical evidence including damage to motorcycles, helmets, and riding gear.
Should I accept the settlement the insurance company is offering?
You should consult with an attorney before accepting any settlement offer because initial proposals from insurance companies almost always undervalue claims by failing to account for future medical expenses, ongoing disability and limitations, reduced earning capacity, and fair compensation for pain and suffering, and accepting a settlement means permanently surrendering your right to seek additional compensation later.
Dangerous Locations for Motorcycle Accidents in Des Moines
Certain areas throughout the Des Moines metropolitan region experience elevated concentrations of motorcycle accidents because of traffic patterns, road configurations, and conditions that create particular hazards for riders on two-wheeled vehicles.
Interstate 235 curves through central Des Moines with limited shoulders, relatively tight curves for an interstate highway, and heavy traffic volumes mixing daily commuters with commercial trucks, and those factors combine to create genuinely dangerous conditions for motorcyclists navigating alongside larger vehicles that may not see them.
Interstate 80/35 includes major interchange areas where heavy merging traffic creates situations in which drivers focused on finding gaps to change lanes frequently fail to check adequately for motorcycles traveling in blind spots, and the sideswiping crashes that result can prove devastating for riders at highway speeds.
University Avenue and Grand Avenue both carry heavy commuter traffic through commercial districts where parallel-parked cars, delivery vehicles blocking lanes, pedestrians crossing streets, and vehicles turning into parking lots and driveways create complex hazard environments requiring motorcycle riders to remain constantly alert.
Important Local Resources for Motorcycle Accident Victims in Des Moines
This list is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute an endorsement by Law Group of Iowa.
- Polk County Sheriff’s Office – (515) 286-3333
- Iowa State Patrol – (515) 725-6090
- Iowa Department of Transportation – (515) 239-1101
- Iowa Motor Vehicle Division – (515) 244-8725
- MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center – (515) 247-3121
- Broadlawns Medical Center – (515) 282-2200
- Iowa Insurance Division – (515) 281-5705
Law Group of Iowa, Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
699 Walnut Street, Des Moines, IA 50309
Contact Law Group of Iowa
A motorcycle accident can fundamentally change the entire trajectory of your life in an instant, leaving you with painful injuries that require months of treatment, medical bills that keep arriving faster than you can process them, income that stops coming because your injuries prevent you from working, and insurance companies that seem far more interested in protecting their profits than fairly compensating you for everything you have lost.
If you or someone close to you has been injured in a motorcycle accident anywhere in Des Moines or the surrounding communities, contact us today to schedule your free consultation and discover how we can help you pursue the compensation you rightfully deserve.
