Riders deserve a fair shake. We make sure you get one.
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MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENTS —
Motorcycle riders have every right to the road, but they have almost no protection when a driver isn’t paying attention. A car that turns left in front of you, drifts into your lane or opens a door into your path can cause injuries that change your life.
Riders also face something drivers don’t: bias. Insurance adjusters, and sometimes jurors, assume the rider must have been speeding or showing off. Stephen J. Hecker pushes back on that assumption with evidence, and works to show what really happened.
Louisiana requires every motorcycle operator and passenger to wear a helmet with the chin strap fastened. If you weren’t wearing one, the insurance company may argue that your head injuries would have been less serious. That argument does not erase your claim, and it has nothing to do with injuries to your legs, arms, back or other parts of your body. Talk to us before you assume you don’t have a case.
Louisiana changed its fault rule on January 1, 2026. For accidents on or after that date, if you are found 51% or more at fault, you recover nothing. If you are less than 51% at fault, your recovery is reduced by your share. Insurance companies know this, so expect them to try to push more of the blame onto you. For riders, that makes careful investigation especially important: scene photos, witness statements, vehicle damage, surveillance video and, when needed, accident reconstruction.
In Louisiana, most injury claims from accidents on or after July 1, 2024 must be filed within two years. Injuries before that date generally had only one year. Evidence also disappears fast, so don’t wait.
Talk to Stephen J. Hecker today. The consultation is free.
FAQ —
Often, yes. Louisiana requires helmets, and not wearing one may affect how much you recover for a head injury. It doesn’t automatically bar your claim, and it usually has nothing to do with your other injuries.
“I didn’t see the motorcycle” is an explanation, not a defense. Drivers have a duty to look out for everyone on the road, including riders.
We look at the evidence: damage to the vehicles, skid marks, witness statements and video. For crashes on or after January 1, 2026, you can still recover as long as you were less than 51% at fault, with your recovery reduced by your share. Earlier crashes follow the older rule.
For most crashes on or after July 1, 2024, you have two years to file suit in Louisiana.
PRACTICE AREAS
We help injured drivers, passengers and families get the compensation they deserve.
We take on trucking companies and their insurers after 18-wheeler crashes.
