Winston-Salem: Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Our Fee is 25% of Settlement
Winston-Salem Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
If you were hurt in a motorcycle crash in Winston-Salem, the attorney you choose will shape every part of your recovery, from the medical bills that pile up in the first weeks to the settlement number an insurance adjuster eventually pays to stop us from filing suit. Nagle & Associates, P.A. is a Winston-Salem motorcycle accident law firm built around a simple idea: riders deserve a lawyer who rides, who knows how insurance carriers operate from the inside, and who does nothing but pursue legal claims arising from roadway crashes. Below, we explain why that focus matters, what North Carolina law means for your claim, and what to expect if you decide to work with us.
Reviews & Testimonials
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Why Winston-Salem Riders Choose Nagle & Associates
That focus is even sharper when it comes to motorcycles. Carl Nagle is a motorcycle rider who personally handles every motorcycle accident case the firm takes on. He understands how a bike handles in urgent circumstances, how a driver’s failure to yield can ruin a rider’s life in an instant, and how quickly insurance companies try to blame the motorcyclist for a crash that was not their fault. They do this because under NC law, if the biker is just 1% at fault, he/she has no claims and no right to be compensated.
Founder Carl Nagle is a former insurance claims adjuster and former insurance defense attorney, giving the firm firsthand knowledge of how adjusters value, contest, and minimize claims. He once handled these cases for the other side, so he knows the tactics adjusters use to talk riders out of full compensation, and he knows how to counter them.
Our Winston-Salem Office
Our Winston-Salem personal injury office is located at 380 Knollwood St, Suite 320, Winston-Salem, NC 27103. Call (336) 723-4500 or (800) 411-1583 for a free consultation. We also offer home and hospital visits for injured motorcycle riders who cannot travel while recovering from a serious injury.
North Carolina Motorcycle Accident Laws You Should Know
North Carolina has the harshest negligence law in the country. Only four states and the District of Columbia still follow the law of pure contributory negligence. Under this rule, if you are found even slightly at fault for the crash (even just 1%), you can be barred from recovering any payment from the at-fault driver. Insurance adjusters know this, and they routinely try to pin some fraction of blame on the motorcyclist, even when the facts do not support it. This is one of the biggest reasons riders need a lawyer who understands motorcycle dynamics and NC accident law before they start cooperating with any adjuster.
Other rules that affect motorcycle claims in North Carolina include:
- Riders and passengers must wear a DOT-compliant helmet at all times.
- Lane splitting is not permitted in North Carolina, where drivers are required to stay within a single lane under the state’s lane-use rules in N.C.G.S. 20-146.
- Motorcycles are entitled to a full lane of travel, and other drivers must respect all of that space.
- Injury claims generally must be filed within three years of the crash, while a wrongful death claim arising from a fatal motorcycle crash must be filed within two years under the North Carolina Wrongful Death Act.
Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem’s mix of highway interchanges, downtown intersections, and busy commuter corridors like Salem Parkway (formerly Business 40), Peters Creek Parkway, and University Parkway creates real hazards for riders. The crashes we see most often include:
- Left-turning vehicles that fail to yield to an oncoming motorcycle
- Distracted or texting drivers who do not see a rider until it is too late
- Drivers who change lanes without checking their blind spot for a motorcycle
- Road hazards such as potholes, gravel, or uneven pavement that a car would absorb but a motorcycle cannot
- Rear-end collisions at stoplights along busy corridors
If alcohol played a role in your crash, our drunk driving accident attorneys can also help build your case for additional compensation, including punitive damage claims against the drunk driver.
Injuries Common in Motorcycle Crashes
Riders have almost no protection compared to someone inside a car, so injuries from bike crashes tend to be severe. We regularly handle cases involving traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage, road rash requiring skin grafts, fractures, internal organ injury, and amputation. Some crashes are fatal. Whatever the severity, the medical evidence in your case has to be documented carefully and tied directly to the collision, because insurance companies look for any reason to argue that an injury was pre-existing or unrelated. With over 30 years only handing serious injury cases, we have deep and extremely valuable medical experience. We will build a medical case that motivates the highest tax-free payment for your injuries and suffering.
What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident in Winston-Salem
- Get medical attention immediately, even if you feel like you can walk away from the scene. Adrenaline can mask serious injuries.
