Speeding laws in Wisconsin are absolute, and both the quantity and severity of a speeding violation can seriously affect your auto insurance premium and driving record. Knowing how to proceed after receiving a Wisconsin speed limit violation citation could mean the difference between walking away with a fine, or facing a substantial insurance cost increase. 

The following are steps you can take to try and have your Madison speeding ticket revoked: 

• Plead not guilty and be proactive in scheduling a court date.
• Make a note of any serious errors on the ticket. An admissible mistake does not include a wrongly spelled name or misidentified vehicle color; look at the location of the incident, the make and model of your vehicle, and the type of statute cited. A mistake in any of these areas can result in the dismissal of your ticket.
• Note any inconsistencies with the officer’s report. If the police officer who issued your ticket reports several different speeds, or has contradicted himself in his reports of the handling of the incident, bring up these discrepancies in order to provide room for reasonable doubt.
• Request a dismissal from either the officer who issued your citation or with the judge if he is present.
• Stay polite, patient, and professional. Never raise your voice or become personally defensive when addressing the judge. Remaining objective and clear-headed will reflect far better on you and your case than any biting or sarcastic remarks toward the judge or the police officer.
• When in doubt, contact an experienced and dedicated lawyer. 

 

It’s not always expensive Harley Davidsons that are stolen. According to the Motorcycle Cruiser website, there are a number of reasons why someone may steal your bike.

• Someone sees an opportunity. You’ve left your bike vulnerable by parking it in a dark, secluded area, or you don’t have sufficient locks or alarms to dissuade a thief.
• A thrill-seeker is looking for a joy ride. Perhaps a less-than-scrupulous individual or group of individuals just wants to grab your bike for a joy ride. After having their fun, they simply ditch the bike, dismantle it for parts, alter the VIN and resell the bike, or smuggle it out of the country and sell it as-is.
• Your motorcycle is on a thief’s shopping list. A thief may be looking for a certain make of bike that he knows he can get rid of. This may include motorcycles that:

• • Are frequently wrecked;
  • Have racing potential;
  • Have a special engine, such as a car-racing formula class;
  • Are customized; or
  • Are sold in great numbers.

Don’t assume that your bike is safe from motorcycle theft in Gurnee. Take steps to ensure that it is safe from not only motorcycle wrecks in Gurnee but also enterprising thieves. If you ever need a Gurnee bike crash lawyer, contact Hupy and Abraham toll free at 800-800-5678 or locally at 414-223-4800. Use our online contact form for a FREE, no-obligation consultation. You can also request our FREE books, The Ultimate Guide for Motorcycle Accident Victims and Secrets Your Insurance Agent Won’t Tell You About Buying Motorcycle or Car Insurance.

Although motorcyclists must follow the same rules of the road as drivers of cars, insurance companies and juries view these accidents quite differently. If your Wisconsin motorcycle lawyer does not understand these differences, you may lose your Wisconsin motorcycle accident case.

• People who are not motorcyclists must be taught how motorcycles work. This lack of knowledge can work against the motorcyclist, even if he is not at fault. If a juror is unfamiliar with the basics of motorcycle riding, he may not realize that a motorcyclist must maintain his speed in order to keep bike stable. Because he doesn’t know that motorcyclists cannot make sudden stops, he may think the motorcyclist was traveling at excessive speed.
• Many non-motorcyclists unfairly perceive all motorcyclists as reckless daredevils. This stereotype is propagated by the media and by riders who weave in and out of traffic. An experienced Wisconsin motorcycle lawyer will educate the jury about safe riding practices and show evidence that his client did whatever possible to avoid injury.
• Jurors may be unfamiliar with the severity of Wisconsin motorcycle accident injuries. A juror who is not a motorcyclist may associate road rash with the scraped skin one can get after a bicycle accident. He may not realize the motorcycle road rash is an extremely painful injury that can require surgical treatment. Other common Wisconsin motorcycle accident injuries are severe fractures, amputations and brain injuries. The motorcycle accident attorney must inform the jury about the severity of the injuries.

Insurance companies understand these biases and, if allowed, will take advantage of them. 

Learn more about what to do after a Wisconsin motorcycle crash in our book, The Ultimate Guide for Motorcycle Accident Victims. Click on the link at the side of the page to request your free copy. To discuss your claim with an experienced Wisconsin motorcycle accident injury lawyer, schedule a free consultation with Hupy and Abraham at 800-800-5678.

