[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.marksandharrison.com\/blog\/do-i-need-a-lawyer-for-a-motorcycle-accident-in-virginia\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.marksandharrison.com\/blog\/do-i-need-a-lawyer-for-a-motorcycle-accident-in-virginia\/","headline":"Do I Need a Lawyer for a Motorcycle Accident in Virginia?","name":"Do I Need a Lawyer for a Motorcycle Accident in Virginia?","description":"Most motorcycle owners know that there are inherent risks that come with riding, largely due to the lack of protective structure or safety systems that occupants of passenger vehicles have. However, there are often additional concerns riders may not have considered until after they\u2019ve been involved in an accident. If you\u2019re an avid rider, you [&hellip;]","datePublished":"2020-07-09","dateModified":"2026-04-03","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.marksandharrison.com\/blog\/author\/gregory_hooe\/#Person","name":"Gregory S. Hooe","url":"https:\/\/www.marksandharrison.com\/blog\/author\/gregory_hooe\/","identifier":9,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/61bc7fbb2b010287a61d6792ea1dba2ad215e18e4f5365faff3af1528622ef06?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/61bc7fbb2b010287a61d6792ea1dba2ad215e18e4f5365faff3af1528622ef06?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Marks & Harrison","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.marksandharrison.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/logo.png","url":"https:\/\/www.marksandharrison.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/logo.png","width":235,"height":87}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.marksandharrison.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/motorcycle-accident-in-VA.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.marksandharrison.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/motorcycle-accident-in-VA.jpg","height":627,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/www.marksandharrison.com\/blog\/do-i-need-a-lawyer-for-a-motorcycle-accident-in-virginia\/","about":["Motorcycle Accidents"],"wordCount":1085,"articleBody":"Most motorcycle owners know that there are inherent risks that come with riding, largely due to the lack of protective structure or safety systems that occupants of passenger vehicles have. However, there are often additional concerns riders may not have considered until after they\u2019ve been involved in an accident.If you\u2019re an avid rider, you probably know that motorcyclists often face more serious injuries than drivers of other motor vehicles. You may not know, however, that drivers and their insurance companies will often try to place some or all of the blame for the crash on the motorcyclist by using unfair prejudices.The other driver who was involved in a crash and their insurer may argue that you caused or contributed to the accident. That\u2019s their attempt to avoid paying for the crash, even if your injuries were actually their fault.Don\u2019t let them get away with it. You need a lawyer to stand up for your rights and set the story straight. Your lawyer can investigate what happened and determine really who caused the crash and should be held liable.So, if you\u2019re asking yourself, \u201cDo I need a lawyer for a motorcycle accident in Virginia?\u201d the answer is yes. The motorcycle accident attorneys at Marks &amp; Harrison know Virginia state law inside and out. They can help you seek the compensation you deserve and move on from your motorcycle crash.Call us or contact us online now for a free consultation.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat Should I Do If I Was Involved in a Motorcycle Accident in Virginia?Immediately after the crash, your first priority must be safety. If you\u2019re able to move safely, you should clear your vehicle off of the road. Make sure everyone else involved in the crash is accounted for and safe. If anyone is injured, call 911 for emergency support. Even if the damage is minor, it\u2019s a good idea to report the crash to a non-emergency line.It\u2019s important to avoid having an adversarial conversation at the scene of the crash. Don\u2019t yell at the other driver or try to blame them. On the other hand, don\u2019t apologize or accept blame. Whatever you say in this moment could be used against you by the other driver\u2019s insurance company to make you look at fault.Take photographs of the scene and the vehicles involved if you can. And be sure to get contact information from everyone there, including uninvolved witnesses. If you didn\u2019t need emergency treatment, seek medical attention as soon as possible. You need a thorough checkup to make sure you don\u2019t miss serious, invisible injuries, like a concussion.Contact a lawyer at\u00a0Marks &amp; Harrison\u00a0as soon as you are able.Can I Still Recover Damages Even If I Was Partially Responsible for the Virginia Motorcycle Accident?In most states, you can recover damages after you\u2019re injured in an accident, even if it was partially your fault. Unfortunately, under Virginia state law, you can\u2019t do that.Virginia uses what\u2019s called \u201ccontributory negligence,\u201d which means that if you\u2019re found to have contributed at all to the cause of the crash, you can\u2019t hold another person responsible for the damages you suffered. That means you\u2019ll be stuck with expensive medical and mechanic bills without any insurance payout from the person who hurt you.Virginia\u2019s contributory negligence laws make it especially important to hire an experienced lawyer immediately after your crash to ensure you aren\u2019t unfairly blamed for the crash.How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit for My Virginia Motorcycle Accident?In Virginia, you generally have only\u00a0two years from the date of the accident\u00a0to file a motorcycle accident lawsuit. If you miss the deadline \u2013 known as the statute of limitations \u2013 you will most likely be unable to seek the compensation you deserve.It\u2019s a good idea to get in touch with an attorney as soon as possible so that they can build a thorough case on your behalf and pursue your claim in a timely fashion.What Are the Rights of an Injured Virginia Motorcyclist?You have the right to seek compensation when someone recklessly or negligently causes a motorcycle crash that injures you. Motorcyclists are often unjustly blamed for crashes they didn\u2019t cause. You don\u2019t have to just accept the insurance company\u2019s position that you shouldn\u2019t get anything. You have the right to seek damages from the person who hurt you. A good attorney can help you prove that the driver who hit you was at fault and that their insurer should cover your losses.How Can a Lawyer Help with My Virginia Motorcycle Accident Case?Medical bills are expensive. Motorcyclists often suffer serious injuries because they are unprotected from the heavy vehicles that hit them. Injuries like broken bones, paralysis, and traumatic brain injures require long-term treatment. You might have to miss work for weeks or months. Maybe you\u2019ll never be able to earn a paycheck again.When you suffer consequences like these, you deserve compensation for damages from the irresponsible party who caused them.If you\u2019ve never been in a motorcycle crash before, you may think that your insurance policy will automatically cover what you need. Unfortunately, that\u2019s not true. You could win economic and non-economic damages once your lawyer proves that the person who hurt you was liable for your injuries. Their insurance company could be forced to pay:For the medical bills that you\u2019ve already paidFor the future treatment you can expect related to your injuriesFor the pay that you lost when you missed workFor property damage, like the cost of your damaged motorcycleFor your pain and sufferingIn order to effectively pursue these and other damages, you need a qualified lawyer on your side. At Marks &amp; Harrison, our attorneys are people you can trust to tell you what you should do and what to avoid. Don\u2019t leave your fate up to insurance adjusters. They want to make money for their company, not pay you all you\u2019re entitled to. Your lawyer will work to seek the full, fair compensation you deserve.Contact a Virginia Motorcycle Accident Lawyer TodayIf you\u2019ve been hurt in a motorcycle accident, you may be owed significant financial compensation. Contact our attorneys today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. We won\u2019t charge you anything unless your case is resolved successfully."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.marksandharrison.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Do I Need a Lawyer for a Motorcycle Accident in Virginia?","item":"https:\/\/www.marksandharrison.com\/blog\/do-i-need-a-lawyer-for-a-motorcycle-accident-in-virginia\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]