After a motorcycle accident, it is important to get medical attention for anyone who may have sustained significant injuries. It is also a good idea to take pictures of the scene and speak with witnesses, if possible.
A negligent driver breached their duty of care by operating their vehicle in a way that put motorcyclists at risk. Damages can include past and future medical expenses, lost income and pain and suffering. For professional help, contact Baltimore Motorcycle Accident Attorney.
When someone is in a motorcycle accident, it is often hard to determine who was at fault. However, this is an important step in pursuing damages for medical costs, lost income, property damage, pain and suffering, and more. A personal injury lawyer can conduct a thorough investigation and identify all responsible parties.
Your attorney will review all of the evidence, including scene photos, witness statements, police reports, and other documentation to compile a detailed account of how your accident occurred and who was at fault. This evidence will help your attorney build a strong case on your behalf.
While many drivers harbor prejudice against motorcyclists, the vast majority of accidents involving motorcycles are caused by driver negligence, such as speeding, turning left without signaling, failing to check blind spots before changing lanes, texting while driving, and impaired driving. However, in some cases, both the driver and the motorcyclist may be found partially responsible for the accident.
The law defines negligence as a failure to exercise reasonable care under the circumstances. If another party’s negligence contributed to the accident, they are liable for compensating you. In the state of New York, your lawyer can help you recover damages from all liable parties.
During the claims process, your attorney will also ensure that you are fully recovered from your injuries before submitting a request for compensation. This is done to avoid submitting an amount that exceeds your actual losses. The legal team at Lehr Law, APC will also gather all of the necessary evidence to support your claim, including medical records, proof of loss of income, and an estimate of future earnings potential.
An experienced attorney can assist you in identifying all responsible parties and calculate the amount of compensation you are due. Contact us to schedule a free consultation today. We serve clients throughout the greater Philadelphia area, including Bucks County, Chester County, and Montgomery County. We have the experience and resources to represent victims in all types of personal injury claims, including those related to automobile, trucking, motorcycle, and bicycle accidents. We are committed to getting you the best possible results for your case.
Obtaining Evidence
It’s important to gather as much evidence as possible from the scene of the accident. If you’re able to, take pictures with your cellphone from different angles of the vehicle damage, skid marks, and other visual evidence. If you can, also jot down your immediate recollections of the incident. This can be useful later on when your memory might fade.
It is also a good idea to exchange information with the other drivers and any eyewitnesses. This includes their names, phone numbers, insurance details, and the make and model of their vehicles. If you can, ask them if they would be willing to provide a statement about the accident to your lawyer and/or insurance company. Witness statements are valuable in personal injury cases because they help to paint a more complete picture of what occurred.
If you’re not able to gather evidence at the scene, it may be a good idea to keep track of your medical bills and other losses in a journal or notebook. This will allow your lawyer to link these costs to the accident and ensure that they are adequately compensated. It’s also a good idea to keep track of your expenses throughout the recovery process so that your attorney can accurately calculate how much your total loss will be.
When you hire a New York motorcycle accident lawyer, they will be experienced at communicating with and negotiating with insurance companies. They will know the strategies that insurance carriers use to avoid liability and they will work diligently to get you a fair settlement.
Hiring a skilled motorcycle accident attorney can make your claim much more successful. They will have the expertise to know what evidence to collect and how to preserve it, and they will have a strong understanding of the law that applies to your case. In addition, they will be able to determine which parties might be liable for your crash and pursue them aggressively for full compensation. This can include a manufacturer if the accident was caused by a faulty part, such as a defective tire or seat belt.
Negotiating with Insurance Companies
It takes a certain level of legal sophistication to negotiate with insurance companies and get them to loosen the purse strings for accident victims. Insurance companies are essentially financial entities that have one goal: to protect their bottom line. Insurance companies are incredibly adept at attempting to deceive and trick accident victims into accepting low settlement offers. It takes a skilled and experienced motorcycle accident attorney to fight them off.
A good motorcycle accident lawyer will review your medical records and medical bills to determine how much compensation you are owed for the injuries you suffered. They will also consider your loss of wages, past and future medical treatment, and all other economic damages that you have sustained. The lawyer will then prepare a demand letter and present this to the insurance company. They will also discuss the impact that the accident has had on your life with regards to non-economic damages like pain and suffering, disfigurement, and emotional distress.
When you have a lawyer on your side, it helps to even the playing field with the insurance company as they are more likely to treat you fairly. In addition, they will help you avoid making any statements to the insurance company that could be used against you in your case.
Your attorney will also help you to avoid any mistakes in claiming your damages. For example, if you delay seeking medical attention, a claims adjuster may interpret this as a sign that your injuries are not as severe as you claim. In addition, the lawyers at John Foy & Associates will make sure that you are properly awarded all of the damages to which you are entitled.
They will also ensure that you don’t accept any lowball settlement offers from the insurance company and will take the time to review all counteroffers. If you are unable to come to an agreement, they can file a lawsuit against the insurance company. They will be able to prove that the insurance company is refusing to compensate you in good faith by providing ample evidence of their bad faith conduct.
Filing a Lawsuit
A motorcycle accident can cause serious injuries. It is important that victims of these accidents seek the compensation they deserve to help pay for their medical bills and other losses. A lawyer will be able to help victims identify all possible sources of compensation, negotiate with insurance companies on their behalf, and file lawsuits when necessary.
A good attorney will also be familiar with the unique legal and insurance issues that surround motorcycle accidents. This means they can ensure that the other party’s insurer does not take advantage of a victim and offer them less than they deserve or even deny their claims altogether. In addition, they can handle the entire process so that the victim can focus on recovery.
If the other driver is uninsured or underinsured, a lawyer can also explore the option of filing a claim under their own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. In this case, the client’s own insurance company may cover their expenses and damages up to the policy limits. However, this type of coverage can be a complicated and lengthy process, and it is best to leave it to an experienced lawyer.
While it is common for drivers to make errors on the road that lead to motorcycle accidents, these errors don’t necessarily cause injury or damages. For example, a distracted driver may swerve into your lane of traffic, but you avoid an accident. However, if the driver was distracted and hit you, that would be grounds for an injury claim.
Likewise, a driver who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol may become aggressive behind the wheel and run you off the road. In either case, an experienced lawyer will be able to evaluate whether the other driver was negligent and may be liable for your injuries and damages. In some cases, a lawyer can negotiate a settlement that is fair to you based on your damages. In other cases, they will be able to take the matter to trial if the insurance company refuses to budge. It is best to discuss your options with a reputable motorcycle accident attorney as soon as possible after the accident.