Did you get seriously hurt while on a motorcycle? Learn what to do when injured in a motorcycle accident in this article, then give us a call.
1) Choosing the Best Attorney
There are a couple of things that need to be considered. One is that you want to make sure that you find an attorney whose core focus is handling motorcycle accident cases, who knows how to handle those cases and can give the attention necessary to handle that case well. You may have another attorney that you have some prior experience with on other matters, and you may want to reach out to that attorney since you know them, but you really want to make sure that you find somebody whose core focus is on motorcycle accident cases.
You also want to find somebody who has a lot of experience and success in handling motorcycle accident cases. A lot of people will advertise that they can handle your motorcycle accident case. You want to make sure you find somebody who really does know all the different rules and regulations that affect motorcycle accident cases. Most importantly, you want to make sure you find a trial attorney. Not all attorneys are skilled and capable of taking a case to trial. To take a case to trial, the case has to be worked up differently than if it’s just going to be settled, so you want to make sure you find somebody who is willing to take your case to trial if that’s what’s necessary to get a good recovery for you.
Make sure you find somebody who is the best fit for you.
2) Common Mistakes To Avoid
One is that people don’t go get the treatment that they need. They might see somebody at the emergency room initially, but then they’re concerned about racking up a lot of medical bills, so they don’t go get the treatment that they need and hope things will get better on their own. That can be very detrimental to your case. If you have ongoing problems and symptoms, you need to get to the doctor so that the doctor can treat you for those injuries and you can start to recover, and it will also be helpful to get that treatment documented so the insurance carrier can understand and see evidence of the full extent of your injuries.
Another common mistake that we see people make is they will give a statement to the insurance carrier before they have an attorney. The insurance carrier is interested in gathering evidence that will help them deny and delay your case. Even though it may seem like there’s no harm in talking to the insurance company – you’re just going to tell them the truth – the insurance company is skilled at trying to get information from you that will only help them and be detrimental to you.
Probably the biggest mistake we see people make is that they hire the wrong attorney. You really want to make sure that you have an attorney that is a trial attorney, is prepared to take your case to trial if that is what’s necessary to get you the best recovery, and who can handle your motorcycle injury case for you in the best way possible.
3) Differences Between Motorcycle & Car Accident Cases
There are a couple of main differences. One is that people involved in motorcycle accidents typically have more significant and severe injuries because of being on the motorcycle. The extent of your injuries can really affect how the case is pursued and how to collect a good recovery for you.
Another significant difference is that most people in Kansas believe that if a motorcycle was in an accident, it was most likely the motorcycle driver’s fault, and that is simply not true. You want to make sure that you find an attorney that understands that and is skilled and capable of demonstrating why the motorcycle driver is not at fault and effectively communicating that to the jury in order to get a good recovery for your damages.
4) Case Value
There are several things that go into determining the value of your case. There are several different types of damages that you can recover because of a motorcycle accident case in Kansas. One is economic damages. Those are the things like medical bills, prescription costs and lost wages that we can pursue for you and recover for you. That includes both those medical bills and lost wages in the past, but also those things going forward, and any medical treatment that you’re going to need in the future, and that kind of thing.
Another type of damage, though, is what’s called non-economic damages, and that includes things like pain and suffering, inconvenience of getting treatment, the disruption to your life, the effect that this injury has had on your life, again, both within the past and in the future. Once all the information is collected about both your economic and non-economic damages, then an attorney can help you determine the true value of your case and help you get the best recovery for your case.
5) Case Timeline
That is really something that is impossible to predict. It’s not something that can be determined immediately. The most important thing is that you focus on getting the treatment that you need, recovering from your injuries, and getting your life back.
While you’re doing that, we will be working on your case, gathering all the evidence, and getting everything ready so that when you are done with treatment, we will reach out to the insurance carrier and see if we can negotiate a fair and reasonable settlement for your case. If the insurance carrier is not willing to be fair and reasonable and not willing to compensate you for your injuries, then we may have to take it to trial, and that may take a little bit longer.
Regardless of the time involved, the most important thing is making sure that you get the best recovery possible to protect you and your family for the injuries that you’ve suffered, as well as the consequences in the future.
Were you or a loved one severely injured in a motorcycle accident in Kansas and have questions about what to do when injured in a motorcycle accident? Contact our experienced Kansas motorcycle accident lawyers today for a free consultation and case evaluation.
Like us on Facebook