A motorcycle accident lawyer can help you in several ways. Riders do not always understand how time-consuming and complex their cases will be. For this reason, you may not recognize an attorney’s true value until they’ve resolved the case.
Some of an attorney’s most important responsibilities include dealing with insurance companies, advising the client about what they should and should not do, documenting and calculating damages, and negotiating a settlement. Some motorcycle accident lawyers also represent their clients in the legal process.
Examining the Most Important Reasons to Hire a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Table of Contents
Before delving further into what an attorney does, it’s worth explaining why they are valuable to injured riders. You may find that an attorney is a priceless resource because:
Insurance Companies May Not Treat You Well
There’s a common belief that because you and other motorists pay for insurance policies, riders and other accident victims will receive the compensation they deserve. This isn’t always how it shakes out, as:
- You must recognize that insurance companies have their own financial motives, and the motive is typically to pay as little as possible through claims
- Insurance companies may approach you with several bad-faith tactics, from confusing you about claim policies to extending lowball settlement offers
- Riders who don’t understand or recognize insurance companies’ questionable tactics may accept a lowball settlement offer, suffering severe financial consequences as a result
Once you sign a financial agreement with an insurance company, you release them from liability. This can mean you have no recourse if you find out the agreement is unfair.
Allow a motorcycle accident attorney to protect you by dealing with insurance companies on your behalf.
Your Lawyer Will Fund and Support Your Case in Many Ways
Just as motorcycle accidents can be expensive, cases that result from those accidents can also be costly. Having a law firm cover the cost of your case can be a relief, and a benefit for your case’s odds of success.
Don’t be surprised if your law firm:
- Pays for all case-related costs (which is common practice among law firms that use contingent fees, as most motorcycle collision lawyers do)
- Hires multiple experts to contribute to your case, which may include medical professionals, mental health service providers, law enforcement officials, and insurance experts
- Commissions a reconstruction of the accident
- Takes other steps that cost the firm money but also improves your case
Motorcycle accident lawyers only receive a fee if they win for you. This means that firms have a significant incentive to invest in cases like yours. As the client, you will likely not face any added expense when the firm spends money on your case.
Nobody Else Can Recover But You, So Let It Be the Priority
Riders are vulnerable to severe injuries, with the head being a common injury site among motorcycle accident victims. Do not take the physical effects of the collision lightly, even if you don’t feel especially bad right now.
You are the only one who can recover. Give your full attention to treatment, rest, and any other steps your doctor prescribes. You may have one chance to heal, and failing to take full advantage can cause irreversible health problems.
Insurance Policies and Laws Are Complicated—But They Won’t Be to Your Lawyer
Have you ever read an insurance policy or browsed laws related to traffic accidents? If you’re like most Americans, you have not.
Attorneys consume insurance policies, laws, and other dense materials on a regular basis. They are familiar with these dense, complex, and critically important resources, which may be vitally important to the outcome of your case.
An Attorney’s Experience Makes Them the Ideal Guide After a Motorcycle Accident
As you narrow down law firms you may hire to lead your case, place a premium on experience. A motorcycle accident attorney with relevant experience may:
- Be cool under the most stressful, challenging circumstances (which, by extension, will help you remain calm)
- Be prepared for any difficulties that arise during your case (they may have faced very similar challenges during other motorcycle accident cases)
- Have resolved cases like yours through both settlement negotiations and trials
- Be just who you need to help you through a challenging time that comes with high financial stakes
You probably know that experience is important. Now is not the time to disregard experience, as your case is far too important to do that.
Should It Come to It, Your Lawyer Will Wage a Legal Fight for You
When riders represent themselves, they may not be capable of leading a lawsuit. This puts them at the mercy of insurance companies, who hold the leverage during settlement negotiations.
If you hire an attorney, this gives you the option to:
- Sue one or more parties liable for the motorcycle accident
- Fight your case in court, with your attorney leading the way
Understand the gravity of your case. Motorcycle accidents are notoriously dangerous, with 15 percent of all traffic deaths being riders. Serious injuries can make collisions like yours fantastically expensive for the victim, and failing to secure fair compensation can be devastating in multiple respects.
Harness the experience, protection, and resources a motorcycle accident lawyer affords you.
The Laundry List of Duties Your Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Will Perform
You now understand the significant benefits of hiring a motorcycle accident lawyer. Now, it’s time to spell out exactly what your attorney and their team will do for you.
Cases like yours generally require the rider’s attorney to:
Prove Who Caused the Collision
Fault is a critical concern after any accident, as it can determine:
- Whose insurance company is liable for which accident-related losses
- Who you should file insurance claims with
- Who you may be eligible to sue
Proving fault for your motorcycle collision will be one of your lawyer’s most important responsibilities. They may use several types of evidence, from camera footage to witness testimony, to establish fault.
Trace the At-Fault Party to Liable Parties
When your attorney proves who caused the accident, they can then determine who should cover the cost of the accident. Liable parties may include:
- The person who caused the accident (often a motorist)
- An at-fault motorist’s employer (if the accident happened while that motorist was working)
- The insurance company representing the at-fault party
When they know who should cover your damages, your attorney can then form a personalized strategy for securing any money you deserve.
