Motorcycle accidents can be very serious. When you ride a motorcycle, you have less protection than you would in a car or other vehicle, and the injuries can be more serious. Oftentimes other drivers fail to see motorcyclists because they may be in a hurry and don’t do a good job of looking before they start their turn across traffic. When you’ve been seriously injured in a motorcycle accident, you need help from an experienced attorney to get the settlement you deserve.
After your motorcycle accident, there will likely be an investigation into the details of the accident in order to determine fault or liability. After a motorcycle accident, you need to focus on your recovery, not on gathering evidence and tracking down witnesses. The investigation will focus on the scene of the accident, inspecting your motorcycle damage as well as the other vehicle, talking to witnesses and obtaining photo and video footage, and other relevant documentation. Perhaps a reconstruction of the accident will be necessary if the witness recounts are in dispute. While the insurance company may initially seem to be on your side, they are ultimately looking to pay out as little as possible, so this means they are focusing on ways to somehow shift the blame to you during the investigation. When you have a motorcycle accident lawyer on your side, they can undertake their own investigation to fight for a fair settlement.
Liability refers to who was responsible for the accident, and this is important to the insurance company when they are determining the settlement. An insurance company may take anything you say and try to use it as evidence against you, so it’s important to have a legal representative involved if a statement is being made. When determining liability, the police and insurance company look for negligence as the cause, such as a traffic violation, distracted driving, driving under the influence, and other factors that may have caused the accident. If the insurance company determines that you are partially liable, that can impact your settlement. When you have a motorcycle accident attorney working for you, they can look at your case and fight for liability to be apportioned correctly.
As soon as you agree to a settlement with the insurance company, the process is over, so even if you find later that the settlement amount isn’t enough to cover the damages, you cannot go back to seek any additional damages. The insurance company counts on this so they will often pressure you to accept a low settlement offer before all your damages are known. Insurance companies know that you are not operating from a position of experience and that you likely need a settlement to quickly move forward. When you have an attorney involved, you have someone who understands the tactics an insurance company will use and how to combat them. When you hire an attorney who has experience resolving cases like yours, they will negotiate on your behalf and can get you a much better settlement.
In all likelihood, your motorcycle accident will be settled out of court. But if you and the at-fault insurance company cannot agree on a fair settlement, you may need to go to court. If your case gets to this stage, you absolutely cannot go through the process successfully without an attorney by your side. Not only will your attorney explain the legal process to you, but you will know that you have someone knowledgeable and experienced on your side who understands how to go through litigation successfully.
For a maximum settlement, you need an experienced lawyer who knows how to fight for your right to fair compensation. Many motorcycle accident victims worry about the cost of an attorney, but at Arthur Law Firm, we work on a contingency basis and our Fair and Square Fee Guarantee assures that our legal fees will never exceed your settlement. You can trust our motorcycle accident attorneys to get you the settlement you deserve so you can move on without being financially burdened after your accident. If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident that wasn’t your fault, contact Arthur Law Firm (419) 782-9881 right away for a free consultation.