Our Wisconsin car accident attorneys say, “Yes.” A teen with a Wisconsin driver’s permit has the same responsibilities as any other driver who operates a motor vehicle on public roads. The teen must follow traffic laws, show concern for public safety, and carry auto insurance.

If your child owns her own car, she may be able to purchase her own policy. However, she will get better rates if you add her to your policy.

If your child will be driving or learning on your vehicle, you are required to notify your insurer. A new driver is considered a change in the risk factors associated with your policy, and you are required to report such changes within 30 days. If you fail to add a new driver to your policy, especially if the driver is a minor child, your insurer may deny any coverage in the event of a Wisconsin motor vehicle accident, even if your child was not at fault.

For more information about teen driving, visit our article library. For more information about what to do after a Wisconsin auto accident, request a free copy of our book, The Ultimate Guide for Automobile Accident Victims. This guide will advise you about your rights after a Wisconsin car crash.

If you’d like to discuss a specific accident with a Wisconsin car accident attorney, contact Hupy and Abraham at 800-800-5678. The initial consultation is free.

Various factors come into play when it comes to motorcycle insurance rates. Does your nephew have his insurance through the same company? Does he have the same amount and type of Gurnee motorcycle insurance? If so, then take a look at these additional factors cited by online sources that insurance companies consider to come up with your rate.

• Age. Older motorcyclists generally receive a lower insurance rate.
• Experience. Experience is considered more important than age. A younger rider with experience will get a lower insurance rate than an older, beginning rider.
• Where You Live. If you live in a high-crime neighborhood or in an area where a lot of accidents occur, you will pay more for your insurance.
• Type of Motorcycle. If you have a powerful, expensive bike, you will pay more to insure it.
• Amount of Use. If your annual mileage is low, or if you ride your motorcycle for only part of the year, you may pay less for your insurance.
• Training. You may be entitled to a discounted insurance rate if you have taken advanced motorcycle riding or safety courses.
• Driving History. A ticket on your record—or an accident for which you were responsible—is likely to increase your insurance premium at the next renewal period or when you change insurers.

If you are ever in a motorcycle accident in Gurnee and need the expertise of a Gurnee motorcycle wreck lawyer, contact Hupy and Abraham. Call us toll free at 800-800-5678 or locally at 414-223-4800. Use our online contact form for a FREE, no-obligation consultation. You can also request our FREE book, The Ultimate Guide for Motorcycle Accident Victims.

Surprise! This turns out to be a lesson in constitutional law.

Article IV, Section One of the U.S. Constitution contains something called the “Full Faith and Credit Clause.” It reads, “Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State.” The Framers—the people who wrote the Constitution—wanted to balance the unity of the whole nation with the sovereignty of each of the states. The Full Faith and Credit Clause does exactly that. It’s the federal government telling each state, “Look, you get to set the rules within your borders, but you have to respect the rules set by every other state government, too.”

Because of the Full Faith and Credit Clause, your Wisconsin driver’s license and Class M endorsement allow you to ride your motorcycle in all other states. By the same principle, though, you have to obey the specific traffic laws which prevail in the state you’re in. Wisconsin doesn’t require a motorcyclist over age 17 to wear a helmet. If you’re riding through Missouri, though, you must conform to state law that requires helmets for all riders.

State legislators pass laws that they believe will promote the public good for their citizens. There has been a longstanding controversy over mandatory helmet laws throughout the United States, with some people saying that individual freedom should be given more weight, and other people believing that the state sometimes has to force people to take protective measures they would resist on their own. Each state has come to a different answer on how to balance those conflicting values, and that range of opinions shows how difficult a question this is.

The “eat your lima beans” principle

If you’re an adult, Wisconsin law gives you the choice of wearing a helmet or not. Choose to wear a helmet.

It’s the responsible decision to make. If you are involved in a Wisconsin motorcycle accident, your chance of dying is less if you have chosen to wear a helmet. You are less likely to sustain serious injuries if you have chosen to wear your helmet. If you choose to wear a helmet, then you have the credibility to insist that your passenger wear her helmet, too, and that helmet may save her life in a traffic accident near Green Bay.

You can call this the “eat your lima beans” principle. Not many people enjoy lima beans, but they can be good for you. Part of being a responsible adult is occasionally doing things that are good for you, even if you don’t enjoy doing them. Choosing to wear a safe, approved helmet is one of those things.

