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April 11th is the last Motorcycle Expo Swap for 2021

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The last Swap meet for the Expo this year will be April 11, 2021 at Dirty Dogs Roadhouse

UPDATE: The 2nd swap meet hosted by The Colorado Motorcycle Expo and Dirty Dogs Roadhouse in March was another record crowd and the weather again shined upon our biker community.   There was a better diversity of vendors selling everything from parts to amazing riding hats.

Sadly, this will be our final swap meet of the season.  Dirty Dogs Roadhouse is the #1 biker bar for a reason and with the warm weather and beautiful weekends to ride, they need both parking lots to accommodate customers.

On behalf of all the sponsors, Scott from The Colorado Motorcycle Expo, Rider Justice, Colorado Rider News, Mark & Rob and the staff at Dirty Dogs Roadhouse, we want to THANK YOU ALL.  This modified swap meet was a testament to the pride and unity the biker community feels for each other. 

Our biker owned businesses were struggling in this pandemic as the events they heavily relied on to get them thru the winter are rescheduled, cancelled, or eliminated entirely.  We hope that these 3 months helped them get thru this tough time and get ready for any spring events they can find.

Please come out for the final swap meet on Sunday, April 11th from 10am to 4pm

4 Ways to Know if Your Motorcycle Accident Attorney is an Ambulance Chaser

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Personal injury attorneys have a bad rap. That is no surprise to anyone. The slur “ambulance chaser” is applied to the entire profession because, well, it was earned. There was a time when personal injury attorneys showed up at disaster sites of all kinds and handed out their business cards, hunting for injured clients. I’ve never actually heard of an attorney chasing an ambulance, but I still think the profession has earned the term.

In my estimation, too many people pursue this field of law for pure financial gain. Luckily, there are some of us who pursue it as a calling, our vocation. But how can you tell the difference?

I have written extensively about the legal shops that I call “personal injury mills.” These are the personal injury firms that chew clients up and spit them out, usually with settlements well below what they could have (should have) received. The problem can be especially bad for motorcycle crash victims who often sustain significant injuries, are facing police bias just because they were on a motorcycle, are dealing with hospital bills and big medical decisions, and don’t have time to “babysit” motorcycle attorneys who aren’t doing their job properly.

So, I am going to share the top 4 ways to know if a motorcycle accident lawyer is an ambulance chaser. I’ll share the list and then I’ll take a deeper dive into each of the reasons I give.

Your personal injury attorney might be an ambulance chaser if he/she…

  1. Only speaks to you once and hands your case off to a paralegal, never or rarely speaking with you again.
  2. Charges you fees for anything at all before your case settles.
  3. Talks about settling before understanding your injuries completely. (Or tells you to stop medical treatment so that he/she can settle!)
  4. Tells you what your case is worth before considering all the sources of compensation available to you.

Now, let me break these down so that you understand why they are red flags.

1. Only speaks to you once and hands your case off to a paralegal, never or rarely speaking with you again.

Biker annoyed at phone call

Most ambulance chasers are playing a wicked numbers game. They need a very high number of motorcycle crash cases to pay for their marketing, so they churn clients in the door and lead them to settlement as quickly as possible. In their haste, these attorneys will generally do a very good dog-and-pony show prior to a prospect signing up – meeting with them, returning calls, etc. – but as soon as the client (read: injured victim of a motorcycle crash who probably needs some significant legal help) signs on the dotted line, their case is taken over by a paralegal.

While paralegals are fantastic supports to attorneys, they are not attorneys. If an attorney is not 100% in charge of your case, then you will not receive the representation you need. If only paralegals return your calls, it’s a good sign that the attorney has no idea who you are.

2. Charges you fees for anything at all before your case settles.

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The entire personal injury field works on a contingency basis, which means we do not get paid unless you get paid. We must incur all of the costs to research your case, hire the experts to study the scene of the motorcycle accident, work with hospitals and doctors to reduce your medical bills, and (this is perhaps the most important) be willing to absorb all those charges for as long as your treatment takes. If a motorcycle crash victim is seriously injured, that could be years. 

I have heard of attorneys charging their clients for everything from expert witness testimonies to copier paper while they are still working on the case.

If your lawyer is trying to charge you for anything at all prior to your case’s completion, you are probably dealing with an ambulance chaser.

3. Talks about settling before understanding your injuries completely. (Or tells you to stop medical treatment so that he/she can settle!)

Many personal injury attorneys would rather “take the bird in hand” than wait for the two in the bush. By this, I mean that they would rather settle your case for less and do it quickly than wait (perhaps years) for a potentially higher settlement. 

