Motorcycling can be dangerous, especially if the rider doesn’t adhere to safety precautions. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), thousands of motorcycle accidents occur on the roads in the United States every year. Since motorcycles offer less protection than passenger vehicles, most of these types of accidents result in devastating injuries and even death.
If you’ve recently been injured in a motorcycle accident, consider reaching out to an Abbeville motorcycle accident lawyer for legal guidance. An attorney can guide you through the entire legal process to get you the compensation you deserve for your injuries and other losses.
How an Abbeville Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Can Help
Whenever a motorcyclist is injured in a crash, they’re often left with an enormous medical debt to settle. Such a situation can easily push you to bankruptcy, especially if you can’t work for a long time due to your injuries. Fortunately, if you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident that wasn’t your fault, you may be entitled to receive financial compensation.
This can be a complicated process, especially if you have no prior experience in motorcycle accident litigation. After the accident, the insurance company may try to persuade you to accept a low settlement offer. Don’t feel pressured to accept this offer since no law obligates you to do so. Instead, reach out to a motorcycle accident lawyer to represent you.
Depending on your case, an Abbeville motorcycle accident lawyer may do the following on your behalf:
- Investigate the accident to determine who’s at fault
- Gather enough evidence to prove liability and negligence
- File the accident claim
- Handle all communications and legal paperwork
- Evaluate all the damages incurred to determine your claim’s worth
- Negotiate a fair settlement offer with the insurance company
- Represent you in a trial if necessary
Laborde Earles injury was great for me they took care of me very fast and professional. If for any reason I need legal help they will be who I use.
ClientWhat You Should Do After a Motorcycle Accident
What you do after a motorcycle accident will likely determine the fate of your case. Therefore, it’s best to take appropriate steps to protect your legal right and strengthen your compensation claim. Although the aftermath of a motorcycle accident can be overwhelming, we recommend staying calm and following these steps:
Get to Safety
Immediately after a motorcycle accident, you need to analyze your surroundings. While it may be a good idea to stay at the accident scene as you wait for the police and emergency medical responders, sometimes it can prove more dangerous not to move. For instance, an unsuspecting driver can crash into you if the impact pushes you to the middle of the road with traffic coming your way.
This can easily result in more damage and even more severe injuries. Therefore, it’s best to get to safety as soon as possible. If the motorcycle is heavy and there’s no one else to help, you should leave it exactly where it is.
Check for Injuries
After a motorcycle accident, your priority should be your health. After you’ve moved to safety, it would be best to check yourself for any injuries. You can also ask the other people involved in the accident if they’ve sustained any injuries. Try helping them and confirm if they need urgent medical attention if they’re injured.
Call the Police
After everyone has been moved to safety, call the police and report the accident. You can also request paramedics if you or another person has been injured in the accident. You must provide a detailed description of your location. Look around for any landmarks or highway mile markers that will give you an idea of your location. Once the police arrive, they’ll create a report about the accident’s events.
Seek Medical Attention
Even if you feel fine and you don’t think you’ve sustained any injuries, ensure that you seek medical attention as soon as possible. Some injuries may not appear immediately after the accident. Some may take weeks or even months to become apparent but if you’ve sustained severe injuries, an ambulance will take you to the hospital for immediate treatment.
If you don’t seek medical attention immediately after the accident, the insurance company may argue that your injuries weren’t severe. When you visit the hospital immediately after the accident, the doctor will document all your sustained injuries. This will prove that your injuries resulted from the motorcycle accident and that they are serious.
Document the Scene
If you’re physically capable; take pictures of your injuries, any skid marks on the road, damage to your motorcycle, damage to the vehicles, traffic signs nearby, and the position of the vehicles. These pictures will strengthen your claim if you decide to take legal action following the accident.
Exchange Contact Information
Before leaving the accident scene, you should exchange contact information with the other motorists or pedestrians. Be sure to obtain their names, phone numbers, vehicle license plate numbers, and the names of their insurance companies.
Contact a Lawyer
Before speaking to the defendant’s legal team and insurance company, you should consult an Abbeville motorcycle accident lawyer.
I thank God for Digger & David. I don’t know what we would have done if it hadn’t have been for them.
Rick Smith | ClientRecovering Damages in a Motorcycle Accident Case
The amount of compensation you may recover from a motorcycle accident case depends on the severity of your injuries and the ability to prove liability. After the accident, an Abbeville motorcycle accident lawyer may file a lawsuit against the liable party to recover damages like:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages and benefits
- Motorcycle repairs or replacement
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Diminished quality of life
Unfortunately, some motorcycle accidents can be fatal. If your loved one has recently died in a motorcycle accident, you may be entitled to recover the following damages under wrongful death:
- Final medical expenses before the victim’s death
- Loss of income if the victim was the household breadwinner
- The pain and suffering the victim endured before their death
- Loss of companionship
- Funeral and burial expenses
The reassurance from Digger and his staff gave me that renewed hope that it’s going to be okay down the road.
ClientStatute of Limitations
Under Louisiana state law, you must file personal injury and wrongful death claims within one year from the accident and death, respectively. If you don’t file your claim within these time limits, you may be barred from recovering compensation.
They treated us like no other people would. Whenever we needed something they were there for us. I put my trust in them and I don’t regret it.
ClientContact Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers for Legal Help
The road to recovering compensation after a motorcycle accident will not be easy. It’s in your best interest to hire an Abbeville motorcycle accident lawyer to help you build a strong case and recover the compensation you deserve for your injuries. Contact Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation.
