Motorcycles are nifty yet dangerous vehicles. There is no denying that their compact shape and size make them ideal for weaving through traffic. However, it also makes you susceptible to injuries and collisions. Many cars need to be more careful when navigating the road at speed. As a result, if you are at the wrong place at the wrong time, there are chances of an accident.
Some accidents are traumatizing and very tragic to deal with. The wounds you suffer, the wreckage you have to deal with, and the financial funding you need can all take a toll on you. It’s hard to focus on recovery when you have too many bills to settle and a motorbike to repair, which is why you need a lawyer. Accidents can happen to anyone, but the party at fault must be questioned. An attorney can help in such a scenario, especially if you can’t handle your accident case alone.
Today, we will discuss how an attorney can help you after a motorcycle accident. Before that, let’s go through the potential causes of motorbike accidents.
Potential Causes of Motorbike Accidents
More than 89,000 motorbikes were involved in an accident in the US from 2011 to 2020, as per the stats. Suppose you focus on these numbers according to their state. In the last three decades, the number of deaths caused by motorcycle accidents quadrupled to about 168 in 2018 compared to the casualties in 1992. Let’s take an example of a recent motorcycle accident in Knoxville Tennessee that could have happened due to one of the following reasons:
- A sudden appearance of a car may have caused a collision.
- The vehicle turned left or was hit from the back, or the motorbike was hit from the side.
- A motorbike was hit from the side.
- The motorbike drove over road hazards, and the road was not blocked.
- Made a sharp lane change with no prior indication.
- Went over the speed limit.
- Did not maintain a safe distance from the car ahead.
Besides, if you’re driving under the influence or speeding up in dangerous situations, weather patterns like rain may lead to accidents. Additionally, if you ignore traffic signals, it can also end up badly for you. But once you’ve been in a collision, hiring a lawyer to handle your case can help mitigate your loss.
Besides, only some motorbike accidents are because of someone’s negligence. In such a situation, a lawyer can narrate your story.
With that said, let’s learn how a lawyer can help after a motorcycle accident:
How Can A Lawyer Help?
The law is particular when it comes to giving justice. Anytime you make a claim or file a lawsuit against another party, you need to prove your case’s legitimacy, which is only possible with the help of a lawyer. Here’s how:
- Lawyers Know How To Launch Your Case
Filing a lawsuit or an accident claim takes work. Your injuries alone cannot make your case valid. You need to prove that your wounds are because of your recent accident. To do this, you need to know the correct terms, have an idea of drafting a formal letter, and ensure it reaches the court before the statute of limitation. For each state, this period is different, but for accident-related lawsuits, it’s about one year in Tennessee. If you try submitting the claim independently, you may mess up, file under the inappropriate section, use the wrong terms, and get tangled in a web of legal jargon.
At the same time, you need to take care of the injuries to make a swift recovery, which is impossible if you pour all your energy into fighting your case. Hence, hiring a lawyer to handle your lawsuit allows you to meet the deadline and submit an accurate, detailed account.
- Work Out With Insurance Companies
Insurance companies step in for their clients when they have an accident. So if you have been in an accident and claim the other party is the reason your motorbike is totaled, you need to prove your case. Insurance companies can be ruthless while defending their client; they may find you overwhelmed with clauses and rules that are hard to follow and may force you to drop the case or settle for much less.
You may also need help to keep up with their questions and provide satisfactory answers. Here’s when a lawyer can help. An attorney can take over for you and work out a deal with insurance companies. At the same time, they’re not intimidated by the insurance companies line of questioning and ensure the company doesn’t try to cheat you out of the fair compensation you deserve.
- Walk Through Court Cases and Settlements
Most accident lawsuits settle outside the court because trials are long and tedious before reaching an outcome. Some trials may take months, while a settlement gets wrapped up in a few weeks. Settlements are negotiations between you and the party found guilty. The party at fault must accept the charges when you first file an accident case. From there, the defendant needs to settle with you and offer you a deal you deem acceptable. These include extending financial compensation that covers all your losses.
Once you sign this settlement, you cannot sue the defendant again, which means you must be vigilant about what you get offered. Despite accepting the claim, don’t expect the other party to play fair. They may push you to take less money, dismiss your concerns or offer you an unfair deal. In such a scenario, your lawyer can intervene and help. Based on their experience, your lawyer can tell you when you’re being taken advantage of and which settlement offer is fair. You may have to go to court if your terms are not accepted.
You are given time to collect evidence, gather witnesses, and submit all the relevant paperwork before appearing in court for trial. Moreover, you will have to present proofs and documents that prove you were driving carefully, details of your wounds, and how they impacted your lifestyle. Also, you will have to prove to the court that you are under particular financial debt (if any) because of the payments you’ve had to make.
A lawyer can help you manage all these documents and prepare an argument on the suffering you sustained from the accident.
Trails can be risky, but if you win in court, you’re entitled to compensation the court decides, but if you lose, you may get nothing. Hence, never present yourself in court unless you have a lawyer. Your lawyer will help you make a relevant case on why you deserve fair compensation for the incident you went through, what losses you’ve had to put up with and how the other party is at fault.
Final Thoughts
Motorcycle accidents can be a scary and traumatizing experience. Collisions are painful and a menace to handle. As you have minimal protection while riding a bike, you may get heavily injured and deal with a totaled bike following an accident. Without a lawyer, getting justice and compensation for your losses may be hard.
Whether you sign a settlement deal or go to court, it helps to have a component lawyer by your side to prove your innocence and support you in getting what you deserve. You may also struggle with the laws and precedence that further strengthen your case, which may jeopardize your position legally. So your best move forward is to hire a lawyer, let these certified experts handle your lawsuit, and tackle the other party.