
Available Damages After a Motorcycle Accident
Getting into a motorcycle accident is one of the worst things that can happen to you. It can lead to the disruption and even ruin of your life. You do not have to resign yourself to this fate. As a motorcycle rider, you avoid all unnecessary risks when on the road. You are scrupulous about following traffic laws and are always vigilant and aware of what is going on around you. This is not always enough to prevent an accident. If you have been smashed into by a reckless driver, then you have the right to claim compensation from them. This cannot be done on your own. To get the justice and the money you deserve, you should hire a motorcycle injury lawyer.
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The Ordeal of a Serious Accident
Even minor motorcycle accidents leave the motorcycle rider with a few scrapes and bruises. If you wear a helmet, you may have less to worry about when it comes to head injury. No amount of protective gear can protect you against a vehicle that smashes into you at an excessively high speed. You have no chassis, side door, or seatbelt to protect you against this kind of violence. As a result, you will be in bad shape. You will need immediate medical care, and you may be forced to undergo a series of operations to set you on the road to recovery.
A serious accident can put you on your back for a while. Part of your recovery will take place in the hospital; part of it will take place at home. But the severity of your injuries will prevent you from going to work and making money, which will lead to the drying up of your primary source of income.
If your injuries are permanent—that is, if the accident left you with a permanent disability—you will have further challenges. You may need to give up your livelihood altogether, which can leave you in exceptionally poor financial circumstances.
You should not have to deal with this situation all on your own. It is better to hire a motorcycle injury lawyer who can help you hold the people responsible for your plight accountable.
Damages Available to You After a Motorcycle Accident
West Coast Trial Lawyers specialize in helping ordinary people get the money they deserve after an accident caused by the recklessness and negligence of another. Torts is the mechanism in civil law by which people who have suffered material injury owing to the actions of another get financial compensation from them. If you have been severely injured in a motorcycle accident caused by someone else’s carelessness, they owe you money for damages. West coast trial lawyers know how to get it from them.
The following damages are available to you after a motorcycle accident:
-Your medical expenses, including the ambulance ride to the hospital, your prescription drugs, and the time you spend with a recovery specialist
-Your lost income and revenue, which may include the overtime you regularly received
-Future possible earning, which may include any promotions or bonuses you were up for or money from a big business deal you were about to close
-Pain and suffering
-Loss of consortium, which can be claimed if your injuries have left you unable to be intimate with your spouse
The above is only a sample of what you can claim in damages. You can claim compensation for every aspect of your life affected by the accident.
Protecting Your Right to Sue
The immediate aftermath of the accident is one of the most crucial points in your case. If it is quite clear that the recklessness of the other driver caused the accident, their insurance company will move fast to minimize the amount of money they will need to pay you. This will come in the form of a low-dollar settlement offer. You should never accept such an initial offer. You should instead refer the claims adjuster to your Los Angeles motorcycle lawyer. This is the best way to protect your right to sue the people who caused you so much suffering. The last thing you want is to say or do something that will undermine your case. Leaving all communication and negotiation to your attorney will ensure that never happens.
The Liability Fight
Insurance companies give high-priority to serious accident cases. Being a motorcycle rider makes you especially vulnerable to their investigations. They will scrutinize every aspect of your life as a rider and your actions before the crash. If you did not wear the proper safety gear, have received citations for traffic violations before, or made a riding error before the crash, they will use it against you.
They will also look for things that may have gone wrong with the motorcycle itself. In fact, such a finding need not work against you. If a malfunction in your motorcycle contributed to the crash, then you can hold the motorcycle manufacturer liable and file suit against them.
However, if all the evidence points toward the actions of a reckless or negligent driver, then you should hold them accountable. Hiring a Los Angeles motorcycle lawyer will allow you to prove that there was a serious accident, that it caused your injuries, that the other driver caused it, and that they owe you a certain amount of money in damages.
Your Case, Your Money, and Your Future Life
Getting compensation for the injuries you suffered in a motorcycle accident is not about revenge; it is about restitution. In other words, your case is about your money and your future life. You want to hire a Los Angeles motorcycle lawyer who understands this. You want to hire a professional who will show compassion and work vigorously on your behalf.
Your motorcycle accident lawyer will need to visit you while you are still recovering from the accident. They will ask you to recall the events before the crash. Don’t worry if you cannot remember everything. Further investigation will fill in the blanks. Your attorney will use your recollections of the crash to build a strategy for your case.
Your lawyer will bring in an investigation professional to gather the evidence needed to support your claim. The investigator will go to the scene of the crash and get the video footage of it. They will also go in search of the people who witnessed the accident to get their statements about what happened. They will most likely encounter one or two witnesses who captured footage of the accident with their smart phones. This kind of video evidence is also useful in backing up your claims.
Your motorcycle accident lawyer will also employ experts in forensics. These people can use the debris left by the accident and the damage done to each vehicle to reconstruct the accident. Such a computer simulation will be admitted as evidence.
Your lawyer will determine the value of the case by assessing the extent of your injuries and the debilitating effects they have had on you. They will speak to the teams of people who have treated you, and will bring in additional experts as needed.
If there is enough evidence against them, the respondent will probably want to offer you a fair settlement rather than risk a jury trial.