Motorcycles can leave you vulnerable to dangerous drivers, and you could be left dealing with the aftermath. When they try to leave you with the bill, team up with a Greenville motorcycle accident attorney for help getting the compensation you deserve.
When you’re on a motorcycle, you might feel freer than ever. You’re on the road without the barriers and restrictions of a car, which can be exciting. Unfortunately, it also means you’re more vulnerable in an accident. So, when someone doesn’t take care before they act and hits you, you’re likely suffering much more than the other driver.
That leaves you in a tough spot. You need help, but many people don’t respect the safety of motorcyclists, and they’re also likely to fight back to avoid paying for your injuries. Fortunately, you don’t have to go through this alone. Instead, speak to a lawyer from HawkLaw, PA. A Greenville motorcycle accident lawyer can fight back when others are unwilling to pay for the damages they caused.
Your Motorcycle Injuries May Be Dire
Unfortunately, you might be overwhelmed by your injuries. While a car might have airbags or seat belts to stop severe trauma, motorcycles don’t have the same safety considerations. You may have a helmet on, preventing more serious types of brain trauma, but you’ll have little protection for the rest of your body.
That means you’ve likely suffered multiple serious injuries. These injuries can take months or even a lifetime to overcome, and unfortunately, permanent injuries and wrongful death cases can’t be overcome at all. Because of this, you’ll need help dealing with the trauma. At the least serious end, this means a trip to the hospital. At worst, it could mean lifelong impairments, accommodations for your disability, and rehabilitation to aid your recovery.
So, you’ll need to know what you’ve suffered and what those injuries are worth. If you’ve suffered a major injury, like the ones below, reach out for a lawyer’s help with your compensation:
- Whiplash
- Friction burns (road rash)
- Broken bones
- Spinal cord injuries
- Organ damage
- Disfigurement
The Insurance Company May Not Help
Your first thought might be to turn to your insurance company, and in most situations, that’s not a bad idea. You pay for your insurance, and it should help you when disaster strikes. Unfortunately, motorcyclists may have trouble with that.
While you might pay your premiums for coverage, insurers aren’t always willing to pay out. Motorcycle crashes are expensive, and these companies are for-profit businesses. That means their profits are their first priority, not your health. As such, you can expect a low or no settlement offer.
While your insurance company should help, don’t accept a settlement offer just because they offered it. If they don’t offer the full compensation you deserve, you’ll need to fight back to get that compensation when you need it. That may mean filing a claim against the other driver within three years of the motorcycle accident.
While the idea of taking your claim to court in Greenville might be intimidating, it might be the best way to get the compensation you’re owed for your bike wreck. Our attorneys can help you fight back and protect your claim when your insurance company refuses to pay.
Modified Comparative Negligence
Unfortunately, you’ll need to consider your own part in the accident before you file. If you’re accused of also acting negligently, your compensation could be reduced by your amount of fault. If that amount is more than 50 percent, you could lose your compensation entirely.
So, let’s say you were on the highway and you changed lanes without signaling. While you were looking and taking care not to hit anyone, a car hits you, causing a serious crash. The fact that you didn’t signal may leave you with 25 percent of the fault, for example (this can vary), if you don’t fight back. That means you’d only receive 75 percent of the compensation you asked for.
When you’re dealing with high medical expenses and other damages, it can make recovering nearly impossible. You’ll need to protect your full compensation and avoid being left with the bill. As such, you’ll need to do more than show that the other person was at fault. You’ll also need to show that you’re not at fault for the accident.
Single-Vehicle Accidents
You’ll need to find the at-fault party for your claim, whether you’re filing with your insurer or in court. Unfortunately, you might have been the only vehicle involved in the motorcycle crash, so you might believe you don’t have an option for compensation.
That’s not always true. Instead, something else may have injured you. For example, motorcycles are more vulnerable to potholes and road hazards. These hazards should be handled by the Department of Transportation, but they may have neglected those duties.
In other cases, your motorcycle may have malfunctioned. If your brakes suddenly went out, for example, the accident may have been due to a defective part. Because the manufacturer is responsible for making their products safe, you still might be able to sue, even though no other vehicles were involved.
Compensation We Can Fight For
Once you’ve determined that you weren’t at fault and are ready to get started, you’ll need to focus on how much your motorcycle crash claim is worth. Unfortunately, determining the proper amount is easier said than done. You’re already overwhelmed by your claim, you’re struggling to recover, and now you need to know the difference between different types of damages, both compensatory and punitive.
You’ll need to first focus on your compensatory damages, which compensate you for the suffering you’ve experienced. These damages are further split into economic and non-economic damages, which cover both the financial and nonfinancial aspects of an accident, respectively.
Economic damages should cover all the costs of your accident. The damage to your bike and to yourself can be pricey, and you might even be unable to work because of your accident. Fortunately, these types of damages aren’t as difficult to find. You’ll need to simply add up your losses and estimate the future costs.
Non-economic damages, however, are more difficult to calculate because they’re intangible. These damages cover the trauma, fear, and emotional pain you’re suffering, among other things, so you’ll need specialized tools to determine how much they’re worth. As such, you’ll need to reach out to a lawyer for help.
What About Punitive Damages?
Unfortunately, you might have been injured by a person who was grossly negligent or intentionally harmful. In this case, the other driver didn’t just make a mistake. Instead, they might have been drinking, or perhaps they intentionally drove you off the road in a fit of road rage.
In these cases, you’ll need to also seek punitive damages in your Greenville claim. These damages don’t intend to compensate you for your suffering. Instead, they’re meant to punish the other driver for the suffering they caused.
Keep in mind, however, that these damages are difficult to seek, and they’re capped. In South Carolina, you’ll receive $500,000 or three times your actual damages, whichever is more, if you do seek and are awarded these damages. Be sure that you have a lawyer’s help, however, when you’re seeking punitive damages, since it will take further proof to win them.
Fight Back with a Greenville Motorcycle Crash Lawyer
Unfortunately, motorcycle accidents are difficult, and it’s tough to get the help you deserve. When you’re dealing with the aftermath, it can feel overwhelming. Fortunately, a lawyer from HawkLaw, PA can make a difference.
When you’ve been injured by another person while on your motorcycle, you’ll need a strong claim to get your full compensation. By talking to our lawyers during a free case review, you’ll have the peace of mind you need, and you’ll know your claim is in the right hands.
Ready to get your claim started? Give us a call at 1-888-HAWK-LAW (429-5529) or complete the form below to connect with a Greenville motorcycle accident lawyer and get help with your claim.
