If you or a loved one have experienced a motorcycle accident but are looking to increase the settlement value of your case, you may want to reach out to an attorney that is experienced in negotiating injury settlements. Motorcycle accidents can leave victims with any number of damages, from minor property damage to physical injuries that require extensive treatment to reach a full recovery. With the help of a skilled motorcycle accident attorney, you could earn the compensation that you deserve for the damages that you endured. This compensation can cover things like medical expenses, property damages, loss of wages, and potential loss of future wages. At Normandie Law Firm our attorneys with expertise in motorcycle accident cases can help you increase the amount of a motorcycle accident’s compensation amount. If you have any questions after reading this article, please feel free to reach, out to our law offices for a free consultation from one of our many top-rated legal advisors.
Motorcycle Accidents & the Damages They Cause
Motorcycle accidents can inflict some fairly severe damages on drivers and passengers. Motorcycles often leave those onboard exposed to the full force of an impact after an accident. Since motorcycles offer little protection for riders and passengers, when a motorcycle gets involved in an accident, the victim onboard may require all the compensation they can receive to cover their damages. When victims of motorcycle accidents come into our law firm in hopes of increasing the value of their motorcycle accident case we often recommend that they can fully identify their damages. These damages can involve medical expenses, physical injuries, and any loss of wages the accident may have caused. One of the most important factors in determining the value of your case is being able to identify the physical injuries, as the hospitalization required to treat certain physical injuries can result in a significant financial burden. Listed below are some of the common injuries that victims of motorcycle accidents experience:
- Back and Neck Injuries: back and neck injuries can vary in severity from minor neck pain to severe damage such as dislocated spinal discs. In their more severe instances, back and neck injuries can prevent victims from returning to work and performing daily activities.
- Broken Bones: The force behind a collision with another automobile or object in the road can be truly devastating, so much so that the force can break bones. Broken bones often take a long time to heal, especially injuries like a broken pelvis, ribcage, or even hip. These injuries could prevent a victim from returning to work and their previous state of life immediately.
- Head Injuries: The force from a motorcycle accident can cause severe head injuries that can result in prolonged seizures, and other life-threatening Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs). In some, more severe cases, victims can never fully recover their damages.
- Internal Injuries: Internal bleeding to organs like the bladder, liver, kidneys, pancreas, and spleen can be challenging to treat, and in some cases can result in a case of wrongful death
- Lacerations: Often caused by broken glass and sharp metal, lacerations can be particularly painful and can leave massive scars that never heal entirely.
- Rib and Torso Injuries: The rib cage protects a multitude of the body’s vital organs, and when it breaks the whole system beneath is at risk of prolonged damage.
- Spinal Cord Injuries and Paralysis: The spinal cord is an incredibly sensitive part of the body and when damaged can lead to devastating nerve damage, and may result in paralysis.
Raising the amount of a motorcycle accident settlement can be somewhat complicated, as it is often difficult to identify who is directly at fault for the accident. Determining liability can make the difference between earning a substantial settlement that pays for all of your damages, and having to have your insurance provider pay for the damages of the other drivers involved. For this reason, it is also important that you can identify the specific cause of the accident. While there are a variety of ways a motorcycle accident can occur, we’ve compiled a list of common causes for your reference:
- Going over the speed limit
- Driving while under the influence of alcohol or other substances
- Distracted while behind the wheel of a motor vehicle
- Driving recklessly on the road
- Rain and other weather conditions
- Ignoring and running red lights
- Ignoring and running stop signs
- Inexperienced or young drivers
- Driving after dark which can hinder driving ability
- A defect in the design of the car
- Poor or dangerous lane changing
- Driving on the wrong side of the road
- Making an improper turn
- Following another vehicle too closely (tailgating)
- Ice on the road
- Snow on the road
- Potholes or other defects in the road
- Driving while drowsy
- Having a tire blowout
- Animals on the road, or crossing the road.
Being able to identify the cause of your accident is crucial to the outcome of your case. For example, if the other driver involved was under the influence of drugs or alcohol that driver can be found solely liable for the damages. However, if no singular party is at fault for the accident, the liability can be shared between all of the parties involved.
Increasing the value of a motorcycle accident settlement amount can be somewhat challenging, as there are some factors involved. While it is difficult, it is far from impossible. With the help of our skilled attorneys, we can show you how to increase the settlement amount for your motorcycle accident.
