Murray Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Murray is a pass-through city for riders. State Street (US-89) carries north-south traffic the length of town, I-15 and I-215 both cross it, and 5300 South and Vine Street move commuters east and west. That adds up to closely spaced signals, a retail driveway every few hundred feet, and drivers focused on their next turn instead of on a single headlight in the oncoming lane.

We help riders hurt in Murray build the record that answers the first question every adjuster asks: did the driver have a fair chance to see you? The answer usually sits in video, signal timing and the damage pattern, and much of it disappears within weeks. For injuries that did not involve a bike, see our Murray personal injury page.

Where Murray Riders Get Hurt

The crash we hear about most is the left turn. A driver swinging off State Street into a parking lot, or turning across Vine Street on a green ball, misreads how fast a motorcycle is closing and turns straight into the rider's path. Utah Code § 41-6a-903 makes the turning driver yield to oncoming vehicles close enough to be an immediate hazard, and nothing in it carves out motorcycles.

Utah Law Every Murray Rider Should Know

Filtering at a red light. On a street with two or more lanes in your direction and a limit of 45 mph or less, a rider may ease past stopped cars at 15 mph or less when it is safe; § 41-6a-704(6) also allows it on a multi-lane off-ramp but never on an on-ramp. Our lane filtering guide lists every condition; the provision is set for sunset review in July 2027.

Helmets. Utah requires them only for riders under 21. Under § 41-6a-1505(6), going without one is not comparative negligence and cannot be introduced as evidence of negligence, injuries or failure to mitigate in a civil case.

No PIP on the bike. Section 31A-22-302 does not require personal injury protection on motorcycle policies, and riders are not covered by PIP for injuries while operating one. Early bills usually land on health insurance or any med-pay you purchased; our motorcycle claims guide walks through the order of payment.

When the driver's policy is small. Policies issued or renewed since January 1, 2025 must carry at least $30,000 per person for bodily injury, which a hospital stay can exhaust quickly. Your own underinsured motorist coverage can add to that; see how UIM works in Utah.

Deadlines. Four years for most injury suits, two for a death, and one year to file a notice of claim if a city vehicle, UTA or a road defect is part of the case. All of them are on our statute of limitations page.

Murray's Busiest Riding Corridors

State Street is lined with dealerships, restaurants and strip centers whose driveways let cars cut across traffic mid-block. 5300 South and Vine Street carry east-west commuters past schools and parks. Around the Fashion Place shopping area and Murray Central station at 5144 South Cottonwood Street, riders share the road with shoppers, buses and people walking to TRAX and FrontRunner.

Crashes on city streets are handled by the Murray City Police Department, based at 10 East 4800 South, which takes crash report requests online; the Utah Highway Patrol generally covers I-15 and I-215. Write down the case number before you leave the scene, because every insurer will ask for it.

How Murray Motorcycle Crashes Happen

Besides left turns: a car pulling out of a State Street driveway into the curb lane, a sudden slowdown where I-215 traffic merges, a rear-end hit while stopped at a red light on 5300 South, and a driver who changes lanes without checking a mirror. Potholes, loose gravel and debris in work zones can contribute too, and a defect in a public road brings the one-year notice rule into play.

Injuries After a Motorcycle Crash

A rider absorbs the collision directly: traumatic brain injury even through a helmet, broken wrists and collarbones from the fall, fractured legs and pelvises, spinal injuries, and road rash deep enough to need grafts. Intermountain Medical Center on Cottonwood Street in Murray is one of three Level I trauma centers on the state's designation list, so a badly hurt rider is often treated minutes from the crash scene.

Damages a Rider Can Claim

• Economic losses: hospital and rehab bills, future treatment, lost income and earning capacity, and the bike, helmet and riding gear.
• Non-economic losses: pain, anxiety, lost sleep, and the time on the road and with family that the injury took away.
• Lasting injuries: ongoing care, mobility equipment and home modifications when recovery stops short.
• Punitive damages: rare, and reserved for conduct such as driving while impaired.

When the Adjuster Blames the Rider

The script rarely changes: you were going too fast, you were weaving, the driver never saw you. The answers come from evidence gathered early, including scene photos, where each vehicle came to rest, the crush pattern, witnesses, video from State Street businesses, and data from the other vehicle. Under § 78B-5-818 a rider found 50% or more at fault recovers nothing, which is why the percentage fight matters. Our Murray car accident page covers local crash reports, and the steps in a Utah injury case explain what comes next.