Brookline Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Were you injured in a motorcycle accident in Brookline, MA?

At Fogelman Law LLC, we are plaintiff-focused motorcycle accident lawyers preparing every case with experience and dedication.

If you were hurt in a motorcycle accident in Brookline, a lawyer can pursue compensation from the driver whose negligence caused the crash. Our Brookline, MA motorcycle accident lawyer gathers the evidence that establishes fault, calculates the full cost of your injuries, and negotiates with every insurer involved.

Our firm has represented injured Massachusetts residents since 2010, and the attorneys who handle our motorcycle cases bring a combined 37 years of legal practice. We accept these cases on contingency. Contact us for a free consultation about your claim.

Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Brookline, MA

More than 1,800 crashes occurred on Brookline’s streets between 2019 and 2023, injuring over 350 people and killing three, according to the Town’s Vision Zero Action Plan.

A motorcycle accident lawyer represents riders and passengers injured by careless drivers, negligent companies, or dangerous road conditions. The role differs from ordinary car accident work in one important respect. Insurers frequently assume that a rider was speeding or weaving, and that assumption can reduce an offer before any evidence is reviewed. Part of why riders hire counsel is to replace that assumption with facts drawn from the scene, the vehicles, and the witnesses. On Brookline roads shared by commuter traffic, trolley tracks, and crowded commercial districts, those facts often decide the case.

Types of Motorcycle Accident Cases We Handle in Brookline

Many motorcycle crashes in Brookline begin with a driver who failed to see the rider. We represent motorcyclists and their passengers in each of the following situations, and the circumstances of the crash guide how we build the case.

• Left-turn collisions. A driver turning across oncoming traffic often misjudges a motorcycle’s speed or fails to notice it entirely. Left-turn crashes generally depend on the driver’s duty to yield, and we document sight lines and signal phases to prove it.
• Lane-change collisions. Drivers who merge without checking their mirrors force riders out of their lane or strike them directly. MassDOT urges drivers to look twice for motorcycles before changing lanes, and damage patterns and camera footage frequently contradict a driver’s claim that the motorcycle appeared suddenly.
• Rear-end collisions. A low-speed impact that barely marks a car bumper can throw a rider to the pavement. We rely on medical records rather than photographs of the vehicle to show the true extent of the harm.
• Dooring incidents. A parked driver who opens a door into traffic leaves a rider no room to stop. These claims often depend on where the vehicle was parked and whether the driver checked before opening the door.
• Road hazard crashes. Potholes, loose gravel, and the Green Line tracks along Beacon Street can destabilize a motorcycle. Responsibility may rest with a public agency or a contractor, and claims against public entities follow procedures that differ from ordinary insurance claims.
• Truck accidents. A collision with a delivery or commercial truck typically produces severe injuries. We identify the trucking company, the vehicle owner, and any contractor whose conduct contributed to the crash.
• Hit-and-run crashes. A driver who flees leaves the rider without an obvious source of payment. We search for camera footage and witnesses, and we evaluate the coverage available under the rider’s own policy.
• Moped and scooter crashes. Riders of smaller motorized vehicles face the same hazards as motorcyclists with even less protection. The negligence principles that govern their claims are the same, and we pursue full compensation for these riders with the same attention to evidence.
• Passenger injuries. A passenger rarely bears any responsibility for a crash. Passengers may have claims against the other driver and, in some circumstances, against the operator of the motorcycle, and each claim may draw on a separate insurance policy.

Why Choose Fogelman Law LLC as my Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Brookline, MA?

Results for Clients With Serious Injuries

Our firm has recovered millions of dollars for injured clients. Serious-injury results include:

• An $11.5 million settlement for a truck driver paralyzed when cargo fell on him during a delivery
• A $1 million policy-limits settlement for a lawyer severely injured by a car while jogging
• A trial verdict against State Farm for a woman who suffered a concussion when another car struck her vehicle
• A recovery for a moped rider who was doored by a commercial vehicle

Attorneys Who Represent Injured Riders

Jeffrey Simons has spent 14 years representing people injured by negligent drivers. A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and a member of the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys, he is admitted to practice in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. Matthew Fogelman has practiced law for 23 years, is admitted in Massachusetts and New York, and founded the firm in 2010. Both attorneys handle the firm’s motorcycle cases.

