After a motorcycle crash that wasn’t your fault, you have the right to file a personal injury lawsuit. You can seek damages for your pain, suffering, lost wages, and medical expenses. Some of the smartest ways to maximize compensation after a motorcycle accident are hiring legal representation, seeing a doctor, using an investigation to prove fault, and understanding the available insurance coverages.
Hiring a Motorcycle Accident Attorney
You have the right to represent yourself in negotiations with an insurance company after a motorcycle crash with injuries. However, you probably don’t have the same level of experience as North Carolina personal injury attorneys do with settlement negotiations.
You may struggle to determine the value of your injury case because you don’t deal with these situations regularly. An insurance company knows this. It may offer you a far smaller amount than your case is worth, hoping you’ll accept it without knowing more money is potentially available.
Insurance companies improve profit margins by paying victims less in settlements and awards. No matter what the insurance representative tells you about helping you maximize your award, the insurer’s incentive is to pay victims as little as possible.
When you hire a motorcycle accident attorney, you have an advocate who focuses on maximizing your compensation after a motorcycle accident. Your attorney helps you determine an accident valuation for your case, giving you an accurate starting point for negotiations.
Your attorney can help in the following areas, too.
Receiving a Full Medical Exam
After your motorcycle accident, you must see a doctor for a full medical exam. Insurance companies will not accept just your description of your motorcycle accident injuries when offering you a settlement. They want to see proof of your injuries from a doctor.
After your doctors diagnose your injuries, you need to follow their advice for treatment. If you skip treatments or therapy appointments, the insurance company will use this information to argue that your injuries are not as serious as you are claiming.
The doctor’s opinion about permanent injuries or your future physical and mental hardships related to your injuries is a key factor in determining an award amount to request. Your motorcycle accident lawyers use your medical information and injury severity levels to create an accurate valuation for your case.
Investigating the Accident To Determine Fault
Determining accident liability is important to maximizing compensation after a motorcycle accident. Without determining the at-fault party, you would not have a defendant for a personal injury lawsuit.
North Carolina follows contributory negligence laws. This means the injured party cannot seek any damages in an injury claim if the injured party’s actions contributed to the accident. Even if you were 1% at fault for the motorcycle crash, you cannot seek a personal injury financial award in North Carolina.
Insurance companies know this. They may tell you that their investigation shows your actions on the bike contributed to the crash, leaving you unable to receive any money for your injuries.
However, you are by no means obligated to accept the insurer’s findings. You have the right to have your motorcycle accident lawyers perform an investigation, looking for evidence that shows you did not do anything wrong.
Your lawyer’s investigation may show 100% fault on the part of the other driver. You then can use that information to counter the insurer’s investigation and to work to maximize compensation after a motorcycle accident.
Understanding the Available Insurance Coverage
Insurance policy coverage limits play a key role in motorcycle accident injury claims. Because motorcycle accidents sometimes involve life-altering injuries, you may find that the other driver’s policy limits are not high enough to compensate you for your injuries fully.
Your motorcycle accident injury lawyers can seek other insurance coverage avenues in an attempt to win a larger award for you. Your lawyers may also explore using the underinsured motorist coverage on your policy to increase the amount you could receive.
Contact Paynter Law for a Free Case Review
Recovering damages after a motorcycle accident is often a smoother process when you have trusted North Carolina motorcycle accident lawyers on your side. Let us help you negotiate a settlement with the insurance company. We always work to maximize compensation after a motorcycle accident.
At Paynter Law, we offer a free case review. Call us at (919) 245-3116 today.