The roads of America today are an incredibly dangerous place. Most people do not realize that getting behind the wheel of their motor vehicle is likely the most dangerous thing they do every day. This applies doubly to motorcycle accidents. Even the most experienced motorcycle riders are at the mercy of those who share the road with them. A motorcycle rider is less visible and less shielded by their vehicle, meaning they are more at risk of damages that would qualify for a personal injury claim.
There are a number of different damages that can be recovered with the help of an experienced personal injury lawyer. These will depend on your unique situation but include things like covering medical bills and taking into account compensation based on your level of pain and suffering. The personal injury lawyer team at The Law Place has over 75 years of combined experience in personal injury law. We can help you to maximize the amount of compensation you could receive in your motorcycle accident case.
If you have been involved in a motorcycle accident case in the past four years, contact The Law Place. We will provide a free consultation at no-obligation, completely covered by the attorney-client relationship. Our lines are always open.
Contact us on (941) 444-4444 for free to secure help from our lawyer team.
What Makes a Motorcycle Accident Case More Dangerous Than Other Road Accident Cases?
A motorcycle crash carries one of the highest levels of risk of all personal injury cases.
This is due to a number of reasons, which will be outlined in the following list:
- When riding a motorcycle, there is less material protecting you from other vehicles sharing the road with you. Where the outside of a car would usually take the brunt of the damage in a collision, this will instead be taken by the rider’s body.
- Motorcycles are smaller and less visible than larger vehicles.
- Many motorists do not consider the fact that they are sharing the road with motorcycle riders.
- Motorcycles are often able to travel faster than cars and give the opportunity to weave in and out of traffic, which can be extremely dangerous.
- Motorcycles require additional protective gear to ride safely, something that some riders may not take seriously.
All of these factors increase the risk of motorcycle accidents and the common types of damages that result from them.
If you have been involved in a motorcycle crash in the past four years, call the personal injury lawyers at The Law Place today for the best chance of maximizing your injury claim.
Injuries That Are Common in Motorcycle Accidents
A motorcycle accident case can be the cause of many types of damages, physical or otherwise.
The following is a list of injuries that are commonly the result of motorcycle accidents:
- Cuts, abrasions, and bruises.
- Road-rash and gravel burn.
- Broken and fractured bones.
- Head and brain injuries, especially if the motorcycle rider was not wearing a sufficiently protective helmet.
- Crush injuries.
- Internal bleeding or organ damage.
- Scarring or disfigurement.
- Back or spinal cord injuries.
If you have suffered any of these as a result of a motorcycle accident case, the team at The Law Place can help you to maximize your compensation.
We’re here to serve you. Our phones are open 24 hours a day. Can Non-Physical Damages Result in a Claim Following a Motorcycle Accident?
Physical injuries are not the only potential damages possible for a motorcycle accident.
Many people who have suffered from motorcycle accidents also have to contend with the mental trauma of their accident. This can lead to potentially life-long issues such as:
- Depression.
- Anxiety.
- PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).
- Lack of enjoyment from life.
- Inability to drive or go near roads without anxiety.
- Sleep disorders, such as insomnia.
- Flashbacks or recurrent nightmares.
Even if the injuries from your motorcycle accident were predominantly psychological, there are still many types of damages that a personal injury lawyer may be able to help you to seek compensation for.
Call us today for more information, help, or legal advice.
We’re Florida’s top litigation team with over 75 years of combined experience What Are the Different Types of Damages That Can Get You Compensation Following Motorcycle Accidents?
There are a number of categories of damages that personal injury lawyers from your chosen law firm can help you to pursue.
These damages will apply to each person differently, as every motorcycle or car accident is different and has a different impact on the lives of those involved.
The following sections will talk through the damages that a motorcyclist injured in an accident can expect to be able to claim.
For more information on any section, contact us on the office number at the top of the page for more information or free legal advice.
From the initial call to updates on your case status, we are here to get you answers. Making a Claim to Get Your Medical Bills Reimbursed
If you have been involved in a car or motorcycle crash, the cost of your medical treatment can often be just as debilitating as the actual injuries you received. It is no secret that in the United States, medical bankruptcy is a leading cause of financial instability.
Luckily, your personal injury attorneys can fight to have your medical expenses reimbursed in your settlement.
In order for your injury lawyer to be successful in this, you should retain all documentation of your medical expenses, including the actual bills themselves.
