Brentwood Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Brentwood, TN
If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident in Brentwood, you may be dealing with more than road rash and a damaged bike. You may be facing surgeries, weeks or months away from work, and an insurance company that treats riders differently than other drivers. That’s the reality for most motorcycle accident victims in Tennessee.
Adjusters often carry an assumption that riders are reckless by default. They look for reasons to shift blame onto you, whether it’s your lane position, your speed, or simply the fact that you chose to ride. That bias shapes how they value your claim from the very first phone call.
Patterson Bray PLLC has represented injured clients for over 20 years. Our Brentwood, TN motorcycle accident lawyer understands the specific challenges riders face after a collision, and we are prepared to fight for the compensation you are owed. We offer free consultations, and you pay nothing unless we recover money for you.
Why Choose Patterson Bray for Motorcycle Accident Cases in Brentwood, TN?
Local Legal Knowledge in Tennessee
Managing Partner Chris Patterson has practiced law for more than two decades. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Tennessee Bar Association, the Memphis Bar Association, and the National Crime Victim Bar Association. Governor Bill Lee appointed Chris to the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees, and he previously served as a director of the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation. Chris earned his J.D. from the University of Memphis School of Law and holds two undergraduate degrees from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Will Patterson focuses his practice on tort litigation, commercial disputes, personal injury, and construction litigation. He has been recognized in the 27th through 32nd editions of Best Lawyers in America in Personal Injury Litigation and in the 30th through 32nd editions for Commercial Litigation. The National Academy of Family Law Attorneys named him a Top 10 Under 40 attorney in both 2017 and 2018, and he received the 2017 Tennessee Supreme Court Pro Bono Service Award. Will is admitted to practice before multiple federal courts, including the Sixth and Eighth Circuit Courts of Appeals. If you need a personal injury lawyer in the Brentwood area, our firm brings significant courtroom and negotiation experience to your motorcycle crash case.
A Record of Results for Injured Clients
Patterson Bray has helped clients recover millions of dollars in personal injury and accident cases across Tennessee. Every motorcycle accident case we take is built to go to trial if necessary. That approach gives us leverage in settlement negotiations, because insurers know we will not accept a lowball offer just to close a file. The firm has been recognized as a Tier 1 law firm by U.S. News & World Report, a distinction rooted in peer evaluation and case outcomes.
No Fees Unless We Win
We handle Brentwood motorcycle accident cases on a contingency fee basis. You don’t pay attorney fees up front. We cover the costs of investigation, medical records, filing fees, and anything else the case requires. If we don’t recover compensation for you, you owe us nothing. That structure removes the financial barrier that keeps many injured riders from getting the legal help they need.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“The Patterson Bray firm was very thorough when answering my questions and providing actionable guidance. Highly recommend them if you have any questions or need guidance in regard to automobile accidents or personal injury.”
— Lauren Meinecke
Read more reviews on our Google Business Profile.
Types of Motorcycle Accident Cases We Handle in Brentwood
Motorcycle crashes come in many forms, and the cause of the collision affects both the investigation and the strategy for recovering compensation. Our Brentwood motorcycle accident attorneys handle cases involving:
- Left-turn collisions. A driver turns left in front of an oncoming motorcycle, often claiming they didn’t see the rider. These are among the most common and most dangerous motorcycle crashes, frequently causing catastrophic injuries. The driver who fails to yield almost always bears primary fault.
- Car accidents. When a negligent driver strikes a motorcyclist, the physical consequences for the rider are almost always severe. We pursue full compensation from the at-fault driver’s insurance and identify any additional coverage that may apply.
- Truck accidents. Collisions with commercial trucks carry a high fatality risk for riders. These cases often involve multiple liable parties, including the trucking company, the driver, and the maintenance provider.
- Pedestrian accidents. When a pedestrian enters a roadway unexpectedly, riders may lay the bike down or swerve into traffic. Our attorneys investigate the full chain of events to determine fault and pursue recovery for the injured motorcyclist.
- Hit-and-run crashes. Riders struck by a driver who flees the scene may still have options for compensation, including uninsured motorist coverage on their own policy. Quick action is critical to preserving surveillance footage and witness accounts before they disappear.
