Walking away from a motorcycle accident can see you and any passengers face a sudden onslaught of essential expenses. You have to pay bills related to your medical care and motorcycle restoration if you want to restore your previous quality of life. Even so, it’s not fair that you’re forced to contend with these expenses when you didn’t cause the accident.
Vaughan & Vaughan recognizes how disheartening these post-accident expenses can be. That’s why our team of motorcycle accident lawyers in Indiana wants to help you fight for the accident compensation you deserve. How much compensation can you receive for your motorcycle injuries, though, and how do you go about securing that support?
The Myth of the Average Settlement
First and foremost, let’s bust a myth. There’s no such thing as an average motorcycle accident settlement. When you first meet with an attorney, they should make a point to independently assess your losses and determine the unique value of any case you intend to pursue.
Some accident survivors may be disheartened by the lack of information on an average motorcycle accident settlement. The good news is that you can refer to case precedent to get an idea of how large the settlements other motorcycle accident survivors received have been. You can even use those settlements as examples to defend your own right to financial support.
That said, don’t create an estimate of your case’s value by trying to find a motorcycle accident that looks exactly like yours. Instead, let an attorney independently investigate your losses and provide you with an assessment that adequately covers the full extent of the damage your accident forced upon you.
Don’t Let Insurance Adjusters Run You in Circles
Insurance adjusters may try to tell you that they’ve offered an average motorcycle accident settlement to other clients under their umbrella. Even so, do not blindly accept a settlement from your insurance provider or a liable party’s provider. You have the right to independently investigate the losses relevant to your case, and you should.
Insurance claim adjusters, after all, primarily work for their employers and not for you. These adjusters may make bad-faith efforts to try and preserve the company’s bottom line without fully considering the value of your accident.
If you receive a settlement offer from a liable party’s insurance, or if you can’t get the coverage you deserve from your provider, let an attorney know. Our team can speak with an insurance provider on your behalf and fight for your right to get the compensation you deserve.
Calculating Your Motorcycle Accident’s Losses
You know now that there’s no such thing as an average motorcycle accident settlement. How, though, do you calculate the total value of your recent motorcycle crash? An attorney can help you break down your accident-related losses into two categories: economic and non-economic losses.
You may also, however, be entitled to punitive damages. You cannot ask for motorcycle accident punitive damages in the claim you submit to a judge, though. Instead, the judge who looks over your case has the right to determine whether or not a liable party’s behavior was flagrantly negligent enough to merit you the right to punitive damages.
You can discuss the possible influence of punitive damages on your case with our motorcycle accident lawyers throughout Indiana.
Economic and Non-Economic Motorcycle Accident Losses
Motorcycle accident losses fall into one of two categories. Your economic losses are those that generate bills in the days, weeks, and months following your crash. These include the cost of your medical care and any expenses related to the restoration or replacement of your damaged motorcycle. You can also request compensation for wages lost while you’re recovering.
Your non-economic motorcycle accident losses are a little more nebulous. There aren’t any bills to track the value of these losses. Instead, you can work with an attorney to determine which state-approved multipliers define the value of your:
- Emotional distress
- Mental anguish
- Pain and suffering
If someone dies in your motorcycle accident, their wrongful death also constitutes a non-economic loss in the eyes of Indiana’s civil courts. You can discuss what rights someone’s wrongful motorcycle accident death may afford you if said loss applies to your case.
How to Get the Compensation You Need to Recover from a Motorcycle Accident
You have a few different avenues available to you when it comes time to fight for the motorcycle accident settlement you deserve. Before you pursue either, however, you need to file a civil claim with your local justice. A civil claim informs a judge about the nature of your accident and outlines your argument for related compensation.
You can only move a motorcycle accident claim forward if a judge allows you to do so. If your claim does move forward, you can then either summon a liable party to motorcycle accident settlement negotiations or take your case to court. Neither process is better than the other. Instead, each has its own purpose and rate of success.
Motorcycle accident settlement negotiations work best when a liable party recognizes their role in your losses. Trials, comparatively, are better suited for injured parties contending with belligerent or otherwise uncooperative defendants. You can discuss which path to financial compensation best suits your case during a case consultation with our team.
Talk to Vaughan & Vaughan Attorneys About Your Right to Motorcycle Accident Compensation Today
So long as you can prove that another party engaged in negligence at the time of your motorcycle accident, you can demand compensation for your losses. You don’t have to calculate what you’re due alone, though, nor do you have to defend your right to compensation without help. You can meet with a motorcycle accident attorney in Indiana to discuss your rights.
Vaughan & Vaughan have a team of attorneys on standby, ready to help you determine what the total value of your recent accident may be. You can schedule a case consultation with our team members today to initiate an investigation into your losses. Contact our team by calling our office or reaching out online, and we can get your first appointment on the books.