Making a Claim to Get Back Lost Wages
If you have had to take time off from work in order to recover from your injuries, this will often impact your earning capacity. Not all employers give consideration for recovery time from injuries obtained in an accident.
If you have lost wages due to the recovery process of your motorcycle accident, your personal injury attorneys can help.
Simply retain all correspondence with your employer concerning the time you have been forced to take off work to recover from your injuries, and your lawyer can help you claim this lost money back in your settlement.
Making a Claim to Compensate You for Pain and Suffering
A motorcyclist who is injured in an accident will often have additional strains, anxieties, and life impacts that stretch beyond the timeline of the recovery process.
Damages for pain and suffering take into account a large number of factors for the injured motorcyclist. They will consider:
- The length, duration, and pain-level of the injury recovery process.
- Whether the person involved in the accident suffered any life-altering conditions, such as disfigurement or disability.
- The amount of psychological trauma the person involved in the accident had to deal with.
If your recovery process was long or complicated, or if you suffered from any kind of injury that will continue to impact your life, it is likely you could get additional compensation for this.
Call an attorney at The Law Place offices to find out more about what to expect from a pain and suffering settlement.
Making a Claim for the Value of Property Damage Received in a Motorcycle Accident
Your physical body and mental stability are not the only things that are at risk in car or motorcycle accidents. The violence involved in a crash is also more than likely to destroy your property.
Your attorney can also help you to recover the value of items lost due to property damage in your accident. This may be your motorcycle itself or any additional valuables that were on your person and damaged as a result of your accident.
Making a Claim as a Result of the Wrongful Death of a Loved One
Motorcycle accident cases, unfortunately, carry an increased risk of catastrophic injury and death. While it may sound crude, as no amount of money will be able to console you after the death of a loved one, your family will likely be able to get compensation to help them through these tough times.
While our law firm understands that no amount of money will make up for the damage caused by the loss of a loved one, we also understand that the death of a family member often means financial instability.
The official laws related to claiming for the loss of a loved one are contained in Florida Statute 768.21.
The compensatory amount for wrongful death damages will include considerations for:
- The cost of funeral and burial expenses.
- The lost wages to your family or household due to losing an earner.
- The loss of consortium provided by the lost family member.
- Considerations for the level of grief and lost emotional support.
Defining Wrongful Death in the Eyes of the Law
Wrongful death is defined as a death caused by the wrongful actions of another.
This loose definition allows the family of a lost loved one to seek compensation for any death that was not explicitly the fault of their loved one.
While this may sound like you are accusing another person of murder, it is actually more simple in legal terms. As a wrongful death action is covered by civil law, it will not result in a criminal charge. This is also good news for the likelihood of compensation, as the burden of proof is much lower in civil law cases.
Which Relations Can File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit?
If your loved one was killed in a car or motorcycle accident, it would be wise to file a wrongful death lawsuit to seek compensation for your unfair loss.
However, only some members of the family are legally able to do this. A wrongful death lawsuit must be filed by the person known as the deceased’s personal representative.
Typically, this will be the person named in the will of the deceased. However, if a will has not been made, it will usually default to the person’s spouse. If there is no spouse, then the court will usually allow the remaining family members that are eligible to decide who represents the deceased person. This is a high-pressure situation that your attorney can help you deal with.
The only people eligible to be a personal representative are the following relations to the deceased:
- Spouses.
- Children.
- Parents.
- Siblings or blood relatives that are designated as the dependent of the deceased.
For more information and a sensitive ear to guide you through the complexities of filing a wrongful death lawsuit, call The Law Place offices today.
How Long Do You Have to Make a Claim Following Motorcycle or Car Accidents?
The Statute of Limitations for car accidents, motorcycle accidents, and other motor vehicle personal injury cases are laid out in Florida Statute 95.11.
This statute makes it clear that anyone involved in a motor vehicle accident has four years to claim compensation for their damages.
This timeframe begins on the day of your accident. Once this time period has elapsed, you will be unable to get compensation for any damages through a settlement, trial, or otherwise.
So, When Is the Ideal Time to Raise a Personal Injury Case?
The best time for a motorcycle driver who has suffered an accident to raise a personal injury case is immediately after the accident.
While those suffering from damages as a result of motorcycle or car accidents have four years to seek compensation, there are many advantages to beginning the process as soon as possible.
