Hiring a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Arkansas
The Arkansas helmet and lane-splitting rules, the deadline to sue, how lawyers usually charge (contingency fees), how to check a lawyer's license, and free help. We do not recommend or rank lawyers.
What a lawyer costs in Arkansas: fee rules
| If a lawyer takes your money | Arkansas has a Client Security Fund overseen by the Arkansas Supreme Court's Client Security Fund Committee, whose members are appointed by the Court; the Administrative Office of the Courts (625 Marshall Street, Little Rock; 501-682-9400) is the listed contact. |
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Arkansas rules to know first
| Helmet law | Motorcycle helmets: in Arkansas, operators and passengers of motorcycles, motor-driven cycles and motorized bicycles on public streets and highways must wear protective headgear unless they are 21 or older, and must wear protective glasses, goggles or a transparent face shield. The section does not address damages. Read on codes.findlaw.com (a public copy of the official code); check against the official code. Source: Ark. Code Ann. § 27-20-104 |
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| Lane splitting | Lane splitting: Arkansas's lane-use statute says that on a roadway divided into two or more clearly marked lanes, a vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane and may not move from the lane until the driver has made sure it is safe. That section does not mention motorcycles or lane splitting by name. Read on codes.findlaw.com (a public copy of the official code); check against the official code. Source: Ark. Code Ann. § 27-51-302 |
| Fault rule | Modified comparative fault (50% bar). An injured person whose fault is less than the fault of the defendant(s) can recover damages reduced by his or her share of fault. A person whose fault is equal to or greater than the defendants' fault recovers nothing. This applies to personal injury, wrongful death and property damage claims based on fault. Read on a FindLaw mirror of the Arkansas Code. Source: Ark. Code Ann. § 16-64-122 |
| Deadline to sue | Arkansas's general three-year statute of limitations covers actions "founded on any contract or liability, expressed or implied," and this is the period generally used for negligence-based personal injury claims. The statute itself does not use the words "personal injury." Read on a FindLaw mirror of the Arkansas Code (Arkansas's official code is published through a commercial vendor). Source: Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-105 |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The Arkansas Bar Association runs ArkansasFindALawyer, an online directory you can search by name, firm, city, postal code (within a set distance) or area of practice. The bar's page does not describe it as a referral service and states no consultation fee. The bar's general line is 501-375-4606. |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The Arkansas Judiciary's online Attorney Search lets you look up lawyers by last name, first name, city, ZIP code or bar number; attorney rosters are also posted. The site says its information is not the official record kept by the Clerk of the Courts and directs users to the Clerk's Office at (501) 682-6849 to verify. Rosters: https://attorneyinfo.aoc.arkansas.gov/roster |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | Complaints about Arkansas lawyers are handled by the Office of Professional Conduct of the Arkansas Supreme Court (Administrative Office of the Courts), One Capitol Mall, Suite 3D-101, Little Rock, AR 72201-1049; phone 501-376-0313 or toll-free 800-506-6631. File using the office's grievance form (printable for mailing or fillable for emailing). Disciplinary decisions are posted online, and paper copies are available from the Clerk of the Courts at $0.50 per page. |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | Legal Aid of Arkansas is the LSC-funded legal aid organization for Arkansas and provides free civil legal help to eligible low-income people. The Arkansas Bar Association also points people to Arkansas Access to Justice (arkansasjustice.org), Arkansas Free Legal Answers (ar.freelegalanswers.org) and Arkansas Law Help (arlawhelp.org) for free legal information and help. Bar legal assistance page: https://www.arkbar.com/?pg=LegalAssistance |
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General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.