However, motorcycle crash victims often need a lot of time to recover. In Colorado, a case cannot be closed until a victim ceases treatment, thereby putting an end to medical bills. Ambulance chasers would rather convince their clients that they are “fine” than take time to make sure that their recovery is truly headed in the right direction.

Ambulance chasers need the cash now, and they will get it from your case at your expense by encouraging you to quit medical treatment and settle early.

4. Tells you what your case is worth before considering all the sources of compensation available to you.

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One of the most time-intensive (and rewarding!) aspects of being a motorcycle accident attorney is in taking a deep dive into the motorcycle victim’s insurance, the at-fault driver’s insurance, the many other “pots” that may be available for compensation, and putting together a complete picture for each client of what their case may be worth. This takes time. And it also takes a level of passion that you will only find in an attorney who does this work as a vocation.

I have worked with clients who have been told by other attorneys (before they even signed up, let alone researched the accident) that they can only get $25,000 from the at-fault driver’s insurance company. Often, my deeper research reveals additional details, like perhaps the driver was in his mom’s car and her insurance is available, too. Or maybe the at-fault driver was in a rental, opening up another “pot” for compensation. You need an attorney who is willing to take the time (and who has the time) to investigate every aspect of your crash.

If you have any questions about your motorcycle crash, don’t hesitate to contact me today! You can call or text me at 303-388-5304.

Scott O’Sullivan is the founder of Rider Justice and the O’Sullivan Law Firm.

Colorado Swap Meet in February Has Record Crowds – NEXT EVENT March 20th

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Mother nature clearly loves the biker community and on February 20th the day of our 1ST modified swap meet at Dirty Dogs Roadhouse in conjunction with Scott from the Colorado Motorcycle Expo and Rider Justice and Colorado Rider News was confirmation that that in the biker world, “If you build it….THEY WILL COME”.

Swap meets at Dirty Dogs are regularly done in June and December with great vendors everywhere, Mark can be found roasting something to satisfy the overwhelming crowd.   It was unclear to all of us that even if the weather were nice, how many attendees would come out to support the biker owned business. 

It was about 10am, that we got our answer, the parking lot was full up top, and drivers were parking on the side of Colfax all the way up past Wrigley’s.  Riders were walking around with the goods they had purchased, and you could see the guys carrying around parts to sell and parts they had bought

This modified swap meet is a testament to the pride and unity the biker community feels for each other.  Our biker owned businesses are struggling in this pandemic as the events they heavily rely on to get them thru the winter are rescheduled, cancelled, or eliminated entirely.  Scott Schultz from our Expo, Scott O’Sullivan from Rider Justice and myself met with Mark and Rob from Dirty Dogs Roadhouse to see if we could come up with an option to help these businesses, the modified swap meet was the option we all came up with that could help everyone.

The party continued long after the swap meet was over with riders and vendors staying around just to celebrate a day of normality and listening to great music.

After the event was concluded, we spoke with several of the vendor who said the swap meet was a god send, and would help them get thru the month.  Most said they would be back again in March and were so grateful for the opportunity to sell their items and make a few dollars.

If you are biker owned business and would like to participate in our March 20th swap meet, please visit the expo’s website at www.coloradomotorcycleexpo.com.  Good spots are still available

For the most updated information please go to https://www.coloradomotorcycleexpo.com/monthly-swap-meet

Why Motorcycle Accidents are Different from Auto Accidents

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As my Rider Justice friends know, I’m not just a huge advocate for Colorado motorcycle rights and safety, I’m also a motorcycle and car accident attorney. I’ve been a Denver personal injury attorney for more than 20 years. It is my vocation – my calling in life – because I can’t stand when a victim’s rights are violated by negligent drivers and insurance companies.

Scott O'Sullivan - The O'Sullivan Law Firm, motorcycle accident attorneys
Scott O’Sullivan, Founder of Rider Justice

But I digress.

Accident Reconstruction

Recently, I worked with a company called Knott Laboratory, which performs accident reconstruction investigations. As Ricky L. Nguyen said to me, Knott Lab provides forensic reports on every type of machine you can imagine.

“If it’s got moving parts, we get it,” said Ricky, who added that they also perform fire event investigations. You can check out their demo reel here. Caution: even though the images are computer-generated, it can be pretty alarming to see the types of accidents they investigate. (One word: woodchipper.)

