Pittsburgh Left-Turn Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Pittsburgh Left-Turn Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Help After Another Driver Turns in Front of You

A car turning left in front of your motorcycle can total your bike, break bones, and derail your income before the light even finishes changing. You’re left facing medical bills, missed paychecks, and an insurance adjuster who may already be building a case that the blame belongs to you.

A motorcycle accident lawyer in Pittsburgh at Ainsman Levine, LLC can help turn that imbalance around. Richard C. Levine has practiced personal injury law in Pennsylvania since 1982. He carries an AV-Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell and has been named a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer every year since 2011.

Reach out and you can get a read on what your case could be worth and what happens next.

Types of Left-Turn Motorcycle Crashes Our Pittsburgh Attorneys Handle

Left-turn crashes follow a handful of recurring patterns, and the pattern usually decides who gets blamed first.

• A driver turning left across oncoming traffic at a green light who misjudges a motorcycle’s speed or distance
• A left turn into a driveway, parking lot, or alley without checking for an approaching rider
• A left turn made on a stale or late yellow arrow after the motorcycle has already entered the intersection
• A left turn at a crowded intersection where a stopped car blocks the view of a motorcycle in the next lane
• A left turn completed with no turn signal, leaving a rider no warning to brake or swerve

Each pattern points to different evidence, from signal timing to witness sightlines, and a careful review looks at what actually happened at that specific intersection.

What a Left-Turn Crash Can Cost a Pittsburgh Motorcyclist?

Pennsylvania law is clear on paper. A driver turning left must yield to any oncoming vehicle close enough to be a danger, under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3322. In practice, insurance adjusters often argue the opposite, claiming the rider was speeding, splitting lanes (which is illegal everywhere in Pennsylvania), or impossible to see in time.

Because Pennsylvania follows a modified comparative negligence rule under 42 Pa.C.S. § 7102, you can still recover damages if you’re found 50% or less at fault. Your award shrinks by that percentage, and you recover nothing if you’re found more than half responsible.

Motorcyclists don’t have a car’s frame or airbags, so even a slow-speed left-turn collision can mean road rash, fractured limbs, and head trauma. You generally have two years from the crash date to file a lawsuit in Pennsylvania, and once that window closes, the claim is usually over.

How Our Pittsburgh Left-Turn Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Build Your Case?

Left-turn cases often come down to physical proof: skid marks, intersection camera footage, signal-timing records, and witness statements taken before memories fade.

Richard C. Levine has led continuing legal education seminars on uninsured and underinsured motorist law since 2001, work that matters when the at-fault driver’s policy limits fall short of a motorcyclist’s medical bills.

That insight is complemented by attorney Erin K. Rudert, who spent nearly a decade negotiating directly against insurance companies before joining the firm. Attorney Daniel Joseph Sammel began his career defending insurers before deciding to represent injury victims.

When a left-turn claim heads to litigation, it is often filed with the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, Civil Division, at the City-County Building on Grant Street in downtown Pittsburgh. That combination of courtroom experience and insurance-side knowledge can inform how a claim gets built from the start.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is lane splitting illegal in Pennsylvania, and could it be blamed for my crash?

Yes. Pennsylvania law does not allow motorcyclists to ride between lanes of traffic, so an insurer may raise this if you were moving between cars right before a left-turn crash. If you were riding properly within your own lane when the other driver turned in front of you, lane splitting has nothing to do with your case.

Does Pennsylvania’s helmet law affect my claim if I wasn’t wearing one?

Pennsylvania only requires a helmet for riders under 21, or riders 21 and older with less than two years of riding experience and no completed safety course. If you fit an exemption, going without a helmet does not bar your claim, though an insurer may still try to argue it affected your injuries.

The other driver said they never saw my motorcycle. Does that help their side?

Usually not. A left-turning driver has a legal duty to look for oncoming traffic and wait for a safe gap before turning. Saying “I didn’t see the motorcycle” can suggest this duty wasn’t met, and it is not a legal excuse for turning anyway.

Should I give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance company?

You’re not required to give one, and insurance adjusters often ask for a statement quickly, before you know the full extent of your injuries or have seen a doctor. Talking to a lawyer first helps make sure your account reflects everything that actually happened.

How do I get a copy of my official crash report after an accident in Pittsburgh?

Crash reports filed by Pittsburgh police or other Allegheny County departments are submitted to the state crash reporting system, and copies can typically be requested once the investigating department finishes its report.

What happens if the driver who turned left was uninsured or underinsured?

You may be able to file under your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage if you carry it, since Pennsylvania insurers generally must offer this coverage. These claims can be more complex, because you end up negotiating with your own insurance company instead of the other driver’s.

How long does a left-turn motorcycle injury claim usually take to resolve?

Timing depends on how long your treatment takes, how disputed fault is, and whether the insurer agrees to a fair number without a lawsuit. Some claims resolve in months, while cases where liability is contested can take considerably longer.

What does it cost to hire a Pittsburgh left-turn motorcycle accident lawyer?

Ainsman Levine, LLC offers a free consultation, and motorcycle injury cases are handled on contingency, meaning there’s no upfront cost and fees come only from money recovered for you.

What a Pittsburgh Left-Turn Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Can Do for Your Claim

A left-turn crash moves fast, and an insurance company may already be building its defense. The sooner a Pittsburgh left-turn motorcycle accident lawyer reviews your crash report, medical records, and the intersection where it happened, the stronger your position can be.

Ainsman Levine, LLC offers a free consultation to look at what your claim could be worth, with no upfront cost to get started. Contact us today to talk about what happened and what comes next.