You are not seeing things, motorcycle specific injury attorney advertisements are everywhere and they are spending the big bucks to try to entice you to retain their services in the event of a motorcycle accident. Well, fellow riders, we've had several volunteers of our inner circle contact several of those types throughout Indiana over the course of 6 months and the results were not surprising.
In a nutshell, a poor motorcycle attorney often exhibits red flags like poor communication, vague promises, lack of specific motorcycle expertise, and treating you like you are stupid and just a potential file number. Avoid the "billboard" lawyers who may settle quickly for less, and instead seek specialists who understand rider bias and insurance complexities.
Social Media: Most attorneys in Indiana have some sort of social media presence, be it Facebook or others. Take a look, a hard look. Most don't even read or respond to comments in their own social media post. Once again, our volunteers posted in the comment section under some of those posts and you guessed it, nothing.
Poor Communication: They are hard to reach, do not return calls, or leave you in the dark about your case status. This concept is simple. Find one that answers the phone and responds to the emails. When calling an attorney, you want to talk to an attorney. When they transfer you to a specialist or a department, most times you are tasked with leaving a voicemail for them to get back to you.
Ghosting: When reaching out to them and they do not respond back, move on. For the past 6 months, our volunteers have been reaching out to various motorcycle attorneys throughout the state to see their response rates. The results were eye opening with most transferring them to a dead voicemail or even not responding at all. Once again, move on.
Support: This is a big one, yet most fail in this one category. When they are advertising their services to the motorcycle community as a whole, then they need to support the motorcycle community as a whole. One of the first things that we do and recommend is to look for a community type tab on their website.
Pressure to Settle Fast: They urge you to sign quickly to get a fast, low payout. Avoid at all cost.
High-Volume "Billboard" Approach: They operate as a settlement mill, prioritizing volume over personal service, which can ruin the value of your case.
If you choose to hire a self proclaimed motorcycle attorney, ensure they focus on motorcycle accidents specifically, not just car crashes. Look for lawyers who actually ride or deeply understand the prejudices riders face.
In a nutshell, a poor motorcycle attorney often exhibits red flags like poor communication, vague promises, lack of specific motorcycle expertise, and treating you like you are stupid and just a potential file number. Avoid the "billboard" lawyers who may settle quickly for less, and instead seek specialists who understand rider bias and insurance complexities.
Signs of a Poor Motorcycle Attorney
Social Media: Most attorneys in Indiana have some sort of social media presence, be it Facebook or others. Take a look, a hard look. Most don't even read or respond to comments in their own social media post. Once again, our volunteers posted in the comment section under some of those posts and you guessed it, nothing.
Some accounts on Facebook are managed by a service that specializes in creating content for their clients. Well, our motorcycling friends, that costs money and it shows they are either too lazy to post content on their own, have money to burn, or both. Once again, move on.
Poor Communication: They are hard to reach, do not return calls, or leave you in the dark about your case status. This concept is simple. Find one that answers the phone and responds to the emails. When calling an attorney, you want to talk to an attorney. When they transfer you to a specialist or a department, most times you are tasked with leaving a voicemail for them to get back to you.
Ghosting: When reaching out to them and they do not respond back, move on. For the past 6 months, our volunteers have been reaching out to various motorcycle attorneys throughout the state to see their response rates. The results were eye opening with most transferring them to a dead voicemail or even not responding at all. Once again, move on.
Support: This is a big one, yet most fail in this one category. When they are advertising their services to the motorcycle community as a whole, then they need to support the motorcycle community as a whole. One of the first things that we do and recommend is to look for a community type tab on their website.
If they do not have one or there is no reference of supporting the community, move on. Our take is if they cannot support with a donation or sponsor a like minded cause, they just want your money, that's it. Talk is cheap, cut a check. Remember, support those that support you.
Staged photos: Motorcyclists aren't stupid, stop treating us such. When we do a search and see those so called "real" motorcycle attorney websites, we do look close. Come on man, pictures of them posing on or next to a motorcycle looks fake. Besides, most that are injured due to a motorcycle accident don't really care if you ride or not.
Lack of Specialization: They handle all types of personal injuries but lack specific experience in motorcycle crash mechanics and rider-specific injuries.
Lack of Specialization: They handle all types of personal injuries but lack specific experience in motorcycle crash mechanics and rider-specific injuries.
Pressure to Settle Fast: They urge you to sign quickly to get a fast, low payout. Avoid at all cost.
High-Volume "Billboard" Approach: They operate as a settlement mill, prioritizing volume over personal service, which can ruin the value of your case.
Initial Cold Calling: They contact you first, which can be unethical solicitation. Back in the day we called them ambulance chasers, the name still fits. Avoid at all cost.
Photo source: Wikipedia commons
How to Find a Good Attorney
Competent litigator: This one is really a no brainer. Most, if not all of us would rather have an attorney that doesn't ride a motorcycle and knows how to win than one that rides a motorcycle and is a poor litigator. When you are down and injured and going against the enemy, winning your case is everything.
If you choose to hire a self proclaimed motorcycle attorney, ensure they focus on motorcycle accidents specifically, not just car crashes. Look for lawyers who actually ride or deeply understand the prejudices riders face.
Investigation Focus: Choose a lawyer who will investigate, reconstruct the accident, and fight to identify all liable parties.
Proven Results: Ask for case results and check for testimonials from other injured riders.
What to Do If You've Hired a Bad Lawyer:
You have the right to terminate your attorney at any time.
Review your contingency fee agreement.
Consult with a new, specialized attorney to determine if your case can be rescued. If you find that you have a bad one, reach out, we have a list of those to avoid.
Okay, here is what the Indiana motorcyclist wants. Reachable, competent litigator, and supports the motorcycle community as a whole, not just when they see dollar signs. Also, no loafers, ghosts or chasers, almost all motorcyclists that we've spoken with have had enough of those in 2025.
Ride Safe and Ride Free ~JD
Consulting source: Steel Horse Legal
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