Driving a motorcycle can always prove to be a risky ride. For every speed thrill that it brings, it can also cause a spill that may come at personal and financial costs. If you have been involved in a motorcycle accident, you will need to recover accident benefits to cover your medical bills and potentially lost wages. Going through this process is much easier with a motorcycle accident attorney. These professionals focus on motorcycle accident cases and recoup the damages you need to bounce back after such a life-altering incident.
Motorcycle Accidents Carry Severe Consequences
Whenever you ride a motorcycle, you’re leaving much of your body exposed and unsecured, only wearing a helmet to protect yourself. As bad as car accidents can be, motorcycle accidents can be even more crippling due to that extensive exposure. Motorcycle accidents can lead to serious injuries such as broken bones, spine injuries, and even a traumatic brain injury. Motorcycle accidents result in a higher number of deaths than car accidents, too. A study by the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows that fatalities in motorcycle accidents occur 27 times more often than in cars.
These are all long-term injuries that can lead to high medical expenses and cause you to lose substantial income. A motorcycle accident impacts your quality of life as you may need surgery to address the damage you’ve suffered in the crash, which will keep you at home for a long time. If you’re someone who has his or her share of responsibilities at home, whether it’s providing for your family or paying bills, this absence at work can be stressful. Recovery takes a while as you will struggle with range-of-motion and pain. Furthermore, you may have mental health issues ranging from shock to stress to memory loss. All of this affects how you live and can be factors used to illustrate your claim to the court when making a motorcycle accident claim.
Why Do You Need a Motorcycle Accident Attorney?
Having a motorcycle accident attorney representing your case can secure you the benefits you need to deal with injuries and trauma from such a collision. Considering the massive volume of paperwork and confusing jargon involved when dealing with a legal claim, getting an attorney will ease your burden. You’ll also need legal representation to help you battle insurance companies who have their own lawyers to help them settle their cases for minimal losses. That’s plenty of muscle to battle, so arming yourself with a motorcycle accident attorney gives your case the strength to overcome such tough opposition.
Having a motorcycle accident attorney by your side also eliminates the chance you’ll sign away your case before presenting it. Your lawyer will advise you not to sign any documentation that can destroy your opportunity to recover damages for your pain or suffering. Also, a motorcycle accident attorney will tell you not to let anyone, including your insurance company, record you. Plus, they can help you move your case along. They know that sooner you can gather evidence and present it, the better.
Hire a motorcycle accident attorney when:
- You have sustained serious injuries
- The insurance company refuses to pay for your claim
- A third party is at fault for the accident
- There is a dispute about liability
If you managed to escape injury, if the accident was your fault, or if there were minor damages, there is no need to hire an attorney.
What Can a Motorcycle Accident Attorney Do for You?
Having a Greenville motorcycle accident attorney with experience can do several things to your benefit. An attorney can help you get and process all the necessary paperwork while investigating who was at fault for the accident and evaluating your claim’s validity.
First, a motorcycle accident attorney should ask you all the relevant questions to help you prepare your case in the best way possible. Their case evaluation should be free and should cover every basic query. At this stage, you’re establishing trust with your attorney while evaluating every relevant option. Your lawyer should also be contacting you on a regular basis to update you on the case’s progress and outline any strategies that will need to be carried out along the way. It should be noted that your case ought to be taken on a contingency basis. That way, it ties your fate to your lawyer’s so that you don’t end up paying exorbitant legal fees and your attorney will do their utmost to further your claim.
As the case progresses, you and your attorney will discuss the various options for compensation. In building your case, your motorcycle accident attorney will send investigators to the accident scene to capture particulars. These particulars should include visual evidence such as photos and videos of the scene, such as security camera or dash cam footage. Your lawyers should also be getting witness statements so that the accident can be reconstructed and fault can be better determined.
From there, your lawyer will put together all the evidence and document it. You won’t have to worry about any paperwork as long as that evidence is clear. Your attorney should also be able to access medical records detailing the medical expenses you are paying as well as bills documenting your loss of income.
Your attorney will act as a negotiator with the insurance company to get you the best settlement possible. Forgoing legal representation will almost certainly leave you getting not as much money as you hoped for or none at all. The motorcycle accident attorney will tell you what to do and what not to do as your case unfolds. You’ll be as prepared as possible for your deposition.
While your motorcycle accident attorney does all of the background work, you can get the rest and recovery time you need. An attorney who has had years of success with these kinds of cases will level the playing field in disputes with other drivers and especially with insurance agencies. After hiring a motorcycle accident attorney, you can rest assured that you’ll get financial compensation and premium protection.
If you need to hire a motorcycle accident attorney in South Carolina, look no further than The Clardy Law Firm. Build your case now!
