Parker & McConkie’s Salt Lake City motorcycle accident lawyers represent riders injured by negligent drivers across Salt Lake County and the Wasatch Front.
We handle motorcycle accident claims involving cars, trucks, commercial vehicles, and rideshare drivers under Utah law, while protecting riders from the unfair bias they often face from insurance companies.
Motorcycle collisions often leave riders facing life-altering injuries, from shattered bones and brain trauma to spinal cord damage and painful, disfiguring road rash. Insurers often try to blame riders or argue they accepted the risks of the road.
Our Salt Lake City motorcycle accident attorneys advocate for injured motorcyclists and pursue the compensation available under Utah law. Call 833-STANDUP for a free consultation, or visit our office at 466 S. 500 E., Suite 100, Salt Lake City, UT 84102.
We help everyday people stand up for What's Right.
Why Hire Parker & McConkie After a Salt Lake City Motorcycle Crash?
Motorcycle injury claims follow a different legal path than passenger-vehicle cases in Utah and require an understanding of how insurance adjusters characterize rider behavior to limit liability.
Our firm has handled motorcycle accident cases throughout Salt Lake County, the Wasatch Front, and across Utah's five-state regional footprint for years.
Salt Lake City motorcycle accident lawyers at Parker & McConkie appear in Third District Court and in federal court in the District of Utah when jurisdiction calls for it.
One important difference is that motorcycles generally are not subject to Utah’s Personal Injury Protection (PIP) system that applies to many passenger-vehicle claims.
That changes the insurance landscape, the threshold analysis, and the route to recovery in ways many general practitioners miss.
What Our Motorcycle Crash Practice Brings to the Table
- Team members familiar with motorcycle operation and motorcycle collision dynamics
- Crash investigation that accounts for lane position, throttle, and braking evidence
- Direct work with accident reconstruction professionals on serious-injury cases
- Knowledge of the helmet, gear, and lane-splitting issues adjusters raise to assign fault
- Preparation for litigation when necessary, rather than waiting until settlement discussions stall
Insurance companies may evaluate claims differently when they are supported by substantial documentation and litigation preparation. Litigation readiness may affect how insurers evaluate settlement discussions, depending on the facts of the case.
Why Are Motorcycle Accidents in Salt Lake City Often More Serious?
Motorcycle crashes in the Salt Lake area tend to produce more severe injuries than other vehicle collisions because riders lack the steel cage, airbags, and seatbelts that protect occupants of passenger vehicles.
A collision that might only rattle a sedan driver can leave a motorcyclist seriously injured and in the hospital. Insurance adjusters exploit that disparity by portraying the motorcycle itself as the danger, instead of focusing on the negligent driver who caused the crash.
Driver Conduct That Frequently Causes Motorcycle Crashes
- Left-turn drivers who fail to yield to oncoming motorcycles at intersections
- Lane-change collisions where the driver did not check the bike's blind spot
- Tailgating that gives the driver no time to react when traffic slows
- Distracted driving on canyon roads and interstate stretches around Salt Lake County
- Impaired driving on weekend evenings when riders are out in greater numbers
The common pattern across these crashes is a driver who did not see, or did not look for, the motorcycle. Utah law requires drivers to share the road with motorcyclists, and drivers who fail to observe an approaching motorcycle may still be found negligent.
What Salt Lake City Motorcycle Accident Cases Does Parker & McConkie Handle?
Our Salt Lake City motorcycle accident lawyers handle the full range of two-wheeled crash claims, from solo rider injuries caused by hazardous roads to fatal collisions on I-15 and Parley's Canyon. Each crash pattern brings its own evidence priorities and insurance dynamics.