The following sections will detail why time is of the essence when it comes to dealing with insurance companies, evidence, and other aspects of an accident that can impact the level of compensation you will receive in your final settlement.
Dealing With Insurance Companies Following a Car or Motorcycle Accident
While your insurance company will claim to be on your side during the process of your accident case, this could not be further from the truth. It is in the best interest of insurance companies to pay out as little in compensation as possible. This is why an insurance company will often resort to underhanded tricks and utilizing teams of claims adjusters to lower your settlement amount.
An insurance company will have its own dedicated attorney team, as well as access to experienced claims adjusters to lower your settlement potential. They will waste no time getting started on your case, so neither should you.
If you want to maximize your settlement size, it is important that your attorney is able to build a more solid case than the attorney team of your insurance company. For this, time is of the essence.
For advice specific to the insurance companies involved in your case, contact The Law Place today for a free consultation.
Collecting the Maximum Amount of Evidence for Use by Your Attorney
If you are a driver who has been injured in an accident that wasn’t your fault, you will want the maximum amount of compensation for your settlement amount.
Unfortunately, the value of your settlement will be determined by the quality of the evidence in your case. This is another reason why you should employ an attorney immediately.
Each day that you don’t, you risk the loss of the evidence that could be used to maximize your settlement amount. The scene of your accident may be restored, tire skid marks may be scrubbed from the road, and eyewitness accounts may become lost or unavailable for comment. All of this will damage the amount of compensation you can expect when you settle.
How Can You as the Driver Help to Collect Key Evidence?
There are many ways you can help to collect evidence that can prove you were not the one at fault in your motorcycle accident case. This evidence can then be used by your attorney in your trial, your lawsuit, or to force your insurance company to settle for a larger amount of compensation.
The following is a list of ways that you, as the driver, can help to collect evidence of your injuries and lack of fault:
- Take photographs of your injuries, both immediately after the crash and at each significant step in the recovery process.
- Take thorough photographs of the scene of the accident. These can help to prove your lack of fault and liability. Photographs should include environmental damage, skid marks, and vehicle damage. You should photograph each piece of evidence from multiple angles.
- Get contact information from each driver involved in the motorcycle accident, as well as eyewitnesses. This should include their name, contact number, registration plate, and insurance details.
- Retain your medical bills, as well as other documentation to do with your injuries, such as communication concerning time spent off work recovering. These can help numerous damages, including lost income or pain and suffering compensation.
Much of this evidence can be collected without going too far out of your way, and it may make it much easier for your attorney to get you the settlement amount you desire.
All of this evidence is invaluable at trial for arguing who caused the accident and who is at fault in terms of the liability for your injuries.
How Much Will a Motorcycle Accident Attorney From The Law Place Cost You?
Following a motorcycle accident, many people are put off pursuing compensation for their case due to financial strain. It is often the case that medical bills, lost income, and other financial strains combine to become overwhelming.
However, all of the personal injury cases taken on board by The Law Place are done on what’s called a contingency basis. What this means is that you do not pay anything upfront for your legal process. This remains true whether we are simply negotiating a settlement with your insurance company or actually taking cases to trial.
It also means that cases that are unsuccessful will cost our clients nothing. This is also known as ‘no-win-no-fee.’ We believe there should never be any risk caused by seeking compensation for injuries that were not your fault. All fees for your motorcycle accident claims process are only ever taken out of the final settlement.
All our casework is monitored by the State Bar Association, so you can rest assured you will not be blindsided by additional costs or hidden fees on top of the stress of your motorcycle accident.
For more information on our fees and how we do not charge until your final settlement amount has been calculated, call our office for a free consultation today.
Contact The Law Place Today
If you have been involved in a motorcycle accident that took place in the last four years, you should seek legal representation to maximize the settlement amount for your case. Insurance companies often employ underhanded tricks to lower the settlement amount for your injuries or damages.
The motorcycle accident attorney team at The Law Place has over 75 years of experience in maximizing the settlement amount in a motorcycle accident case. For more information about how we can help with your motorcycle accident case, call us today for a free consultation and free case evaluation.
Our lines are always open, and our phone calls are at no-obligation. You also don’t have to worry about accidentally compromising your settlement amount, as all our calls are covered by attorney-client confidentiality. We can help you to recover the maximum amount of compensation for the injuries you received due to a motorcycle accident case.
For legal support following a motorcycle accident, call (941) 444-4444!