As he and I were talking, I started sharing stories of some of my past cases, explaining why some of them were so upsetting or surprising. While there may be common types of accidents (such as left-hand turns in front of oncoming traffic), I do often find myself so concerned for victims that I ask, “Why?!” Sometimes, we never get the answer to that question. But Ricky can answer “how,” which can help me get the proper compensation for victims from insurance companies.

How Motorcycle Crashes are Different

Ricky and I began discussing the differences between motorcycle crashes and auto crashes, and he said, “motorcycles do funny things in accidents.” (I’m sure that he meant “strange” when he said “funny.”)

I have seen a lot of images from motorcycle crashes in the Denver metro area and I can tell you that they are definitely different from car accident scenes. Sadly, they are usually much more tragic.

Of course, motorcycles are smaller than cars, so they don’t stand much chance in a collision with a vehicle that outweighs them by many factors. However, Ricky, who is an engineer, said that there are some other issues that make motorcycles behave strangely in crash situations.

Ricky explained that, “Motorcycles are smaller and they act erratically in accidents. They aren’t like cars, which tend to be like smooth boxes. Motorcycles have parts sticking out that catch on the road and cause them to do funny things, curve around other objects, land funny. Also, the weight difference between motorcycles and cars is significant. Motorcycles change trajectory more easily.”

I have hired accident reconstruction engineers in the past to help me prove that the other driver is at fault, causing my client’s injuries. In some cases, I observe the reconstruction process like a great episode of CSI. It takes a ton of investigative work to discern the cause of an accident.

Ricky said that the engineers at Knott Lab gather police reports, witness statements, visit the accident site for remaining evidence such as skid marks, talk to the district attorneys that may be involved, collect photos that may have been taken at the accident, and assemble pretty much anything else that they can get their hands on.

They also use high-tech to assess the vehicles’ damage as well as the scene of the accident.

“We do a laser scan of the vehicles so that we can recreate the vehicle visually and do a 3D image,” said Ricky. “We also do a scan of the accident site so that we can assess slope, geometry, heights of nearby obstacles, etc.”

Based on that information, the engineers can often create a written report that explains what happened and who was at fault. But for more complex cases, Ricky said they create the computer simulations like what you see in their demo video.

Advice for Bikers

I asked Ricky if he had any advice for motorcycle riders who are in accidents, things that they can do to help prove their innocence. Gratifyingly, he said something that I say all the time: take pictures!

“Everybody has smart phones today; take pictures!” he said. “As many as possible! Also, try not to touch or move the vehicle. Typically, police officers want you to move the vehicle, but take pictures first. And take pictures of the damage on the road, your motorcycle, the other driver’s car, everything. The more we can see of the accident scene, the more it helps.”

Finally, as someone who fights for motorcyclist rights, I want you to know that, just because the police give YOU the ticket after an accident (because they normally assume it was the biker’s fault), don’t assume that you don’t have a good case. I have won cases for motorcyclists even after the cop gave them the ticket. I can find witnesses and even hire a company like Knott Lab to prove your innocence. I’d love to help you.

How to Insure Your Motorcycle Without Going Broke

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Insurance is so important. As an avid biker, you embrace the risks as part of the freedom you experience. You also need to embrace insurance.

Scott O'Sullivan - The O'Sullivan Law Firm, motorcycle accident attorneys
Scott O’Sullivan

The good news is that, by taking a little time to do some research, you might be able to reduce your insurance premiums. It’s important to understand what Colorado insurance companies take into account when determining the premium on your motorcycle and how to keep your insurance costs down.

The more expensive the bike, the more expensive the insurance

Like most car insurance policies, motorcycle insurance costs vary from bike to bike. Insuring a small or commuter motorcycle will be much less expensive than insurance for a high-end bike that has high horsepower. Therefore, when you’re purchasing your motorcycle, don’t get captivated by the most expensive bike you can possibly afford because you need to leave money in the bank for the high insurance rates you’ll pay on that bad boy.

Consider your budget not only for what you’re willing to pay for the bike up front, but also for how much you can afford when you have to pay the insurance premium every month. 

Also, the bigger the engine, the more it will be to insure. Big engines mean big speed, which generally means big crashes. Along these lines, sport bikes tend to come with much higher insurance premiums than cruisers. It’s important to remember that the safer your motorcycle is, the less expensive your policy will be.

See what insurance Rider Justice recommends for motorcyclists.

Drive Safely

Are you an extremely safe and meticulous driver in your automobile? Some insurance companies will give you a discount on your motorcycle insurance if you’re a good auto driver. The same is often true for motorcycles. Obviously, nobody wants to get in an accident, but if you play it extra safe and always stick to the rules, you’ll have a greater chance of being accident-free. Having no accidents may entitle you to a no-claims bonus. The qualifications for this bonus vary between insurance companies and states so be sure to do your research.

