District of Columbia Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

District of Columbia requires all motorcycle riders and passengers to wear DOT-approved helmets. This law applies regardless of age or riding experience. While this may feel restrictive to some riders, universal helmet laws have been shown to reduce motorcycle fatalities by 37%.

How Helmet Use Affects Your Claim

Not wearing a helmet in District of Columbia is a violation of law, which could be used against you in court to argue contributory negligence.

Lane splitting is illegal in District of Columbia. If you were lane splitting when your accident occurred, the other party's insurance will likely try to use this against you. However, this doesn't automatically mean you can't recover damages.

However, District of Columbia's contributory negligence rule could bar recovery if you're found at fault at all. You need an experienced attorney to fight these allegations.

Statute of Limitations: 3 years

In District of Columbia, you have 3 years from the date of your motorcycle accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. Missing this deadline could permanently bar you from recovering compensation.

Fault System: Contributory negligence (pure)

District of Columbia follows a pure contributory negligence rule. This means if you're found even 1% at fault for the accident, you may be completely barred from recovering any damages. This makes it critical to have an experienced attorney who can fight blame-shifting tactics.

Minimum Insurance Requirements

District of Columbia requires minimum auto insurance coverage of $25,000/$50,000/$10,000. Unfortunately, these minimums often don't cover the full extent of serious motorcycle accident injuries. This is why it's important to carry uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.