- Road hazard accidents. Potholes, loose gravel, uneven pavement, and construction debris cause motorcycle wrecks that might not affect a four-wheeled vehicle. A government entity or construction company may bear liability for failing to maintain safe road conditions in Brentwood or on state highways.
Tennessee Legal Requirements for Motorcycle Accident Claims
Tennessee imposes a one-year statute of limitations on personal injury claims under Tenn. Code § 28-3-104. That means you have just 12 months from the date of your motorcycle crash to file a lawsuit. Miss that deadline and your claim is likely gone forever, regardless of how serious your injuries are. One year sounds like a lot of time until you’ve spent most of it in physical therapy.
Tennessee follows a modified comparative fault rule. Under the Comparative Fault Act, you can still recover damages even if you were partially at fault, but only if your share of fault is less than 50%. Your compensation is reduced by your percentage of responsibility. For example, if you’re found 20% at fault in a motorcycle wreck in Brentwood, TN, a $100,000 award would be reduced to $80,000. Insurance adjusters routinely argue that the rider was speeding, following too closely, or riding aggressively. We know how to counter those arguments with evidence.
Tennessee is a universal helmet state. Under Tenn. Code § 55-9-302, every motorcycle operator and passenger must wear a crash helmet meeting federal safety standards. Riders 21 and older may wear modified helmets that still meet certain ASTM, CPSC, SIRC, or Snell Foundation requirements. Failure to wear a compliant helmet doesn’t automatically bar your claim, but an insurance adjuster will try to use it to argue you contributed to your own injuries. On the other hand, wearing a proper helmet strengthens your position considerably.
Tennessee law does not permit lane splitting. Motorcyclists are entitled to the full use of a traffic lane, and no vehicle may share that lane with them. But riders may not pass another vehicle within the same lane. Understanding these rules matters because violations can be used to shift fault in a motorcycle accident claim.
According to NHTSA motorcycle safety data, motorcyclists were nearly 27 times more likely than car occupants to die per mile traveled in 2024. In 2023 alone, 6,335 motorcyclists died in traffic crashes nationwide. Understanding both the legal framework and the statistical risks riders face is critical when building a motorcycle accident case in Brentwood.
What Damages Are Recoverable in a Brentwood Motorcycle Accident Case?
Tennessee law allows motorcycle accident victims to pursue three categories of damages. The amount you recover depends on the severity of your injuries, the strength of the evidence, and the skill of your attorney.
Economic Damages
These cover the financial losses you can calculate: hospital bills, surgical costs, rehabilitation, prescription medications, lost wages, and future earning capacity if your injuries prevent you from returning to your previous occupation. A motorcycle wreck that results in a broken femur, for example, can easily produce six-figure medical expenses before rehabilitation even begins. Future medical costs and the need for long-term care must also be projected and included in the demand.
Non-Economic Damages
Pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, disfigurement, and loss of consortium fall into this category. Tennessee caps most non-economic damages at $750,000, though catastrophic injuries such as spinal cord damage or amputation raise that cap to $1,000,000 under Tenn. Code § 29-39-102. Motorcycle crashes, because of the lack of structural protection around the rider, frequently produce injuries that qualify under the catastrophic threshold. Road rash covering large areas of the body, for instance, can require multiple skin graft surgeries and leave permanent scarring.
Punitive Damages
In rare cases where the at-fault party acted with intentional misconduct or reckless disregard for safety, a court may award punitive damages. These are designed to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar conduct. A drunk driver who causes a fatal motorcycle accident in Brentwood, TN, for instance, could face punitive liability on top of compensatory damages.
Building a strong damages case requires thorough documentation from the start. We work with medical providers, vocational specialists, and accident reconstruction professionals to present a complete picture of how the crash has affected your life. We also coordinate with your treating physicians to make sure the medical records accurately reflect the severity and long-term impact of your injuries.
Contact Patterson Bray PLLC
If you or someone you love has been injured in a motorcycle accident in Brentwood, TN, Patterson Bray is ready to help. We offer free initial consultations and handle motorcycle crash cases on a contingency basis, which means you pay no attorney fees unless we win your case.
During your consultation, we’ll review the facts of your accident, explain your legal options, and outline the next steps. We respond promptly to new inquiries and understand that time is not on your side when evidence is at stake. Contact us to schedule your free case evaluation and let an experienced motorcycle accident attorney in Brentwood start working for you.