Weigh the arguments in favor of wearing a helmet against the arguments opposed to a helmet. All the advice of road safety experts says that helmets are the right decision to make. The arguments against helmets boil down to the petulant complaints of an 8-year-old: “It’s not comfortable. It doesn’t look cool. My friends might make fun of me. I don’t want to. You can’t make me.” Look, now that you’re a grown-up, it’s time to stop listening to your little-kid instincts and do the responsible thing: choose to wear the helmet.

And one more reason to wear a helmet

Suppose you choose not to wear a helmet. Suppose you get injured in a serious Wisconsin motorcycle accident, and you are trying to get reimbursement for your medical bills and lost income from the insurance company. It’s entirely possible that the motorcycle accident insurance adjuster will put a lower dollar value on your injuries because you didn’t wear a helmet. “You clearly showed that you don’t care about possible injuries,” he might say, “so why should we take you seriously now that you want money for your pain and suffering?”

The Appleton bike crash attorneys of Hupy and Abraham have heard of insurance adjusters pulling tricks like this. We don’t let our clients get bowled over by aggressive claims agents. We still think you should be wearing your helmet, but we can work with all clients who have been injured in a Wisconsin motorcycle accident by someone else’s negligence. Give us a call today at 920-882-8382 (local) or (800) 800-5678 (toll-free). We can set up a confidential and free meeting about your case, and we’ll also send you a FREE copy of our book, The Ultimate Guide for Motorcycle Accident Victims.

You were lucky—very, very lucky. Any Wisconsin personal injury lawyer will tell you that most motorcycle crashes are extremely serious events.

Every year, about 80,000 to 90,000 people in the United States are injured while riding motorcycles. Between 4,000 to 5,000 of those people die. Some analysts say that over 80 percent of the accidents that cause any injury will include death or a serious injury that requires medical treatment. Of those serious injuries, head trauma and spinal cord injuries are the second-most common, just behind leg and foot injuries.

The fact that your bike got wrecked in your Green Bay motorcycle crash should have been a major clue about how risky accidents can be. Your bike was built of steel—that’s a lot more durable than your flesh. If your accident had happened just a tiny bit differently, it would have been your mangled body left on the road.
 

Why are motorcycle injuries so often serious?

When we compare injury rates between types of motor vehicle accidents, we find that the motorcycle rider is far more likely than a car driver to be injured seriously or die in a crash. That’s not a random result.

• An automobile provides its driver and passengers with a protective barrier; bikes are exposed.
• Cars have seat belts and airbags that are impractical safety devices for motorcyclists.
• In a sudden stop, the motorcyclist is almost certain to be thrown from his or her vehicle, leading to serious injuries from striking objects and the ground. It is far rarer for a stop to eject a driver or passengers from a car.

Motorcyclists have access to one safety measure that car drivers don’t—a protective helmet. It’s appalling how often riders refuse to take advantage of that crucial accessory. Information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System finds that more than half of all fatal motorcycle injuries were to riders and passengers who were not wearing helmets. riders who don’t wear helmets also are much more likely to suffer serious nonfatal injuries, too. The Centers for Disease Control concluded that, if every rider had voluntarily worn a helmet, the total number of fatal motorcycle injuries would drop by about 800 a year.

After the crash

Recovering physically from a serious Wisconsin motorcycle accident can be a long and painful process. Then there is the additional stress of dealing with financial issues. A victim will often be unable to work. He will be trying to deal with insurance companies to get help for medical bills and replacement or repair for his bike. No one should have to cope with these additional burdens while trying to recover from serious injuries.

An experienced Appleton motorcycle wreck attorney from the Hupy and Abraham law firm can make a huge difference. If you have suffered a loss from a Wisconsin motorcycle accident caused by someone else’s negligence, we may be able to help you get full compensation for your medical care, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Please contact us at 920-882-8382 (local) or (800) 800-5678 (toll-free) to arrange a free consultation about your case. Just for calling, we will send you a FREE copy of our book, The Ultimate Guide for Motorcycle Accident Victims, which will be yours to keep even if you do not hire us as your legal team.

That’s why we went to law school.

Determining who is responsible for causing a traffic accident is far from simple, yet it is the crucial part of any attempt to recover compensation for our clients. A traffic crash near Appleton or Green Bay can involve a dozen or more people who are potentially at fault; proving where the blame lies is one of the hardest parts of a Wisconsin personal injury case.