Ride Alone

“Guest passenger” coverage is a category of insurance that only pertains to motorcycles. This is different from automobile policies, which generally cover all other passengers in the vehicle without any extra costs. If you’re a fan of being one—and only one—with your motorcycle, or if you’re willing to become a fan of solo riding, this might be a good way to save some money on your insurance coverage.

Here’s the catch, and it’s important: If you don’t have guest passenger coverage because you’ve decided to be an exclusively solo rider, you should never, EVER let another person ride with you.

If you should get into a motorcycle accident, the financial impact to you could be catastrophic. Imagine your friend with severe or life-threatening injuries and your insurance company saying to you, “We owe you nothing.”

That friend of yours (or their family) could actually sue you (I’ve seen it happen over and over again between people who were the tightest of friends) for help paying their medical bills. You could lose your home and all your other possessions. Never let another rider on your bike unless you’re insured to cover them.

Cap Your Mileage

For a lot of people, their motorcycles aren’t their primary mode of transportation. Some riders just use their motorcycles during spring and summer months, while others tend to take them out only on the weekends. If your motorcycle is more like a toy or a hobby, you may want to consider capping your mileage. Some insurance companies may offer a lower premium for lower annual mileage.

According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, in most states, “insurers can use your credit-based insurance score to determine your premiums.” For example, they reason that if you seem responsible with your money, you’ll be responsible for your own safety.

Insurance companies also figure that you will pay your premiums on time if you have no history of being delinquent on a bill. Each insurance company uses different criteria to determine how you would manage your risk exposure, so make sure to do your research.

Take a Motorcycle Safety Class

I saved the best for last. For many reasons, you should take a motorcycle safety course. The best reason is because it could save your life, and even help you save other lives. Another good reason is because your insurance company may reduce your premium when you give them proof that you passed the course.

My favorite place to take a motorcycle training class in Colorado is at the Motorcycle Training Academy, which has schools in Colorado Springs and Aurora. The instructors there have huge hearts and they understand the passion people have for their bikes. That’s why they are passionate about keeping you safe.

Once you’ve taken that basic safety class and you’ve got some miles under your belt, go back to MTA and take advanced rider courses to keep your skills sharp and learn advanced skills. If you’re willing to invest in new equipment for your bike, be willing to invest in yourself.

There are other ways to reduce your motorcycle insurance premiums, but I don’t necessarily recommend them. For example, don’t increase your deductible just to save a few bucks every month. Also, you NEED to get underinsured motorist coverage (UIM), which will add to your premium, but since Colorado has so many uninsured or underinsured drivers, you need to protect yourself from them. 

As always, if you have any questions at all about this topic, call or text me at 303-388-5304.

Custom Wheelchair Competition set for October 17th – Medical Equipment Needed

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The contest is on!  The wheelchairs have been given to the clubs, organizations and biker owned businesses and BikerDown is looking forward to hosting our 1st Annual Customized Wheelchair Competition on Saturday, October 17th from 1pm to 5pm at Dirty Dogs Roadhouse.

2020 BD Las Vegas winner

In February 2020 we launched this competition in our BikerDown chapter of Las Vegas Nevada, and the response was overwhelming.  10 teams competed and each team really pulled out all the stops.  Tents were set up and the creativity of their booths almost outshined the amazing work each team did on the wheelchairs.

The premise of this event is to gather medical equipment for our charity.  As many of you know, for 10 years BikerDown has been supplying much needed medical equipment to injured riders in the Colorado area.   We decided this year to include the biker community and to try to make a medical equipment fundraiser FUN. 

No injured riders ever wants to recover in a wheelchair, they are depressing and the only motivation a wheelchair gives you, is how fast can you get out of it.  Our customized wheelchairs have given our riding community great joy and put a smile on their faces during one of the toughest moments in their life.  The injured rider also gets to SEE that a group, club, or organization/business took the time to jazz up a wheelchair and show the community we care about you.

All medical equipment is needed

In 2020, due to COVID-19, BikerDown Colorado began to run out of wheelchairs and the other much needed medical equipment such as shower seats, toilet seat risers and walker.  We are hoping that this event on the 17th will replenish the needed medical equipment that we need to help riders until the end of the year.

A special THANK YOU to Rider Justice and The O’Sullivan Law firm for their continued support of helping injured motorcycle riders.  RiderJustice.com donated 10 brand new wheelchairs for this competition and sponsored the trophies. 