Riders who retain us pay nothing unless we recover compensation. That arrangement, combined with a willingness to take cases to trial, is what injured motorcyclists should expect from a personal injury lawyer in Brookline, MA.

Understanding Motorcycle Accident Cases

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Motorcycle Accident Cases

A motorcycle claim can include several forms of compensation:

• Medical care: Emergency treatment, surgeries, skin grafts, rehabilitation, and care that will be needed in the future.
• Income and earning capacity: Wages lost during recovery, along with reduced earnings when an injury limits the work a rider can perform.
• Pain and suffering: Physical pain, emotional distress, and diminished quality of life. Under G.L. c. 231, § 6D, recovery for pain and suffering in a motor vehicle case requires more than $2,000 in reasonable medical expenses, unless the injury involves a fracture, permanent and serious disfigurement, loss of a body member, certain loss of sight or hearing, or death.
• Motorcycle and gear: Repair or replacement of the motorcycle, helmet, protective clothing, and custom components.

Severe injuries may also support a claim for permanent disability compensation. Liability follows the same negligence principles that govern a Brookline car accident claim. Under G.L. c. 231, § 85, a rider who shares some fault may still recover, provided that fault is not greater than the combined fault of the defendants, with the award reduced by the rider’s percentage.

What Are Important Aspects of a Motorcycle Accident Case?

Motorcycle cases raise issues that rarely arise when two cars collide. The following points often determine the outcome:

• Establishing who is at fault usually requires physical evidence, because a rider’s account is often discounted.
• Riding without a helmet does not automatically bar a claim, although insurers frequently raise the issue.
• Thorough medical documentation matters because some injuries, including brain and spinal injuries, develop over days or weeks.
• Most lawsuits must be filed within three years after the claim accrues under G.L. c. 260, § 2A.

What Is The Motorcycle Accident Case Timeline?

The length of a case depends on the severity of the injuries and whether fault is contested. A motorcycle claim generally proceeds in this order:

• Preservation of the motorcycle, gear, and scene evidence
• Treatment until the rider’s physicians can assess long-term limitations
• Submission of a demand to the responsible insurers
• Settlement negotiations, and a lawsuit when negotiations do not produce a fair result
• Discovery, depositions, mediation, and trial if necessary

What Should You Bring to Your Motorcycle Accident Consultation?

Specific records help us assess fault and damages during the first meeting. Please bring any of the following that are available:

• Photographs of the motorcycle, your helmet and gear, and the crash location
• Repair estimates or a total-loss valuation for the motorcycle
• Your motorcycle insurance policy and any correspondence from insurers
• A list of the physicians and facilities that have treated you

At the consultation, an attorney will discuss how the crash occurred, the insurance that may apply, and the options available to you.

Most Dangerous Locations for Motorcycle Accidents in Brookline

A regional Route 9 corridor study examined crash patterns and traffic volumes along Brookline’s busiest state road.

Dangerous streets and intersections

• Route 9 at Dunster Road: The study identified a high number of pedestrian crossings and a relatively high number of crashes at this crosswalk, where sudden stops create rear-end risk for riders.
• Washington Street through Brookline Village: Several streets and the Route 9 corridor converge near the Green Line stop, creating frequent merging and turning conflicts.
• Harvard Street through Coolidge Corner: Bus stops, deliveries, and turning vehicles crowd a dense commercial district.

Dangerous highways

• Route 9 (Boylston Street): Heavy left-turn volumes at intersections such as Lee Street cross the path of fast through traffic.
• Route 1 along the Jamaicaway and Riverway: Winding parkway lanes on Brookline’s eastern border leave little margin for a rider when a driver drifts.

Reach Out to Fogelman Law LLC to Schedule a Consultation

Riders injured in Brookline can meet with a motorcycle accident attorney from Fogelman Law LLC for a free consultation. We will review the crash, your injuries, and the coverage that may apply, then explain the claims available to you. There are no fees unless we win. You can reach our office at any hour through our live call answering service. Contact us to arrange a meeting.