Motorcycle accidents can be very complicated cases in the State of Florida. You might have suffered severe injuries, pain and suffering, property damage, and more. In addition, you probably have medical bills piling up, and your usual income will have been affected by not being able to work at the same rate as you could before your injuries.
The State of Florida entitles you to file a lawsuit to recover compensation for your damages in a motorcycle accident. However, there is a statute of limitations on your case, which will prohibit you from filing a lawsuit once a certain amount of time has passed. That is why you must hire a motorcycle accident lawyer with experience to take on the case as soon as possible. We will help you to get back on your feet following a motorcycle crash.
The Law Place has gathered over seventy-five years of experience in fighting for the rights of motorcyclists who have suffered injuries and other damages in accidents throughout the State of Florida. Our law firm has a strong track record of filing lawsuits on behalf of injured motorcyclists with great success.
If you are looking for the most reputable law firm in town, then look no further. You have come to the right place – The Law Place. Call us today to schedule a free case evaluation, in which a motorcycle accident lawyer will explain the legal process to you and determine the value of your case.
Contact us now on (941) 444-4444 to set up a free consultation, and we will fight your motorcycle accident case together in the State of Florida.
What Is a Statute of Limitations?
The State of Florida has a limit on the length of time that you have to file a lawsuit against a negligent party after an accident. This is also known as the statute of limitations.
Generally, you have up to four years to file a lawsuit after a motorcycle crash, and you will not be able to pursue compensation once you have passed this deadline.
A motorcycle accident lawyer with experience will be able to evaluate your case, explain the legal process, and work with you to make sure that your motorcycle accident lawsuit is ready to file against the negligent party. However, it can take longer to recover compensation if you do not know the full extent of your injuries. In some cases, injuries can take time to reveal themselves, which means that you might not know the exact amount of compensation that you will need to cover medical bills and other costs until much later.
Our team of motorcycle accident lawyers is aware of the complexities of filing a motorcycle accident lawsuit, and they will fight to make sure that you receive the right amount of compensation to cover all of your past, present, and future expenses.
The Statute of Limitations for Motorcycle Accidents in Florida
The statute of limitations varies depending on the motorcycle case and the negligent party in question.
- Personal injury claim – An injured rider must file a lawsuit within four years from the day that the motorcycle crash occurred. If the four-year time limit elapses, then the court will refuse to hear your case in the State of Florida. However, the court might still make an exception to hear your case in a few rare situations.
- Wrongful death claim – If you lost a loved one in a motorcycle crash, then you will have up to two years after the accident to file a wrongful death lawsuit in the State of Florida.
- Product liability injury claim – In the event that a motorcycle accident occurs due to defective parts (such as tires, fuel tanks, or throttles), then you will have to file a product liability lawsuit. You will have up to four years to file a lawsuit if the defective part caused an injury, and you will have up to two years to file a lawsuit if the defective part resulted in wrongful death in the State of Florida.
- Government agency injury claim – If a motorcycle accident occurs as a result of poorly maintained roads, then you will have to file a lawsuit against the related government agency. You will have up to three years from the day of the crash to file a lawsuit against the related government agency in the State of Florida.
- Property damage claim – You will have up to four years to file a lawsuit for property damage, which includes the costs to repair or replace the motorcycle.
Why Are Motorcycle Accident Claims More Complicated?
A motorcycle accident case can become very complex, as riders tend to suffer much more serious injuries compared to drivers in a car accident. In addition, it can be difficult to determine liability for a motorcycle accident in the State of Florida.
Personal injuries can get very serious, very fast for a motorcyclist, which means that a claim will be harder to resolve. Medical bills can accumulate quickly for an injured motorcyclist, and the recovery process can take months or even a year. In other words, a motorcycle accident lawyer will have to work hard to negotiate with the insurance companies and determine the right amount of compensation that you deserve for all of your injuries and damages.
Insurance companies can be very difficult to negotiate with. They use tactics to try and contest liability in a number of ways. More often than not, they will claim that you were the one at fault for the motorcycle crash in an attempt to lower your settlement or dismiss your case altogether. However, the good news is that you have a motorcycle accident lawyer from The Law Place on your side to avoid any insurance company taking advantage of your motorcycle accident case.
