There is no average settlement figure for motorcycle accident cases. Because no two motorcycle accident victims will have identical financial expenses and losses, the value of your settlement might vary considerably from that of other injury victims.
A Lafayette motorcycle accident lawyer can calculate the true value of your claim so you can see if an insurance company’s offer is good or not. Don’t think about what the average settlement is. Think about how you can maximize your settlement instead.
Common Factors That Affect Motorcycle Accident Settlement Amounts
Every motorcycle accident is different, so compensation varies on a case-by-case basis. The factors that create your recoverable damages depend on things like:
- The cost of your medical treatments
- Your salary history and income losses
- The cost to repair your motorcycle
- The current value of your motorcycle
- The monetary value of your pain and suffering
- Whether or not the accident caused physical impairments
- Whether you share some responsibility for the accident
When you make an insurance claim asking for compensation, your lawyer and the insurer will study the evidence from your accident. They will negotiate a settlement and offer it to you for acceptance or rejection.
While all these factors change the value, one sure way to lower the average settlement for a motorcycle accident is to face the insurers without a lawyer to help you. Insurers frequently offer victims less than they deserve if they don’t have representation. We want to ensure your rights are protected after a motorcycle accident.
Comparative Fault Laws May Also Affect Your Settlement
Proving the at-fault driver’s liability is crucial, as you do not want them to assign you any portion of the accident’s cause. Should you share negligence in the accident, it might not bar you from receiving compensation; however, it might reduce how much you can receive.
Your motorcycle accident report may help your lawyer prove the cause of the accident and how the at-fault driver’s negligence led to your injuries, thus holding them liable for your damages. Our legal team can explain this further if we believe comparative negligence laws may affect your case.
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.
ClientAverage Settlements for Motorcycle Accidents Include Economic Damages
The settlement you receive after a motorcycle accident may include recovery of economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are simple to calculate, as they have a fixed price. But some are more challenging than others.
If you’ve suffered an injury that will take a long time to heal, it will raise the settlement value for your motorcycle accident. Long-term injuries are not uncommon in these crashes because motorcycles offer little protection.
Economic damages include:
- Medical care costs
- Income loss
- Future loss of income
- Reduced earning capacity
- Motorcycle damage or destruction
- Long-term care expenses
- Home healthcare services
- Rehabilitative care
- Assistive devices, equipment, or technology
- Personal care assistance
- Additional expenses resulting from your motorcycle accident
Evidence of Economic Damages
A motorcycle accident lawyer on our team can investigate your case and work to compile the evidence needed to prove your economic damages. We will gather and request pertinent documentation that demonstrates your accident-related expenses, including:
- Medical records
- Bills from your healthcare providers
- Income statements
- Documentation of time missed at work from your employer
- Financial records
- Repair or replacement estimates
- Motorcycle valuation documents
- Other property valuation documents and estimates
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 | ClientNon-Economic Damages May Increase Your Settlement
Your settlement will likely be higher if your compensation includes non-economic damages, also called general or intangible damages. These damages are calculated differently because they are based on injuries or losses that are not related to money.
The blanket term “pain and suffering” is used to describe these losses because your accident may have left you in mental, emotional, or physical anguish.
Examples of General Damages
General damages consider the pain you are experiencing in your life due to your motorcycle accident. Your pain and suffering might be physical, such as:
- Back or joint pain
- Nerve damage
- Organ damage
- Headaches
- Physical disfigurement or scarring
- Paralysis
- Fractured or broken bones
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Other physical impairments
Emotional pain and suffering refers to the mental anguish and psychological distress you might be experiencing due to the car crash. You may be experiencing:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Other psychological disorders
- Emotional distress
- Fear
- Insomnia
- Grief
- Reduced quality of life
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of or damage to reputation
- Cognitive or behavioral shifts
Your spouse or another close family member may be able to recover damages if your injury has resulted in:
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of love, affection, or intimacy
- Loss of care
- Loss of protection
- Loss of support
- Loss of parental guidance
The reassurance from Digger and his staff gave me that renewed hope that it’s going to be okay down the road.
ClientHow Are Non-Economic Damages Calculated?
Pain and suffering and other non-economic damages are calculated based on the degree to which your injuries impede your ability to engage in the social, personal, and professional activities you enjoyed before being injured.
The two methods often used by insurance companies and courts to calculate non-economic damages are explained below:
The Multiplier Method
When the multiplier method is used, the amount of your economic damages is multiplied by a number representing the severity of your injuries. The result is your compensation for non-economic losses.
The Per-Diem Method
The per-diem method assigns a dollar amount to each day you have suffered or will suffer (based on life expectancy or recovery period) and adds those days together to arrive at your monetary compensation.
Your lawyer may rely on your medical records, pain evaluation, future prognosis, and mental health counseling costs to assign a value to these recoverable damages. Your attorney will have the knowledge and resources to calculate your non-economic damages to seek the compensation you need and deserve.
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.
ClientLearn Your True Settlement Value
If you were injured in a motorcycle accident, you might have the basis of a lawsuit for financial compensation. Many people are curious about the average settlement of a motorcycle accident, but there is no such thing. Some cases are worth a few thousand dollars, and others are worth millions.
Contact our attorneys at Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers today to learn the true value of your motorcycle accident case. When you work with our team, you can focus on healing while we care for everything else.
