After a serious crash, some injured parties may wonder what the average settlement for a motorcycle accident is. In short, there is no such thing as an average settlement amount for a motorcycle accident. The amount of money that injured parties could recover after the accident can vary and will depend on various factors, including but not limited to:
- The severity of a person’s injuries
- The amount of property damage
- The specifics of any insurance policies
- The negligent driver’s degree of fault
Determining a Motorcycle Accident Settlement Amount
Recovering an adequate settlement can be crucial for the life quality and future financial health of an accident victim. Accident settlement amounts will depend on the severity of a person’s injuries and property damage that the accident victim experiences. In other words, the amount available in a fender-bender where nobody suffered significant injuries will, of course, be much smaller than a settlement for an accident with catastrophic injuries.
While it can be next to impossible to know what the average settlement for a motorcycle accident is, a severely injured victim could seek several damages, such as:
- Medical expenses and future medical costs
- Loss of income
- Loss of future income and future earning capacity
- Cost of a housekeeper or home health aide
- Costs for modifying a home and vehicle to a disabled victim’s needs
- Loss of life quality
- Loss of a limb or a sense
- Pain and suffering
- Permanent disability
- Disfigurement
It is easy to see how a settlement for a severely disabling injury could go into the hundreds of thousands of dollars and more.
Protecting Your Legal Rights After an Accident
To have a solid chance of recovering an adequate settlement, accident victims must take care to protect their legal rights immediately after their accident and during the days after it occurs. Steps you can take to protect your rights include the following:
Visit Your Doctor as Soon as Possible
Motorcycle accident victims are more likely than car occupants to suffer injuries in a serious accident, as the Insurance Information Institute (III) notes. Seeking medical attention promptly after an accident will not only safeguard your health and well-being, but it can also be crucial for pursuing compensation for your injuries. Accident victims can mistake symptoms of serious conditions for just a headache or some harmless neck pain.
However, they actually could be suffering from a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or a spine injury. Symptoms can take days or even weeks to appear. According to the Mayo Clinic, a TBI may not show any symptoms for weeks.
If you wait too long to find medical treatment for your accident injuries, expect the at-fault party and their attorney to use this as ammunition against you in a lawsuit. They may even try to argue that your injuries have nothing to do with the accident. Protect your legal rights and visit a doctor immediately after an accident, as a medical report can also serve as evidence of your injuries.
Collect Crucial Evidence Quickly
Your entire case for compensation will hinge on having comprehensive evidence proving the at-fault party’s negligence as well as your damages. Some of the material you may require can include:
- Photographs of the motorcycle accident scene and vehicles
- Contact details of witnesses
- Contact details and insurance information of the drivers involved in the crash
- Receipts of any repairs done on your motorcycle
- Medical statements detailing your injuries and treatments
- Statements of your medical bills
- Receipts for out-of-pocket expenses such as medications
- Proof of loss of income, such as bank statements and pay stubs
It can also be a good idea to keep a journal noting your recovery process, medical treatments, and any pain and suffering you are experiencing. This can later help you remember details and may also count as evidence for damages. Speaking to a motorcycle accident lawyer from our firm can help you get clear on the evidence required to prove your case.
Contact a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
If you suffered catastrophic injuries from an accident, getting legal advice as soon as possible can potentially save you from making crucial mistakes. Not knowing how to handle insurance companies, for example, could result in you losing out on an adequate settlement.
However, a motorcycle accident lawyer from our firm knows how to protect your rights comprehensively. We can also help you build a case against the at-fault party and represent your best interests at a trial.
The Attorneys at Jacoby & Meyers Law Offices Can Fight for the Settlement You Deserve
We can help you with all aspects of your case and fight for the best possible outcome in the shortest possible time frame. Jacoby & Meyers Law Firm is determined to help accident victims get the compensation they and their families deserve. Call us now for a free case review at (888) 522-6291.