Common Injuries in Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycle accidents can result in many different serious injuries. Here are some of the most common injuries that motorcyclists tend to suffer:
- Road rash – Burns, abrasions, and contusions manifest when a motorcyclist is thrown from their bike in a collision, causing them skid across the pavement.
- Bone fractures – Skull, shoulder, arm, wrist, rib, leg, ankle, and foot injuries.
- Soft-tissue injuries – Tears or strains of muscles, ligaments, and tendons.
- Spinal cord injuries – The swelling or tears of tissue can result in the fracturing of vertebrae or cause injury to the spinal cord.
- Amputations – The crushing of arms, hands, fingers, legs, and feet.
- Internal injuries – Bruising, perforation, and bleeding of internal tissues and organs.
- Traumatic brain injuries – An impact to the head can cause a brain bleed, concussion, or even result in a coma.
Compensation in a Motorcycle Accident Claim
A motorcycle accident lawyer from The Law Place will make sure that you are fully aware of your legal rights so that you can know what to expect in terms of compensation. Our law firm will negotiate with the insurance company involved and fight to achieve the highest amount of compensation to cover all of your accident-related costs.
It is important for you to understand the two different types of compensation available: economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are determined by adding up your bills, invoices, receipts, and other relevant paperwork. Economic damages include:
- Medical bills – Compensation for hospital bills, surgery, visits to the doctor, physical therapy, rehabilitation, prescription medication, medical equipment, and more.
- Lost wages – Compensation for any changes to your usual income or income that you lost as a result of your injuries.
- Property damage – Compensation to repair or replace your motorcycle or any damage to your clothes, mobile phone, protective gear, or helmet.
Non-economic damages cannot be determined by adding up bills, invoices, receipts, and other relevant paperwork, as they are not financial losses. A list of non-economic damages includes:
- Pain and suffering – Compensation for physical suffering, emotional distress, mental trauma, fear, depression, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), and anything else that has caused a reduction in your enjoyment of life.
- Loss of companionship – Compensation for the loss of your companionship means that a surviving spouse or family member can file a claim to cover funeral expenses, medical bills, pain and suffering, property damage, and more after your death.
- Wrongful death – Compensation for the loss of a loved one means that you are eligible to file a claim for wrongful death to cover funeral expenses, medical bills, pain and suffering, property damage, and more, according to Florida Statute 768.21.
How Can a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Help Me in Florida?
If you or a loved one were injured in a motorcycle accident that has seriously affected your personal and professional life, then you probably want to forget the whole incident ever happened and move on. However, it is important to take the necessary steps to protect your future and your legal rights in the State of Florida before you put the accident behind you. Motorcycle accidents are very serious, and you will want to make sure that you are in the best position to recover compensation for all of your injuries, damages, and losses.
Our motorcycle accident lawyers will explain the statute of limitations to you and fill you in every step of the way in your motorcycle accident case. Our law firm will make sure that your motorcycle accident lawsuit is ready to be filed at the right time, and we will negotiate with the insurance companies to secure the best possible compensation for your case. A motorcycle accident lawyer from The Law Place will guide you through the legal system and handle every aspect of your personal injury claim, including:
- Investigating your motorcycle accident.
- Calculating your damages.
- Collecting evidence and documents.
- Developing your personal injury claim.
- Figuring out who was at fault for the crash.
- Negotiating with the insurance companies involved.
- Recovering the right amount of compensation to cover all of your injuries, damages, and losses.
Contact The Law Place Today
If you were involved in a motorcycle crash, then you could be entitled to compensation in the State of Florida. You will need a motorcycle accident lawyer with the necessary skill and resources to successfully file a personal injury claim at the right time.
The Law Place has over seventy-five years of experience and knowledge in helping motorcycle accident victims and managing personal injury cases all over the State of Florida. Our law firm understands the pressure that you are under, and we want to be the ones to recover the compensation you deserve so that you can focus on getting better.
We understand the complexities that come with filing a lawsuit after a motorcycle accident, and we will not let a negligent driver get away without paying the price. Our team of motorcycle accident lawyers will work hard to win compensation that will cover all of your medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, pain and suffering, and more.
Call us today to schedule a free case evaluation, in which a motorcycle accident lawyer from our law firm will explain the legal process to you and answer all of your questions.
Contact us now on (941) 444-4444 to set up a free consultation, and we will fight your motorcycle accident case together in the State of Florida. Phone lines are open 24/7.