Being involved in a motorcycle accident can have significant physical and financial consequences, especially when caused by another party’s negligence. While the immediate focus is rightly on medical treatment and rehabilitation, injured riders must also contend with settlement negotiations and navigating insurance claims.
Determining a fair amount to seek can be an unclear process with many variables to weigh. At Richmond Vona, our Buffalo motorcycle accident attorneys have extensive experience helping motorcyclists maximize compensatory damages after a crash.
Let’s take a look at how much you might settle for after a motorcycle accident and how we work to determine the damages in a personal injury claim.
Understanding How a Motorcycle Accident Claim is Valued
After a crash, it is important for most people to recover ongoing medical costs, lost wages, property damage, and compensation for pain and suffering. Recovering these damages helps address both economic and non-economic impacts.
Your motorcycle accident lawyer conducts thorough evaluations of liability, including determining who was responsible for the crash and to what degree. We also examine policy limits for all involved parties to understand available insurance coverage.
Instead of using a basic multiplier method, our firm completes a comprehensive calculation of the entirety of your losses to help ensure you are not left shortchanged. Additionally, we research the results of previously resolved claims. This comprehensive analysis informs our advice on settlement negotiations.
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Liability Plays a Role in the Amount You Recover in a Settlement
Determining fault for the accident is a key step in evaluating settlement potential. Our attorneys carefully examine all aspects of liability, including comparative negligence principles.
Police reports, expert analyses, and witness testimony help uncover the sequence of events and actions of those involved. Through investigations, we determine the standard of care each party owed and where duties may have been breached.
In many motorcycle accidents, comparative negligence rules apply. This means if our client contributed partially to the crash through their own actions, it could lower the total value of the claim. However, an experienced attorney can help mitigate reductions.
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We may obtain expert opinions from fields like accident reconstruction and medicine. Expert analysis sheds light on finer liability details, establishing clearer fault percentages between partially responsible parties.
If liability is unclear, we may use demonstrative evidence and consult additional experts to clarify responsibility during negotiations. Our case for a higher payout is stronger when our client is seen as being less at fault.
Our goal is to minimize any liability attributed to the rider through vigilant evidence-gathering and persuasive legal arguments. Properly analyzing comparative negligence keeps settlement values as high as reasonably possible given the full circumstances of the accident.
Assessing Injuries and Medical Treatment
Proper settlement amounts should account for all health impacts, both past and future. We obtain complete medical records detailing the nature and severity of injuries sustained. Even minor-seeming injuries at the time may lead to long-term issues like chronic pain.
This documentation should show the extent of initial treatments as well as ongoing care plans. This could include surgery, therapy, medications, lifestyle modifications, and lifetime health monitoring. We calculate lifetime medical costs, accounting for treatment inflations.
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Calculating Economic Damages
Hard costs like wages, medical bills, and property damage require reimbursement. Pay stubs, tax forms, and disability paperwork produce an accurate wage loss analysis, whether temporary or permanent.
Pharmacy receipts, equipment purchases, travel logs, and paid invoices comprehensively track all treatment costs.
Motorcycle values are determined through Blue Book figures or estimates from repair shops. Loss of household services may also be included. Your motorcycle accident attorney will consider all these factors when evaluating how much you should settle for after an accident.
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Determining Non-Economic Damages
While subjective, pain and suffering deserves compensation.
Through interviews, we understand harms like the level of acute pain during initial treatment and any ongoing chronic symptoms. Declines in activities, hobbies, and relationships demonstrate emotional distress and lifestyle changes.
Jurisdictional data on comparable non-economic awards can provide additional guidance.
Insurance Policy Coverage
The maximum amount that can be paid out is determined by the policy’s coverage limits. We acquire certifications that outline the benefits of health, liability, and underinsured driver insurance.
If there is limited motor vehicle coverage, another way to find funds is to look for additional assets and identify all sources of liability. Coverage assessments help ensure that offers with insufficient settlements are not accepted.
Contact a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer to Learn More About Your Settlement
Determining the appropriate settlement amount after a motorcycle accident can feel overwhelming. At Richmond Vona Law Firm, our experienced attorneys are here to guide you through every step of the process and leverage our experience to maximize the value of your case.
Whether pursuing negotiations with insurance carriers or litigation, our team fiercely advocates for optimal outcomes. Our goal is to relieve unnecessary stress and ensure fair compensation for the physical, financial, and emotional toll of such an experience.
By understanding all elements that impact value, we can negotiate from a position of authority on your behalf. Contact Richmond Vona Law Firm today to schedule a free initial consultation and start achieving the fullest recovery available for your motorcycle accident claim.
Call or text (716) 300-5885 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form