There are over 8 million motorcycles on the road in the United States today. One out of every 36 persons owns one. Despite this, motorcyclists are over five times more likely to get injured in an accident than car passengers.
If you were recently injured in a motorcycle accident, you might be asking yourself is “do I need a motorcycle accident lawyer? The truth is, it all depends. There will be certain circumstances in your case where finding a good motorcycle accident attorney is the smartest move you can make.
You can find out more here on how to decide if you need a motorcycle accident lawyer to handle your case. Then you can focus on the important work like healing and regaining your good health.
What Does a Motorcycle Accident Attorney Do?
A motorcycle accident attorney provides legal representation to a victim who can show that someone else’s carelessness caused their injury. These professionals aim to fight for bikers’ rights.
Motorcycle accident attorneys are civil litigators. They specialize in an area of law called tort law. They can also help negotiate with all insurance companies involved in the case.
When to Hire a Motorcycle Attorney
If you’ve just been in a motorcycle accident, it’s important to act as soon as possible after the injury occurs. It’s best to hire a motorcycle accident attorney if any of the following circumstances apply to your case.
Accident Wasn’t Your Fault
When you get hurt due to someone else’s negligence or fault, you are eligible to receive compensation to cover your expenses. The justice system provides a framework for these victims. Victims can recover their losses with the help of a motorcycle accident attorney.
Life-threatening Injuries That Need Hospital Stay
When life-threatening injuries result from your accident, you might be facing extended hospital expenses to recover from your wounds. You might also experience accident injury symptoms that aren’t visible right away.
Sometimes, pain, swelling, or scar tissue develops days after you left the hospital for your visible injuries. These symptoms are called delayed onset injuries. You can also recover expenses for these types of injuries.
Damages to Your Current Lifestyle or Future
Your current lifestyle and future could become impaired if there are lasting effects from your injuries. For example, you might be unable to resume your current job, which might mean lost income for you. You may need to refurbish your car or home to accommodate your new health needs.
You also might need continuing lifetime care as well. The cost of this medical attention is very high. A motorcycle accident lawyer can help enhance your chances of receiving funding to cover these ongoing lifestyle expenses.
Disagreement About Who is Responsible
There are many US states considered to be at-fault states. This term means that injured persons can’t be over 49 percent responsible for their accident if they want compensation to cover their costs.
When the facts about who is responsible start to emerge, there’s a chance that your case might go to the courts. There, a jury or judge will decide the outcome.
Does this sound like your case? A motorcycle accident attorney can then help you navigate the justice system and present your arguments to the court.
Conflicting Medical, Insurance, or Police Reports
Any form of conflicting information contained in the medical, insurance, or police accident report may lead to a denial of your claim. Motorcycle accident attorneys can do their own investigation into your case. They can present their evidence as well as yours to compare what’s included in these other records.
If you see any reports containing conflicting content from your own facts, it’s best if you check in with an attorney right away.
Loss of Companionship or Emotional Suffering
Injuries can create high emotional trauma along with physical damage. This pertains to children who are a part of accidents that caused death or other damages to their family members. Pain and suffering is the term for this form of trauma.
Pain and suffering refer to both emotional and physical stress caused by injuries. The majority of US states will allow injured victims to request payment for this form of emotional suffering. A motorcycle accident lawyer can help you determine if your case complies with your state’s laws.
Injury Occurred in Public Areas or Caused by Hazardous Road Conditions
An accident that happens due to dangerous road conditions could involve many responsible parties in your case. Accidents that occur within a public right of way or other accessible zones might need you to fill out what’s called an “administrative claim” with a county or city governmental office.
Injured parties can have close to six months to submit their claim. The governmental agency will usually have approximately 45 days to respond.
Multiple Injured Victims
When several victims get hurt in the same accident as you, you would be wise to contact an attorney. The is also true if the other victims injured are all within the same family.
Many medical statements and presented in a legal proceeding will complicate your case. Motorcycle accident attorneys know how to handle these many testimonies and records to defend your case.
Death of One of Your Family Members
If you have a family member that dies in the accident, you will have specific rights to demand payment under the law defined as “wrongful death” Motorcycle accident lawyers can help show you what the laws are for your specific state. Direct family members such as spouses or children will qualify for wrongful death compensation.
Next Steps
Does your motorcycle accident contain any of these conditions? Then the answer to your “should I hire a motorcycle accident attorney?” question is a resounding YES! Legal help can guide your case through the court system so that you can focus on your health.
When hiring a motorcycle accident attorney, find a professional who has experience with tort law. This experience will be invaluable in the chance that you can’t negotiate a settlement. Find one of these experts so you can be on your road to recovery today.