2 Reasons To Hire A Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
One of the most important things that you can do after being involved in a motorcycle accident is hiring a lawyer, mostly because of the many ways in which he or she can assist you. Listed below are two important reasons to hire a motorcycle accident lawyer.
Settlement Negotiations
A major part of dealing with a motorcycle accident case is negotiating with the insurance company that represents the person who caused the accident. A settlement is usually offered by an insurance company in order to avoid potentially losing the case in court or to avoid expensive legal costs. However, the settlement that you will be offered is very rarely going to be the best option for you as the insurance company will try to get you to accept the lowest amount possible.
This makes it very risky to accept a settlement offer. If the settlement is not enough to pay for your medical expenses and repairs, then you are out of luck – accepting the offer eliminates your right to sue the responsible party at a later date. It is especially important that you get a larger settlement when you are involved in a motorcycle accident, as it is more common for your motorcycle to be completely wrecked and you to be severely injured than if you were in a car or other vehicle when the accident occurred.
A lawyer will be able to leverage any evidence he or she has acquired about the cause of the accident and the medical treatment that you require in order to demand more from the insurance company. If the lawyer does not think that you have a strong enough case to get more money in court, then he or she will likely push you to accept the settlement if it is enough to at least cover your medical bills or repair expenses.
Preventing Blame
Another reason to utilize a motorcycle accident lawyer is because he or she can prevent you from being wrongfully blamed for the accident. In many cases, people attempt to shift blame for the accident onto the victim in order to avoid losing their insurance coverage or having to pay for the victim's repairs and medical treatment. Sadly, this approach can often be successful, as many people assume that a motorcycle rider typically drives recklessly.
However, a lawyer can prevent the blame from falling on you and your case from being thrown out by investigating the scene of the accident. For example, the lawyer can read police reports and interview witnesses in order to discover if there were any actions on the part of the driver that led to them causing the accident. These can include statements claiming that he or she was speeding or driving erratically.
A phone record can also be a good way to prevent you from being blamed for the accident. The reason for this is that it will allow your attorney to determine if the responsible party was using his or her phone when the accident occurred.
Contact a motorcycle accident lawyer today in order to discuss how he or she can help you with your case. A motorcycle accident attorney like Todd East Attorney at Law can help you negotiate a better settlement and prevent the blame for the accident from falling on you.