When you are injured in a motorbike accident, it is not uncommon to leave the accident with physical and emotional scars. Motorbike accidents by nature tend to be more severe than many typical motor vehicle accidents. This is largely due to the lack of protection surrounding the rider as opposed to the driver in a motor vehicle. This, in turn, means that injuries from a motorbike accident can result in needing help from an injury lawyer to navigate the insurance system of Alberta.
Trying to navigate this system and ensure that you are fairly compensated for your injuries can be intimidating, especially if you have no experience or expertise in the insurance industry. Because of this, we have compiled some frequently asked questions about motorbike accidents.
Will Investigations Be Necessary?
Depending on the seriousness of the case, even what appears to be a simple accident at first (ex: somebody making an improper left turn and colliding with a motorbike) can lead to difficult arguments with the defendant’s insurer. It is not unheard of, for instance, for insurers to contest liability in scenarios which seem straightforward. This is why when you are in a severe motorbike accident, evidence from the accident must be preserved for assessment and investigation.
Investigation can involve various steps however two common examples would be hiring a private investigator and hiring a collision reconstruction engineer. Private investigators can assist by speaking to parties at the scene of the accident or have a tie to the accident in some form or another. They can provide leads for your injury lawyer to look into as they try to advocate for you and ensure that you have a solid case. While hiring a collision reconstruction expert can assist in recreating the technical aspects of the motorbike accident. Analyzing data and evidence, the expert will work to determine factors like the velocity of the vehicles involved, whether there was any braking, whether any attempts at evasive action were made, or whether the vehicle was having mechanical issues, among other lines of inquiry.
This investigation can be extremely helpful in bringing a successful personal injury case. In some instances to even get the insurer to come to the table to negotiate investigations will be necessary.
How Soon Should I Retain A Lawyer For My Motorbike Accident?
Given their serious nature, it is often a good idea to get an injury lawyer involved as soon as possible with motorbike accidents. Your lawyer will be able to assist you in navigating the process by preventing the other party’s insurer from collecting adverse statements, hiring investigators, ensuring evidence is preserved for use in the investigation, and ordering medical documents.
Your injury lawyer can also be a resource to rely on as you attempt to get treatments you are entitled to under your own policy of insurance. Insurance companies, even your own, may be difficult to provide approval for certain treatments that you are entitled to under your policy. Retaining a James H. Brown and Associates personal injury law team member can provide quick relief in this regard.
Retaining an injury lawyer sooner than later can also allow the injury lawyer to explain the litigation process to you and the steps you should take to ensure that you have the strongest case possible. Your injury lawyer will work to ensure that you are properly compensated for any and all injuries related to the motorbike accident and to this end, will encourage you to speak with the appropriate medical professionals. This will ensure an adequate evidentiary body for the case and at the same time fulfills the plaintiff’s obligation to “mitigate” or treat their injuries (failing which they may see a deduction in their ultimate award of damages).
How Much is My Motorbike Accident Case Worth?
This is an excellent question, though one that will always depend on the medical evidence and the facts of the case. Your injury lawyer cannot immediately provide a prediction of the compensation you will be looking at due to the multiplicity of variables that can affect this. Medical evidence and court treatment of these sorts of injuries always provide an initial basis for the compensation that you will be looking at. Consideration must be given further to how you treat, your background/occupation/recreational pursuits, your credibility, and how the injuries have affected you. All of these considerations may result in a reduction of what your award of damages would otherwise be. Failure to wear a helmet or take other safety precautions may be further seen as negligence on your part and likewise, result in a corresponding deduction from your eventual award of damages.
Because of the dynamic nature of a personal injury lawsuit, with this in mind, it is very difficult to speak to the award you would be looking at without further context. However, a good rule of thumb is that more serious injuries will generally result in higher compensation subject to the factors identified above.
Injured in a Motorbike Accident? We Can Help!
If you have been injured in a motorbike accident, call a James H. Brown and Associates Injury Lawyer today! Our lawyers have decades of experience in the industry in accidents of all forms including motorbike accidents. Our team includes renowned veterans of the industry who know every step to take to ensure that you receive the compensation you are properly entitled to. Our lawyers are eager to assist you! Call us today for your free consultation! 780-428-0088!