Document the Rider’s Damages
Smart lawyers always anticipate pushback. Insurance companies and other liable parties can very likely fight your case. It’s best practice, then, for your lawyer to:
- Obtain medical records detailing your injuries
- Secure all medical bills and invoices showing the cost of your care
- Have experts testify about your financial and non-financial damages
- Take any other measures that help prove your damages (and the cost of the at-fault party’s negligence)
If your lawyer does not prove your damages in fine detail, liable parties may claim you’re fabricating those damages.
Pursue a Fair Financial Settlement
All things being equal, injured riders and their attorneys generally prefer a settlement. If you can receive a fair payout without facing the time or cost of court, that will be ideal. Your attorney will enter settlement talks intended to secure a fair deal.
There’s a chance you and your lawyer don’t receive an acceptable offer despite their best efforts. It’s also possible that an at-fault motorist is uninsured. In these or other circumstances, your attorney may:
- File a lawsuit: Filing a lawsuit requires effort and some expense. If your attorney takes this step, liable parties may be shaken into taking settlement negotiations more seriously. In this way, the act of filing a lawsuit can prompt a fair settlement agreement.
- Fight your case in court, if that’s the strategy you favor: Filing a lawsuit does not always mean liable parties will come around to your lawyer’s settlement demands. Sometimes, they dig their heels deeper. If this happens in your case, your attorney may take the next step and go to trial.
This is a key reason to hire a motorcycle accident attorney—so every strategy is available to you. In addition to doing the legal work, your attorney will propose a strategy they believe is right for your case. They will take on every detail of your case so you can worry about recovery.
The Cost of Your Accident (and Getting Fair Compensation) Will Be Your Lawyer’s Focus
Attorneys get justice for riders by securing fair compensation for damages. Your lawyer’s job will be more complicated than it sounds, but that is the mission.
Some of the damages riders often face because of traffic accidents are:
Medical Expenses
Being hit by a motor vehicle can spark a lengthy sequence of medical intervention that may include:
- An ambulance ride from the site of the accident
- Emergency treatment for life-threatening injuries
- Medical imaging
- Surgeries
- Outpatient care
- Rehabilitation
Some riders face chronic pain and other indefinite symptoms of their injuries. This can mean ongoing medical costs.
Pain and Suffering
There is always a non-economic cost to motorcycle accidents, and that cost may include:
- Temporary and chronic pain
- Lost quality of life
- Physical disfigurement
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Anxiety
- Depression
A rider may also lose their joy of riding after the accident, which is a form of pain and suffering in itself. Fortunately, our civil justice system permits riders to seek compensation reflecting their pain and suffering.
Income Losses
Lost earnings are one of several professional damages riders can face. You may also lose earning power, promotions and bonuses, and the fulfillment and other non-economic benefits of working.
Motorcycle Repairs
Property costs are almost always a feature of motorcycle accident cases. Your attorney will calculate the cost of repairing or replacing your bike, as well as the cost of any temporary transportation you need after the collision.
Disabilities
Disabilities are one of the more tragic consequences of motorcycle accidents. Such severe health conditions can cause:
- Particularly distressing pain and suffering
- The total loss of physical abilities
- Changes in mood and personality
- Total, permanent loss of earning capacity
- Lifelong medical and caregiver costs
A disability may even require an injured rider to change residences or alter their home for wheelchair access. Attorneys are familiar with riders’ realities and challenges, so allow one to lead your fight for justice.
Mourning the Loss of a Rider? Yes, a Motorcycle Accident Attorney Can Help.
Those who lose loved ones in traffic accidents deserve compassionate assistance from an attorney. If you’re grieving a loss, you are no exception.
Justice looks a bit different when a rider loses their life. While you may face medical expenses, your recoverable damages may also include:
- Grief: Grief may be the most acute form of pain and suffering you face when a loved one passes suddenly. You might also experience severe depression, the loss of enjoyment of life, and several other types of pain and suffering.
- Funeral costs: Funerals are often expensive, and liable parties should cover any service resulting from a motorcycle accident.
- Lost financial support: Riders can also be earners. When they pass, survivors may face a glaring financial void. Attorneys account for all direct and indirect financial support survivors lose due to a motorcycle collision.
- Loss of consortium: This class of damages refers to certain non-economic losses, including the loss of a spouse’s companionship.
Injured riders and loved ones of deceased riders deserve justice. Your lawyer will direct their resources, time, and energy to ensure you get the justice you deserve.
Don’t Wait to Hire Your Motorcycle Accident Attorney
We know how pain, grief, and chaos can take hold after a motorcycle collision. Even so, it’s important to find your motorcycle accident attorney as soon as you can.
Your lawyer will protect you from insurance companies and secure all available evidence of negligence to form a case strategy. They will abide by any deadlines related to your case, which can be make-or-break for your eligibility to pursue compensation. Help your lawyer help you by hiring them sooner rather than later. Contact us today!