Motorcycle Crash Types We Take On
- Left-turn collisions, often at intersections like 700 East and 2100 South
- Rear-end crashes from inattentive drivers on State Street and surface roads
- Lane-change and merging crashes on I-15, I-80, and I-215
- Crashes involving commercial vehicles and semi-trucks
- Hit-and-run motorcycle cases where the at-fault driver fled the scene
- Dooring incidents along downtown corridors and parking-heavy streets
- Roadway-defect cases involving potholes, debris, or poorly marked construction zones
- Multi-vehicle pileups on Wasatch Front interstates during winter weather
- Wrongful death cases after a fatal motorcycle collision
A roadway-defect case may involve a government entity, which triggers its own notice rules. A commercial vehicle case pulls in Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration data and a different layer of insurance. The legal approach changes with the facts.
What Should I Know About Utah Motorcycle Insurance Laws?
Utah motorcycle insurance rules differ from passenger-vehicle rules in one major way: motorcycles are not covered by the Personal Injury Protection system that handles initial medical bills after a car crash.
Utah Code § 31A-22-302 carves motorcycles out of the PIP requirement, so motorcyclists may not collect no-fault benefits for injuries sustained while operating the bike. That exemption changes the legal route in two important ways.
Because motorcycles generally are not subject to Utah’s no-fault threshold system, injured riders may pursue liability claims against at-fault parties without first satisfying the injury threshold applicable to many passenger-vehicle claims.
Second, motorcyclists rely more heavily on the at-fault driver's liability coverage, their own health insurance, and any uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage they carry.
Coverage Layers That Often Apply After a Motorcycle Crash
- The at-fault driver's bodily injury liability policy
- The rider's own health insurance for initial medical bills
- Uninsured motorist coverage on the rider's auto or motorcycle policy
- Underinsured motorist coverage when the at-fault policy is too small
- MedPay coverage if the rider purchased it as an optional add-on
A Salt Lake City motorcycle accident lawyer maps these layers early, which may identify additional insurance coverage or benefits that could apply.
Whether multiple uninsured motorist (UM) or underinsured motorist (UIM) policies or coverages apply depends on Utah law, the policy language, household relationships, and anti-stacking provisions.
What Damages May a Salt Lake City Motorcycle Accident Claim Recover?
A Utah motorcycle accident claim may recover both economic and non-economic damages. Because Utah’s no-fault threshold generally does not apply to motorcyclists, injured riders may pursue available economic and non-economic damages directly against the at-fault party.
Categories of Damages Available After a Motorcycle Wreck
- Past and future medical expenses, including surgery, hospitalization, and rehab
- Lost income and reduced earning capacity for riders who cannot return to work
- Pain and suffering tied to the physical injuries and the trauma of the crash
- Emotional distress, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress symptoms
- Damage to the motorcycle, gear, helmet, and electronics
- Disfigurement and permanent scarring damages where road rash leaves marks
- Future life-care costs for catastrophic injuries such as traumatic brain injury
Utah follows a modified comparative negligence rule under Utah Code § 78B-5-818, meaning recovery is available as long as the rider's share of fault stays below 50 percent, with the award reduced by the rider's percentage.
Adjusters routinely argue partial rider fault based on speed, lane position, or gear choices, which makes the liability investigation worth as much attention as the injury documentation.
How Long Do You Have to File a Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit in Utah?
Utah generally allows four years from the date of the crash to file a motorcycle accident personal injury lawsuit under Utah Code § 78B-2-307.
Wrongful death claims following a fatal motorcycle crash carry a shorter two-year deadline from the date of death. Claims involving government entities may involve specialized notice requirements, procedural rules, and shortened filing deadlines under Utah law.
Timing Issues to Track in a Utah Motorcycle Case
- General motorcycle injury claim: generally 4 years from the date of the crash
- Wrongful death from a fatal motorcycle crash: generally 2 years from the date of death
- Claims involving a government entity may be subject to shortened notice requirements and filing deadlines under Utah law, including deadlines that may apply within one year
- Property damage to the motorcycle and gear: generally 3 years
Four years sounds like plenty of time, then disappears once medical treatment stretches out and insurance correspondence drags.
Reaching a Salt Lake City motorcycle accident attorney within the first weeks helps protect evidence such as scene photos, vehicle data, and witness statements before time erodes them.
FAQs for Salt Lake City Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
How long do I have to file a motorcycle accident claim in Utah?
