A personal injury lawyer deals with motorcycle accidents and can help you determine if you are entitled to compensation. To recover compensation in a motorcycle accident case, you need to assert that another party’s negligence injured you. A personal injury lawyer from our firm can assist you with navigating the legal process.
There are many procedural rules you must follow to receive compensation, which can get overwhelming. This is particularly true for injured parties who are coping with painful and potentially permanent injuries. While you are focusing on your recovery, a personal injury lawyer can help you get the compensation that you deserve after a motorcycle accident.
What Personal Injury Lawyers Do for Their Clients
One of the first important steps your lawyer will take is to make sure you file your lawsuit before the statute of limitations expires. You have one year from the date of your motorcycle accident to file a personal injury lawsuit in Louisiana, per CC §3492. If you fail to file your lawsuit before this timeline expires, then you could waive your right to recover compensation.
Your lawyer will also investigate your case and determine who is at fault for the accident. Many different parties can be liable for your injuries. If someone hits you while they are working, for example, then you may be able to bring a claim or lawsuit against their employer, too.
Here are a few other examples of how our team assists clients with personal injury cases. We will:
- Review the facts of your case to determine who owes you compensation
- File your complaint with the court before the statute of limitations expires
- Respond to requests for information from the other parties and the court
- Conduct discovery in your case to gather evidence from the other party
- Review insurance policies and determine your right to coverage
- Make sure insurance companies are following their policies and paying you accordingly
- Prepare you for a deposition and attend the hearing with you
- Appear in court on your behalf during hearings and other matters
- Engage in settlement negotiations with the other parties
- Answer your questions about the legal process
- Keep you informed about important events and what to expect
- Calculate the damages you are eligible to receive
How Do You Hold Someone Responsible After a Motorcycle Accident?
Next, your lawyer will gather evidence to prove how the other party caused the accident. This is an important step in your case. To receive compensation, you must show that the other driver was negligent. In general, negligence means the other driver failed to drive with ordinary care and skill.
There are many examples of how someone can drive negligently. Distracted driving is one of the biggest dangers on the roadway, according to the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission (LHSC). Distracted drivers can easily miss a motorcycle nearby due to the smaller size and scale of a bike compared to passenger vehicles.
A reasonably careful driver would not text, surf social media, or engage in other activities that take their attention away from the road. Drunk drivers also pose a serious risk to motorcyclists, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Between 2003 and 2012, more than 3,000 people lost their lives due to drunk driving accidents.
A few other examples of how the person who hit you may have acted negligently include:
- Drugged driving
- Aggressive driving
- Failure to yield the right-of-way
- Speeding
- Tailgating
- Driving while tired
Get Help Gathering the Evidence You Need to Prove Your Case
Even if you are unsure of why the other person hit you, you could still speak with a lawyer about your case and whether negligence was involved. Your lawyer can conduct an investigation to gather evidence to help show that the other driver acted carelessly. There are many types of evidence that can help explain what happened:
- Testimony from witnesses who saw the accident
- An inspection of your vehicle and the other vehicle
- A consultation with an accident reconstructionist
- Medical records detailing your injuries
- Cell phone records showing someone was texting or talking on the phone
- Video footage or other types of surveillance
- A police report prepared after the accident listing traffic violations
Every case is unique, and there can be different combinations of evidence that can support your position. A personal injury lawyer who understands how these types of cases work will understand what information could support your case.
Your Free Consultation With One of Our Attorneys Is Waiting
To find out more about how a personal injury lawyer deals with motorcycle accidents, call Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers now for a free consultation. You have nothing to lose by speaking with us, so call (337) 777-7777 now.