If you’ve been in a motorcycle crash, you’ve been through a harrowing experience. It’s important to hire an attorney who has experience with motorcycle cases, because motorcycle crashes tend to be quite different than other vehicle crashes.
Insurance Companies Fight Harder
If you’ve ever had a car totaled in an accident, you may have experienced an insurance company which was very cooperative in paying for repairs or even replacement for your car. This is because they settle a lot of these claims every day, and the damages are relatively minor. Even a car that was totaled is usually inexpensive compared to a hospital stay. Settling relatively small claims quickly makes insurance companies look good to most people, most of the time.
Unfortunately, motorcycle crashes involve serious injury far more often, so insurance companies are much more motivated to limit the amounts they pay out on these claims. They are much more likely to try to get you to overlook some of your expenses, or try to convince you that you’re not entitled to recover certain kinds of damages. An experienced motorcycle attorney is needed to ensure that you’re treated fairly.
Insurance Laws Sometimes Don’t Treat Motorcyclists the Same as Other Motorists
No-fault laws are quite complex. To make matters even more confusing, in some states, motorcyclists are not treated the same way as other motorists and the no-fault laws may not apply to them.
Personal Injuries and Disability Make Calculating Damages More Complex
Again, motorcycle crashes are far more likely to involve serious injury, disability, or death than a car crash. Your attorney needs to be knowledgeable about all the potential damages to include and ask for. In addition to the medical expenses, lost wages, and future disability, there are often significant expenses connected with the damage to the motorcycle and the equipment and accessories on it. Helmets and protective clothing are also expensive, and the replacement value of these items should be sought.
Motorcyclists Must Sometimes Overcome Stereotypes
The inaccurate and unfair image of the “outlaw biker” that some people carry with them can affect your treatment if your case goes to court. Your attorney needs skill and experience in combating those stereotypes, which may affect a number of things throughout the case. For example, assumptions a civil jury might make about how you were operating your motorcycle when the crash occurred, or how much income you may have lost due to being out of work.
For all these reasons, you need an experienced attorney on your side if you’re involved in a motorcycle crash. Choose one with experience in motorcycle cases.
Source: Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Indianapolis, IN, Ward & Ward Law Firm