Utah generally allows four years from the date of injury to file a motorcycle accident personal injury lawsuit under Utah Code § 78B-2-307. Wrongful death claims carry a two-year deadline from the date of death.
Government claims require notice within one year and a lawsuit within two years. Confirm the specific deadline that applies to your situation with a Utah attorney.
Does no-fault insurance apply to motorcycle accidents in Utah?
No. Utah Code § 31A-22-302 exempts motorcycles from the Personal Injury Protection requirement, so motorcyclists do not receive PIP benefits for injuries sustained while operating the bike.
Because Utah’s no-fault threshold generally does not apply to motorcyclists, injured riders may pursue available economic and non-economic damages directly against the at-fault party.
What types of motorcycle accident cases does the firm handle?
Our Salt Lake City motorcycle accident lawyers handle left-turn crashes, rear-end collisions, lane-change incidents, hit-and-run cases, crashes involving commercial vehicles, roadway-defect claims, multi-vehicle pileups, and wrongful death cases following fatal motorcycle wrecks.
Each crash pattern brings its own evidence priorities and insurance considerations.
What is my Salt Lake City motorcycle accident case worth?
Motorcycle claim values depend on injury severity, total medical costs, lost income, the long-term effect on daily life, and the conduct of the at-fault driver.
Cases involving traumatic brain injuries, spinal damage, or permanent disability project far larger losses than minor injury cases.
A free consultation lets our team apply those factors to the specific facts. Outcomes vary case by case.
Will my motorcycle accident case go to trial?
Most Salt Lake City motorcycle accident cases settle before trial. Trial readiness still affects the settlement, because insurance carriers tend to value claims differently when the file shows an attorney prepared to take the case in front of a jury.
Our team builds every case with that posture in mind.
How much does a Salt Lake City motorcycle accident lawyer cost?
The firm handles motorcycle accident cases on a contingency basis, so attorney fees come due only if we obtain a recovery on your behalf. Litigation costs and expenses may apply regardless of outcome, and we walk through that structure before any engagement begins.
The first conversation is free, and nothing about scheduling that conversation commits you to hiring the firm.
Will Utah's helmet law affect my case if I was not wearing one?
Utah requires riders under 21 to wear a helmet, but adult riders may legally ride without one. For adult riders, choosing not to wear a helmet does not automatically establish negligence under Utah law, though insurers and defense counsel may still argue it affected the severity of certain injuries.
Insurance adjusters often raise the issue anyway, and the strength of that argument turns on the type of injury, the medical evidence, and whether helmet use would have changed the outcome.
The at-fault driver's insurance offered to settle. Should I take it?
Many motorcycle accident settlement offers arrive before the injured rider fully understands the long-term impact of the crash.
Insurance adjusters may attempt to resolve claims early, before ongoing medical complications, future treatment needs, lost earning capacity, or the full extent of traumatic brain, spinal, or orthopedic injuries become clear.
A Salt Lake City motorcycle accident attorney compares the offer to documented medical costs, projected future care, and lost income before recommending acceptance or rejection.
What if the other driver was uninsured?
You may still have a path to recovery. Uninsured motorist coverage on your motorcycle policy, your auto policy, or another household policy often steps in to cover injuries caused by an uninsured driver.
Whether multiple UM or UIM policies may apply depends on the policy language and Utah insurance law. Our firm reviews applicable insurance policies to identify potential coverage issues and available benefits.
Get a Free Salt Lake City Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Consultation Today
Motorcyclists carry a unique disadvantage in the insurance system. The same physics that leaves a rider more exposed also leaves the rider more vulnerable to fault-shifting arguments built on stereotypes about who chooses to ride.
A Salt Lake City motorcycle accident lawyer levels that conversation by handling the legal narrative directly, with engineering analysis and medical evidence rather than assumptions.
Talk with a Salt Lake City motorcycle accident attorney at Parker & McConkie. Call 833-STANDUP, or come by 466 S. 500 E., Suite 100, Salt Lake City, UT 84102, for a free case review.