Finding the 'right' attorney for your case

The lawyer responsible for the above quote is Claude Wyle, a California attorney and member of the Advocate Law Group network who has been practicing motorcycle law, and riding, for 25 years – and what he says is true. However, aside from talking, finding a lawyer with experience in the type of case that you have is what really makes all the difference. Wyle provided the following advice on hiring a motorcycle accident attorney:

You should ask a lawyer specifically how many motorcycle cases they've handled and what kind of percentage of cases they have for two-wheel vehicles. It also helps if this motorcycle lawyer actually rides. And I don't mean, "Yeah, I had a bike when I was back in college for six months. I crashed it and stopped riding." Do these motorcycle lawyers really ride? It's an important question because you've got to learn the dynamics of how a motorcycle works in order to explain them to other people.

In our firm, we've had many track days. My assistant actually teaches motorcycle safety and teaches people how to ride. I've been riding two-wheel motorized vehicles since about age 12 or so and I still do. I just got back from a thousand mile trip just Sunday night. I continue to go to the races. I continue to read about motorcycles. I continue to fiend about what kind of new bike I would want, what I can do to my motorcycle to make it run better and I continue to think about motorcycling all the time as does my partner and my assistant. In my opinion, that's the kind of lawyer you want handling a motorcycle case.

Knowledge, experience and information – is power

According to Wyle, some cases are so easy that any lawyer can handle them. However, motorcycle accident cases don't generally fit that mold. He explained, "Even a left turn in front of a motorcycle case has elements and dynamics that are different from a car crash and a motorcycle lawyer will have the advantage over the other side. That is important. The insurance companies and all the defendants bring a tremendous amount of resources to bear against the injured motorcyclist."

"Our greatest power is knowledge, right? Knowledge is power. Experience is power. Information is power. The 'right' lawyer will have the power to combat the resources that the other side has and if you have a lawyer who knows more about motorcycling and motorcycle accidents then their lawyer does, you have an advantage that will help you in the long run."

If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle or bicycle accident, contact an attorney whose practice focuses in this area of law. Click here, for a free consultation with a motorcycle accident attorney.