More than 80 percent of reported motorcycle accidents result in injury or death to the rider according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. With that many injuries, insurance companies and other potentially liable parties don’t always settle fairly with injured victims from motorcycle accidents.
You’re more likely to receive fair and adequate compensation for your injuries if you seek help from a personal injury attorney. An experienced attorney can help you with several aspects of the accident and your personal injury claim.
Determination of Fault
One way an attorney can assist you if you have an injury from a motorcycle accident is by helping you determine who was at fault for the accident.
An experienced personal injury attorney will sort through the evidence of the collision and determine who was at fault for the accident. If you can prove the other person was at fault, your lawyer will help you determine how much fault they likely had.
Utah has a modified comparative negligence system that applies to fault in personal injury cases, including those that arise from motorcycle accidents. This system makes it necessary to assign a percentage of fault to each at-fault party to determine the amount of damages an injured party can recover.
Accident victims in Utah may be able to recover partial damages in proportion to their level of fault if they are less at fault than the other party for the accident. Injured accident victims who are more at fault for an accident cannot recover damages from the other partially responsible party.
Claim Valuation and Negotiation Assistance
The first way to try to recover money for your motorcycle accident injury is to file a claim with the appropriate insurance company. Insurance companies often try to offer lower settlements than what injured victims truly deserve. The best way to protect yourself against a low offer is to understand what your claim is worth.
A lawyer will look at all of the facts, evidence, and relevant laws, including case law, to come up with a good estimate of how much you should expect from your claim. Your attorney can also help you negotiate with the insurance company, which might allow you to settle for a fair amount without filing a lawsuit.
Help With the Legal Process
If you aren’t able to reach a fair settlement agreement with the insurance company, an attorney can help you through the legal process of filing and pursuing a personal injury lawsuit. Personal injury cases have documentation requirements and deadlines that may be easy to miss without the help of a lawyer.
Your lawyer can also handle most of the communication, paperwork, and other legal tasks and requirements of your lawsuit so you can focus on following your doctor’s treatment plan and getting back on your feet.
Documentation and Evidence Assistance
Well-organized and thorough documentation and evidence can be the difference between winning and losing a personal injury case, but it can be difficult and time-consuming to gather everything you could potentially need.
When you hire a personal injury attorney, they can help you gather evidence related to the accident itself, such as police reports, pictures, videos, and witness statements. Your lawyer will also be able to help you compile other documents and evidence, such as medical records to verify your injuries and medical treatment and documentation related to lost wages if you miss time from work.
Ipson Law represents injured accident victims throughout Utah. If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident due to someone else’s negligence, contact us today to schedule a consultation to discuss your case.
Michael is an attorney who started Ipson Law because of his passion for personal injury law. He graduated with a Juris Doctorate degree from McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, CA. Learn more about Michael on our about us page, and contact Ipson Law to find out how we can help you.