- Call the police and make sure an official crash report is filed.
- Photograph the scene, your bike, your gear, and your injuries if you are able to.
- Get contact information from any witnesses. Police officers often fail to do this.
- Avoid giving a recorded statement to any insurance company before speaking with a lawyer. Claims adjusters are only working to minimize your injury claims.
- Contact our office for a free consultation as soon as possible. We are here to provide answers and guidance, even if you prefer not to hire a lawyer. We also stand ready to take over your legal case and handle everything for you.
What Compensation Can You Recover
North Carolina law allows a motorcycle accident victim to pursue payment for medical expenses, future medical needs, lost wages, lost future earning capacity, and additional tax-free payment for past and future pain and suffering, permanency of injury, scarring or disfigurement, and loss of quality of life. Our fee is 25 percent of any settlement, well below the 33.3 percent that most personal injury firms charge. Carl Nagle set our fee there deliberately. Riders already start these claims at a disadvantage, with adjusters looking for a way to blame them for the crash, and we are not going to take a third of what a rider finally recovers after that fight. We also advance all case costs on your behalf, including accident reconstruction when an insurer disputes how the crash happened. Those costs come out of the recovery at the end of the case, and if we do not win, we absorb them. If your case involves an at-fault driver with little or no insurance, our team can also help you to access multiple policies and pursue payment from your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.
Why Carl’s Motorcycle Riding Experience Matters
A general personal injury attorney might not understand how a bike handles during sudden braking, and a non-rider might not know how to fight back against an adjuster’s improper assertion of contributory negligence. Carl has been riding for over forty years, and he takes care of fellow bikers. Our pure focus on roadway accident law is another weapon we bring into every bike accident case. You can read more about our approach and background on our Meet Carl Nagle page and our Why Choose Us page, or see our full North Carolina motorcycle accident attorneys overview.
Results and Client Reviews
Injured bikers want to know that we can win big for them. Our firm has recovered more than $850 million for car, truck, motorcycle, and roadway accident victims across North Carolina. You can review some of our actual case outcomes on our results page, and read what past clients, including motorcycle accident victimss, have said about working with us on our testimonials page. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome. Every case is different and depends on its own facts, injuries, and available insurance coverage.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to hire a Winston-Salem motorcycle accident lawyer?
Nothing up front. Our fee is 25 percent of any settlement, compared to the 33.3 percent most injury firms charge, and you owe us nothing unless and until we recover money for you. With our lower fee percentage, you keep a larger share of your injury settlement.
Will I be blamed for the crash because I was on a motorcycle?
Insurance adjusters often try to shift blame onto the rider, especially since North Carolina’s contributory negligence rule can bar recovery if you are found even slightly at fault. This is exactly why it helps to have a lawyer who rides and understands motorcycle dynamics.
What if the driver who hit me did not have enough insurance?
You likely will be able to collect additional cash benefits under your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, and additional benefits from every other separate auto policy held by anyone related to you by blood or marriage who lived at your address on the accident date.
How long do I have to file a motorcycle accident claim in North Carolina?
Generally three years from the date of the crash for injury claims to properly file your l lawsuit against all responsible parties, and two years to file a timely wrongful death lawsuit under the North Carolina Wrongful Death Act. Waiting too long can result in total loss/forfeiture of your legal claims.
Do I need to go to court?
Most cases settle without a lawsuit being filed. We prepare every case as though it is going to trial, which puts pressure on the insurance company to offer a fair settlement, but litigation is not required in most bike injury cases.
Why should I hire a motorcycle rider as my lawyer instead of a general injury attorney?
Carl Nagle personally handles every motorcycle case our firm takes, and as a rider himself, he understands the mechanics of a motorcycle crash in a way a non-rider will not. Combined with his background as a former insurance adjuster and insurance defense attorney, that experience gives Winston-Salem riders an advantage when negotiating with insurance carriers.
Talk to a Winston-Salem Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Today
If you or a family member was hurt in a motorcycle crash in Winston-Salem, We invite you to call Carl right away. You will learn how to protect and enforce your legal rights, and how to fund medical needs and protect your family’s finances. For help with your motorcycle accident injury case, please contact our Winston-Salem office for a free, no-obligation consultation at (336) 723-4500 or (800) 411-1583.