How to Increase a Motorcycle Accident Injury Settlement
Victims of motorcycle accidents often require the full extent of their potential settlement, as the damages from motorcycle accidents can be quite severe. While you may be able to receive compensation from your insurance provider, there is no guarantee that this compensation amount will cover the full extent of your damages. For this reason, it is highly recommended that you seek representation and guidance from a skilled attorney. When our clients come to our law firm and ask our attorneys how to increase the compensation amount after a motorcycle accident, we often recommend the following tips for advice:
- Take action as soon as possible: If you are involved in a motorcycle accident, you should collect as much evidence as you can as soon as you can. This evidence can take the form of photographs of the other driver’s information, eyewitness accounts, or video footage showing the damages in full detail.
- Report the accident as soon as possible: After an accident, you should always contact a police officer and file a report with them. If you hesitate to report the accident, it can be more difficult to receive full compensation for your damages.
- Receive a full medical evaluation: After an accident, it is crucial that you reach out to your primary care physician and receive a full medical evaluation. In many cases, the physical injuries of Motorcycle accidents aren’t apparent right away. Fortunately, a medical professional should be able to diagnose any injuries endured as a result of the accident.
- Immediately reach out to a legal expert: With the help of a skilled attorney, you can better ensure that you are following all the appropriate steps in ensuring you receive compensation for your damages. Later down the line, this attorney can help you negotiate your claim or fight for your case in court.
- Don’t take money from the other driver: In some cases, a driver may offer to pay for the damages under the table. There is no guarantee that the money being offered will adequately cover all of the damages that you endured, and doing so could directly damage your chances of receiving adequate compensation.
- Take full record of all medical treatment: If your accident resulted in injuries that require regular doctor visits, it is critical that you keep track of all of the medical expenses you paid to receive said treatment. In most cases, the cost of medical treatment will play a crucial role in your eventual settlement.
- Keep track of a loss of wages: In some instances, victims of Motorcycle accidents may need to take time off of work to reach a full recovery. When this is the case, these victims lose wages as a result. A loss of wages can also play a crucial role in the eventual settlement of your case.
While following these steps can make the difference in the eventual settlement of your case, it is also important that you gather substantial evidence to support your claims. This evidence can be used to prove the liability of the other driver, as well as show the damages that the accident caused. Some examples of this evidence you can use to support your claims are bulleted below for your reference:
- Photographs that detail the damages in the accident
- A photograph or photocopy of the other driver’s information
- A photograph of the driver’s license plate
- Video footage from a nearby security cam that details the accident
- Eyewitness testimonies from others at the scene
- Police or emergency services reports
Regardless of the details of your motorcycle accident case, the best way to increase your compensation amount for your motorcycle accident is to consult a skilled attorney. With the help of an attorney you can better negotiate with an insurance claims adjuster, and if needed, a skilled attorney can represent you and your case in court.
How Normandie Law Firm Can Help
Receiving adequate compensation for your damages after a motorcycle accident is incredibly important if you wish to reach a full recovery. If you or a loved one were involved in a motorcycle accident and wished to increase your potential settlement amount, it may be in your best interest to seek assistance from a lawyer experienced at fighting for the rights of motorcycle accident victims. At Normandie Law Firm our well-versed motorcycle accident lawyers are committed to ensuring all of our clients receive all the resources they require to earn the compensation they deserve for their damages. If you file a claim with our Los Angeles law firm, you may find some if not all of the following damages compensable to you:
- All of you medical and hospitalization costs
- All of your future medical care and treatment
- A loss of income and loss of future earnings due to long-term recovery or permanent disability due to the accident
- Compensable economic damages include loss of property or damaged property.
- Compensable non-economic damages include emotional distress, trauma, PTSD resulting from the accident, pain and suffering and anxiety.
Victims of motorcycle accidents or other car accidents can contact our law offices to learn how to earn compensation for their damages. While our law firm is based in Los Angeles, our attorneys also practice in Oakland, San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, Orange County, Riverside, Fresno, and throughout the state of California.
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Other attorneys will sign you up for their firm but will disappear once your name is on the paper as they are busy signing up more cases. In these instances, their business is based more on volume and will attempt to sign up as many cases as possible. In turn, they will spend less time on cases resulting in severely reduced settlements. Our firm will not treat you like a number. We will be in communication with you throughout our lawsuit and will treat you like family. So if you already have an attorney don’t worry, we’ll give you a second review of your case 100% free of charge.
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If you contact our law offices today, we can walk you through the complicated process of filing your claim completely free of charge. As a show this commitment to you and your case we offer our clients the benefits of a zero fee guarantee policy. Under our zero fee policy, all clients don’t pay for our services until their case is won. If you feel in need of a second opinion, second opinion case reviews are also free under this policy. Please, feel free to give us a call, and we can guide you down the path of receiving proper compensation for your damages.