So, if you have any gently used but good working condition medical equipment, please bring it to Dirty Dogs Roadhouse on October 17th and vote for the BEST Customized Wheelchair!

6th Annual Hornbuckle Foundation

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Hornbuckle Foundation and the Sober Souls Motorcycle Club teamed up, once again, for their 6th Annual Poker Run. Over 200 bikes and another 200 people showed up in force for the cause. Hornbuckle Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit with a Sober Living Placement and Recovery Coaching Program that helps those struggling with substance abuse find their recovery path to long-term recovery.

The run started at Renegade Classics and ended at Dirty Dogs Roadhouse in Golden, CO. Kai Turner from 103.5 The Fox was the MC, a custom Michael Hornbuckle, Delaney guitar was live auctioned, and nearly $20,000 was raised for their program. It was an amazing turn out and for many, a great escape for a great cause!  

Motorcycle Crashes – How Do You React? By Don Enninga

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By Don Enninga

  • 191,403 registered motorcycles in Colorado in 2019
  • 1965 motorcycle crashes in 2019
  • 1361 motorcycle injury crashes in 2019
  • 96 motorcycle fatal crashes in 2019
  • 1022 motorcycle crashes were non intersection in 2019
  • 595 motorcycle crashes were intersection related in 2019
Don Enninga

We don’t really think of motorcycling in terms of numbers like these.  We tend to see what we enjoy as living in our own little bubble until reality hits us in the face.  Now, reality can be in the form of being involved in a crash or witnessing one.  Hopefully you have not experienced either one but the truth of the matter is that you probably will in your riding career.

There has been way too many reports of motorcycle crashes in 2020 and far too many serious injuries and death.  The latest one I saw in the news was an Aurora Police Department off duty officer that died in an intersection crash when a driver failed to yield the right of way and turned left in front of her at an intersection.  We all need to watch out for motorcycles when driving as they have a very small “footprint” on the highway.  I have had instances in my own life where I almost failed to see someone riding a motorcycle so I work constantly to make sure I look twice to save a life! 

Rider Justice and BikerDown Foundation sponsor classes thru out the year.

When the unthinkable crash happens, how do you react?  Do you provide care? How will that look? What is safe, what will put you in danger?

Taking an Accident Scene Management course can provide you the skills and knowledge to make informed decisions and do the best you can in a tough situation.  Avoiding being hurt or killed and keeping the victim and those around you safe is kind of important!  Look around:  What will harm or kill you?    Scene safety is just one of many valuable skills offered in the ASM Bystander Assistance course.

Imagine this if you will: It’s a great day for a ride and you with several friends have put on a couple hundred miles when a deer vaults out of the trees into one of the motorcycles who was 20 yards in front of you.  The impact is on the front end of the bike causing the rider, who has leathers and a helmet on, to be thrown violently onto the pavement and skid down the highway stopping in the middle of the road.  You are able to hit the brakes, avoid the motorcycle and deer and stop in time to avoid running into the rider who is lying motionless.  You have thought about taking some kind of first aid or maybe an Accident Scene Management class but have not “taken the time”. 

If this picture strikes a nerve or you feel a bit rusty on trauma skills you may have learned at some point in the past, then it’s time to act, find an Accident Scene Management class and learn the skills you need to manage a motorcycle crash scene.   The $85 cost of a class is a small price to be able to feel confident and manage a situation that calls for calm thinking and decisive action for the best outcome.  In Colorado, there have been and will be opportunities to take an ASM class that is sponsored by Scott O’Sullivan from Rider Justice and BikerDown.  Both of these great organizations have dedicated the resources needed to help motorcyclists get the training to properly manage the injured rider on a crash scene. The best part is their sponsorship will reduce the cost to you by half or more depending on the class and location.   

It’s been great to have bikes back on the road but that does increase the chances of crashes and injury.  With the Covid 19 virus and the restrictions on contact, wearing of masks, smaller class sizes and issues with appropriate venue size for classes to allow for social distancing, planning of classes is more difficult but not impossible.  Contact Rider Justice, BikerDown or myself and we will be happy to schedule a class for you and your group.  Even though 2020 quickly turned upside down, here’s to life getting back to the point of normal, whatever that will be and we are able to provide you, the motorcycling community, with the tools necessary to react and treat the biker who has crashed.                  

Ride free and ride safe!

Don is the Colorado instructor for ASM Road Guardians and a Colorado Rider News motorcycle safety contributor

* 2019 Most report