After a motorcycle accident in Green Bay, understanding personal injury protection (PIP) insurance and its implications can significantly impact your recovery process and legal claim. Unlike many states with no-fault insurance systems, Wisconsin operates under a fault-based system where the party responsible for causing the accident is liable for resulting damages. For motorcyclists, this distinction is crucial as Wisconsin doesn't mandate PIP coverage for motorcycles, leaving riders potentially vulnerable after a collision. Coverage gaps can affect medical treatment, lost wages, and rehabilitation costs, particularly when injuries are severe as they often are in motorcycle accidents. Green Bay riders face unique challenges including seasonal riding conditions, heavy tourism traffic during Packers games, and navigating busy corridors like Lombardi Avenue and Military Avenue where accident rates are higher. Understanding how PIP interacts with other coverage types including liability, uninsured/underinsured motorist, and medical payments coverage is essential for protecting your legal rights after a motorcycle accident.

Legal Rights and Considerations

Wisconsin's comparative negligence statute (Wis. Stat. § 895.045) allows injured motorcyclists to recover damages even if partially at fault, provided their responsibility doesn't exceed 51%. Motorcycle riders should note that Wisconsin does not require PIP insurance for motorcycles, though it's available as optional coverage. The state's minimum liability requirements (25/50/10) often prove insufficient for serious motorcycle accidents, making underinsured motorist coverage particularly valuable. Wisconsin's statute of limitations gives accident victims three years to file personal injury lawsuits (Wis. Stat. § 893.54), though this timeline may vary in certain circumstances. Compensation categories typically include medical expenses (past and future), lost wages, diminished earning capacity, property damage, and non-economic damages like pain and suffering. Wisconsin does not cap compensatory damages in most personal injury cases, though punitive damages, if applicable, are limited to $200,000 or twice the compensatory damages, whichever is greater. An experienced Wisconsin motorcycle crash lawyer(link is external) will handle all aspects of the legal claim.

Personal injury protection coverage can be a factor in all kinds of accident claims. Click the links below to get information from an experienced attorney for accidents and injuries including:

• Wisconsin auto accident attorney(link is external);
• Wisconsin pedestrian accident attorney(link is external);
• Wisconsin 18-wheeler truck accident lawyer(link is external);
• Wisconsin bike accident attorney(link is external);
• Wisconsin brain injury lawyer(link is external);
• Wisconsin spinal cord injury attorney(link is external);

Related Resources

Local Courts

• Brown County Circuit Court
• Eastern District of Wisconsin (Federal Court)
• Green Bay Municipal Court

Support Services

• Brain Injury Alliance of Wisconsin
• Wisconsin Department of Transportation's Motorcycle Safety Program
• ADRC of Brown County (Aging & Disability Resource Center)
• Aurora BayCare Trauma Center

Legal and Regulatory Information

• Wisconsin Department of Transportation Motorcycle Laws
• Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance
• Wisconsin State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service
• Wisconsin Statute Chapter 346 (Rules of the Road)

Return to the Green Bay motorcycle accident statistics information page