Motorcycle accidents often cause injuries and severe damage in the blink of an eye. The injured person can not even fathom what follows. A smooth ride can suddenly turn into a nightmare, where the victim will have to deal with injuries, medical bills, and damaged bikes.
However, people deserve motorcycle accident compensation when the accident is not their fault. But they should be aware of what they deserve. Proper knowledge of what people are entitled to gives them the ability to fight for their rights in the right way.
This article seeks to provide in-depth knowledge on how to obtain proper motorcycle accident compensation.
What Are The Things That You Should Consider While Filing For Motorcycle Accident Compensation
The bills and sufferings for the motorcycle accident compensation can vary from case to case. However, the total amount of expenditure and suffering unfolds slowly. Thus, the applicant should keep the following things in mind while filing for motorcycle accident compensation.
1. Medical Expenses
The victims generally lack an idea about how fast the medical bills pile up in case of injuries. Moreover, this includes the cost of the diverse things that people generally do not take into account.
The list of expenses includes things like ambulance rides to the emergency room. Additionally, the costs of hospital stay are added to the massive expenditure. Depending on the case, the victims also have to go through surgeries and several other things.
Several other injuries like bone injuries, traumatic brain injury, and others can spike up the bill upto six figures, even before the injured person gets to know about it.
Your personal injury claim should also cover prescription medications, any medical equipment you need, and all those physical therapy sessions that help you get your strength back.
Many riders are not aware that this includes future medical care. If the injuries require further surgical intervention in the future or continued treatment, these costs must be part of the equation.
Motorcycle accident compensation should incorporate problems that can arise much later. That is where having the leading personal injury attorney in Oklahoma City matters. Internal injuries and spinal cord trauma does not always show up as problems right away. Thus, the professional personal injury lawyers work with the medical experts to figure out the future rate of expenditure.
Thus, the injured person should not stop getting follow-up appointments and cut the medical injuries short.
2. Lost Wages And Diminished Earning Capacity
Missing work due to a motorcycle accident hits your wallet hard. So, you are entitled to compensation for every single day you couldn’t work because of your injuries, be it two weeks or six months.
If your injuries mean you can’t return to your job, or you can’t earn as much as you did, that constitutes diminished earning capacity, and you are entitled to compensation for that.
This type of compensation looks at the overall picture: How old are you? What skills do you have?
How does your injury affect what you can do over the next 20 or 30 years? For younger riders, these numbers get big because the injury affects decades of potential income.
And nobody should tell you that only W-2, full-time employees can recover their lost wages.
Part-time workers and self-employed riders absolutely qualify. You’ll just need documentation to prove your case, like tax returns or bank statements.
3. Pain And Suffering
Severe road rash that feels like your skin is on fire, debilitating bone fractures that ache incessantly, and neck injuries that make every movement hurt already take a toll.
But pain and suffering compensation is more than what one can see upon the skin and in an X-ray.
If you have permanent scarring requiring cosmetic surgery or any nerve injuries that can cause chronic pain that is not likely to stop, those ongoing problems count.
Many riders also develop severe anxiety following a crash. Perhaps they may be apprehensive about getting on a bicycle again or riding in a car as a passenger. Some individuals feel depressed if, for example, they have lost their independence during recovery.
The tough part is there’s no figure for emotional trauma. That’s why working with experienced motorcycle accident lawyers matters, as they know how to tell your story in a way that makes the real impact clear.
Head injuries and traumatic brain injury are especially brutal because they change who you are as a person. Memory problems, mood swings, and trouble concentrating affect your relationships, your ability to hold down a job, and your whole quality of life.
4. Damages To Property And Out-Of-Pocket Expenses
Most riders see their motorcycle as a symbol of freedom, passion, and years of customization and care. That is why, when talking about damages, it should include complete repair or replacement costs, custom parts, safety gear, and accessories.
Property damage isn’t just confined to the motorcycle. Suppose you’re carrying a laptop or phone that got destroyed.
Those count. Your helmet and riding gear probably saved you from worse injuries, but now they need replacing, which means those are compensable.
Then you’ve got all the little stuff, like co-pays, gas money to drive to appointments, and parking at the hospital.
Some riders need to hire help for basic things like lawn care or house cleaning while they recover. Save every receipt, as these out-of-pocket expenses are recoverable, but only if you can prove them.
Understanding The Claim Process For Motorcycle Accident Compensation
Building any case requires documentation to start with. You can go ahead and use police reports that detail how the accident happened. The witness statements by those who saw it, and the medical records linking your injuries directly to the crash, are also integral.
Insurance carriers are not necessarily on your side, no matter how nice the adjuster sounds when speaking with you over the phone. Their job is to pay the least amount of money possible.
They may argue you are partially at fault, that your injuries are not as bad as you claim, or that you did not need all that treatment. Motorcycle accident attorneys know this because they see these tactics day in and day out.
Also, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration tracks motorcycle crashes, and insurers use that data to argue against riders.
They know helmeted riders typically suffer less severe injury, so they might say that better use of a helmet could have reduced your injuries. They will research traffic laws and accident reconstruction.
The point is, whatever you do, do not accept the first settlement offer. Those initial numbers rarely reflect what your claim is worth, especially if you’re still getting treatment or dealing with serious conditions.
Taking Action For Motorcycle Accident Compensation
People should not generalize the different types of motorcycle accident cases. Every case is, moreover, distinct from the other. They have different injuries, severity scores, and compensation requirements.
People should never settle for less than what they are entitled to. The insurance companies often push to get things done as soon as possible. The injured person and his family often feel overwhelmed in the process.
Additionally, going to the court and getting things done can be overwhelming for people. Thus, the family and friends of the injured person should hire an expert personal injury attorney to ensure proper representation of the case while the suffer heals.
The professionals go through all the hospital records. Furthermore , they also work with the experts in accident investigation.
The proper analysis of all the evidence, including the skid marks and other evidence, plays a major role.
Thus, they are necessary to provide the best results while building a very strong case based on your suffering.