There is a certain level of bias against motorcyclists in our society—so much so that a common reaction to any serious Wisconsin motorcycle accident is to blame the rider. That’s not only unfair, it’s also wrong in the majority of accidents involving two or more vehicles. We know from experience that police reports and witness statements can be in error. A good lawyer looks beyond those initial levels of evidence in order to find the truth.

At Hupy and Abraham, our Appleton bike crash lawyers are experienced in investigating issues of responsibility, liability, and negligence. You can learn more about our approach by ordering a FREE copy of our book, The Ultimate Guide for Motorcycle Accident Victims.

Responsibility: why is it so important?

A successful lawsuit begins with tracing the chain of cause and effect backwards to see whose actions (or inactions) made the accident happen. If that person acted in a way that a reasonable person could see would have a significant risk of harming others, then that person is said to have been negligent. A negligent person can be sued to recover the costs of all injuries, losses, and harms that proceed from his or her flawed decision; he is said to be liable for both economic and non-economic damages.

Every motor vehicle accident in Wisconsin is unique, with a different set of people who could potentially be liable for damages. A typical list might include, among others:

• the drivers 
• the manufacturer of your motorcycle, its tires, or other parts 
• the people who repair or maintain the vehicles
• the business which owns a commercial vehicle involved in the accident
• the workers or government agency responsible for road upkeep or road signs
• the tavern owner who served alcohol to a drunk driver.

As you can see, determining who is really responsible for causing a traffic accident can be a bewildering puzzle involving many people. Proving fault can require in-depth investigation and even recreating the incident.

Proving fault or negligence is the linchpin for any Wisconsin personal injury case. If you have been involved in a serious Wisconsin motorcycle accident that was not your fault, you will find that hiring an attorney early in the process improves your chances of getting full compensation for all you have lost. For a free, no-obligation consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney, call Hupy and Abraham at 920-882-8382 (local) or (800) 800-5678 (toll-free). We sincerely want to help you.

Not all hospital deaths qualify as medical malpractice; however, medical malpractice is the leading cause of wrongful death in Wisconsin.

To file a Wisconsin medical malpractice claim, you must show that a medical professional or medical facility made a mistake or acted negligently and that your mother’s death was caused by that mistake or act. The best way to determine if you have a Wisconsin medical malpractice claim is to discuss your case with a Wisconsin injury lawyer with experience in medical malpractice claims. The attorney will be able to tell you if you qualify to file a Wisconsin medical malpractice lawsuit and if you qualify to receive compensation for your family’s loss.

Common types of medical malpractice claims in Wisconsin include:

• Failure to diagnose
• Misdiagnosis or wrong diagnosis
• Failure to treat
• Improper or unconventional treatment
• Failure to refer to a specialist
• Medication or pharmacy errors
• Birth injuries
• Emergency room errors
• Surgical mistakes and wrong side surgery
• Untreated infections
• MRSA
• Nursing home neglect
• Dental malpractice
• Chiropractic malpractice
• Physical or sexual abuse by a medical professional

If you suspect that your loved one’s death was caused by medical malpractice, don’t hesitate to contact a Wisconsin medical malpractice attorney. Wisconsin medical malpractice claims must be filed within three years after the death. To schedule a free consultation with a Wisconsin injury lawyer, contact Hupy and Abraham at 800-800-5678. 

Many people believe that road rash is only a minor injury. If you fall off a bike or skateboard, you wrap your injury in gauze and you heal. However, motorcycle accident lawyer Michael Hupy says that road rash from a Wisconsin motorcycle crash often qualifies as a severe injury. The high speeds involved in a motorcycle accident can abrade skin and muscle down to the bone. Severe road rash is more like a burn than a scrape. Severe road rash may require weeks or even months of hospitalization as well as surgical treatment. Road rash injury is very susceptible to infection and complications are not uncommon. In most cases, victims are left with permanent scarring or disfigurement.

The damages that a Wisconsin motorcycle accident victim is able to recover will depend on several factors. These include: 

• The severity of your injuries.
• The circumstances of the accident.
• Whether you are able to resume your regular work after the injury.
• Any permanent scarring, disfigurement, or disability.

A Milwaukee accident lawyer can determine if you have a claim and if you are eligible for compensation for your medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and more. He can help you deal with the insurance company and make sure that any settlement offer is fair.  For more information, request a free copy of our book, The Ultimate Guide for Motorcycle Accident Victims or contact Hupy and Abraham at 800-800-5678. The initial consultation is free.