Do I Need a Lawyer if I Was Hurt in a Motorcycle Accident?

Ryan Zavodnick | May 23, 2020 | Motorcycle Accident

Motorcycle accidents were responsible for 4,985 deaths in 2018. Additionally, thousands of people are injured in motorcycle accidents each year. Even though a rider wears a motorcycle helmet and other protective gear, a rider can be seriously injured in a motorcycle crash.

Motorcycle crashes can cause catastrophic injuries and life-threatening conditions. Common motorcycle accident injuries include traumatic brain injuries, severe scarring, broken bones, back injuries, and internal organ damage. The result is severe pain, financial losses, and emotional suffering.

Hiring a motorcycle accident lawyer in Philadelphia can be one of the best ways to protect your rights after a motorcycle crash. The insurance company for the other driver has a team of professionals to protect its best interest, which is paying as little as possible for an injury claim. You need a team of legal professionals fighting to recover full compensation for all damages caused by the motorcycle accident.

How Can a Motorcycle Accident Attorney Help Me?

When you hire an attorney to handle your motorcycle accident claim, your attorney provides several vital services.

Investigate the Accident

An attorney conducts a thorough investigation of the motorcycle accident to determine how the accident occurred. By determining how the crash occurred, the attorney identifies the party or parties responsible for your injuries and damages. Your lawyer gathers evidence during the investigation to prove fault.

You cannot recover compensation for your injuries and damages unless you can prove the other party caused the accident. It can be difficult, or impossible, for you to gather evidence without help from an experienced lawyer.

Not all motorcycle accidents result in a legal claim against another party. An attorney understands the legal requirements necessary to prove liability. Your lawyer carefully examines the facts and circumstances of your case to determine if the evidence supports a legal cause of action for damages.

Documenting Damages

Another crucial step in the process of recovering compensation for an accident claim is documenting your damages. You must prove that the motorcycle accident resulted in injuries, which resulted in damages. Your attorney understands the types of damages for which you may receive compensation and how to document those damages.

Damages in a motorcycle accident claim include, but are not limited to:

  • The cost of medical care and treatment;
  • Personal care costs;
  • Loss of income, including decreased earning capacity;
  • Scarring and disfigurement;
  • Disabilities and impairments;
  • Physical pain and suffering;
  • Mental anguish and loss of quality of life; and,
  • Emotional suffering and pain.

Calculating The Value Of Your Claim

The value of a motorcycle accident claim can be difficult to determine. Pain and suffering damages are subjective. There is not a standard formula for calculating non-economic damages.

Additionally, if a person sustains permanent disabilities, calculating future damages for loss of income, medical treatment, and personal care can be challenging. Assistance from medical experts and financial experts may be necessary to determine the correct value of a claim.

Your attorney has experience calculating the maximum value of an injury claim. Attorneys also work with experts, when necessary, to provide backup for the calculations to support a claim to the insurance company.

Deciding whether to settle a claim or file a lawsuit requires a careful analysis of the faces in the case and the relevant law. An attorney explains your options, and gives you an opinion based on experience and knowledge of the law.

The insurance adjuster is not going to tell you if the amount being offered to settle the claim is fair. The insurance company is not going to tell you whether you should pursue a lawsuit. Your lawyer helps you weigh your options honestly and with a focus on what is in your best interest.

Allow You to Focus on Your Recovery

Dealing with insurance claims adjusters can be stressful. By hiring a motorcycle accident lawyer, you can focus on your recovery instead of focusing on an insurance claim or legal case. Your priority is healing from your injuries and resuming your life after a motorcycle crash.

Your attorney’s priority is protecting your right to a fair and just settlement for your injury claim.

Five Signs You Need a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

You can always benefit from hiring an attorney to review your motorcycle accident claim. However, there are some situations in which a person should always contact an attorney before discussing the claim with an insurance adjuster or accepting a settlement offer:

  • You sustained catastrophic injuries or injuries that result in permanent impairments or disabilities;
  • You incurred substantial financial losses;
  • The insurance company alleges you contributed to the cause of the crash;
  • Multiple vehicles were involved in the accident;
  • A government vehicle or government employee was involved in the crash; and,
  • The accident was caused by a commercial vehicle.

Any of the above situations could benefit from an attorney’s advice. We believe that all injured motorcyclists can benefit from an attorney’s advice, regardless of the severity or circumstances of the motorcycle accident.

Contact Our Motorcycle Accident Law Firm in Philadelphia Today To Get Help With Your Case

Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers
123 S Broad St #1220
Philadelphia, PA 19109
(215) 875-7030

Visit us at our Philadelphia office or give us a call today to schedule a free consultation.